Thoughts on my Swordlord build / Help me finish it up.

[rorek55]

Hey all, I'm planning to play a swordlord for an upcoming game. Starting at level 2, going to 18 (theoretically) Another Idea I had was to go bard(archaeologist) (1 level in aldori defender for proficiency and bonus feat)and only go into swordlord for 5 levels before going back to bard. Though I lose a bit of to hit and damage from this, I get spells. Thoughts?

Class- Aldori Defender 5/ Scaled fist monk 1/Paladin 2/Aldori Swordlord 10Human (for skilled)
Plan-
AD1
Monk1
AD2
AD3
ASL1
AD4 (retrain slashing grace)
AD5
ASL2
ASL3
ASL4
ASL5
P1
P2

Stats- 25pt buy

Str: 07
Dex: 17 +1 4/8/12
Con: 12
Int: 14
Wis: 12
Cha: 15 +1 16

Traits: Threatening Defender, Dangerously Curious(for wands of mage armor/shield) Indomitable faith

Feats a
1- Weapon finesse, Weapon focus, slashing grace (retrained to Weapon specialization at fighter 4(level 6))
2- Dodge
3- Crane Style, Dazzling Display
5- Combat Expertise, quickdraw (ASL bonus feat)
6- Improved Disarm
7- Greater Disarm (swap for power attack? Blind fight?) Disarm is more fun, power attack option more useful vs monsters without weapons.
9- Iron Will
11- Shatter Defenses
13- Improved Iron Will (hopefully to pair with defiant weapon eventually)

So, I'm assuming I'll have at least a +3 weapon(+2 and keen), a +4 belt/headband, and +3 ring of deflection/amulet of natural armor and gloves of dueling. Hopefully around level 10-11. As well as a way to have mage armor up and running most of the time. I think this is modest enough to plan around.

At level 13 -
Str: 07
Dex: 24
Con: 12
Int: 14
Wis: 12
Cha: 19

HP:100 ( 12d10+1d8(chained monk)+19)
AC*: 32(36 with shield) (10+4mage armor+7Dex+1dodge+3ring+3NA+4Cha(monk))
FF:24(32 when attacking) Touch: 25(33 when attacking)
*note- AC increases to 40(44 w/shield) when attacking (combat expertise+fighting defensively) and 41/45 when full attacking
Saves:
Fort: 15
Ref: 12
Will: 12 (hopefully with rerolls)

Attack action
BaB: +12/7/2
To hit: +25/20/15
Damage: 1d8+17 17-20x2

Attack action w/fighting defensive+combat expertise
To hit: +21/16/11
Damage: 1d8+17 17-20x2

Smite is used as a "uh-oh" button for +4 to hit/AC and DR bypass against them evil things.

[Wonderstell]

rorek55 wrote:

Plan-

AD1
Monk1
AD2
AD3
ASL1

You can't enter the PRC at level 5 because you don't fulfill the requirement of 5 skill ranks in Intimidate yet. The difference between taking a feat that has a prerequisite of 5 skill ranks and a PRC is that you're attempting to use the PRC to qualify for the PRC.

rorek55 wrote:

1 level in aldori defender for proficiency and bonus feat

Aldori Defender doesn't actually get proficiency with the Aldori Dueling Sword. EWP is part of the list of recommended feats for the archetype so apparently they want you to waste a feat on it.

rorek55 wrote:

AC*: 32(36 with shield) (10+4mage armor+7Dex+1dodge+3ring+3NA+4Cha(monk))

FF:24(32 when attacking) Touch: 25(33 when attacking)
*note- AC increases to 40(44 w/shield) when attacking (combat expertise+fighting defensively) and 41/45 when full attacking

Remember that Flat-footed AC doesn't count any Dodge bonus (unless you have Uncanny Dodge).

[rorek55]

thanks for the heads up, I might be able to talk them into letting me grab it at 5, since All things considered its not a particularly "powerful" build. If not, I may have to ask about retraining... Any advice on this front? I could go into paladin at 5, ASL at 6, then AD 7 again.

And yes, I do know, I however Forgot at that moment as I was writing it. A tad embarrassing. Thanks for the catch.

[PCScipio]

I played a Halfling Aldori Swordlord in the Pathfinder Kingmaker computer game, where it worker pretty well. Cautious Fighter is quite effective for a PC that wants to fight defensively all the time. I can't remember my exact progression, but it involved a single level of Scaled Fist Monk, 2 levels of Paladin and 4 levels of Thug Rogue.

[Wonderstell]

rorek55 wrote:

thanks for the heads up, I might be able to talk them into letting me grab it at 5, since All things considered its not a particularly "powerful" build.

Yeah about that. You might want to streamline a bit. Personally it seems like you're worse off entering the PRC than just staying in the archetype as both choices have Aldori flavor but the archetype is superior. That's probably unsolicited advice though, considering that the idea is to make a Swordlord.

You mentioned taking Power Attack, which I recommend, but you don't qualify for it with 7 Strength. You'd need Piranha Strike and an Effortless Lace to make it work with the Aldori Dueling Sword.

[rorek55]

Okay, I've made some changes to the build.

Halfling
Str: 06
Dex: 19 +1 all levels
Con: 12
Int: 14
Wis: 12
Cha: 16

Kensai+bladebound 5/ Weapon Master 7, Aldori Swordlord 1/ Scaled fist 1/ Paladin 2
Class levels-
1 Weapon Master 1
2 Kensai 1
3 Scaled Fist 1
4 Weapon Master 2
5 Weapon Master 3
6 Swordlord 1
7 Weapon Master 4
8 Kensai 2
9 Kensai 3
10 Kensai 4
11 Weapon Master 5
12 Weapon Master 6
13 Weapon Master 7
14 Kensai 5

Then either-
15 Paladin 1
16 Paladin 2
17 Paladin 3
18 Paladin 4

Or
Kensai 6
Kensai 7
Kensai 8

Or
Paladin 1
Paladin 2
Kensai 6
Kensai 7

All of these options come out at +18 BaB. Kensai offers more spells, paladin offers better saves. I'm leaning Kensai.

Traits: Magical Knack, Reactionary, Indomitable Faith
Drawback: Pride

Feats:
1- Weapon finesse, Dazzling Display
2- Weapon focus, proficiency with Dueling Sword
3- Slashing Grace(swapped to Weapon Specialization at level 7), Dodge
4- Crane Style
5- Cautious Fighter
6- Quick Draw
7- Blind Fight, Risky Striker, Advanced Weapon training (instead of another weapon group)
9- Shatter Defenses ?
11- Iron Will ?
13- Improved Iron will?
15- ???
17- ???

Thoughts on this one?