aptitude weapon styles

[Terronus]

Just posted this over on the wizards forums, thought I'd bring it here as well for any additional input.

The only items you need are aptitude weapons for this build to function.

This is largely an expansion on JaronK's idea of using lightning mace (among other feats) with aptitude kukris for optimizing crits.  A lot of credit goes to him (I really didn't add too much to it, I just reduced a lot of the feats needed for it to work).  I put this together after I got the idea stuck in my head of combining weapon styles with aptitude weapons for neat combinations.  I'd love to see new builds or improvements on this one.

Human Fighter 4/Warblade 5/Fighter 4/Warblade 2/Bloodclaw 2/Warblade 3
(Fighter 8/Warblade 10/BCM 2)

Variant: Weapon Group feats from UA

[spoiler=Outline]
Fighter weapon groups: Basic, claws, lightblades, maces/clubs, EWP: lightblades, EWP: claws

1:TWF(f), Rending Claws, WF: maces/clubs
2:WF: lightblades (f)
3:Flying Tiger
4:Imp. Unarmed Strike (f)
6:Wind and Fire
9:Combat Reflexes(w), Imp. TWF
11:Imp. Crit (Lightblades)(f)
12:Lightning Mace
13:Greater TWF(f)
15:Staggering Critical
18:Snap Kick
19:Imp Initiative(w)

f or w=fighter/warblade bonus feats respectively.  These feats are in no particular order of importance, they could be shuffled around.

Maneuvers:
Stance: Blood in the Water (+2 others)

Wolf Fang Strike, Douse the Flames, Wall of Blades
Rabid Wolf Strike
Soaring Raptor Strike
White Raven Tactics
Dancing Mongoose
Raging Mongoose
Girallon Flesh Rip [/spoiler]

[spoiler=Benefits:]
-you can combine your weapons (I suggest courtblades because of EWP: lightblades) to make a reach weapon that can attack adjacent foes.
-for each two successful hits, you deal 1 point of (cumulative) bleeding damage.
-for each two successful hits, you deal rend damage (base weapon + 1 1/2 str)
-for each crit, the enemy is slowed for 1 round, no save.
(Not-so-new) Benefits:
-high threat range, blood on the water, and additional attacks from lightning mace.[/spoiler]

Books used: ToB, Secrets of Sarlona, Secrets of Xendrick and Drow of the Underdark

[Ubernoob]

Wouldn't it be easier just to get infinite crit cascades with that cheesetastic reading of aptitude (not going to rules lawyer it, because it literally doesn't matter if you're right or not)?

[Terronus]

Infinite crits isn't really the purpose of it, and I hardly think I tried to abuse it.  The build could do very well without lightning mace/snap kick... the general idea, I suppose was making use of the bonus damage from wind and fire and rending claw to make a neat alternative for bonus damage.  This build is still riding the one-trick pony of lots of attacks (staggering crit and wind and fire do make it moderately more useful than straight direct-damage, though).

I might do another pretty soon that has more utility than just more attacks and damage, unless someone else feels inclined to.

[Terronus]

OK, I got all excited and threw another together really quickly.  Once again, it relies on aptitude weapons.

Both the levels and feats are in no particular order, so I will list them fairly simply:

Human Fighter 8/Hexblade 8/Rogue 1/Blackguard 3

variants: UA weapon groups (basic, axes, hammers, maces/clubs, +1 additional), Flaw (inattentive), 1 level of "Thug" fighter variant for 1d6 sneak attack
             PHBII: Hexblade - Dark companion

[spoiler=build]
Feats:
1st: TWF, Combat Reflexes, WF: Swords, Power Attack
2nd: Imp Bullrush
3rd: WF: Hammers
4th: Sneak Attack
6th: WF: axes
9th: Imp Sunder
12th: Cleave
13th: Hammers Edge
15th: Three Mountains, Anvil of Thunder
18th: Aleval School

I threw this together quickly.  The order of levels I chose is Fighter 4/Hex 7/Fighter 4/Hex 1/Rogue 1/Blackguard 3 for no particular reason, but it helps clarify the order of the feats I listed.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=benefits and tactics]
Rush in with your dark companion to ensure a -4 to saving throws vs. your target.  Choose between your hex curse or using aleval school on a sneak attack (this requires the target to be prone to sneak attacks).  If you can fully debuff your target, they should have -10 to saves.

Benefits on attacks:
-Dazed for 1 round vs. Fort
-Knocked prone vs. Fort
-With 2 successful hits, target is nauseated[/spoiler]

Not bad, I think.  The order of classes and feats taken might require a bit of shuffling and work, but a nice combo.

Come to think of it, you could probably ditch Combat reflexes for Ability Focus: Hex if you shuffled a feat or two.  Would work for the best, I think.

[Hallack]

Don't have books at moment.  Is the WF(s) prereq for another feat?  Are you expecting them to stack due to Aptitude weapon? 

Seems to me that (unless is prereq) they could be much better spent.

[Terronus]

Yah, you have to take the various weapon focuses to get the weapon style feats.  Its a pain, but having weapon groups reduces the number needed by a bit.