Helaman |
First of all the martial arts stances vary in usefulness but overall they bring a lot more to the table and definitely add flavour.
That said, the Aldori swordlords should be heading on pilgrimages to TienXia or importing little old masters of the crane style.
Human Aldori Fighter (archetype)
1 Weapon Expertise
1 Exotic Weapon Prof - Aldori Dueling Sword
1 Weapon Focus Aldori Dueling sword
2 Quickdraw
3 Aldori Dueling Mastery (+2 Shield AC)
4 Weapon Spec Aldori Dueling Sword
5 Improved Unarmed Strike
6 Dodge
7 Crane Style (gives +1 AC when fighting defensively and +2 to negate penalties when fighting defensively)
This is the SAME level that the Aldori also pick up their +2 to AC and +2 to negate penalties for fighting as a class feature.
So an Aldori defensively fighting at level 7 gets +5 AC (Dodge) with NO impact to their to hit. Assuming that by level 7 they have 3 ranks in Acrobatics, that actually becomes +6 Dodge AC.
Wow.
And crane style deflect and riposte just add to the awesomeness.
Edit: I also found that this doesnt trash any extra attacks you may have...
Fighting Defensively as a Full-Round Action
You can choose to fight defensively when taking a full-attack action. If you do so, you take a –4 penalty on all attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC for the same round.
Of course Order of the Cockatrice Cavaliers using Dazzling Display can ruin an Aldori's day.
Aelryinth RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |
YOu missed the synergy with the Panther Style.
The Aldori get the ability to riposte when someone attack them as a swift action. THe Panther get the ability to make unlimited numbers of these attacks, instead of just one.
It's a back door and expensive way to get Robilar's Gambit, but it doesn't even use AoO chances, IIRC?
And yes, Crane + Aldori is a potent combo. Note that most of the Aldori bonuses only apply with a full attack action, which is somewhat limiting.
==Aelryinth
zagnabbit |
When we first ran Kingmaker, one of my players ran a Weapon Master Monk and traded all his monk weapons for an Aldori Sword prof he could flurry with. He argued, successfully, that the Swordlords sounded more like sword monks, it was a fun character. Ever since first reading the Brevoy section of the Campaign Guide Aldori intrigued me and flipped my Monk switch.
I personally like the freehand fighter archetype for the Aldori. The Style feats work with this one as well.
We've since settled on the Restov school being Freehand Fighters; the Mivon school uses the Swordlord archetype; a small subset practices the "old style" of the Weapon Master Monks.
Talonhawke |
YOu missed the synergy with the Panther Style.
The Aldori get the ability to riposte when someone attack them as a swift action. THe Panther get the ability to make unlimited numbers of these attacks, instead of just one.
It's a back door and expensive way to get Robilar's Gambit, but it doesn't even use AoO chances, IIRC?
And yes, Crane + Aldori is a potent combo. Note that most of the Aldori bonuses only apply with a full attack action, which is somewhat limiting.
==Aelryinth
Panther is limited by wisdom modifer but they aren't AoO's so its good on that front.