Eldritch Knight Swashbuckler

[SouCarioca]

I made a build I am having quite a bit of fun with, which might interest you. I am a 3rd lifer so more advanced players might take it far more ahead. It is an EK Swashbuckler:

Eldritch Knight Swashbuckler
12/7/1 Wizard/Bard/Fighter
True Neutral Human


Level Order

1. Bard. . . . . . 6. Wizard. . . . .11. Bard . . . . . 16. Wizard
2. Fighter . . . . 7. Wizard. . . . .12. Wizard. . . . .17. Wizard
3. Bard. . . . . . 8. Bard . . . . . 13. Wizard . . . . 18. Wizard
4. Bard. . . . . . 9. Bard . . . . . 14. Wizard . . . . 19. Wizard
5. Wizard . . . . 10. Bard. . . . . .15. Wizard. . . . .20. Wizard


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . 32pt. . .34pt . . 36pt. . .Tome. . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . --------
Strength. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . +8 . . . 4: INT
Dexterity . . . 14. . . .14 . . . 14. . . .14 . . . +8 . . . 8: INT
Constitution. . .8. . . .12 . . . 14. . . .15 . . . +8 . . .12: INT
Intelligence. . 18. . . .18 . . . 18. . . .18 . . . +8 . . .16: INT
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . +8 . . .20: INT
Charisma. . . . 14. . . .14 . . . 14. . . .14 . . . +8 . . .24: INT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28: INT

Skills
. . . . . B .F. B .B. W. W. W. B .B. B .B. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W
. . . . . 1 .2. 3 .4. 5. 6. 7. 8 .9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Balance . 4 . . 2 .1. . . . . .4. 1 .1. 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . . 4 .0. 2 .1. 0. 0. 0. 4 .1. 1 .1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0
Max . . .44 .8 12 13. 9. 9. 9 14 14 14 14 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13


Feats

.1. . . . : Single Weapon Fighting
.1 Human. : Shield Mastery
.2 Fighter: Precision
.3. . . . : Dodge
.5 Wizard : Extend Spell
.6. . . . : Mobility
.9. . . . : Spring Attack
12. . . . : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
13 Wizard : Quicken Spell
15. . . . : Improved Critical: Slashing
18. . . . : Improved Shield Mastery
18 Wizard : Maximize Spell
21 Epic . : Greater Single Weapon Fighting
24 Epic . :
26 Destiny: Perfect Single Weapon Fighting
27 Epic . :
28 Destiny:
29 Destiny:
30 Epic . :
30 Legend :


Enhancements (Spent: 80 +0r +0u / Max: 80 +0r +0u AP)

Eldritch Knight (Wizard) (37 AP) Eldritch Strike, Spellsword, Imbue the Blade, Subtle Force Improved Mage Armor III, Toughness I
Improved Shield III, Mystic Wards III
Arcane Barrier, Eldritch Accuracy, Critical Mastery III, Intelligence
Knight's Transformation, Shield Striking III, Intelligence
Improved Knight's Transformation, Knight's Striker, Eldritch Tempest III
Swashbuckler (14 AP) Confidence, Swashbuckling, Uncanny Dodge On Your Toes III, Blow By Blow: Melee III
Fast Movement
Skirmisher, Two Steps Ahead
Warchanter (14 AP) Skaldic: Constitution, Weapon Training Inspired Bravery III, Rough and Ready III
Iced Edges III
Ironskin Chant III
Harper Agent (8 AP) Agent of Good I Harper Enchantment, Traveler's Toughness II
Know the Angles III
Kensei (4 AP) Kensei Focus: Light Blades Action Boost: Attack Boost III
Vanguard (3 AP) To the Fore! Shield Specialization
Leveling Guide Hrp0 Agent of Good I; Hrp1 Strategic Combat; Swa0 Confidence
Swa1 Blow By Blow: Melee I, II, III; Swa1 On Your Toes I
Swa2 Fast Movement; Swa1 On Your Toes II, III
Swa0 Swashbuckling; Swa3 Two Steps Ahead; Swa3 Skirmisher


It uses SWF with buckler for all the crit advantages as well, but gains damage from 12 levels of Wizard for EK goodness, and extra survival from Arcane Barrier, Mage Armor, and so on. It is an INT-based build, so all attack and damage come from the INT edges, and finally you even get small shield-bashing hits, which with guardbreaking can be a nice addition. Kensei even gives you the hasted Attack action boost. I am sure there are flaws, but even at level 16 with my Envenomed Short Sword, it is very strong. When leveling I used Harper to get an early use of INT for attack, but later swap it out in favor of the EK tree as it supports shields too. In any case, maybe a source for ideas?

[CrackedIce]

I made a build I am having quite a bit of fun with, which might interest you. I am a 3rd lifer so more advanced players might take it far more ahead. It is an EK Swashbuckler:

Eldritch Knight Swashbuckler
12/7/1 Wizard/Bard/Fighter
True Neutral Human


Level Order

1. Bard. . . . . . 6. Wizard. . . . .11. Bard . . . . . 16. Wizard
2. Fighter . . . . 7. Wizard. . . . .12. Wizard. . . . .17. Wizard
3. Bard. . . . . . 8. Bard . . . . . 13. Wizard . . . . 18. Wizard
4. Bard. . . . . . 9. Bard . . . . . 14. Wizard . . . . 19. Wizard
5. Wizard . . . . 10. Bard. . . . . .15. Wizard. . . . .20. Wizard


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . 32pt. . .34pt . . 36pt. . .Tome. . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . --------
Strength. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . +8 . . . 4: INT
Dexterity . . . 14. . . .14 . . . 14. . . .14 . . . +8 . . . 8: INT
Constitution. . .8. . . .12 . . . 14. . . .15 . . . +8 . . .12: INT
Intelligence. . 18. . . .18 . . . 18. . . .18 . . . +8 . . .16: INT
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . +8 . . .20: INT
Charisma. . . . 14. . . .14 . . . 14. . . .14 . . . +8 . . .24: INT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28: INT

Skills
. . . . . B .F. B .B. W. W. W. B .B. B .B. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W
. . . . . 1 .2. 3 .4. 5. 6. 7. 8 .9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Balance . 4 . . 2 .1. . . . . .4. 1 .1. 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . . 4 .0. 2 .1. 0. 0. 0. 4 .1. 1 .1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0
Max . . .44 .8 12 13. 9. 9. 9 14 14 14 14 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13


Feats

.1. . . . : Single Weapon Fighting
.1 Human. : Shield Mastery
.2 Fighter: Precision
.3. . . . : Dodge
.5 Wizard : Extend Spell
.6. . . . : Mobility
.9. . . . : Spring Attack
12. . . . : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
13 Wizard : Quicken Spell
15. . . . : Improved Critical: Slashing
18. . . . : Improved Shield Mastery
18 Wizard : Maximize Spell
21 Epic . : Greater Single Weapon Fighting
24 Epic . :
26 Destiny: Perfect Single Weapon Fighting
27 Epic . :
28 Destiny:
29 Destiny:
30 Epic . :
30 Legend :


Enhancements (Spent: 80 +0r +0u / Max: 80 +0r +0u AP)

Eldritch Knight (Wizard) (37 AP) Eldritch Strike, Spellsword, Imbue the Blade, Subtle Force Improved Mage Armor III, Toughness I
Improved Shield III, Mystic Wards III
Arcane Barrier, Eldritch Accuracy, Critical Mastery III, Intelligence
Knight's Transformation, Shield Striking III, Intelligence
Improved Knight's Transformation, Knight's Striker, Eldritch Tempest III
Swashbuckler (14 AP) Confidence, Swashbuckling, Uncanny Dodge On Your Toes III, Blow By Blow: Melee III
Fast Movement
Skirmisher, Two Steps Ahead
Warchanter (14 AP) Skaldic: Constitution, Weapon Training Inspired Bravery III, Rough and Ready III
Iced Edges III
Ironskin Chant III
Harper Agent (8 AP) Agent of Good I Harper Enchantment, Traveler's Toughness II
Know the Angles III
Kensei (4 AP) Kensei Focus: Light Blades Action Boost: Attack Boost III
Vanguard (3 AP) To the Fore! Shield Specialization
Leveling Guide Hrp0 Agent of Good I; Hrp1 Strategic Combat; Swa0 Confidence
Swa1 Blow By Blow: Melee I, II, III; Swa1 On Your Toes I
Swa2 Fast Movement; Swa1 On Your Toes II, III
Swa0 Swashbuckling; Swa3 Two Steps Ahead; Swa3 Skirmisher


It uses SWF with buckler for all the crit advantages as well, but gains damage from 12 levels of Wizard for EK goodness, and extra survival from Arcane Barrier, Mage Armor, and so on. It is an INT-based build, so all attack and damage come from the INT edges, and finally you even get small shield-bashing hits, which with guardbreaking can be a nice addition. Kensei even gives you the hasted Attack action boost. I am sure there are flaws, but even at level 16 with my Envenomed Short Sword, it is very strong. When leveling I used Harper to get an early use of INT for attack, but later swap it out in favor of the EK tree as it supports shields too. In any case, maybe a source for ideas?


I went with shadar-kail 15 wizard / 2 rogue / 3 bard and went tier 5 EK, core 2 palemaster, tier three swashbuckler , core 3 vkf. (Of course, can go deep into shadar-kail for the sweet 17 AP attack in place of vkf core 3).

Can use handaxe

[cru121]

I agree that Bard 3 is enough in these builds.

A different version for an EK swashbuckler is charisma based with sorcerer.
Bard 13 Sorcerer 6 FvS 1. The fun parts here are excellent single-target freezes and level 12 warchanter core, charisma to temporary every 9-10 seconds (doubled in epics).

[CrackedIce]

I agree that Bard 3 is enough in these builds.

A different version for an EK swashbuckler is charisma based with sorcerer.
Bard 13 Sorcerer 6 FvS 1. The fun parts here are excellent single-target freezes and level 12 warchanter core, charisma to temporary every 9-10 seconds (doubled in epics).

How would you build out the new epic destinies with the EK swash build? I'm thinking using mantle from magus (tier 3) since running around as undead and building out fatesinger as tier 5. Problem is the tier 5 seems lackluster. I do like the epic strike and reign paired with swf vorpal. But not totally sold on this setup.