Jered WinterHuman Rogue 2/Swashbuckler 3Medium HumanoidHit Dice: 2d6 + 3d10 + 10 (XX hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 18,
Touch: 13,
Flat-footed: 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: +1 Cold Iron Short Sword +8 (1d6 + 5, 19-20/x2);
Dagger +7 (1d4 + 4, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack:Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Qualities: Evasion, Sneak Attack +1d6, Grace +1, Insightful Strike
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +1
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 8
Skills: Skills: Balance: 9* (5 ranks), Bluff: 7 (8 ranks), Diplomacy: 3 (0 ranks), Disguise (Act in Character): 1 (0 ranks), Gather Info: 7 (8 ranks), Hide: 10* (8 ranks), Intimidate: 1 (0 ranks), Jump: 2* (0 ranks), Listen: 8 (8 ranks), Move Silently: 10* (8 ranks), Search: 11 (8 ranks), Sense Motive: 8 (8 ranks), Sleight of Hand: 4* (0 ranks), Spot: 8 (8 ranks), Survival (Following Tracks): 2, Tumble: 10* (8 ranks), Use Magic Device: 6 (7 ranks), *These skills have a -1 Armor Check Penalty factored in.
Feats: Able Learner, Undo Resistance, Weapon Finesse, Investigate
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or Adventuring Party
Challenge Rating: 5
Alignment: CG
Languages Spoken: Common, Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal
Level Adjustment: +0
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[/spoiler]
Character background:
So, the general build concept for this character is to be an adept sneak attacker who uses a cold iron weapon to knock down the Spell Resistance of outsiders, etc, when we come up against them. He's also focused on investigation, given the focus of the campaign.
He will be picking up the Daring Outlaw feat next level, and will spend most of his remaining levels in Swashbuckler (I want to maximize my Sneak Attack and my BAB).
At some point in the future, I would like to pick up the Assassin's Stance stance from Tome of Battle (along with Cloak of Deception) followed by the Shadow Blade feat from ToB to add Dex to damage. There are a few different ways I could go about this, but I'm not sure what is the best way. In all truth, I'd prefer to only lose 1 level of Rogue/Swashbuckler progression, so that I don't lose any sneak attack dice from that. I'd also like to maintain most of the skills I've got.
Options:
Option 1: I could take one or two levels of Swordsage to gain several maneuvers, and at least Cloak of Deception. If I took the second level of Swordsage at 9th level, I could gain Assassin's Stance without expending any feats, and then gain the Shadow Blade feat. Or I could take only the one level of Swordsage and gain Assassin's Stance via a feat.
Advantages: - No or only one feat expenditure and gets me Assassin's Stance fairly quickly.
- Could get me Shadow Blade by 9th level.
- Provides a boost to skills.
- Would get me the effects of Weapon Focus.
- Grants me a relatively large host of maneuvers known
- Grants me a (crappy) recovery mechanic.
Disadvantages: - Loses a point of BAB (but does gain Weap Foc for free).
- If I take 2 levels, I end up losing an overall die of Sneak Attack.
Option 2: I could take a level of Warblade and gain Cloak of Deception and Assassin's Stance via feats. Perhaps I would take a level of fighter to offset the feat cost.
Advantages: - Grants me a good recovery mechanic.
- Maintains my BAB
- Grants me a +1 bonus on Reflex saves due to my intelligence.
- Grants me the same amount of skills as Swashbuckler would.
Disadvantages: - Still costs me two feats.
- If I take the level of fighter to offset the feat cost, I will lose an overall die of Sneak Attack
- If I take the level of fighter, I'll lose out on some skills.
Option 3: I could simply take 1 or 2 levels of fighter, to help offset the feat costs.
Advantages: - Maintains BAB
- Helps offset feat costs
- I could have Assassin's Stance by 10th level, and Shadow Blade by 12th level, or 11th level if I took 2 levels.
Disadvantages: - I'd have no recovery mechanic for Cloak of Disception.
- I'd lose out on an overall die of Sneak Attack if I took 2 levels.
- My skills would suffer
So, which do people think would be the best trade off? I wasn't planning on getting weapon focus anyway, so Swordsage doesn't actually cost me much... just getting my additional attacks from BAB a level later.