My group is starting Kingmaker soon and I wanted to jump in with something setting specific. Enter the much maligned Aldori Swordlord. I checked out some guides, read about some common traps, and felt pretty good about it. Then I decided to shoot myself in the foot even more by deciding to make him a Halfling.
The backstory for this unnamed swordsman sees him as an apprentice blacksmith attached to an Aldori training center. His dream is to become one of these swordlords, but he knows they would never take him. So he studies them from afar and buys a nearly destroyed dueling sword from the smithy. He trains with the wrecked blade, intending to repair it himself in the future. When the call comes in for the expeditions to the Stolen Lands, our swordsman signs up while impersonating a trainee swordlord.
I could tweak this to another race, but I really like the story, so I'd like to progress forward as a Halfling.
I have mapped out a level 12 build focusing on using fighting defensively to boost the AC to the limit, but I feel like this is going to severely hamper actually being effective.
I'd like some thoughts on the build and where it may go wrong (and especially where it definitely goes wrong). If you have other classes and even weapons to recommend that could still be flavored to fit the swordlord ideal, that'd be great.
Oh, and the party is only 3 people. Learned today one of them is doing a Rogue/Inquisitor Intimidate build and the other is looking at an Oracle or Druid.
Male Halfling Fighter(Swordlord)11/Monk(MoMS)1
LG Small humanoid
INIT + 1; Senses Perception +13
Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Halfling
DEFENSE
AC 28, touch 13, flat-footed 26 (+13 armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Dodge)
Fighting Defensively AC 44, Touch 29, Flat-footed 29 (+13 armor, +2 shield, +1 Dex, +1 Size, +14 Dodge, +3 Untyped)
HP 92 (12 HD + 11FCB)
Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +4
OFFENSE
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee: Aldori Dueling Sword +4 (1d6+12/19-20), Unarmed Strike (1d6+6)
To Hit +24 (11BAB+6STR+1Size+4Enchantment+1WeaponTraining+1SwordScion)
Power Attack (-4/+8), Risky Striker (-4AC/+8)
Ranged: Halfling Sling Staff +1 (1d6+7)
To Hit +14 (11BAB+1DEX+1Size+1Enchantment)
STATISTICS
Abilities: STR 23 (+6), DEX 12(+1), CON 12 (+1), INT 14 (+2), WIS 7 (-2), CHA 12 (+1)
BAB +11/+6/+1; CMB +16 (+26 Disarm); CMD 28 (35 Disarm, +16 Fighting Defensively)
Feats: Cautious Fighter, Combat Expertise, Crane Riposte, Crane Style, Crane Wing, Dodge, Greater Disarm, Improved Disarm, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Power Attack, Risky Striker, Spring Attack, Stunning Fist, Whirlwind Attack
Skills: Acrobatics +7, Climb +13, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +13, Knowledge (Engineering) +6, Knowledge (Religion) +10, Perception +10, Stealth +21, Swim +13; Armor Check Penalty -3
Gear: Aldori Dueling Sword +4, Belt of Giant Strength +4, Halfling Sling Staff +1, Mithral Full Plate +4, Mithral Madu +1 (Animated); 20,810gp for additional gear
Encumbrance: light 150 lb., medium 300 lb., heavy 450 lb.; Weight Carried 18 lb.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Aldori Caution (Trait, Combat): You gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class while you fight defensively or use the total defense action.
Bravery (Ex): +3 to WILL saves on fear.
Counter Attack (Ex): A swordlord can make an attack of opportunity as an immediate action against an opponent who hits the swordlord with a melee attack , so long as the attacking creature is within the swordlord's reach.
Defensive Parry (Ex): When a swordlord makes a full attack with a dueling sword, he gains a +1 bonus to AC against melee attacks until the beginning of his next turn. This bonus increases by +1 every four levels after 3rd.
Disarming Strike (Ex): When a swordlord successfully disarms an opponent using a dueling sword, the swordlord also deals normal damage to the target, but without the normal Strength bonus to damage.
Fleet of Foot (Race Trait): Halflings with this racial trait have a base speed of 30 feet.
Fuse Style (Ex): The master of many styles can have two style feat stances active at once. Starting a stance provided by a style feat is still a swift action, but when the master of many styles switches to another style feat, he can choose one style whose stance is already active to persist. He may only have two style feat stances active at a time.
Polyglot (Race Trait): Halflings gain a +2 racial bonus on Linguistics checks, and it is always a class skill for them. Halflings with this racial trait also begin play with the ability to speak Common, Halfling, and any one other language of their choice.
Steel Net (Ex): When fighting defensively as a full-round action with a dueling sword, the swordlord’s penalties on all attacks in a round are reduced by 2, and the dodge bonus to AC is increased by 2 for the same round.
Sword Scion (Trait, Campaign): You begin play with a longsword or Aldori dueling sword and gain a +1 trait bonus on all attacks and combat maneuvers made with such weapons.
Weapon Training (Ex): Starting at 9th level, a fighter can select one group of weapons. Whenever he attacks with a weapon from this group, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls.