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Janette | Gallard | Logan | Vandala | Umoja | Finch | Inshula | Lastri | Chir Darkflame | Soeravora Aeravand | Belueth the Calm | Grykk Bannersworn | Quarrel | Ribsmasher | Septimund | |
Gallard, M CG Human Swashbuckler 10, Duelist 10, Divine Champion 8, Rogue 2
I've designed this character as someone who can serve two primary purposes. One purpose is somebody who can take care of the thieving skills for the party. Two early levels of Rogue and the Able learner feat suffice.
The other purpose is that the character can be the first to step forward ahead of the party and absorb the initial onslaught harmlessly (most of the time). That in turns depends on a maximized armor class and a maximized skill rank in Parry. The Duelist's Elaborate Parry ability, plus the Gloves of Swordplay, plus the Militia background, plus various feats, will result in an absurdly high skill level in Parry. The Duelist's Canny Defense ability, plus a robe that provides a hefty armor class bonus, plus an ever-climbing Dexterity score, also ensure a very high armor class that protects against the odd attack that might make it past the character's use of Parry.
Divine Champions levels are sprinkled in to get some needed feats.
Stats
Skills
Feats
1st level (Swashbuckler 1): Weapon Finesse - Automatically obtained upon taking a level in Swashbuckler. Allows the character to rely on his Dexterity bonus to add to attack bonus instead of Strength. Also, the Militia background grants a +2 bonus to Parry but has a base attack bonus of +1 as a prerequisite. It is therefore necessary to take Swashbuckler on the first level during character creation.
Able Learner - Allows the character to only spend one skill point on cross-class skills during level ups, which will be important when I want to continue raising thieving skills even as I'm taking levels in Swashbuckler or Duelist.
Combat Expertise - I don't really use it, since as a combat mode it is exclusive from use of the Parry mode. However, it is a prerequisite for the Combat Insight epic feat later on.
2nd level (Rogue 1): No feat selected.
3rd level (Swashbuckler 2): Skill Focus (Parry) - Augmenting the character's use of Parry right away.
4th level (Rogue 2): The Evasion ability is now acquired.
5th level (Swashbuckler 3):Insightful Strike - Automatically acquired upon getting the third level of Swashbuckler. It will add my Intelligence bonus instead of my Strength bonus to damage. It will also stack with the Combat Insight epic feat.
6th level (Swashbuckler 4): Two-Weapon Fighting - The first in the long line of feats involving wielding a weapon in each hand.
7th level (Swashbuckler 5): Swashbuckler Dodge +1 - A +1 dodge bonus to armor class that stacks with other dodge bonuses.
8th level (Swashbuckler 6): No feat selected.
9th level (Swashbuckler 7): Mobility - Obtained automatically upon advancing to the 7th level of Swashbuckler. It is also one of the prerequisites for the Duelist prestige class. Just one reason why Swashbuckler and Duelist are a natural fit for each other.
Weapon Focus (Dagger) - Gallard will dual-wield a pair of daggers for much of the campaign, so this selection is natural. The Weapon Focus feat is also a prerequisite for the Divine Champion prestige class. I suppose that Shortsword may been just as well, but it's not like it made a big difference with his in-game performance.
10th level (Divine Champion 1): No feat selected.
11th level (Divine Champion 2): Dodge - Adds a +1 dodge bonus to armor class, which will stack with other dodge bonuses to armor class. It is also a prerequisite for the Duelist prestige class.
12th level (Duelist 1): Uncanny Defense - Gallard will now be able to add the lesser of either his Intelligence ability bonus or his Duelist level to his armor class, as long as he's not wearing an armor or a shield. At some point, he will have to make a transition to wearing a Robe that provides an armor class bonus.
Two-Weapon Defense - Adds a +1 shield bonus to armor class, and a +2 bonus to parry skill checks. Right in line with the build.
13th level (Duelist 2): No feat selected.
14th level (Duelist 3): Enhanced Mobility - Automatically obtained upon getting the 3rd level in Duelist. Adds a +4 dodge bonus to armor class against attacks of opportunity.
15th level (Duelist 4): Improved Two-Weapon Fighting - Giving him another attack with his off-hand weapon, and incidentally increasing the number of times he can parry.
16th level (Duelist 5): Precise Strike - Automatically obtained upon getting the 5th level in Duelist. Provides extra piercing damage as long as the character wields only a single weapon with no shield. I don't bother, since I prefer the bonus to armor class and the bonus to Parry that comes with dual-wielding.
17th level (Duelist 6): Flourish - Automatically obtained on the 6th level of Duelist. Allows me to add an extra +2d6 piercing damage where I to wield only a single weapon without a shield. However, I prefer the defensive bonuses, including the bonus to Parry, that comes with dual-wielding.
18th level (Duelist 7): Greater Two-Weapon Fighting - Adds a third off-hand weapon attack, albeit at a -10 penalty to that attack itself.
Elaborate Parry - And now Gallard gets to add his Duelist level to his Parry skill rank. This is one of the key linchpins for my build.
19th level (Duelist 8): No feat selected.
20th level (Divine Champion 3): No feat selected.
21st level (Divine Champion 4): Epic Prowess - Taking a fourth level in Divine Champion allows Gallard to take this feat for free, which in turn is a prerequisite for ...
Combat Insight - Allows Gallard to draw on his Intelligence bonus instead of his Strength bonus for bonus damage. The bonus damage from Combat Insight will stack with the bonus damage from Insightful Strike.
22nd level (Duelist 9): No feat selected.
23rd level (Duelist 10): Improved Two-Weapon Defense - Improves my Shield bonus from dual-wielding to +2, and my bonus to Parry to +4.
24th level (Swashbuckler 8): Improved Flanking - Improves Gallard's chances of striking a foe that he has flanked. Not that it comes up very often for a Parry-based character like Gallard, but it comes automatically on the eighth level of Swashbuckler.
25th level (Swashbuckler 9): Great Dexterity +1 - Besides the fact that Dexterity is the natural attribute for this build, I'm also aiming for a Dexterity of 25 so as to be eligible for the Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting feat.
26th level (Swashbuckler 10): Swashbuckler Dodge +2 - Automatically obtained upon obtaining the 10th level in Swashbuckler, and raises Gallard's dodge bonus to armor class by +2.
27th level (Swashbuckler 11): Grace +2 - Automatically obtained upon obtaining the 11th level in Swashbuckler, and raises Gallard's bonuses to saving throws by +2.
Luck of Heroes - Again automatically obtained on obtaining the 11th level in Swashbuckler. It raises Gallard's bonuses to saving throws by another +1, and also raises his armor class with a +1 luck bonus that will stack with other bonuses to armor class.
Great Dexterity +2 - Climbing closer to qualifying for Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting.
28th level (Divine Champion 5): No feat selected. I am switching backing to Divine Champion levels with another bonus feat in mind.
29th level (Divine Champion 6): Improved Parry - Obtained as a bonus feat upon obtaining a sixth level in Divine Champion. Gallard's Parry check would normally have to exceed an enemy's attack roll by 10 in order to be able to inflict a counter attack. The feat reduces that number to 5.
Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting - Available during regular epic feat selection after obtaining a Dexterity score of 25. Allows Gallard to make as many attacks with his off-hand weapon as he does with his main-hand weapon. The real point is that more attacks allow more Parries each round, maximizing Gallard's ability to hold up multiple attackers with little fear for himself.
30th level (Rogue 3): No feat selected. My development is pretty much finished by this point, so I may as well end things with an extra +1d6 sneak attack damage (unlikely) and more skill development.
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