Race: Human
Class: Swashbuckler
Feats:
Lvl 1: Weapon Finesse (swashbuckler) Weapon Focus Glaives (bonus feat) Bladed Brush (level)
Lvl 3: Power Attack
Lvl 4: Furious Focus (Swashbuckler bonus feat)
Lvl 7: Shield Focus
Lvl 8: Shield Brace (Swashbuckler bonus feat)
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Bladed Brush: "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."
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If my reading is correct, then at lvl8, assuming a +1 weapon and Dex20, the character's damage would look like this: 1d10 (base) + 1 (enchantment) + 7 (1.5 Dex due to 2-handed weapon) + 9 (power attack) + 8 (precise strike) = 1d10+25 damage.
The character would also have high AC. Assuming humble +1 mithril chain shirt, +1 heavy shield, +1 amulet of natural armor and +1 ring of protection, then the character would have:
AC: 10 (base) + 5 (dex) + 2 (nimble) + 5 (armor) + 4 (shield) + 1 (natural armor) + 1 (deflection) = AC28
Which at lvl+20 is what I think the benchmark for a tank is. So AC27 and 1d10+25 damage per hit.
Am I reading all of this right? Because it seems somewhat crazy for precise strike and power attack to be usable together. But I think it works.
So there are 2 potential problems I see with this.
1. If you're treating your weappn as 1-handed you wouldn't get 1.5 × STR DEX to damage, and you wouldn't get 1.5 × Power Attack, and most importantly you wouldn't benefit from Furious Focus (well maybe not most importantly, but it would mean you've wasted a feat). I'm not 100% sure on this though, so if I'm wrong and Bladed Brush does let you keep the 1.5 × damage modifier then everything should work. Check this, but if I'm right it'll seriously de-power your damage output.
2. Bladed Brush doesn't let you ignore the penalties for wielding a shield. Any feats or class abilities that rely on having a free hand (eg. Precise Strike) wouldn't work with a Heavy Shield. Pretty sure you could swap it for a buckler and be fine, and it's only 1 less AC.
(3. Also you seem to be missing your level 5 feat, just in case that's a mistakes and not being saved for something else.)
Precise strike turns off when you're using a shield other than a buckler. Also I suspect that while you are treating a glaive as a one-handed weapon you don't get 1.5*stat or 2H power attack to damage.
Ed: Ninjas. This is a thread about swashbucklers, dammit!
Switch Shield Brace for Unhindering Shield... everything should work.
Thanks for all of the responses! It does seem like Unhindering Shield is the way to go for this.
Funny thing is I asked about a similar build a little while ago, and everyone said the glaive is a terrible weapon for a Swashbuckler, never get criticals, Bladed Brush doesn't work with a Fauchard, blah blah blah.
Someone did mention the archery archetype, whatever it's called... and that does open up some options.
My build was also a Human Vanilla Swashbuckler:
1. Weapon Finesse
1. Weapon Focus
1. Bladed Brush
3. Combat Reflexes
4. Slashing Grace
5. Improved Critical
5. Iron Will
I don't get the responses in this thread regarding the dex bonus and power attack. If a player wields a 1 handed weapon in two hands they get 1.5* str bonus and power attack, same as wielding a 2 handed weapon in two hands. Why do y'all thunk that rule changes for this glaive?
Because bladed brush is clear about your being treated as not using the off-hand to make attacks.
You probably don't even need unhindering shield here, you can save the feat if using a buckler - but damage and AC are lower than in the OP.
Bladed Brush is very clear that you are treated as not using your off-hand specifically for feats and class abilities that require such... so that feature only works with other features requiring the off-hand to be free. For literally evwrything else, it's just a Glaive with Weapon Finesse. Its interaction with Shield Brace/Power Attack/Furious Focus is unaffected by Bladed Brush.
At 3rd level, while she has at least 1 panache point, a swashbuckler gains the ability to strike precisely with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon (though not natural weapon attacks), adding her swashbuckler level to the damage dealt. To use this deed, a swashbuckler cannot attack with a weapon in her other hand or use a shield other than a buckler. She can even use this ability with thrown light or onehanded piercing melee weapons, so long as the target is within 30 feet of her. Any creature that is immune to sneak attacks is immune to the additional damage granted by precise strike, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits also protects a creature from the additional damage of a precise strike. This additional damage is precision damage, and isn’t multiplied on a critical hit.
As a swift action, a swashbuckler can spend 1 panache point to double her precise strike’s damage bonus on the next attack. This benefit must be used before the end of her turn, or it is lost. This deed’s cost cannot be reduced by any ability or effect that reduces the amount of panache points a deed costs (such as the Signature Deed feat).
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’ve mastered the art of balancing a polearm’s weight against a shield’s stability.
Prerequisites: Shield Focus; base attack bonus +3 or fighter level 1st; proficiency with light shields, heavy shields, or tower shields.
Benefit: You can use a two-handed weapon sized appropriately for you from the polearm or spears weapon group while also using a light, heavy, or tower shield with which you are proficient. The shield’s armor check penalty (if any) applies to attacks made with the weapon.
So the main relevant parts are bolded there. Your off-hand isn't considered free (empty), it's just considered to be "not making attacks" when using Bladed Brush. This means that it does work with Precise Strike, but does nothing for a character using a heavy Shield. Shield Brace has no interaction with Precise Strike, so while it lets you use the shield and Glaive it doesn't help with Precise Strike.
Regarding the 1.5× damage modifier, I think ShadowcatX might be right. There's nothing in Swashbuckler that says they need to hold it in one hand. The only part that might make it tricky is whether attacking with a 2-handed weapon is considered to be "making an attack with a weapon in their other hand" or not. My money's on Not.
So swap out to a buckler (and unhindering shield) and you're good to go. Check with your GM about 1.5× damage because it's not 100% clear.
Throw Slashing Grace in there...
#1.
You don't get x1.5 dex to damage because you don't add dex to damage.
Oh Derp =P yup I was misreading that.
If you do add Slashing Grace you can get DEX-to-damage, but that is pretty clear that you'd only get the 1-handed bonus.
You can stab your enemies with your sword or another slashing weapon.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus with chosen weapon.
Benefit: Choose one kind of light or one-handed slashing weapon (such as the longsword). When wielding your chosen weapon ONE-HANDED, you can treat it as a one-handed piercing melee weapon for all feats and class abilities that require such a weapon (such as a swashbuckler’s or a duelist’s precise strike) and you can add your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to that weapon’s damage. The weapon must be one appropriate for your size. You do not gain this benefit while fighting with two weapons or using flurry of blows, or any time another hand is otherwise occupied.
SHIELD BRACE lets you use a Heavy Shield with a pole-arm, so will work with a Glaive. A Darkwood Heavy Shield will have 0 ACP, so there's basically no penalty (except the feats you spent). The only thing about Swashbuckler that doesn't work with a Heavy Shield is Precise Strike, so if you don't care about that you can even use it as a Swashbuckler.
It turns out Agile weapons don't get 1.5× damage, it even says so in the description (althiugh I forgot that till just now as well).
Aura moderate transmutation CL 7th
Slot none; Price +1 bonus; Weight —Description
A character with Weapon Finesse can apply her Dexterity modifier to damage rolls with an agile weapon in place of her Strength modifier. This modifier to damage is NOT increased for two-handed weapons, but is still reduced for off-hand weapons. This weapon special ability can be placed only on melee weapons usable with Weapon Finesse.
ConstructionRequirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cat's grace; Price —
So at lvl8, with slashing grace instead of shield brace and all other things the same, looks like 1d10+19 and AC28.
Here is an alternative build using the Arrow Champion archetype, still Human...
1. Weapon Finesse
1. Weapon Focus Glaive
1. Bladed Brush
3. Combat Reflexes
4. Point Blank Shot
5. Slashing Grace
7. Iron Will
8. Rapid Shot
You have a reach weapon, and high Dex, so Combat Reflexes is a must. It allows you to act in the surprise round, and the extra AoO can help you protect your party. Combat Reflexes is more important than Dex-to-DMG/Slashing Grace, in my opinion. Use the bonus feats for archery to add versatility. Iron Will because reasons...
Ah, ok Shield Brace. I didn't pay attention to that...
...kind of like OP didn't pay attention to shield proficiency. Swashbucklers are only proficient with Bucklers.
Oh that's a good point.
If you have a shield with 0 ACP you don't really have any penalties, but do you need them for prerequisites?
Turns out Shield Focus would work with just buckler proficiency (so you could use a Darkwood Large Shield and get +3AC without even being proficient), which is kinda funny, but Shield Brace actually requires Light or Heavy shield proficiency.
I guess it doesn't matter since Unhindering shield works as well, but good pickup.
This works, 100% legit...
Phalanx Soldier Fighter
1(class): Combat Reflexes
1(level): Weapon Finesse
... retrain to Iron Will @ 5
2. Stand Firm +1
2(class): Shield Focus
3. Phalanx Fighting
3(level): Weapon Focus Glaive
4(class): Unhindering Shield
Arrow Champion Swashbuckler
5. Swashbuckler Finesse
5. Arrow Champion's Panache
5. Deeds
... Derring-Do
... Dodging Panache
... Retaliation
5(class): Weapon Finesse
5(level): Bladed Brush
Hooded Champion Ranger
6. Track
6. Panache
6. Deeds
... Dead Aim
7(class): Rapid Shot
7(level): Slashing Grace
At 7:
BAB +7
Base saves +7/+6/+3 (w/ Iron Will)
Continue back into Swashbuckler at 8 to pick up Deeds that work with your Glaive and your Bow.
Could be Human, give up the Bonus Feat for Military Tradition, and choose Elven Branched Spear and Orc HornBow. Elven Branched Spear is necessary to use Weapon Finesse from the start... although it has its own +2 for AoO, so non-proficiency isn't too big of a deal. Can't use Weapon Finesse with the Glaive until you have Bladed Brush. Then Slashing Grace will work.
Plus you have Rapid Shot for pretty much free, and can target Touch AC with your bow.
Or, just be a Warrior Poet...
I like Phalanx Soldier Fighter, but a lot of people hate it because you trade away Weapon Training, and when you trade away Weapon Training, you trade away Advanced Weapon Training, and people LOOOOVE their Advance Weapon Training!This works, 100% legit...
Phalanx Soldier Fighter
1(class): Combat Reflexes
1(level): Weapon Finesse
... retrain to Iron Will @ 5
2. Stand Firm +1
2(class): Shield Focus
3. Phalanx Fighting
3(level): Weapon Focus Glaive
4(class): Unhindering ShieldArrow Champion Swashbuckler
5. Swashbuckler Finesse
5. Arrow Champion's Panache
5. Deeds
... Derring-Do
... Dodging Panache
... Retaliation
5(class): Weapon Finesse
5(level): Bladed BrushHooded Champion Ranger
6. Track
6. Panache
6. Deeds
... Dead Aim
7(class): Rapid Shot
7(level): Slashing GraceAt 7:
BAB +7
Base saves +7/+6/+3 (w/ Iron Will)Continue back into Swashbuckler at 8 to pick up Deeds that work with your Glaive and your Bow.
Could be Human, give up the Bonus Feat for Military Tradition, and choose Elven Branched Spear and Orc HornBow. Elven Branched Spear is necessary to use Weapon Finesse from the start... although it has its own +2 for AoO, so non-proficiency isn't too big of a deal. Can't use Weapon Finesse with the Glaive until you have Bladed Brush. Then Slashing Grace will work.
Plus you have Rapid Shot for pretty much free, and can target Touch AC with your bow.
Meh. Screw Advanced Weapon Training... the OP is talking about a Swashbuckler anyways. We can enjoy what Phalanx Soldier brings to this build without worrying about AWT.
Continuing after Ranger...
Arrow Champion Swashbuckler
8.Charmed Life 3/day
9. Nimble +1
9. Deeds
... Kip-Up
... Menacing Swordplay
... Precise Strike
... Swift Switch
9(level): Dazzling Display
10(class): Improved Critical (bow)
11. Weapon Versatility
11(level): Improved Iron Will
At 11:
Fighter-4/Ranger-2/Swashbuckler-5
BAB +11
Base saves +8/+8/+4 (w/ Iron Will)
Using the bonus feat at 10 for Improved Critical with the bow is clever. Arrow Champion only regains Panache with killing blows, but Hooded Champion regains it with crits or killing blows... so it is more advantageous to invest a little bit in crits for the bow than the glaive.
I think it's cool that you already have Weapon Focus built in to get Bladed Brush, so Dazzling Display is a natural choice. Picking up Menacing Swordplay the same level as Dazzling Display is legit.
Weapon Versatility allows you to use your Swashbuckler Precise Strike Deed with your improved critical Orc HornBow, that targets Touch AC thanks to the Dead Aim Deed you get from Hooded Champion.
Probably grab Deific Obedience (Shelyn) at 13 or 15... fits the theme, and adds some neat stuff to the character, like SLA's, summoning an lillend azata, adding Shock & Holy to your weapons...
Want to ride a Hippogriff?
Hooded Champion and Sky Stalker stack... going back into Ranger at level 12 looks like this:
Hooded Champion-Sky Stalker Ranger
12. 1st Favored Terrain
...
12. Deeds
... Hooded Champion's Initiative
13. Spellcasting (Ranger)
13(level): Deific Obedience
14. 1st Favored Enemy
...
15(class): Monstrous Mount
... Hippogriff
15(level): Boon Companion
16. Woodland Stride
17. Swift Tracker
17. 2nd Favored Terrain
...
17(level): Brew Potion
18. Deeds
... Swashbuckler's Grace
... Evasive
19. 2nd Favored Enemy
...
19(class): Monstrous Mount Mastery
19(level): Fey Spell Versatility
20. Quarry
At 20:
Fighter-4/Ranger-11/Swashbuckler-5
BAB +20
Base saves +12/+12/+7 (w/ Iron Will)
CL 8, 3rd level spells
Effective Druid Level 14