Community

Hi everyone,

I was on here a few weeks ago for help with an Eternal Blade build, and I want to get input on feats, and whether this build is "good" enough. Background: Players allowed Core (PHB1, DMG, and MM1) plus one other book; the book I chose is Tome of Battle. For magical gear, normal enhancement bonuses (and AC/resistance bonuses) are available, but fancier items can only be found through questing and looting ... so I can't actually count on finding any specific gear. We'll be starting at CL 3 and probably be advancing to CL 20.

The party currently consists of: Me-Warblade (Tome of Battle), Factorum (Dungeonscape), Wizard (Complete Mage), Spirit Shaman (Complete Divine), Sorcerer (TBD). I'm moderately concerned about my build because I'm not sure how well my character will scale compared to the others. I haven't played many games past CL 12 or so, and I'm unsure of power levels.

Race: Half-Elf. I think this was by far the best option for me, because the DM ruled that Half-Elves get a bonus feat (as a Human would), and they don't suffer any physical score penalties.

Ability Scores (rolls: 18/14/12/11/10/9) STR 18, DEX 11, CON 14, INT 12, WIS 10, CHA 9

1. Weapon Focus (Falchion), Adaptive Style; Punishing Stance; Wolf Fang Strike, Sudden Leap, Douse the Flames
2. Sapphire Nightmare Blade (filler, DM prereq)
3. Power Attack; Wall of Blades
4. Blood in the Water; Wolf Fang Strike -> Action Before Thought
5. Iron Heart Aura; White Raven Tactics
6. Stormguard Warrior; Douse the Flames -> Iron Heart Surge
7. Bounding Assault
8. Sapphire Nightmare Blade -> Lightning Recovery
9. Improved Critical, Quick Draw; Rapid Counter
10. Hearing the Air; Action Before Thought -> Dancing Mongoose
11. Moment of Alacrity
12. Feat TBD
13. Avalanche of Blades
14.
15. Feat TBD; Stance of Alacrity; Adamantine Hurricane
16.
17. Time Stands Still
18. Feat TBD
19. Quicksilver Motion
20.

The idea in this build is to leverage Stormguard Warrior and Power Attack into a ton of extra damage, then spike DPS with Time Stands Still and Island in Time, along with the other maneuvers that give a ton of attacks. Sounds good in theory, right? I have a bunch of feats past CL12 open right now as well.

The other build I was considering was a Crusader entry using the Heavy Crusader build, tweaked to fit the campaign restraints:
 
1. Extra Granted Maneuver, Adaptive Style; Martial Spirit; Charging Minotaur, Stone Bones, Douse the Flames, Leading the Attack, Crusader's Strike
2. Bolstering Voice
3. Martial Study (Wall of Blades); Battle Leader's Charge
4. Stone Bones -> Mountain Hammer
5. White Raven Tactics
6. Martial Study (Iron Heart Surge); Leading the Attack -> Bonecrusher
7. Divine Surge
8. Tactics of the Wolf; Charging Minotaur -> White Raven Strike
9. Weapon Focus (?); Elder Mountain Hammer
10. Mountain Hammer -> Flanking Maneuver(?)
11. Dancing Blade Form
12. Power Attack
13. War Leader's Charge
14.
15. Martial Study (Diamond Defense); Immortal Fortitude; Greater Divine Surge
16.
17. Strike of Righteous Vitality
18. Martial Stance (Dancing Blade Form)
19. Strike of Perfect Clarity
20.

The Heavy Crusader build seems less flashy, but looks like it would be more consistant and have somewhat better DPS.  I don't know. Thoughts? 

I tried an eternal blade build a while back. Elf Swashbukler 3/Warblade 4/ Duelist 3/Eternal Blade 10. The idea was to focus on an Intelligence based build synergy, and then get into Eternal Blade. Insightful Strike was appealing, so I wanted Swashbuckler. Warblade was needed for manuevers, and due to multiclass penalties, I went into Duelist which also has some synergy. I also had an Elven Court Blade, which I weapon finessed.

However, with your criteria you would probably be best going straight Warblade 10/eternal Blade 10. A fun fact with Warblade, is that feats that effect specific weapons can be repurposed with a little meditation. So Weapon Focus, Exotic Weapon proficiecy, etc... get more mileage than normal.

Manuever wise, if you are focusing on Diamond Mind manuevers then the biggest damage dealers are Insightful Strike and Greater Insightful strike. Max out your ranks in concentration, take skill focus, and get any and all items and bonuses you can to it, as well as maxing out your Con score (which should be a given). Having played a true namer, I know it's possible to get skill modifyers up into the 70's. Then add a D20 roll and that's how much damage you are doing with that manuver. Double it for a greater insightful strike. Not bad at all!