I started off with his build
here, but the situation has changed a bit.
I talked with the DM and he is doing 32 point-buy, start at level 4, pretty much everything open subject to DM approval, starting at level 4, and gestalt.
Our normal gestalt rules typically allow for so called "dual-progression" feats and PrCs so long as you are doing different things on either side of the build, e.g., caster class on one side, melee class or partial caster on the other.
I only know of two of the other players for sure and one is doing a Dread Necro//(maybe bard), and the other is doing an Ur-Priest build. Obviously we are being evil.
While I am still interested in having the build from the other thread as a it's own functional build, I also want to change it up a bit for the current situation. A lot of the choices here are based on advice from the previous thread.
So new plan:
Neutral Evil Human
STR 14, DEX 14, CON, 14, INT 12, WIS 10, CHA 15 (all stat bumps to Charisma)
*Possible flaw: Vulnerable, the build assumes this won't be allowed.
1. Bard 1 // Hexblade 1 Power Attack, Dreadful Wrath
2. Bard 2 // Hexblade 2
3. Warblade 1 // Marshal 1 Song of the White Raven, Minor Aura: Motivate Dexterity
4. Bard 3 // Hexblade 3 Song of the Heart (replace
inspire competence)
5. Bard 4 // Hexblade 4
6. Warblade 2 // Hexblade 5 Practice Spellcaster, Spell Focus (enchantment)(B)
7. Warblade 3 // Hexblade 6
8. Warblade 4 // Hexblade 7
9. Warblade 5 // Hexblade 8 Melodic Casting, Improved Initiatve (B)
10. Warblade 6 // Hexblade 9
11. Warblade 7 // Hexblade 10 Spell Penetration (B)
12. Warblade 8 // Hexblade 11 Improved Familiar (imp)
13. Warblade 9 // Hexblade 12 White Raven Defense (B)
14. Warblade 10 // Hexblade 13
15. Warblade 11 // Hexblade 14 Clarion Commander
16. Warblade 12 // Hexblade 15 Greater Spell Focus (enchantment)(B)
17. Warblade 13 // Hexblade 16 Combat Reflexes (B)
18. Warblade 14 // Hexblade 17 Martial Study (Quicksilver Motion)
19. Warblade 15 // Hexblade 18
20. Warblade 16 // Hexblade 19
Skills: Balance 5, Bluff 5, Concentration 23, Diplomacy 23, Intimidate 23, Jump 23, Perform (Sing) 4, Sense Motive 5, Spellcraft 5, Tumble 23
Skill Tricks: Never Outnumbered, Nimble Stand, Swift Concentration
ECL | IL | Maneuver Gained | Maneuver Lost | Stance |
1 | 0 | NA | NA | NA |
2 | 1 | NA | NA | NA |
3 | 2 | Rabid Wolf Strike, Sudden Leap, Moment of the Perfect Mind | NA | Leading the Charge |
4 | 2 | NA | NA | NA |
5 | 3 | NA | NA | NA |
6 | 4 | Wall of Blades | NA | NA |
7 | 5 | White Raven Tactics | NA | NA |
8 | 6 | Iron Heart Surge | Rabid Wolf Strike | Tactics of the Wolf |
9 | 7 | Mind over Body | NA | NA |
10 | 8 | Death from Above | Wall of Blades | NA |
11 | 9 | Pouncing Charge | NA | NA |
12 | 10 | Ruby Nightmare Blade | Death from Above | NA |
13 | 11 | Order Forged from Chaos | NA | NA |
14 | 12 | NA | NA | Hearing the Air |
15 | 13 | Avalanche of Blades | NA | NA |
16 | 14 | Swarming Assault | Ruby Nightmare Blade | NA |
17 | 15 | White Raven Hammer OR Diamond Nightmare Blade | NA | NA |
18 | 16 | NA | NA | NA |
19 | 17 | War Master's Charge | NA | NA |
20 | 18 | Time Stands Still | Avalanche of Blades | Stance of Alacrity |
Hexblade spells:
1st: Augment Familiar, Protection from Good, Charm Person, Expeditious Retreat, Distract Assailant
2: Alter Self, Mirror Image, Whirling Blade, Glitterdust, Pyrotechnics
3: Hound of Doom, Charm Monster, Vampiric Touch, Dispel Magic, Stinking Cloud
4: Polymorph, Enervation, Solid Fog, Dimension Door
Equipment:
+1 Sudden Stunning Bloodstone Guisarme
+1 Fearsome mithril breastplate
Circlet of persuasion, veil of allure, hexbands
badge of valor, vest of legends, steadfast boots, belt of battle
I would love to keep this to be a DFI build, but I think I would sacrifice a lot of potential Hexblade utility trying to grab the Two-Weapon Fighting Feats and such to make that happen, and dropping DFI means I can drop Silverbrow for more skill points. As it stands, one side is a straight IC with White Raven focus for buffing allies, and the other side is Hexblade for debuffing enemies. Not relying on Snowflake Wardance also frees up some skill points for more Intimidate.
With the Marshal dip I can add my charisma bonus to the party's dexterity checks and initiative. I can start battles in Leading the Charge, Inspire as a swift action and charge in. Once the party is in position I switch to Tactics of the Wolf, use Fearsome armor to demoralize further as a move action, hit with the Hexblade's curse, and pound away with Diamond Nightmare Blade/White Raven Hammer.
With an imp familiar I'll always have a flanking buddy and I can have him spend his actions to further demoralize, aid other, or attack.
All criticism is welcome, any advice or links for optimizing imp familiars would be greatly appreciated.