I've been toying around with the idea of using an offhand weapon specifically for parry and riposte.
Historically relevant off-hand fencing weapons would be the swordbreaker dagger or a cloak. Swordbreaker is nice but it requires Exotic Weapon Proficiency, and there doesn't seem to be a provision in Pathfinder for using a cloak as a disarming weapon.
But how about a flail? It can be used to trip or disarm the opponent (both of which are very attractive if the person is actively trying to kill you.) And the Swashbuckler is proficient with it. Clearly the Answering enchantment makes it even better, if you can afford to throw it on your offhand weapon.
So, besides losing the shield bonus from a buckler, is there any reason not to carry a flail in your offhand, not to use on your turn but just for riposting with combat maneuvers? Any other good ideas for riposting weapons?
I like it. Do it man. Let us know how it goes.
Well there are options.
Play a gnome, not just cause they rule all, but the master tinker racial ability would let your swashbuckler rock the sword breaker without the exotic feat provided he makes it himself. Perhaps he also fashioned that primary hand falcata or aldori dueling sword too. Letting you rock dex to hit and damage with the best swords going after you pick up slashing grace.
Your flail plan makes sense too.
Actually, you can use a cloak in combat as your off-hand weapon mechanically. There's a new feat in the ACG that allows you to use a cloak wrapped around your off hand as a buckler and you can entangle enemies with it. If I weren't on my phone right now I'd link it.
Actually, you can use a cloak in combat as your off-hand weapon mechanically. There's a new feat in the ACG that allows you to use a cloak wrapped around your off hand as a buckler and you can entangle enemies with it. If I weren't on my phone right now I'd link it.
That's freaking awesome, that's exactly what I was looking for!
edit: and I also just noticed the Cloak of Disarming, which is pretty sweet although it's quite a pretty penny at 35,000.
Yup, that's it. It's basically a feat that can be used as a deed, which is nice, but I don't know why you wouldn't want to just shell out the money for a buckler other than flavor. The entangle ability is nice, but if you just spent thousands of gold on an enchanted cape or cloak and the enemy just rips through it (which, let's face it, most non-intelligent enemies will, especially the big ones) So your money would just go out the window.
Unless you take Profession: Waiter and just carry around disposable table clothes to just keep entangling people. Or just flavor your swash as a matador and carry around sheets.
Yup, that's it. It's basically a feat that can be used as a deed, which is nice, but I don't know why you wouldn't want to just shell out the money for a buckler other than flavor. The entangle ability is nice, but if you just spent thousands of gold on an enchanted cape or cloak and the enemy just rips through it (which, let's face it, most non-intelligent enemies will, especially the big ones) So your money would just go out the window.
Unless you take Profession: Waiter and just carry around disposable table clothes to just keep entangling people. Or just flavor your swash as a matador and carry around sheets.
You can just wear a mundane cloak, and even wear it on top of your magical one. There's no rule that says you can't wear multiple cloaks, only that only one of them at a time can have magical effects.
You do lose your precise strike damage, but if it doesn't bother you go for it
You only lose your Precise Strike if you attack with a weapon in your off-hand.
So you can hold a flail in your left hand, and a rapier in your right hand. On your turn, you fight with the rapier only, getting Precise Strike. When you parry, you may parry with either the rapier or the flail, and riposte with either the rapier or the flail. If you are riposting to do damage, you would use the rapier to get Precise Strike. But if you are riposting with a combat maneuver, you could use the flail to get a +2 on the disarm or trip attack.
Precise Strike (Ex): At 3rd level, while she has at least 1 panache point, a swashbuckler gains the ability to strike precisely with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon (though not natural weapon attacks), adding her swashbuckler level to the damage dealt. To use this deed, a swashbuckler cannot attack with a weapon in her other hand or use a shield other than a buckler.
It says you may not attack with a weapon in the other hand, but doesn't say you can't be wielding a weapon in the other hand.
I am still in favour of the flail over the cloak. Think it is cool.
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Sadly I'm pretty sure that a Combat Maneuver counts as an attack.
While many combat maneuvers can be performed as part of an attack action, full-attack action, or attack of opportunity (in place of a melee attack), others require a specific action.
Disarm and Trip are definitely not ones that require a specific action other than 'Combat Maneuver' so they would count as attacks.