Aldori Swordlord

[DougSeay]

I like the flavor of the Aldori, but I have trouble with it mechanically. A strength fighter with a longsword needs fewer feats. A rogue with Dex to damage will appreciate the d8, but again, lots of feats and likely to just be expert compared to the fighter's mastery

What am I missing? Why would I make this build?

[Unicore]

It lines up particularly well with Dex based fighters who want to keep a hand free. It is legendary proficiency in an advanced weapon for a fighter. It is also likely an expert skill proficiency at 2nd level which gives it a bit of utility for the fighter as well since it means getting a jump on what skill feats you qualify for. A str based fighter with a long sword is probably focused on armor and needing a shield.

[Delgarond]

DougSeay wrote:

What am I missing? Why would I make this build?

Also, just for the flavour/concept, not everything has to be a min/max creation. You can make your character a little different from the norm.

[Phntm888]

There is a certain amount of duplication for a fighter, though. Consider Aldori Parry and the Fighter class feat Dueling Parry.

They provide the same benefit, as an Aldori Dueling Sword is a one-handed melee weapon, meeting the requirement for the Dueling Parry feat. The Aldori Riposte and Dueling Riposte provide the same benefit as well. The Archetype-specific feats in this instance may not necessarily be the best options for a Fighter over the class feats.

That being said, the Aldori Dueling Sword does have the highest damage die out of every one-handed finesse weapon, and it also has Versatile on it, which its closest competitor, the rapier, does not (although the rapier has Deadly). Thus, if you were going for a Dex-based, free-hand fighting style, the Aldori Duelist is at least comparable to a rapier-based fighting style. The damage may be slightly less than a Strength-based Fighter wielding a longsword (no Dex to Damage) and taking the Dueling feats from Fighter, but there are other good feats in Aldori Duelist (like Aldori Parry for +2 Initiative and drawing your weapon as a free action at the start of a fight).

Plus, as Delgarond said, the flavor of the Aldori Duelist is pretty good.

[Arachnofiend]

The main advantage of Aldori Duelist is being a way to play an einhander style without being a Fighter; the Aldori dedication is notably better for characters who already have martial weapon proficiency since you get expert in a skill out of it.

I think you kinda have to think outside the box - Fighters already make good duelists without the dedication, so you'd want to take these feats with classes that struggle at fulfilling that concept like the Champion or Barbarian.

[Ventnor]

Humans can make pretty much any class ready for Aldori Duellust by Level 2, except maybe wizards. It all depends on how a GM defines “Another Culture” in the Unconventional Weaponry feat.

[Phntm888]

Arachnofiend wrote:

I think you kinda have to think outside the box - Fighters already make good duelists without the dedication, so you'd want to take these feats with classes that struggle at fulfilling that concept like the Champion or Barbarian.

I did build out an Aldori Duelist using a Scoundrel Rogue as the base - it did work fairly nicely for that. I went Human for Unconventional Weaponry to get proficiency, and I chose the Rostland Partisan background for flavor. I was going to try a Ranger next, although a Champion might be a good choice, too.

I'm not sure I personally like the flavor of a raging duelist with the instincts we have right now, but maybe if we get an "Urban Barbarian" type instinct, I'll warm up to the idea.

[Edge93]

Phntm888 wrote:

Arachnofiend wrote:

I think you kinda have to think outside the box - Fighters already make good duelists without the dedication, so you'd want to take these feats with classes that struggle at fulfilling that concept like the Champion or Barbarian.

I did build out an Aldori Duelist using a Scoundrel Rogue as the base - it did work fairly nicely for that. I went Human for Unconventional Weaponry to get proficiency, and I chose the Rostland Partisan background for flavor. I was going to try a Ranger next, although a Champion might be a good choice, too.

I'm not sure I personally like the flavor of a raging duelist with the instincts we have right now, but maybe if we get an "Urban Barbarian" type instinct, I'll warm up to the idea.

Hmm, a Dragon Instinct Duelist actually sounds kinda interesting. You could really go in on the duelist ego stereotype with the Dragon Anathema if I remember it right.

Handsome warriors never lose battles. XD

[Deadmanwalking]

Ventnor wrote:

Humans can make pretty much any class ready for Aldori Duellust by Level 2, except maybe wizards. It all depends on how a GM defines “Another Culture” in the Unconventional Weaponry feat.

They don't actually need Unconventional Weaponry. A Human can start with two General Feats, that'll get anyone but a Wizard to Aldori Dueling Sword Proficiency.

[Arachnofiend]

Edge93 wrote:

Phntm888 wrote:

Arachnofiend wrote:

I think you kinda have to think outside the box - Fighters already make good duelists without the dedication, so you'd want to take these feats with classes that struggle at fulfilling that concept like the Champion or Barbarian.

I did build out an Aldori Duelist using a Scoundrel Rogue as the base - it did work fairly nicely for that. I went Human for Unconventional Weaponry to get proficiency, and I chose the Rostland Partisan background for flavor. I was going to try a Ranger next, although a Champion might be a good choice, too.

I'm not sure I personally like the flavor of a raging duelist with the instincts we have right now, but maybe if we get an "Urban Barbarian" type instinct, I'll warm up to the idea.

Hmm, a Dragon Instinct Duelist actually sounds kinda interesting. You could really go in on the duelist ego stereotype with the Dragon Anathema if I remember it right.

Handsome warriors never lose battles. XD

A Blue Dragon Barbarian is one of the first character concepts I got excited about, the moment I realized rage works with non-agile finesse weapons. Lightning fits pretty well with high dexterity. Green would be another very fitting color.

[Ventnor]

Deadmanwalking wrote:

Ventnor wrote:

Humans can make pretty much any class ready for Aldori Duellust by Level 2, except maybe wizards. It all depends on how a GM defines “Another Culture” in the Unconventional Weaponry feat.

They don't actually need Unconventional Weaponry. A Human can start with two General Feats, that'll get anyone but a Wizard to Aldori Dueling Sword Proficiency.

That is why I said “except maybe wizards.”

[Perpdepog]

Edge93 wrote:

Phntm888 wrote:

Arachnofiend wrote:

I think you kinda have to think outside the box - Fighters already make good duelists without the dedication, so you'd want to take these feats with classes that struggle at fulfilling that concept like the Champion or Barbarian.

I did build out an Aldori Duelist using a Scoundrel Rogue as the base - it did work fairly nicely for that. I went Human for Unconventional Weaponry to get proficiency, and I chose the Rostland Partisan background for flavor. I was going to try a Ranger next, although a Champion might be a good choice, too.

I'm not sure I personally like the flavor of a raging duelist with the instincts we have right now, but maybe if we get an "Urban Barbarian" type instinct, I'll warm up to the idea.

Hmm, a Dragon Instinct Duelist actually sounds kinda interesting. You could really go in on the duelist ego stereotype with the Dragon Anathema if I remember it right.

Handsome warriors never lose battles. XD

And Brevoy is kinda known for their dragons. I think they've even got a dragon throne, and Draconic is one of their regional languages.

Also just tossing out that I'm a fan of the Saving Slash feat. It's pretty useful with how crits work in the game, and it's just good fun.

[Ventnor]

Perpdepog wrote:

Edge93 wrote:

Phntm888 wrote:

Arachnofiend wrote:

I think you kinda have to think outside the box - Fighters already make good duelists without the dedication, so you'd want to take these feats with classes that struggle at fulfilling that concept like the Champion or Barbarian.

I did build out an Aldori Duelist using a Scoundrel Rogue as the base - it did work fairly nicely for that. I went Human for Unconventional Weaponry to get proficiency, and I chose the Rostland Partisan background for flavor. I was going to try a Ranger next, although a Champion might be a good choice, too.

I'm not sure I personally like the flavor of a raging duelist with the instincts we have right now, but maybe if we get an "Urban Barbarian" type instinct, I'll warm up to the idea.

Hmm, a Dragon Instinct Duelist actually sounds kinda interesting. You could really go in on the duelist ego stereotype with the Dragon Anathema if I remember it right.

Handsome warriors never lose battles. XD

And Brevoy is kinda known for their dragons. I think they've even got a dragon throne, and Draconic is one of their regional languages.

Also just tossing out that I'm a fan of the Saving Slash feat. It's pretty useful with how crits work in the game, and it's just good fun.

Ooh! You could even go with a white or silver dragon patron to play up the "cold up North" flavor too!