I am playing in CoCT right now and am the main fighter. I tried out a Blood rager but was getting really tuned up each fight. With it being early in the campaign the GM gave me leave to try a new character out. I am going to try out a Swashbuckler. I will list my current build, I am interested in your feat suggestions. I won't be multi classing.
Race: Human. Class: Swashbuckler. Favored class: Swashbuckler.
Archetype: Inspired blade. Traits: Addicted friend, Fencer and Focused study.
Strength: 10 Intelligence: 12 Wisdom: 12 Dexterity: 18 (+2) Constitution: 14 Charisma: 18
1st level: Feat: Weapon finesse (C), Weapon focus (C), Combat reflexes and Focused study – Intimidate. Panache pool is 5 points.
3rd level: Feat: Piranha strike.
4th level: Bonus feat: Weapon specialization (Rapier).
5th level: Feat: Dodge.
7th level: Feat: Mobility.
8th level: Bonus feat: Spring attack. Focused study – Acrobatics.
9th level: Feat: Dazzling display.
11th level: Feat: Critical focus.
12th level: Bonus feat: Greater weapon specialization (Rapier).
13th level: Feat: Critical bleeding.
15th level: Feat: Critical staggering.
16th level: Bonus feat: Critical mastery. Focused study – Perception.
17th level: Feat: Critical stunned.
19th level: Feat: Improved initiative. +5 dodge bonus to AC.
20th level: Bonus feat: Iron will.
Sorry for the wall of text and any help/opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Trade away Dazzling Display for Iron Will or Lunge or Improved Initiative... without a class ability reducing Dazzling Display's action economy cost, it's not worth it.
You're spending 3 feats on spring attack; you want either to spend more or none at all. It's otherwise an orphaned ability, a single attack with no bonuses at level 8+ is hardly worthwhile.
Bleeding critical isn't good at the level it becomes available. If you invest more in spring attack you might like crippling critical, if not then sickening critical might help land the saves for staggering/stunning critical.
It's also common to multiclass out of swashbuckler when you have the abilities you want; after no more than 5 levels, generally. Its abilities don't scale enough and there are so many other cool abilities out there.
Is there a reason you don't have fencing grace?
I thought I had fencing grace in there until I looked at it. Will adjust and get rid of spring attack. Will post just the feat changes and not the whole wall of text.
Alright, I made some changes.
1st: I dropped focused study and picked Fencing grace.
8th: I took Iron will.
9th: I moved Critical focus here.
11th: I took Improved initiative instead.
13th: I took Staggering critical instead.
15th: I took Blinding critical instead.
16th: I took Critical mastery here.
I don't think I will be playing the character past 16th so the rest of the feats I will wing.
If I do multi class after level 5 do you have any suggestions? or a build you can point me to?
Thanks.
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Piranha Strike doesn't work with a rapier, since a rapier is not a light weapon. It's an unfortunate result of the way Piranha Strike is worded. If it said when using weapon finesse, it would work.
Otherwise it looks like you've got the basics of the build covered.
I don't know about multi-classing after 5th... If I'm reading it right, Inspired Blade doesn't give up Precise Strike, so you're getting level to damage, plus at level 9 your Rapier Training will advance at 9th and 13th, and you'll get bonus feats at 8 and 12. Gunslinger I get why people move out of the class after 5th, because it's granting a flat dex-to-damage. But Swashbuckler damage continues to scale with level.
That being said, dipping something to help with saves isn't a bad idea. 2 levels of Paladin adds a lot, though it also makes Charmed Life redundant.
Trouble is precise strike doesn't scale as fast as you'd like. Suppose you take 1 level in urban bloodrager. You get a rage which gives you +2 to attack, damage, AC and reflex save, and you can use a few wands or scrolls of useful spells like mirror image. Compare to +1 damage and 1/4 of the levels required to increase rapier training.
Paladin 2 as noted by Ferious. You don't really want to spend the immediate action on charmed life (you can't take swift actions when doing so) and smite is nice to have.
Weapon master fighter 3 with gloves of dueling gives +3 attack & damage, and a couple of bonus feats. Keep further with it and you get the ability to take feats for advanced weapon training and its other abilities scale pretty well too.
I could go on, the point is since your swashbuckler abilities scale poorly there isn't the incentive to stay with it. +1 damage/level is not a big deal. Nice but not a big deal.
It's also common to multiclass out of swashbuckler when you have the abilities you want; after no more than 5 levels, generally. Its abilities don't scale enough and there are so many other cool abilities out there.
Agreed. Some folks dispense with the class entirely and just grab Amateur Swashbuckler.
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Urban bloodrager 1 or 2 + Extra Rage / Swashbucker 2 ...then move on to your main long-haul class. ....like Paladin or Bard.
Huh didnt realize weapon master gives you weapon training at level 3. Anyways why did you decide on inspired swashbuckler? Effortless lace can be used on the rapier to qualify for pirahna strike or if you can go with a str 13 then you can get power attack. Another option is to go inspired and then go investigator...been doing that for awhile and is pretty nice.
Thanks for the replies. I like to min/max but I am not the best with the multi classing. I misread piranha strike,so I will fix that.
I don't have the gold yet for effortless lace since my character is coming in at 3rd level.
I chose inspired due to the extra feat of weapon focus and the flare of the class since I will be criting a fair amount at level 5.
I will look into weapon master a bit more. I like the musketeer movies and the thought of a mobile, lightly armored melee front liner is appealing.
Losing the ability to gain panache when dropping someone kinda stinks but it kinda evens out. I would at least get to level 5 if you want to go that route. Most people would say move on to another class after that since you arent seeing a whole lot after that.
I just took the one level of inspired and then investigator..I was aiming for a musketeer type but felt instead of blackpowder he went alchemy. Hmm what I'm saying is even if you take only a couple levels of swashbuckler and then multiclass there is nothing preventing you from still being the swashbuckler. For the record I just took the keen enchant asap.
One level of Inspied Blade Swashbuckler gives you Weapon Finesse and Weapon Focus Rapier. Plus Int and Cha to your Panache pool. That's all the Swashbuckler you need.
One level of Kata Master Monk gets Panache with unarmed strikes. And Improved Unarmed Strike. A bonus feat. And flurry of blows. Helps your saves, too.
One level of Hooded Champion Ranger gets Panache with bows. And the Dead Aim deed to target touch AC with said bows.
Then go Virtuous Bravo Paladin, or Daring Champion Cavalier, and be the best Swashbuckler, ever.
Lol, that is some serious min/maxing right there. I try and avoid splashing that many classes. My GM is wanting me to be a bit more subdued than I normal am because I tend to make monsters.
My last class was investigator so I am trying to play test something different than I have in the past. Might be that the swash blows up in my face but I want to try it out.
It's not really min/max, at all. Simply expanding your use of Panache.
Picking Inspired Blade to expand the amount of Panache is worth its limitations.
Adding Unarmed Strikes and bows to your Panache usage just adds to your overall versatility and survivability.
I figure if most people ditch Swashbuckler after 5 levels anyways, taking one level of three classes doesn't seem like that big of a stretch to step into whatever people take after they leave Swashbuckler normally. If all it takes to get the Swashbuckler vibe is Panache, wouldn't you be a better Swashbuckler if you could use Panache with your rapier, unarmed strikes, and bows?
Both the Paladin and Cavalier archetypes fit the whole vibe and concept perfectly. Offering your choice of Smite or Challenge, depending on the flavor you are looking for.