@ Genuine:Thanks, that was *very* helpful.
Here's the thing, if you go:
With Rogue 12/Swordsage 8 You'll have 6d6 sneak attack, and an initiator level of 14 - access to seventh level manuevers. If you drop your build down to rogue 10/ Swordsage 10 you'll have 5d6 and 8th level manuevers. Rogue 8/ Swordsage 12 you'll have 4d6 and 9th level manuevers. You did say you wanted a more rogue-heavy build, which is why I originally said that the Rogue 12/Swordsage 8 was what you were after. Personally, like was said above, I'd make sure I had access to ninth level maneuvers - initiator levels aren't quite as great as caster levels, but it's still worth getting high.
A note, Shadowblade only gives Dex to damage if your using a Shadow Hand weapon and using a shadowhand stance. If you're always in Assassin's stance during combat this won't be a big deal, though.
I was planning on Islands of Blades, so that I will be basically always able to sneak in melee. Switch to Assassin's if I get a sneak without that.
Shadow Hand Weapons, yes, I find short swords kinda "brutish", might try to convince my DM to allow rapiers (with shortswords stats, I don't care, but I can't imagine this elegant and arrogant whispergnome with 2 ... shortwords).
And Rogue8/SS12 sounds fun, although I'll have to wait quite a bit until the 9th level maneuver. But that's what you get for that weird character, I guess. And he'll be fun to play before anyway, we'll start at level 1, so, that's a long way to go.
If you want to amp up the synergy even more, martial style weapons are great enhancements. A Shadow Hand enchantment costs +1, and so long as your in a Shadow Hand Stance or using a Shadow Hand maneuver you get an effective +3 attack and damage. It's nice.
Wow, +3 is a lot! Really nice, I just read through the paragraph TOM p. 149. Thanks. Doors wide open for abuse actually, seeing the sentence with double enchants. A bit overpowered, huh, +7 on a weapon.
With PrCs? If you're using two-handed weapons a two level dip into Bloodclaw Master is invaluable. If you can handle the feat cost, Master of Nine is always fun, and Shadow Hand Ninja can be a blast if you don't mind they monky feel to it.
I had not yet looked into them.
About TWF: I imagine the character as a fencer really. I can't possibly give him a 2 handed weapon, that just wouldn't fit. So I'm stuck with stuff like rapier, dagger, short swords etc. I don't necessarily need TWF, from the point of view of how I have the character in mind. But, although I'm rather new to D&D3.5, it looks like the character would totally suck without TWF, damage wise? I can deal SA with offhand weapon, too, right? And all the funny mongoose maneuvers give me additional attacks with BOTH weapons, right? So, If I get a second attack due to BAB, and I use a full round action, can I do main hand offhand (first attack) + main hand offhand (second one)? And deal 4* sneak damage?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.
PRC:
* Bloodclaw Master doesn't fit, but I give you, the bonus is awesome. Maybe I can talk to my DM about it, and change the shifting part to something else. It looks worthless with the character's major weakness - strength6.
* Master of Nine: uh. Na, too much requirements.
* Shadow Sun Ninja: Ok, I read through it. My WI will be pretty low. And with my low strength, my unarmed attacks, and my unarmed damage will suck. So the whole "monk part" is pretty useless, I guess? Tough of the Shadows sounds funny, but it looks like I have enough stuff to do damage and don't need this? Can I also sneak using this? Melee touch attack sounds like I get to sneak every time I do it, and I can do it every third round? Do I read the correctly? Healing, hm. I could heal crazy amounts I sneak attack is allowed and also counts for healing? Flame of the Shadow Sun sounds useless, only against cold damage, and 2d6 fire damage isn't really worth anything, right? Third level offers nothing. Fourth level sounds fun, but not really gamebreaking. Although blind 1 round is pretty good, I reckon. Then again, my WIS will be around 10 or 12, so the DC won't be high, and it's against fortitude. How much levels would you recommend me to take, if at all?
@ Dark Samurai, Havok41 level Fighter sounds viable. And yes, poison, please!
I have to find ways to enhance this anyway, without sacrificing too much.
But you say I gain +1d6 SA with that. I can't find this in the description of the ACF.
Also you get evasion twice so you could trade one of them out for ray reflection (CM).
Doesn't that add up to imp. evasion or something? Like Uncanny DOdge (barbarian) + Uncanny Dodge (warblade) = improved uncanny dodge?
@ EtarranRogue 1/Sneak Attack Fighter 1/ Swashbuckler 3/ Swordsage 15 is also viable if you think int to damage is better than one extra die of sneak attack (it almost certainly is). Also worth considering is cross-class ranks in iaijutsu focus, for a sneak-attack-esque damage source, or even better a one- or three-level factotum dip.
Consider Rogue 1/Sneak Attack Fighter 1/ Swashbuckler 3/ Factotum 1/ Swordsage 14, for ninth-level maneuvers, 4d6+20 sneak attack with assassin's stance and craven, int and dex to damage, and access to iaijutsu focus for some easy bonus damage. You also get pretty good hit dice, and get the magical +16 BAB if you can convince your DM to use fractional BAB.
Sorry for asking this, but what's fractional BAB?
I actually considered Swashbuckler, especially with the Arcane Stunt ACF on level 2. I'd also go for INT14, at least. But then again, is +2 or +3 damage on each attack really worth 3 levels Swashbucklerit? Sure, they have nice hit dies, great BAB, ok saves, and I get Weapon Finesse for free (which his the reason I'd dip into Swashbuckler first level quite early actually). Btw, what happens when I take Weapon Finesse @ level 1 and get it as free class feat later when dipping into Swashbuckler?
I read a bit into Factotum. You suggest 1level because of flexibility due to inspiration points? And 3 levels because of Brains of Brawn and Cunning Defense?
Not sure about Iaijutsu Master, sounds a bit ... too weird to me, background wise.
Where do I find the Gnomish Quick Razor?
Thanks
Torvon