What Warblade Maneuvers Should I Take?

[Tsabrak]

I'm playing a Human: Factotum 3/Swashbuckler 3/Chameleon 10 - and am thinking of finishing out with Warblade for my last 4 levels.  I've never actually played a ToB character and am unsure of what stances/maneuver's I should take.  I primarily roll as a Gish style character taking Arcane Focus/Divine Focus (as many paladin spells as I can) and Battle Blessing as my floating feat.  If it helps, I fight with a +3 Vorpal Kukri and currently have 9 inspiration points a battle (FoI etc.)

Hook a brother up?

Tsabrak

[RobbyPants]

I'm not that good with factorums, so I'll probably miss some good synergy.  Still, with 16 other levels under your belt, your first warblade level at 17th level will give you an Initatior Level of 9, giving you access to 5th level maneuvers.

I know factorums are supposed to be good at getting skill checks really high.  There's a 6th level Diamond Mind maneuver, Greater Insightful Strike, that lets you deal damage equal to double your Concentration check.  Similarly, there are three maneuvers that allow you to make a saving throw using a Concntration check in place of the save.

Iron Heart Surge seems like a good candidate in that you can get rid of any number of negative status conditions.

White Raven Tactics will let one of your allies act right behind you, giving them more actions in one round.

If you need, there is always the Mountain Hammer line for getting past damage reduction and hardness, but I don't usually put much focus into Stone Dragon, so the prereqs might seem a bit steep.

[Negative Zero]

Don't forget that your first stance has to be a level 1 stance, regardless of your IL.

[Nuntius Mortis]

Don't forget that your first stance has to be a level 1 stance, regardless of your IL.

Why?

[BowenSilverclaw]

Don't forget that your first stance has to be a level 1 stance, regardless of your IL.

Why?

Because it's stated in the rules?

[Negative Zero]

Stances Known: You begin play with knowledge of one 1st-level stance from any discipline open to warblades. At 4th, 10th, and 16th level, you can choose additional stances.

[Nuntius Mortis]

I guess that I've missed that part

Thanks anyway, guys.

[Negative Zero]

That's what we're here for.

[BowenSilverclaw]

It happens to the best of us, don't worry about it

[Echoes]

Whatever you do, make sure you get White Raven Tactics. It's the single best maneuver in the book. After that, Iron Heart Surge is a solid choice, as are Moment of Perfect Mind/Mind Over Body/Action Before Thought, which let you make a Concentration check in place of a saving throw (Will/Fort/Reflex, respectively) as an immediate action.

For offensive punch, if you have a decent amount of extra damage modifiers (Insightful Strike, Power Attack, etc), the Ruby/Sapphire/Diamond Nightmare Blade line is pretty good. You make a Concentration check (DC = opponent's AC), and if you succeed you deal x2/x3/x4 damage, respectively. Emerald Razor is also a solid choice if you Power Attack a lot or just run up against big bads with crazy-go-nuts AC.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Iron Heart Surge seems like a good candidate in that you can get rid of any number of negative status conditions.

Up to, and including, the elemental plane of fire being on fire.

Your GM will probably be more sensible about it, though.

[Negative Zero]

Iron Heart Surge seems like a good candidate in that you can get rid of any number of negative status conditions.

Up to, and including, the elemental plane of fire being on fire.

Your GM will probably be more sensible about it, though.

Or racism, social castes, or the oppressive grip of a mercantile government.

[Havok4]

Iron Heart Surge seems like a good candidate in that you can get rid of any number of negative status conditions.

Up to, and including, the elemental plane of fire being on fire.

Your GM will probably be more sensible about it, though.

Or racism, social castes, or the oppressive grip of a mercantile government.

Also time itself can be ended as it is a planar trait.
Be even without poorly written silliness IHS is a very good pick for any warblade.

[JaronK]

I'll just add to the chorus.  White Raven Tactics and Iron Heart Surge.  Also, as a Factotum you should be maxing Iajuitsu Focus, which makes Sapphire Nightmare Blade really good, and you'll probably want Pouncing Charge as well.  Also, strike manuevers that use standard actions and are based on skill checks are a good plan, as Factotums synergize well with that.

You might want Swordsage levels in there too.  Cloak of Shadows and Shadow Jaunt are great.

JaronK

[Kuroimaken]

If you need, there is always the Mountain Hammer line for getting past damage reduction and hardness, but I don't usually put much focus into Stone Dragon, so the prereqs might seem a bit steep.

He won't need it. Factotums get the ability to bypass DR by spending Inspiration points.

Iron Heart is a pretty solid school. Can't really go wrong with its maneuvers.

[Negative Zero]

If you need, there is always the Mountain Hammer line for getting past damage reduction and hardness, but I don't usually put much focus into Stone Dragon, so the prereqs might seem a bit steep.

He won't need it. Factotums get the ability to bypass DR by spending Inspiration points.

Iron Heart is a pretty solid school. Can't really go wrong with its maneuvers.

At level 11, though. That's a long time to wait for DR-piercing.

[Kuroimaken]

If you need, there is always the Mountain Hammer line for getting past damage reduction and hardness, but I don't usually put much focus into Stone Dragon, so the prereqs might seem a bit steep.

He won't need it. Factotums get the ability to bypass DR by spending Inspiration points.

Iron Heart is a pretty solid school. Can't really go wrong with its maneuvers.

At level 11, though. That's a long time to wait for DR-piercing.

Hmmm, good point. I just noticed his build doesn't have that many Factotum levels too.

[Tsabrak]

Thanks guys and gals-  It seems IHS and WRT are definite favorites!

Sadly, IF isn't an option for me (DM choice) so I've not been able to use (abuse) that, and I haven't really overloaded my concentration skill (spending a TON of skill points in Knowledges...pretty much assured of a +5 vs everything now though due to Knowledge Devotion) so Sapphire Blade isn't super useful for me.

I think I'll eye the other options that were mentioned.

Thanks,
Tsabrak

[RobbyPants]

Thanks guys and gals-  It seems IHS and WRT are definite favorites!

Yeah, they really are good.  I've planned the maneuvers for a warblade I'm running (currently 3rd level), and those are the only two third level maneuvers I'm taking, and I'm never planning on swapping them out.