Masters of the Sword: A Warblade's Handbook [Under Construction]

[Dusk Eclipse]

Originally Posted by Elfin

Improved Sunder - It's a prereq for Robilar's Gambit, which is the real reason you take this one. Still, you can use it to smash swords, spill potions, or sunder the BBEG's spell component pouch. Plus, you never know when you'll run into any hydras.

Don't you mean Shock Trooper? Robilar's Gambit pre-requs are BAB +12 and Combat Reflexes.

[Boci]

Originally Posted by Dusk Eclipse

Don't you mean Shock Trooper? Robilar's Gambit pre-requs are BAB +12 and Combat Reflexes.

Actually its improved sunder for combat brute and improved bullrush for shock trooper.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Originally Posted by Boci

Actually its improved sunder for combat brute and improved bullrush for shock trooper.

That is what happens when I only check one of the feats I am talking about.

[Elfin]

And when I check none.

[Draz74]

On the whole, I think the versatility of the Warblade class is being quite overlooked. If you want to make an unarmed combatant, or a Weapon Finesse-swashbuckling type, or especially a shield-bashing specialist, Warblade is about the best base class you could start with. (Swordsage might be marginally better for the unarmed one, but even that's debatable, and Warblade is certainly a better choice than e.g. Fighter or Monk.)

[Runestar]

If you want to make an unarmed combatant, or a Weapon Finesse-swashbuckling type, or especially a shield-bashing specialist, Warblade is about the best base class you could start with.

That's also because a warblade isn't as dependent on his weapon for dps as a fighter. When the bulk of your damage comes from maneuvers, you find that giving up a few points of damage for "style" isn't as crippling (eg: wielding a rapier over a greatsword because it suits your theme better).

That said, does anyone have a saved copy of that old dnd thread about replicating real-life fighting styles with ToB maneuvers? I feel it would be very useful here, but has apparently been purged from gleemax.

[Elfin]

Right, I'm back home - I was away for the last few days - and since I'm back with my books, there will hopefully be fewer 'technical errors'.

And Draz, that's a fair point; what do you suggest I add to remedy it?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

A point of note about Halfling Warblades...

It's not as bad as you might think. The Str penalty equates to a -1 damage. The size modifier does about the same thing. In the long run, it doesn't hurt as much as you might think it does.

If you go with Halfling, you'll need to build specifically for this task. There's a couple of ways to do this:

1) Dip Swordsage or blow a couple of feats to get a Shadow Hand stance. Then take the feat Shadow Blade, and make sure you can make it appear as though it was a shadow hand weapon (spiked chains, by the way, are shadow hand weapons). Replaces Str with Dex for Damage. Weapon Finesse to use Dex to attack. Str is now a dump stat, but rather feat intensive.

2) Bloodstorm Blade/Master Thrower. Seriously, two points of damage isn't going to be hurting you here, and you can do an awful lot of havoc to someone who is bigger than you, so being small is an asset rather than a disadvantage.

Also, as a Halfling, you can pick up Confound The Big Folk for more obnoxiousness.

[Elfin]

I've edited it in.
2nd-level maneuvers and 1st/2nd level stances should be up by tonight.

Also: Wow. Shneekey posted in my thread. I'm honored.

[Endarire]

I rate Improved Initiative as a must-have. You should have this by level 3 at latest.

Expect casters to optimize their initiative, and going first means you get a turn. That's my experience.

Half-Elf: Almost the entire reason for this is to qualify for Eternal Blade at 10 with no CON penalty. (Alternatively, be a Dragonborn Elf.)

Proof: "Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered an elf."

[Amphetryon]

Half-Elf: Almost the entire reason for this is to qualify for Eternal Blade at 10 with no CON penalty. (Alternatively, be a Dragonborn Elf.)

Snow Elf and Painted Elf are the other options in FR. Obviously, for a Warblade, you'll want the one without an INT penalty, as well.

[dgnslyr]

Arctic Fire Elves are great, with +2 Int, +2 Dex, -4 Cha. The Arctic template is on Crystal Keep under 3.0, so take it with a grain of salt. Also, strange background implications...

[Elfin]

Elf-wise, the best choice for a Warblade are without a doubt Snow Elves. Cha penalty for a Dex boost. But that's a good point about half-elves.

Edit: dragonborn elf warblade? Might have to play that sometime.

[Noodles2375]

This is great so far!

Technically "Knockdown" is a core feat also.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/div...itiesFeats.htm

It is a great combo with warblade manuvers. Lets you set up battlefield control while dealing heavy damage!

Additionally:
Combat Reflexes + Imp. Trip + Knockdown + Exotic Weapon Prof is a very nice set of passive feats to give a warblade. Now he can freely wade into combat using manuvers, with a two-handed weapon like a spiked chain, it is likely that all AoO's people provoke will result in trip attempts, AND all maneuvers he initiates should result in a trip attempt also!

This can be great with mage-slayer also. If you start your round adjacent to a spell caster, they have to either withdraw, or provoke an AoO which will result in them being tripped. With sweet movement maneuvers like sudden leap, quicksilver motion, and bounding assault, getting close to casters can be very straightforward.

[true_shinken]

Originally Posted by dgnslyr

Arctic Fire Elves are great, with +2 Int, +2 Dex, -4 Cha. The Arctic template is on Crystal Keep under 3.0, so take it with a grain of salt. Also, strange background implications...

Wait, what?

[Darrin]

Originally Posted by true_shinken

Wait, what?

Racial templates (Dragon #306, same source as Magic-Blooded, LA +0) can be added to any base race... including Fire Elves that migrated into an arctic environment. Actually, if you're just looking for an Int bonus without a Con penalty, Arctic Grey Elves work just as well, but Arctic Fire Elves are funnier.

Arctic template: Con +2, Cha -2, +1/-1 saves vs. fire/cold effects, +2 on Wilderness Lore (Survival) checks, and ray of frost 1/day if you have any other racial SLAs. Add Dragonblood of Bahumat for Con +2, Dex -2.

You can also pair up Artic + Dragonblood on a Mongrelfolk for a +8 Constitution bonus at ECL 1. Not a bad start for a Diamond Mind/Concentration-based Warblade. Also a great start for a Dragonfire Adept.

[Boci]

Originally Posted by true_shinken

Wait, what?

He was born in the artic but hated the cold so he underwent genetic experimentation to become a fire elf. It makes perfect sense, how dare you accuse me of trying to cover my powergaming with a poorly thought out and unlikely background story!

[true_shinken]

Originally Posted by Boci

He was born in the artic but hated the cold so he underwent genetic experimentation to become a fire elf. It makes perfect sense, how dare you accuse me of trying to cover my powergaming with a poorly thought out and unlikely background story!

I'm sorry, sir. ^^
I'm guessing you'll multiclass into Lightning Warrior as well? That will be a nerf, of course, but think of the flavor!

[Elfin]

Many apologies for the inactivity! Due to personal commitments and other such stuff, I'm going to have to put this on hiatus until Friday.
Thanks for bearing with me.

[dgnslyr]

Long ago, his tribe of elves were Fire Elves, who danced in the embers of the Volcanic Range. However, a chilling cold descended upon the land, silencing the songs of the burning mountains and engulfing the earth in frost. Whether by magic or by nature, the cause is unknown. While his tribe has long since adapted to the harsh cold of their reality, the elders tell tales of the days when the air was warm and the flaming peaks sang their sorrowful song.

While they realize dwelling upon the changes that time has brought upon them is futile, many youngsters dream of the warm land the elders speak of so often, and young elves often leave the village in search of adventure and a land not unlike the land they lost. Few return from their journeys, but whether by choice or by force, it is not known.
Not bad, eh?

[Swooper]

On the subject of Arctic Fire Elves... I'm not seeing the part where either Arctic or Fire is a template. Arctic Elf is a subrace, and Fire Elf is another subrace the way I'm reading it. So you can't be an Arctic Fire Elf any more than you can be a Grey Wood Elf. Or can anyone correct this with a RAW citation?

[true_shinken]

Originally Posted by Swooper

On the subject of Arctic Fire Elves... I'm not seeing the part where either Arctic or Fire is a template. Arctic Elf is a subrace, and Fire Elf is another subrace the way I'm reading it. So you can't be an Arctic Fire Elf any more than you can be a Grey Wood Elf. Or can anyone correct this with a RAW citation?

Arctic is a template from Dragon Magazine.

[MammonAzrael]

Wow, this is looking great! I want to thank you for putting this together, and I wish you all the luck in your personal commitments.

Getting a true handbook together for a martial adept...that's something that's been needed for a long time now.

[Saintheart]

Looking good.

One brief note if it hasn't already been put on choices of race: if you're playing in the Forgotten Realms (or have a broadminded DM) and you're interested in playing Halfling, consider the Strongheart Halfling. Yes, you lose the racial +1 to all saving throws, but if you're taking the "Moment of X" series of maneuvers a piddling +1 racial bonus pales in comparison to keying your saves off Concentration checks.

The main reason for Strongheart Halfling, though, is the benefit of trading off the +1 racial bonus to saves: an extra feat. Chosen wisely a good feat will scale a lot better than a +1 to a saving throw. In a way, this is being a Small-sized human (on attack rolls: the -1 net loss from the STR penalty is balanced out by the Halfling's +1 Size bonus to attack rolls). It helps feat-expensive shenanigans if you're going down the Confound the Big Folk route.

On the "Confound the Big Folk" route, consider this low-fat cheese for its prerequisite feat, Underfoot Combat: if you're on a mount which is Large size, you are two size categories smaller than your mount and arguably are occupying the same square as your mount. Therefore soft cover -- +4 to AC -- applies anytime you're sitting on your mount's back. Underfoot Combat does not on RAW require you to move into an opponent's space first.

Another thought, though I haven't checked it: IIRC Powerful Build allows a character to be considered Large for most purposes. So be a Small Warblade and walk around under the party Goliath's crotch in combat, thereby drawing +4 to your AC for being under ... er ... well, you get the picture.

[Optimator]

Deep Impact + Power Attack + Diamond Nightmare Blade is a fun, if gimmicky, high-level feat combo. Add in Instant Clarity and Psychic Renewal and go to town. A two-level Psychic Warrior dip can be really cool for Warblades. A four level dip gets you Hustle and 3 first level powers, like Expansion, Force Screen or Grip of Iron for instance. Add in Psionic Meditation and get slap-happy with your foci. A build like that still leaves you with an IL of 18, every Warblade class ability except Dual Stance (which is so hawt), and 4 stances at level 20. Takes a small investment like a wisdom item or Cognizance Crystals to have some decent PP. Not a perfect build but I think it's fun and potentially flavorful.

Also, another cool combo which has been, for the most part, mentioned already is combining Robilar's Gambit and Battle Mastery on a high-Int Warblade for the bonus on the AoOs. And yeah, forgoing the attacks using the Channel the Storm part of Stormguard Warrior is stupid good, especially when followed by a Raging Mongoose-boosted Time Stands Still.

[Greenish]

Originally Posted by Saintheart

Another thought, though I haven't checked it: IIRC Powerful Build allows a character to be considered Large for most purposes.

Powerful Build allows you to be counted as one size larger than you are for opposed rolls, when it is advantageous to you.

[Cieyrin]

Originally Posted by Greenish

Powerful Build allows you to be counted as one size larger than you are for opposed rolls, when it is advantageous to you.

It can still work, the Goliath just has to be a Mountain Rager.

[FelixG]

Love this! keep up the awesome work!

[Elfin]

Second level maneuvers are up. Stances will be up in a half hour or so.

[Saph]

Nice.

My personal favourite use of Wall of Blades is to use it against touch and ranged touch spells, which generally have a much lower bonus than melee attacks. Plus, deflecting rays with your sword is awesome.