Complete Warrior's hb, my thoughts.

[nodwyck]

Allrightee. I've been pondering about using the complete warrior's HB. Here are some things I stumbled through (in no particular order)

Take one: Dervish. I love that class, but with d10 HD, 2 strong saves, high BAB progression and 4 skill points per level, it seems to me it's on the edge of game balance. Add some super-cool, powerful class features, and it's overboard. I consider the HD to d8. Anyway, I'm SO making a bard/dervish soon.

Take Two: feats (general, divine). Most of the feats aren't new (check your old splatbooks), some haven't changed a bit from 3.0, but are there for completeness' sake. Here's my choices. Arcane strike - I love that. It''s a MUST for eldritch knights (and my upcoming dervish ). Wizards and sorcs of a nice, high level might want to take look at this. A multiclassed monk with this feat... devastating.
The added two-weapon defense feats are well worth taking for the defensively fighting ranger. Divine feats make more sense now, and add value for undead turning and the extra turning feats. Can you say paladin?
Improved toughness. This is the toughness feat you've seen in computer games. +1 point per level. Its low requirement makes the 'regular' Toughness feat pretty much obsolete, except for prereq purposes (something had it as a class prereq, right?) There are some nice feats for monks, barbies and small folk. Zen Archery is usable now (WIS req lowered to 13).

Take three: Tactical feats. Now there's a thought. Feats that Really reflect a warrior's style and type of (formal) training. I see this as a DM tool. good stuff here. Rogues (my favorite) and other nimble folk should take a look at the "Elusive target" feat.

Take Four: Weapon style feats: Some good powerful stuff here. Gives an extra option for those who commit to two specific weapons. Too bad that they have so many prereqs - single classed rangers, barbarians and rogues cannot take these until very high levels.

Take five: New core classes. I've always whined about the game lacking an arcane semi-spelluser. Now it's there, and it's pretty cool. mmm... entering the warlock mode. On the other side is the Swashbuckler. I can't see the reasoning behind the class - the fighter core and the Duelist prestige pretty much cover the ground in that direction.

Take six: New equipment. I don't like the elven blades (or, generally, any added exotic weapons), but that's just me. I never had any desire to create more weapons (or use 'oriental' weapons outside oriental setting).

For those that use 3.5 rules (and still have their old splats) it's a good purchase. It tones some PrCs down (or distributes class abilities more evenly, 3.5 style) and polishes some feats (nothing you couldn't do yourself).

[LeSong]

Thank you for the input, I have been debating the buy now or later....of course I'll buy it however, I think fiend folio will still be first.

[nodwyck]

note: Tried out my spanking new bard/dervish last night. She isn't the most powerful "build" (gosh, I hate that word), but it was so much fun. I used two-weapon combat and "Elusive Target" style stuff with finessable weapons (read: scimitars), and, it really impressed and amazed everybody. (I love those ineffective-ish character types). can sing, can dance, can't handle a sword a bit.

[AtlanteanAscendant]

note to the note: having this handbook myself, ive found a rather gamebreaking combination in the Invisible Blade PrC...

Eventually there is an ability that allows the character to feint as a free action without provoking attacks of opp. Also, when using it, it means you can attack with the full attack bonus. On top of that, feinting means you deny someone their AC bonus, and anyone who plays rogues knows what that means.

Yeah, effectively a class that can allow a rogue to stack its sneak attack damage with EVERY hit.


*shudder* this scares me

[nodwyck]

oh yes... the now infamous invisible blade. There's one good thing about it though...
The PrC uses daggers and kukris - and most players with warrior types in mind dislike small blades. It's a bit too perfect for the rogue though.

[Iron Bonny Shades]

how does it stack against the ua unfettered?

[nodwyck]

*cross-checking AU and CW*

That'd be a killer combo, my friend, although the unfettered is pretty damn powerful by itself.
The intelligence bonuses to armor class do not stack and the classes have the same strong save (REF), so building an invisible blade from an unfettered should be done with the Unfettered class levels of 6 or 9 (evasion at 9th level in addition to the bonuses to weak saves makes this an attractive option).

Unfettered/Dervish = innate AC galore. take all three, and your DM's in trouble. nuff said.