Phalanx Fighting + Swashbuckler's Finesse

[Felgoroth]

So I'm in the process of trying to make a character that uses a lot AoO's without playing a monk and had a weird question: Does Phalanx Fighting from the Phalanx Soldier qualify weapons like the long spear for Swashbuckler's Finesse?

[Phntm888]

First, let's put the relevant text for both abilities here.

Phalanx Fighting wrote:

At 3rd level, when a phalanx soldier wields a shield, he can use any polearm or spear of his size as a one-handed weapon.
This ability replaces Armor Training 1.

Swashbuckler's Finesse wrote:

At 1st level, a swashbuckler gains the benefits of the Weapon Finesse feat with light or one-handed piercing melee weapons, and she can use her Charisma score in place of Intelligence as a prerequisite for combat feats. This ability counts as having the Weapon Finesse feat for purposes of meeting feat prerequisites.

Since Phalanx Fighting allows you to use any pole arm or spear as a one-handed weapon, and Swashbuckler's Finesse says that it works with one-handed piercing melee weapons, per RAW, I'd say a long spear could work with Swashbuckler's Finesse. That being said, I don't think that there's a way to get Dex to Damage with the long spear outside of the agile weapon property, since you wouldn't have a hand free for any feats that allow you to do so. You also won't be able to take advantage of the Swashbuckler's Precise Strike deed. If you ever didn't have the shield, perhaps because it gets sundered, you would also have to two-hand the long spear, and then lose the benefits of Swashbuckler's Finesse. I also don't think that this is RAI, so your GM may say you can't use it.

That being said, if you aren't married to the long spear, there is this option:

Bladed Brush wrote:

You know how to balance a polearm perfectly, striking with artful, yet deadly precision.

Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (glaive), must be a worshiper of Shelyn.

Benefit: You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with a glaive sized for you, even though it isn’t a light weapon. When wielding a glaive, you can treat it as a one-handed piercing or slashing melee weapon and as if you were not making attacks with your off-hand for all feats and class abilities that require such a weapon (such as a duelist’s or swashbuckler’s precise strike).

As a move action, you can shorten your grip on the glaive, treating it as though it lacked the reach weapon property. You can adjust your grip to grant the weapon the reach property as a move action.

You have to worship Shelyn for it, but this works with Swashbuckler's Finesse, and you can take Slashing Grace to get Dex to Damage since you have to have a hand free. It's still a reach weapon, and can still make AoOs, but you can actually use it against adjacent opponents. Something to consider.

[Felgoroth]

Phntm888 wrote:

Since Phalanx Fighting allows you to use any pole arm or spear as a one-handed weapon, and Swashbuckler's Finesse says that it works with one-handed piercing melee weapons, per RAW, I'd say a long spear could work with Swashbuckler's Finesse. That being said, I don't think that there's a way to get Dex to Damage with the long spear outside of the agile weapon property, since you wouldn't have a hand free for any feats that allow you to do so. You also won't be able to take advantage of the Swashbuckler's Precise Strike deed. If you ever didn't have the shield, perhaps because it gets sundered, you would also have to two-hand the long spear, and then lose the benefits of Swashbuckler's Finesse. I also don't think that this is RAI, so your GM may say you can't use it.

Precise Strike works if I have a buckler, which also qualifies as a shield. If it happens that I don't have it, I'll just have to carry a back up weapon.

[Phntm888]

This is true. I still don't believe there's a way for you to get Dex to Damage outside of the agile weapon property, but you can do your stats in a way to get some damage bonus until then (say Str 14, Dex 16).

Would you be using 3 levels of Fighter as the dip, or are you going with Swashbuckler as a dip?

[Felgoroth]

I was thinking 3 levels of Fighter as the dip. Though I could just do the level of Swashbuckler because the abilities I was looking for were just Swashbuckler's Finesse and Opportune Parry and Riposte.

We rolled ability scores and I rolled extremely well though, so I'm sitting at a 16 str and 20 dex at the moment.

[Phntm888]

Ah, I see. Very nice luck for the stats. Take Iron Will to shore up your Will save, since neither class has good Will save progression.

Make sure you clear the interaction of Phalanx Fighter and Swashbuckler's Finesse with your GM ahead of time. While RAW I don't see an issue with it, it may not be RAI, and your GM may feel differently about it than I do.

[Felgoroth]

Ya, it was mainly just a weird concept I thought would be kind of funny. I may actually end up just playing a swashbuckler or swashbuckler/urban barbarian (ub so I can pick up come and get me).