Tinari
06-15-2014, 02:20 PM
Hello! I am going to be TRing when I can. I had a plan originally but then this whole Swashbuckling update has basically changed everything. I was wondering how viable/possible this would be, and would much appreciate some clarification. I've read the guides people have wrote and put huge breakdowns in, but as someone who has never done anything past level 20 and still considers level 19-20 quests on Heroic Elite to be "end-game" for themselves, they leave me just absolutely dazzled with information overload.
The Swashbuckler Stance adds +2 threat, +1 critical to throwing axes. I have some throwing axes that are crit 20/x2, but I also have a flametouched returning throwing axe that is crit 20/x3. Is that a bug? Does this mean my returning throwing axe will be 18-20/x4?
Do competence bonuses apply after keen and improved critical? Example...
Default
Handaxe - 20/x3
Rapier - 18-20/x2
Swashbuckle
Handaxe - 18-20/x3
Rapier - 18-20/x3
Swashbuckle + Improved Critical
Handaxe - 17-20/x3
Rapier - 15-20/x3
With the stacking crit bonuses going, would it be viable/advisable to go with light picks, as each hit the threat grows and eventually I will guarantee a critical hit at x4, as opposed to the more frequent crits, or is the more frequent critical hits from the rapier/kukri style the better choice? It seems you want to use an 18-20 base crit weapon for maximum crit opportunities since all Swashbuckler weapons are bumped up to x3 crit damage.
If I were wanting to be a fairly pure bard that likes to mix it up in melee should I grab levels of fighter for more feats/kensai/BAB? Should I splash enough FvS for Divine Might and stack strength for hit and damage or stick to Charisma and use the swashbuckler Cha-to-damage?
Has Swashbuckler in any way made throwing weapons like knives, hammers, and axes more 'viable' compared to bow+Manyshot or Drow 1000 star Shuriken chuckers?
I hear people mention with throwing that you'll "hit the speed cap" without having to get Quickdraw... what is "the speed cap" and if that's true, will single-handed fighting hit a cap if you use haste (15% enhancement) single-handed fighting (30% combat style) and using an action boost (30% action boost) be too fast/wasted anyway? Is it additive (15+30+30 = 75% faster) or multiplicative? Would the Kensai Haste Boost be a complete waste with that much speed, and the swashbuckler 30% double strike be better in most cases?
Are throwing weapons based on double-shot like bows and crossbows? It seems like they would be.
Does the -1 crit modifier of En Pointe also reduce critical based weapon effects on a hit, such as rib cracking? Instead of 3-36 would it downgrade to 3-30 for that hit?
Sorry if many of these questions have been asked and/or answered before, but it seems when I am reading class guides and forum info, I can spend days and just stand there scratching my noggin', trying to figure out where people get all their info from, and how much is just "you have to know it to know it" info.
Thanks!
The Swashbuckler Stance adds +2 threat, +1 critical to throwing axes. I have some throwing axes that are crit 20/x2, but I also have a flametouched returning throwing axe that is crit 20/x3. Is that a bug? Does this mean my returning throwing axe will be 18-20/x4?
Do competence bonuses apply after keen and improved critical? Example...
Default
Handaxe - 20/x3
Rapier - 18-20/x2
Swashbuckle
Handaxe - 18-20/x3
Rapier - 18-20/x3
Swashbuckle + Improved Critical
Handaxe - 17-20/x3
Rapier - 15-20/x3
With the stacking crit bonuses going, would it be viable/advisable to go with light picks, as each hit the threat grows and eventually I will guarantee a critical hit at x4, as opposed to the more frequent crits, or is the more frequent critical hits from the rapier/kukri style the better choice? It seems you want to use an 18-20 base crit weapon for maximum crit opportunities since all Swashbuckler weapons are bumped up to x3 crit damage.
If I were wanting to be a fairly pure bard that likes to mix it up in melee should I grab levels of fighter for more feats/kensai/BAB? Should I splash enough FvS for Divine Might and stack strength for hit and damage or stick to Charisma and use the swashbuckler Cha-to-damage?
Has Swashbuckler in any way made throwing weapons like knives, hammers, and axes more 'viable' compared to bow+Manyshot or Drow 1000 star Shuriken chuckers?
I hear people mention with throwing that you'll "hit the speed cap" without having to get Quickdraw... what is "the speed cap" and if that's true, will single-handed fighting hit a cap if you use haste (15% enhancement) single-handed fighting (30% combat style) and using an action boost (30% action boost) be too fast/wasted anyway? Is it additive (15+30+30 = 75% faster) or multiplicative? Would the Kensai Haste Boost be a complete waste with that much speed, and the swashbuckler 30% double strike be better in most cases?
Are throwing weapons based on double-shot like bows and crossbows? It seems like they would be.
Does the -1 crit modifier of En Pointe also reduce critical based weapon effects on a hit, such as rib cracking? Instead of 3-36 would it downgrade to 3-30 for that hit?
Sorry if many of these questions have been asked and/or answered before, but it seems when I am reading class guides and forum info, I can spend days and just stand there scratching my noggin', trying to figure out where people get all their info from, and how much is just "you have to know it to know it" info.
Thanks!