Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC

[Rufei]

The wording of Martial Artist makes it seem as though you ADD your Dex or Str mod to your trip/grapple attempt (+1/4 your Martial Artist level). And I found a rather nasty combo with Driving Attack... namely Driving Attack is a single piercing strike that uses your bonus to damage to calculate for the purposes of a special bullrush attempt. And, well, Sneak Attack is a bonus to damage. I would be able to shove enemies back around 20-25 feet reliably. And they fall prone too. AND I can adjust this distance to the point where they fall next to me. (And I don't move with the bullrush.)

I got 1d3+3, namely because my build was originally Monk 2//Fighter 2/Rogue 1, all suboptimal class choices. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would laugh at the idea of carrying Fighter past a few levels, let alone through the Rift Magus levels. And don't even start on how bad the Monk is. (Fortunately a Fighter's full BAB, bonus feats, and d10 solve some of the major issues that plague the Monk. Likewise, the Monk introduces a lot of damage and covers the Fighter's glaring weaknesses to spellcasters, seeing as the Monk is a mage killer.) Still, a Warblade is far better than a Fighter (in most cases) and a Swordsage is far better than a Monk (in most cases), which is why I got the max. amount of FP (I averaged the 1d3 to a 2). So yeah, I still have that 1 FP left in case the shit hits the fan.

Only in a Shadow Hand stance? I'm perfectly fine with that. Assassin's Stance for +2d6 Sneak Attack... not to mention one of the Martial Adept feats I'm taking is going to be a Shadow Hand maneuver (swift action to teleport 50 ft.? HELL YES). Though, I wouldn't be able to do this until after level 12, which is quite late. (Damn Grappling Block for having so many damn prerequisites.)

[VennDygrem]

Ah, makes sense. I'm sure I'll have to live with only having the one FP, which I've obviously already spent. I won't be surprised when I post my sheet and Sinfire says 1d3-a_million

[AndyJames]

Hey, I don't even have to roll my FP. It is a flat out 1. I don't even bother with it, to be honest.

Anyway, drop the BSword and just use two Sais. Be Raphael. You know you want to...


Venn, that is why... Take Swordsage...

[VennDygrem]

Huh? I'm currently planning on Swordsage. Did you have any other suggestions as per my post before the last one?

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Also, what's the ruling on things like regional feats, such as those in Races of Faerun/PGtF? I assume that if they're allowed, with equivalent regions/no-regions, that racial requirements still exist.

[Nanshork]

Here is my build outline, maneuvers and all.  If there are no objections I'll get my character hammered out this weekend.

[Sinfire Titan]

Huh? I'm currently planning on Swordsage. Did you have any other suggestions as per my post before the last one?

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Also, what's the ruling on things like regional feats, such as those in Races of Faerun/PGtF? I assume that if they're allowed, with equivalent regions/no-regions, that racial requirements still exist.

It's pending for the feats. I've allowed some in the past, but I need to review which ones in particular before-hand.

[VennDygrem]

Well, If the Carmendine Monk/Kungfu Genius adaptation to swordsage ends up being legal, I'll still have an open feat slot and I'm trying to fill it as best I can. There are a lot of useful feats, so I guess it depends on what I'll be doing. A regional feat like Jotunbrud (powerful build via feat purchase) would bump up my bonuses for special combat actions like grapple, but is easy enough to get along without since several maneuvers give a bonus as it is. On the other side, Arcane Schooling would enhance my spellcasting abilities by allowing me to feel better about dumping CHA and to use wands/etc of spells from the wizard/sorc list. Hammer fist would add extra damage to single attacks, since unarmed swordsage doesn't get flurry.

Those aren't entirely necessary, though, and more important would be staples such as more Spell focusing feats, improved initiative, versatile unarmed strike, Adaptive Style, Sudden Recover, Stone Power, Extra Readied Maneuver, or Eschew Materials.

Currently, I had Carmendine Monk (tentatively), Shadow Trickster, and Insightful Reflexes selected. I can always put off those second two, though, if they'd better serve me as later feat choices.

[AndyJames]

If you are going melee combatant, you need to first determine if you are going Str-based or Dex-based. With unarmed Swordsage, you can get Wis to AC in light armour, so Dex is not that big a factor. All the special combat abilities are Str based, so it would seem that you are going the Str way. If that si so, then you might want to look at things like Power Attack, Leap Attack, and that feat which gives you an extra unarmed attack per round. Superior Unarmed Strike would also be helpful if you are thinking of PrC-ing out of Swordsage for whatever reason.

[VennDygrem]

If you are going melee combatant, you need to first determine if you are going Str-based or Dex-based. With unarmed Swordsage, you can get Wis to AC in light armour, so Dex is not that big a factor. All the special combat abilities are Str based, so it would seem that you are going the Str way. If that si so, then you might want to look at things like Power Attack, Leap Attack, and that feat which gives you an extra unarmed attack per round. Superior Unarmed Strike would also be helpful if you are thinking of PrC-ing out of Swordsage for whatever reason.

I plan on taking Superior Unarmed Strike asap, but you need BAB +3, and swordsage is 7/10 BAB, so at level 3 I've only got +2. As for Power Attack, doing that would reduce my chances to attack, and without full BAB, I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Stone Power counts as Power Attack for meeting feat pre-reqs, and allows me to boost my survivability in a pinch. However, I'm also not restricted from taking both, and If I put 18 in Str, that's 2 base + 4 str + 1 discipline focus = +7 to hit. If I was going strictly melee and dropped Beguiler for something else (Just imagine how many attacks I could be getting by pairing Swordsage with Totemist ), then Power Attack/leap attack/etc. stuff would make sense, and I wouldn't need to worry about Carmendine monk applying to swordsage.
I could go Spell-less Ranger Trap-Expert, keeping trapfinding for the party, gaining full BAB, all saves are good, plus two weapon fighting feats to give more unarmed strikes, or alternately, could always go wildshape variant (or see if I can use that to gain the Druid's shapeshift variant, as it's more useful to this build than it'll ever be to the druid ::Edit:: Though, now that I think about it, natural weapons don't apply toward a swordsage's class features... Not unless they could count as unarmed strikes, which in a way they are). Alternatively, Spell-less Trap-Expert Shapeshift Ranger//Totemist would be pretty awesome.  At 5th level, a medium-sized bird with girallon arms, wormtail belt, and winter mask or any other soulmelds would be pretty terrifying to see.

[AndyJames]

I think one of the Tiger Claw discipline has natural attacks as one of its weapons of choice.

[VennDygrem]

Nope, it's just listed as unarmed strike. Bloodclaw Master, a Tiger Claw-focused PrC, allows you to shift (like an Eberron Shifter) and gain a claw attack. It doesn't say if this counts as an unarmed strike, but it would make sense. If this is true, then natural weapons should count as unarmed strikes (much like how a monk's unarmed strikes, being able to deal lethal damage, are counted as both manufactured and natural weapons).

If we were to assume natural attacks count as unarmed strikes for the purposes of martial adept abilities, and that I could swap the Wildshape variant Ranger's wildshape ability and animal companion for the shapeshift ability of the Shapeshift Druid variant (as some have done on other forums), then I would probably do something like:

Spell-less Trap-Expert Shapeshift Ranger 16//Swordsage 16/Warshaper 4
This leaves me with +19 BAB, Unarmed Strike damage as Monk, full martial weapon proficiency, base saves= Fort 14, Ref 11, Will 11, Initiator level 16 with 8th level maneuvers, Shapeshift into Predator, Aerial, Ferocious slayer (+1 size), Forest Avenger (+1 size) and Elemental fury (+2 size) forms, all with multiple natural attacks with damage scaled for size. Can't fly in any form but Aerial, but I could take Outsider Wings (or go with Dragonborn lesser Aasimar and take wings aspect) or get some other ability to fly in my natural form, Warshaper can grow wings used for wing buffet attacks. Normally those can't be used to fly with (only attack), but Shapeshift says:

You keep all extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like special attacks and qualities of your natural form, except those requiring a body part your new form does not have.

Since my new form can grow wings, they should be able to be used to fly as normal. At least, that's what the wording seems to indicate.

Then again, Sinfire can easily cut the legs out from under this build and I'll have to start from scratch for the bazillionth time. 

[Rufei]

Hey, I don't even have to roll my FP. It is a flat out 1. I don't even bother with it, to be honest.

Anyway, drop the BSword and just use two Sais. Be Raphael. You know you want to...


Venn, that is why... Take Swordsage...

Nope, can't do that. The Sai's for Grappling Block and the Bastard Sword for Diamond Mind (Rift Magus). I'll be primarily kicking and whatnot for unarmed strikes due to the lack of extra hands. Gotta admit, having unarmed strikes is a handy thing... always being armed with it.

[AndyJames]

Venn, Tiger Claw lists "claw" as one of its weapons. I think your guy qualifies.


Zefier, oh. Dang. I guess that's it then

[VennDygrem]

Dang, you're right.  :-[

Well, it doesn't cover things like bite/slam/tail-slap/etc, but Unarmed strike would be the primary weapon and the natural attacks would be secondary anyway, so having two attacks with bonuses and the rest as icing on the cake is fine.

Still, gotta see if Sinfire will even allow the concept.

[Sinfire Titan]

Dang, you're right.  :-[

Well, it doesn't cover things like bite/slam/tail-slap/etc, but Unarmed strike would be the primary weapon and the natural attacks would be secondary anyway, so having two attacks with bonuses and the rest as icing on the cake is fine.

Still, gotta see if Sinfire will even allow the concept.

Claws do, unarmed attacks don't (though I am designing a PrC that combos Incarnum and Tiger Claw that allows any natural weapon as a Tiger Claw weapon).

[VennDygrem]

Unarmed strikes are Tiger Claw weapons, so they count for Discipline Focus.

Any word on your ruling of the above variant?

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Also, if I were to go toward Totemist//Variants-Ranger, Warshaper would still likely be useful, though I'd end up losing out on essentia. A 3-level dip instead of 4 might be acceptable, though.


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If Shapeshift is deemed too powerful for the Ranger (as opposed to druid) I'd also be willing to forego CW's spell-less ranger variant and sacrifice spellcasting into the shapeshift variant, if need be.

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Looking at some possible combos, Shapeshift Ranger//Totemist is just plain awesome, and a chance I hope I don't have to pass up.

[Rufei]

Well, few things have actually gotten the ban hammer, so I doubt it'll be a problem. At least I still get a flanking buddy. (Or two.)

Oh, and SiFir, can you repost the Blue Rogues Affiliation? And are Teamwork Benefits allowed? (If we've got a single elf, that would make everyone's sleep reduced to 4 hours. Essentially a free Ring of Sustenance.)

[VennDygrem]

Well, now I've just got to decide whether to use Swordsage or Totemist. Both mixed with Shapeshift Ranger would be awesome.

One gives me an awesome boost to AC, and various strikes, boosts, and stances. The other gives even more special natural attacks, skill boosts, and much more HP.

Both would be very fun characters, but I think the Swordsage one is a slightly better build.

[Sinfire Titan]

Well, few things have actually gotten the ban hammer, so I doubt it'll be a problem. At least I still get a flanking buddy. (Or two.)

Oh, and SiFir, can you repost the Blue Rogues Affiliation? And are Teamwork Benefits allowed? (If we've got a single elf, that would make everyone's sleep reduced to 4 hours. Essentially a free Ring of Sustenance.)

Unfortunately, the computer that had that document on it got demolished. The hard drive was fried. So any copy of that document would be from someone in the previous campaign. And Teamwork Benefits are allowed.

[Rufei]

Went diving through the old OoC thread and found it.

1: We are not heartless bastards. Give them a chance to surrender, unless they have taken a life in front of you.

2: No stealing from honest merchants.

3: Your allies are your greatest asset, do not ignore them!

4: A Blue Rogue must be ready to hide another Rogue at any given moment.

5: Selling out an ally to Black Pirates, or abandoning your friends without a serious reason is treason. And we have no qualms with keel-hauling your ass.

6: Unusual methods that inflict mental or spiritual harm are discouraged, but not forbidden. That being said, if a sharp kick to the nuts/ovaries doesn't make them talk, feel free to pummel them into a nightmare or three.


Entry Requirements:
One Time
Character Level: 1/2 levels/HD.
Rogue, Warblade, or Beguiler: +1
Profession (Sailor) 5-9 Ranks: +1
Profession (Sailor) 10+ Ranks: +2 (Overrides)
Total Reflex Modifier +10 or higher: +2
Dex of 20 or more: +2
Can cast any of the Moon spells as SLAs, or spells: +2
Was a former Black Pirate: -10

Multiple Use
Claims a Black Pirate's bounty, and pirate is dead: +1/4 CR.
Claims a Black Pirate's bounty, and pirate is alive: +1/2 CR.
Undertakes a mission on behalf of Valua or Nasr: +1
Undertakes a mission for another Blue Rogue: +2
Captures a bounty worth 5000 or more GP: +8
Helps the weak/poor/downtrodden daily: +1 per week spent assisting them.
Convinces a new ally to join the Rogues: +2
Owns a Ship worth more than 10,000 GP: +2 per 1000 GP over 10,000.
Works with known Black Pirates: -4 per person.
Wins a ship battle: +1/2 the CR.
Losses a ship battle: -1/2 the CR.
Retreats from a fair fight: -6 per fight.


Affiliation Score, Rank, and Benefits

5 or lower: Commoner: None.

6-12: Swashbuckler of the Sky: +3 bonus on Balance, Tumble, and Jump. May make Balance and Tumble checks untrained.

13-20: Blue Bounty Catcher: +2 bonus on SA damage, may SA constructs, but SA reduced by 5 dice.

21-26: Sky Master of the Rogues: +1 luck bonus to AC. Stacks with other luck bonuses.

27-29: Legendary Rogue: Gains Leadership as a bonus feat. Cohort must be three levels lower, instead of two.

30+: Gigas Slayer: Once per day, call down the Pirates Wrath. +20d6 to Sneak Attacks made for one round (If you have SA). +5 Competence bonus to AC, and attack rolls for one minute. Gain 4d10+Con mod x4 temporary HP, that lasts for one hour. Swift Action.

(Since I've taken it, I've invested some interest in it already. So for it to just disappear would make me a sad panda. )

I do have a question... if I hit Legendary Rogue, will I gain nothing (I'm taking Leadership at lv 6 anyways)? Or can I just get something like Improved Cohort instead?

And I like the flavor of the Swordsage better, but either one is a solid choice. If all else fails, flip a coin.