Best Magekiller build for a Swashbuckler?


Advice


How would you best build an 11th-level swashbuckler for killing wizards? I'm currently thinking Step Up, wand of Silence, perhaps Hamatula Strike, perhaps Dazing Assault, and perhaps Disruptive. (Unfortunately Hamatula Strike, Disruptive, and Dazing Assault have some anti-synergy, but they'd each give different ways to shut down the caster.) What other good feats are there?

I know swashbuckler isn't the ideal class for a mage killer (a bloodrager or barbarian or tetori could probably do better) but this is for a recurring character, so changing class isn't really an option.

For gear, I feel like permanent See Invisibility and a Broom of Flying will be needed. What other good items are there for killing wizards?

Scarab Sages

Well, the big problem swashbucklers have for mages is the terrible saves. Phantasmal Killer is power-word kill rogue, and it affects swashbuckler just as badly. You'll need Steadfast Personalty, Iron Will, Great Fortitude, and any other way you can find to boost saves, because Charmed Life just doesn't cut it.

That said, if you take a Thug dip Menacing Swordplay lets you frighten casters, and targeted strike can neuter casters as you can't cast if you're confused (unless you roll act normally).


As we all know since Jackie Chan Adventures: Magic must fight magic.

Make him an EK inspired blade/Blade adept. Or do you need a straight swash build?


Frightening casters is not an option, since it targets Will.

What you need is to get close to them to use Targeted Strike, or alternatively, play a Daring Infiltrator with high Trip or Grapple to constantly mute the caster.

Alternatively, the Mysterious Avenger is immune to scrying and has extra uses of Charmed Life to crank up your saves.

In both cases, high Stealth is good to creep up to casters.


the problem with trip and grapple attempts is that you can't really make them against casters at that level, because they can fly (no trips) and probably have either a ring or just plain buffed themselves with freedom of movement (no grapple).

Although I totally forgot about that archetype. It's very nice, so thanks for that.


Pin down and stand still seem like a great combo.

Stand still makes it so that AoO drawing movement can be stopped with a maneuver (used in place of the AoO). Pin down expands the kinds of movement that draw AoO to 'pretty much all of them' for practical purposes (ie- withdrawl and 5' steps draw AoOs).

So that means that casters can't get away from you with a 5', and instead they have to stand in shankin' distance if they want to cast spells. A few turns of failed spell casting, and jsut about anything would be dead.

You qualify for pin down since you are a swashbuckler 11 (which counts as fighter 11 for combat feats). So you are at the perfect place to just charge in and stop the caster from ever getting that spell off in the first place.

Of course, doing things like raising your will save (I like half elf with dual mind+12 wis+will raising trait+iron will myself. Maybe throw in improved iron will to raise your chances.) You can't always win initiative, and casters might start off outside of your movement range.


Any build that includes poison use and ability damage.


Use a spell storing weapon with maximized touch of idiocy stored in it. Plus a silence spell cast on weapon.

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