An Inspired Blade swashbuckler gives you Weapon Finesse (rapier) and Weapon Focus (rapier) feats for free. Take the feat fencing grace and you have dex to hit and damage at first level. Seems like a good start.
I don't think I've ever had a GM demand that my character's starting attack-stat be a 20 before....
20 dexterity? Don't wimp out with a narrow outlook on races, be a Goblin and start with 22
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Unchained Rogue TWF or Elven Branced Spear is where it's at with dex-to-damage builds. Swashbucklers are also a good pick but there isn't really any way to get 1.5x Dex to dmg, though Opportune Parry and Riposte is so good.
Using a bow wouldn't be a bad idea. Sohei monk gets the most arrows in the air per round, since they can flurry and use feats like Manyshot and Rapid Shot, and you don't have to worry about max dex bonuses with armor as your main boost to AC will be Dex, Wis, and Mage Armor.
Unchained Rogue TWF or Elven Branced Spear is where it's at with dex-to-damage builds. Swashbucklers are also a good pick but there isn't really any way to get 1.5x Dex to dmg, though Opportune Parry and Riposte is so good.
Using a bow wouldn't be a bad idea. Sohei monk gets the most arrows in the air per round, since they can flurry and use feats like Manyshot and Rapid Shot, and you don't have to worry about max dex bonuses with armor as your main boost to AC will be Dex, Wis, and Mage Armor.
It all depends upon what the character's strength is, because otherwise those arrows are doing junk.
Assuming it's lousy (and possibly even under 10)....
Human swashbuckler[Flying Blade]
traits: Dangerously Curious, (anything else)
1. swash1 Weapon Focus: Starknife, Starry Grace
...
3. Point-blank Shot
4. Weapon Specialization: Starknife
5. [Flying Blade Training], Rapid Shot
...
7. [Piranha Strike, Deadly Aim, or FEAT(g)]
This gets you it all: dex-to-damage in melee and at range from 1st level.
Throwing damage at 5th:
6 - 22 dexterity with belt applied to Starry Grace
1 - Point-blank shot
1 - Flying Blade Training
2 - Weapon Specialization
= d4+10, x2 (Rapid Shot)
Melee damage (as compared to thrown) at 5th:
-1 (no Point-blank Shot)
+5 (Precise Strike, assuming at least 1pt of Panache)
= d4+14
Swashbucklers are also a good pick but there isn't really any way to get 1.5x Dex to dmg, though Opportune Parry and Riposte is so good.
Dex + Level to dmg > 1.5 x Dex to dmg. And that's without Smite Evil, mind you!
@Slim Jim: That's not a melee character.
@Slim Jim: That's not a melee character.
I was replying to somebody's archery suggestion, and proposed that a starknife-user was better for a dex minmaxer denied multiclassing. (Otherwise, the character is doing d4+14 at 5th level in melee...which isn't exactly horrible.)
...but the primary problem with straight-classed melee rogues and swashbucklers isn't an inability to dish out damage (because they can do that), it's almost-cripplingly poor fortitude saves and will saves.
~ ~ ~
human
traits: Armor Expert, Varisian Tattoo
1. samurai1 [Mount][Resolve 1/day][Challenge 1/day], Mounted Combat, Two Weapon Fighting
2. samurai2 [Honor in All Things x1]
3. samurai3 [Resolve 2/day][Weapon Expertise: Wakizashi], Weapon Focus: Wakizashi
4. samurai4 [Challenge 2/day]
5. samurai5 [Resolve 3/day], Martial Versatility
6. samurai6 [Honor in All Things x2][Feat: Starry Grace]
7. samurai7 [Resolve 4/day][Challenge 3/day], FEAT(g)
* full-level mount from 1st-level, so +1 elevation versus most low-level opponents outdoors in addition to extra animal attacks
* strong fort and will saves due to class, Varisian Tattoo, Order of the Warrior, and Resolve rerolls.
* Weapon Focus in all light blade weapons via Martial Versatility
* Starry Grace for dex-to-damage with starknives in ranged and melee, and Challenge for level-to-damage with any melee weapon.
Equipment by 8th or 9th: +1/Returning starknife, +1/Agile wakizashi, Vambraces of the Tactician, Champion's Banner
An Inspired Blade swashbuckler gives you Weapon Finesse (rapier) and Weapon Focus (rapier) feats for free. Take the feat fencing grace and you have dex to hit and damage at first level. Seems like a good start.
specifically, they can take fencing grace at level 1, no matter what race you are.
Otherwise, you might have to play a human to get the feats for fencing grace or slashing grace at level 1.
...but the primary problem with straight-classed melee rogues and swashbucklers isn't an inability to dish out damage (because they can do that), it's almost-cripplingly poor fortitude saves and will saves.
That's why I'm talking about Virtuous Bravo Paladin, also known as unchained Swashbuckler. Hence the mention of Smite Evil.
The only mechanical reason to play the actual Swashbuckler class instead of Virtuous Bravo is indeed Flying Blade, but since the OP wants a melee build, that's irrelevant.