as i'm looking at it, not THAT bad, not much reason to go beyond 4rth level though, as most everything after that is restricted to one-handing for a good bit.
But say you wanted to make a good light armored person who uses two-handers, is there a better option? what would multiclass well for this if you wanted to take a few levels of swash?
man though, that bad save progression does make this a lot harder on anyone trying to do this.
Swashbucklers, unfortunately, are built contrary to the idea of 2 handing.
One of their defining features, precise strike, is built in order ot make 1 handed attacks on par with 2 handed attacks.
So what levels do you have right now? Well, anyway, here are a few suggestions-
-Irorian paladin- typically seen as a useless archetype since it is the 'monk' one without any TWF support, it actually remains a fairly good tank with access to martial weapons. You trade in heavy armor in return for the ability to get 1 CHA modifer added to AC per level (watch out for max dex though- they add up; you can have a modest dex and a modest CHA and act like a high CHA). OVerall, a good trade for high touch AC and speed vs. poor flatfooted AC. The archetype still retains CHA to saves, lay on hands, mercies, and spells (which overall makes it a great tank). It trades in the high damage of smite, but the damage boosting mechanic is far more flexible (no alignment) and on par with other mechanics such as judgments. Since it can spend its ki pool to ignore any targets hardness/DR, this could allow you to fight tricky things like constructs (it might do well in iron gods...). Meshes well with swashbuckler due to CHA focus.
Slayer/Ranger- These can do fairly well. If you want to get tricky with style feats, you could take archery for switch hitting, or maybe TWF while using a cestus (lets you use a 1 handed weapon to switch between TWF and 2 handing)
Besides this, to get into more detail, I would like to know what kind of 2 hander you want. Just a nice greatsword that crushes everything, a crit fisher with falchions? Maybe a nice reach build that could control the battle field? A bit more explanation on that could help a lot on what kind of builds would help you.
A Barbarian 1 or Bloodrager 1/ Sorcerer 4/ Dragon Disciple 4 is a pretty effective alternative. Extra Rage here and there keeps rounds/day decent, spell progression is solid, and swinging a greatsword around with +8STR and power attack is pretty devastating. Comes with tons of HP, good saves, and some free AC. Throwing the Cornugon Smash -> Hurtful combo in there is a definite bonus.
EDIT: that's odd, I somehow read 'Magus'...
Anything strength-based martial can be made more light armor friendly by picking up a level of Oracle with the charisma-to-ac mystery. A level of Sohei or possibly Kata Master of Many Styles Monk can do similar things for swinging a two-hander with light or no armor.
Swashbucklers, unfortunately, are built contrary to the idea of 2 handing.
One of their defining features, precise strike, is built in order ot make 1 handed attacks on par with 2 handed attacks.
So what levels do you have right now? Well, anyway, here are a few suggestions-
-Irorian paladin- typically seen as a useless archetype since it is the 'monk' one without any TWF support, it actually remains a fairly good tank with access to martial weapons. You trade in heavy armor in return for the ability to get 1 CHA modifer added to AC per level (watch out for max dex though- they add up; you can have a modest dex and a modest CHA and act like a high CHA). OVerall, a good trade for high touch AC and speed vs. poor flatfooted AC. The archetype still retains CHA to saves, lay on hands, mercies, and spells (which overall makes it a great tank). It trades in the high damage of smite, but the damage boosting mechanic is far more flexible (no alignment) and on par with other mechanics such as judgments. Since it can spend its ki pool to ignore any targets hardness/DR, this could allow you to fight tricky things like constructs (it might do well in iron gods...). Meshes well with swashbuckler due to CHA focus.
Slayer/Ranger- These can do fairly well. If you want to get tricky with style feats, you could take archery for switch hitting, or maybe TWF while using a cestus (lets you use a 1 handed weapon to switch between TWF and 2 handing)
Besides this, to get into more detail, I would like to know what kind of 2 hander you want. Just a nice greatsword that crushes everything, a crit fisher with falchions? Maybe a nice reach build that could control the battle field? A bit more explanation on that could help a lot on what kind of builds would help you.
well, if I was using some swash level's i would want the falcion, I'm mainly seeing the swashes use coming with Parry and riposte, dodging Panache, and swashbuckler initiative, and then at level 4 counting as fighter levels.
actually, i just realized/remembered you only regain panache with killing blows and such with one-handed-piercing weapons and co. so that kills any ideas I had with this(unless i had a huge charisma score and found some other way to gain panache).
(and here I thought a martial might get fun with I could throw some deeds in there, but I don't really want to go with the whole swashbuckler vibe)
edit: could dares become useful?
For a Small character (or maybe even a Medium one if you're fighting Giants all the time), a 1 level dip into Mouser Swashbuckler could be pretty good for messing up opponents larger than yourself. If you're going two-handed much, though, you're going to need not only pumped Charisma, but also some Extra Panache, because you won't be replenishing it during the day, and you're going to have to choose carefully when to spend it, which means it won't be as amazing as if you're going Sword and Board.
Well, killing blow isn't a problem with 1 handed piercing weapons. There are plenty of those that can be 2 handed. You will have problems with crits, since most of them are x2 or x3 weapons; the range is poor.
Still, it is possible to go around with a heavy pick or trident and get a few tricks out. You would have to be a bit more conservative with panche though.
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I thought about 1 or more levels with Summoner. Thought I could use a 2hander for serious damage from level one and use the parry/reposte for defense and or counter attacks. After each fight, get my edge back by sparing with a summon monster after dismissing the Eidolon. One could instead just take the feat for panash that anyone could grab.
You're a Fighter, but with even WORSE saves.
You can easily simulate basic Swashbuckler stuff with Amateur Swashbuckler, 1 level of Kata Master, or just 1 level of Swashbuckler (and all you need is 1 Extra Panache feat if you want to dump charisma). Beyond that you can get anything else you mentioned more effectively as a Fighter anyways.
A Kata Master 1/ Sacred Fist with Crusader's Flurry can use both flurry of blows and panache with their deity's favored weapon, regardless of what it is. Gorum would like you to flurry, parry and riposte with a greatsword. You also get to work wisdom-to-AC armor for a similar effect to the Swashbuckler's 'nimble'.