Twilight Sage, Ghost Monk & Swashbuckler Multiclass: Killing opponents...

[Skarm]

Hi all,
I was wondering:

In theory, a character who is a twilight sage, a ghost monk and a swashbuckler:
- At 5th level of Hungry Ghost Monk would recover 1 ki point by bringing to 0 hp (or less) or critical hitting a living opponent.
- Could replenish 2 or 1 points of Arcane Reservoir by "sucking" a creature with less than 0 hp.
- Could recover 1 panache by bringing to 0 hp (or less) or critical hitting an opponent with a light or 1 handed piercing weapon.

This would mean that:

Against a living opponent and using a light or 1 handed piercing weapon, I could recover 1 ki point AND 1 panache point by "critting" or bringing to 0 hp (or less).

And, if I brought him to -1 or less, I could recover Arcane Reservoir by "sucking" him too??

Am I right??

Moreover, with the HGM and Swashbuckler, I'd need to do the dirty work myself, but with Consume Life...I can "suck" opponents downed by other party members???

Thanks,
Skarm

P.S.: With a Hungry Ghost Monk and Swashbuckler dual-wielding a high-crit range weapon (i.e., Wakizashi) and weapon with Keen and Skewering weapon quality wouldn't this be an "over-kill" combo?

I mean...with a Wakizashi I would threaten a critical hit on 15+ and I could "force" the critical hit by spending panache. While still I need to confirm the critical to get back ki points and panache, the critical threat would be 25% of times...and by "forcing" criticals, I would be both increasing the chance to kill the opponent (allowing to recover panache) AND automatically recover ki points.

Moreover, I have the impression that there is no "cap" on the ki point and panache recovery per round...right?

Also I was wondering if there is any way to flurry with a Wakizashi, but I am afraid there is none...or at least, none that would be PFS legal...am I wrong?

P.P.S.: Also...I was thinking...the demented idea of the cage of rats to antagonize and force to attack...would work also for swashbucklers...am I wrong?

[merpius]

Note sure about PFS legal, but you could use http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/crusader-s-flurry, potentially, to make a wakizashi a monk weapon (and, therefore, work for flurry).

As for the rest; I think it works as you say. But, of course, you're multiclassing liek crazy, thus reducing the utility of those ki points, panache points, and arcane resivoire points. Furthermore you are committing some sort of genocide on your Arcanist spellcasting ability, and, thus, giving up godhood for some strange point collection/pokemon game.

[Kiesman]

I decided to take a look at the Arcanists exploits available, and if you were to take one level of Swashbuckler (to parry and riposte, mostly), and one level of Twilight Sage, taking the Armored Mask exploit, that would give some nice defensive options to a monk, potentially, while using a Waveblade (1d6, 18-20 crit, light piercing Monk weapon)

[merpius]

Twilight Sage loses it's first level exploit for Twilight Barrier (an improved variant of Arcane Barrier), so they would have to go to 3rd to get Armored Mask. However, this does not negate your point; even just Twilight Barrier is a pretty neat defensive add to a monk.

Still giving up being a god, but not to collect 'em all. In this case, however, you would be very unlikely to use up all of your arcane points, though, perhaps your panache points, since opportune parry and riposte eats them for lunch. So doubling/tripling up on point collection could serve some purpose, I suppose. Though it might make more sense to do a dip into Arcanist with an archetype that does not use it's 1st level exploit, because I think Armored Mask would be more useful than Twilight Barrier.

[Kiesman]

I totally missed that Twilight Sage forces Twilight Barrier. If you're not SUPER starved for feats, you could take Extra Exploit and get Armored Mask while still retaining only the single level dip. I feel I'd easily use up my 3/day points playing this character, but my group tries to avoid the 15-minute adventuring day.

[merpius]

Heck, if you're not super starved for feats, why not extra resevoir and/or extra panache feats? I'm really not sure what this mythical build that isn't starved for feats is, however, so I guess that's all pure hypothetical anyway! :D

[Skarm]

Kiesman wrote:

I totally missed that Twilight Sage forces Twilight Barrier. If you're not SUPER starved for feats, you could take Extra Exploit and get Armored Mask while still retaining only the single level dip. I feel I'd easily use up my 3/day points playing this character, but my group tries to avoid the 15-minute adventuring day.

Honestly I was planning more to take Extra Exploit for Dimensional Slide and Tapestry Traveller, which would allow me to count as 3rd level Arcanist for purpose of Dimensional Slide...

I'd take just a 1st level Arcanist...my main interest is in the extra mobility granted by the Dimension Slide and in the Arcane Reservoir "recovery" capabilities of the Twilight Sage...

In fact, I like the Shadowdancer shadow jump idea, but I think that limited "per day" effect suck badly...

...with Dimensional Slide instead I can move in attack position or retreat from danger just with a move action and I don't provoke...
Skarm

P.S.: My character suck badly with Intelligence so I don't care losing spellcasting capabilities...I am only interested in Consume Life and Dimensional Slide...

[merpius]

Even just having Dimensional Slide at 1st level (w/o the add for the feat) would probably get you aroudn the vast majority of attacks of opprtunity; you could move away by sliding 10 ft (costing 5 ft) then using the rest of your movement, and the reverse for moving into fight.

Yeah I think it can work.