Flexible Swordsman build

[Calantyr]

I'd like some feedback on this build, preferably from anyone who has reached levels 20+ (the highest I've ever gotten on the server is level 22).

Flexible Luskan Swordsman

The idea is a build that is flexible yet doesn't sacrifice survival. I think the damage output should be reasonable enough, and rerolls on will saves should help against save or suck.

Can use their weapon two-handed, with a shield, with Sembian Fencing, and Improved Combat Expertise. With maxed equipment, a Tower Shield, and Inspire Courage/Sembian Fencing/ICE/Fight to the Death all activated, I think it has 61AC and 51AB while doing 28-37 damage per hit.

If dual-wielding bastard swords it's only 53AC and 49AB, but you have 4 attacks per round for 28-37 damage. Is that good enough at epic levels?

And yes I realise that dual-wielding bastard swords is ridiculous. I'd probably use a short sword in my off-hand just for RP reasons, despite the huge damage drop.

Edit: Yeah, spellcasting sucks. I'll probably load my known spells up with RP spells since I won't be able to use them while wearing full plate anyway.

[Thorsson]

TWF costs 2 AB, 4 if you have a BS in the off-hand. If you don't then that weapon loses an extra 4AB as well as damage. Difficult to see how TWF is worth it compared to 2H given that it's limited to ITWF.

But are you factoring the 2AB hit from Tower Shield if you use that?

Why not get Athktatlan Triparite? Also Deadly Defence seems to make sense.

You don't need Blind Fight as you can have a spell to do the same thing.

[Calantyr]

TWF costs 2 AB, 4 if you have a BS in the off-hand. If you don't then that weapon loses an extra 4AB as well as damage. Difficult to see how TWF is worth it compared to 2H given that it's limited to ITWF.

But are you factoring the 2AB hit from Tower Shield if you use that?

I am subtracting -4 AB from both hands because dual wielding with the Two-Weapon Fighting feat is only -4 (with medium weapons), and then adding +2 because the Tower Shield is unequipped. Total should be 49AB.

Why not get Athktatlan Triparite? Also Deadly Defence seems to make sense.

I'd love to get Athktatlan Triparite, but I need a spare feat. Not sure what I can sacrifice. Also, Deadly Defense only works with light and finesseable weapons, and only when wearing light or no armour. Unless the server changed those restrictions?

You don't need Blind Fight as you can have a spell to do the same thing.

I did not know this! What is the spell called? And will the spell last long enough to be viable considering my low caster level? Maybe I could drop it for Athktatlan Triparite.

Edit: If I drop 4 levels of Bard and take 4 levels of Rogue instead I'll get more skill points, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, and a couple sneak attack dice. However I'd lose +1 AB and Damage. I'd also lose level 2+3 spells. Not sure it's worth it, but it's an option.

[Thorsson]

I forgot the requirement for Deadly Defence, so that simplifies things. The spell is Heartfire:

Heartfire
Caster Level(s): Bard 2, Druid 2
Innate Level: 2
School: Evocation
Descriptor(s): [Light, Fire]
Component(s): Verbal, Somatic
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area of Effect / Target: Living creatures within a 5-ft.-radius burst
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: Fortitude partial
Spell Resistance: Yes
Outlined creatures do not benefit from the concealment normally provided by darkness, blur, displacement, invisibility, or similar effects. In addition, if they fail a Fortitude save, affected creatures take 1d4 points of fire damage each round as their passions manifest as physically damaging fire. Creatures that make a successful Fortitude save take only half damage each round for the duration of the spell (minimum 1 point per round).

It doesn't last that long, but then I think you should have Practised Spellcaster and you probably don't need it to last that long.

I'd say you could give up Indomitable Soul. With your Will Save the re-roll isn't worth that much - I'd be more worried about Fortitude anyway.

Your stats are not terribly advantageous. I'd lower Int (you have an awful lot of skill points and wouldn't miss 33) & Wis (Is a Dread Pirate likely to be Wise anyway?) and increase Cha and maybe Con (or Str) - 14 Cha gets you an extra level 1 and level 2 spell and with higher Con you could take Steadfast. Net result higher Saves on Fort & Will and you don't fail Fort saves on a 1 any more.

[Theodore01]

You could go for bard 3 and take Tempest 5 for +2ab/ac and a 3. offhand attack,
but would probably want to raise your Dex to 17 (Int14,Wis10) and wear light armor.

If you want to dual wield big blades, take oversized TWF.
Powercritical is not worth it in most builds.
Scrap ironwill + indomitable soul, go for steadfast.
Or you could forget about exotic weapons and safe that feat.

Sembian Fencing (and all the new combat styles) are not really useful overall -as far as i have tested it. Your damage lacks too much !
Losing 3~4 attacks for a bit of ab and +2 damage is a bad choice and not needed most of the time. Not sure how or if it works regarding TWF.

[Shad]

Indomitable Soul does not work with ~half of will rolls. Its not hardcoded into engine.

[Thorsson]

Current version has 4 Bard and 4 Rogue. NOT a good idea. OK you get Evasion, but if that's really your aim, just 3-4 Rogue is best - and get Expose Weakness.

[matelener]

I'd go for something like Fighter 12 / Dread Pirate 10 / Tempest 5 / Cleric 3 (Umberlee or Istishia for water domain, an illuskan pirate is a rare example where this makes sense RP wise). If you don't want to change the alignement then Rogue 3 or Whirling Dervish 3 are decent too.

As DP 10 without bard, you'll get 30 minutes of +3ab/dmg buff. Imho, this is long enough and tempest is a much better option than bard. Dedicate yourself to dual wielding.
If you'd choose 2 light weapons then Deadly Defense (+CE/ICE) is a great boost. If not, then consider IPA. Two weapon defense is also good, if you meet the DEX requirement and have a spare feat.

Ignore other combat styles.

Make sure to take Able Learner to invest in spellcraft, heal, 12 UMD.

[V'rass]

Dont really need much ab for mobs anyway. I have 20 ab at lv 15 and can reliably hit most lv 20+ mobs a decent amount of times. Can even hit some 30s every now and then. 25-30 ab should be more then enough for pve. For pvp... yeah that is a whole different scenario. Prob need well over 40 at best to hit the powerbuilds.

[Thorsson]

Dont really need much ab for mobs anyway. I have 20 ab at lv 15 and can reliably hit most lv 20+ mobs a decent amount of times. Can even hit some 30s every now and then. 25-30 ab should be more then enough for pve. For pvp... yeah that is a whole different scenario. Prob need well over 40 at best to hit the powerbuilds.

What this ignores is the number of hits per round you can get. If 20AB gets 2 hits per round, 25AB gets 3 and 30AB gets 4.

Mind you I'm sick of explaining this on BGTSCC, people always look at the AB of the first attack as if that were the only consideration.

[V'rass]

Did not mean to piss you off. Also im not particularly concerned with hitting many times. I simply want to hit the target enough to put up a decent fight. I wont win a fight quickly but that is fine for me... i got nothing but time. If it takes me a billion years to kill you in combat i have a clear schedule. Patience is a virtue after all.

[Thorsson]

LOL. The more hits you get, the less hits you take; it's a fairly simple truth. OFC if the option is more AB or more AC on BGTSCC the AC usually wins, but that doesn't mean that AB has no use. I've proved the efficacy of AB time and again in play.

[V'rass]

Exactly... i go ac over ab, but i should still end up with decent ab by lv 30. And clerics have buffs to solve low ab anyway.

[Calantyr]

Thanks for your input, you cleared up some things I wasn't sure about. I'll think more about this over the next few days. I particularly like the idea of a Water cleric, however it makes me wonder why Valkur doesn't have the Water domain.

Oh, and the higher the AB the better. Higher AB means more attacks will hit beyond the first, and all attacks have abetter chance of confirming critical hits. Not really an issue if you are fighting crit-immune monsters, but we can't stay in the Baldur's Gate graveyard forever.

[chad878262]

note that if you are going Athkatlan Triparite there is no reason not to also have Sembian Fencing. However, when I tested them not long ago they weren't working together, unfortunately and they weren't working correctly either. They also had issues when you used them with dual wield...

Here is a link if you want a summary of what I found when testing these feats:

http://bgtscc.net/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=51140