What do you think of my Duelist build?

[Darkness]

The PCs he fights will probably be a few levels below him. They will have action points and likely also higher stats than him, though.
He's kinda optimized for single combat and, if he can, will likely only face one PC at a time while his guards deal with the rest. At least initially.

human Rog4/Swashbucker3/Duelist5
Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Feint, Iron Will, Mobility, Staggering Strike, Weapon Finesse.


Iron Will fits him conceptually very well and is also a safeguard against mind control and such. I might give him Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, or some other more useful feat instead, though.


His favorite tactic is:
Move action - Feint.
Standard Action - Attack. If the feint was successful, he gets Sneak Attack damage and can use his Staggering Strike feat (which staggers the target if it fails a Fort save with a DC equal to damage taken, limiting it to a single standard or move action on its next turn).

Sneak attack damage (with a rapier or the like) is:
1d6+2 (assumed base weapon damage including magic)
+2 (assumed StrMod)
+3 (Insightful Strike; assumed IntMod)
+1d6 (Precise Strike)
+2d6 (Sneak Attack)
= ca. 1d6+7+3d6, or 21 points average (31.5 on a crit).

Attack: +11 (BAB) +3 (assumed DexMod) +2 (assumed magic bonus) = ca. +16/+11/+6

AC:
10 (base)
+3 (assumed DexMod)
+3 (Canny Defense; assumed IntMod)
+4 (assumed bonus from magic items)
+1 (Dodge feat, only against one foe)
= ca. 20, or 21 against one foe. I think he'll need to use some Combat Expertise to increase that if he doesn't want to get hit very often. Which is bad for his iterative attacks. Good thing he doesn't usually need them anyway.


Hm. His magic gear will probably be a bit better; the above are conservative estimates.


Effective for intended purpose?

 

[gfunk]

The best thing you can do is make this guy absolutely nondescript compared to his guards. Then just swarm the PCs like you are using stupid tactics and place this guy next to the most vulnerable PC, a mage-type.

That way you can best get surprise and perhaps take a PC down before the rest realize who the real threat is.

You may want to give him a potion of displacement b/c at that AC he will be hosed by the party tank in short order if he is not using Spring Attack to get away.

 

[Shadeus]

I think you have one too many feats there: combat expertise, dodge (1st), imp feint (3rd), Iron Will (6th), Mobility (9th), and staggering strike (12th). That leaves weapon finesse without a home (or any of your feats).

I wonder if Imp Feint is worth it. If this guy has minions, it's probably easier to get someone to flank his foe. And feinting isn't a guarantee. If you fight "warrior class" of 9th-level with even a +1 Wis and no ranks in Sense Motive, that's a +10. Even if this character has max ranks in Bluff, that's +15 (plus Cha, which may be a negative modifier given his other stats). That's a good shot (75%) but definitely not every round.

He might also be better with Imp Trip, which he can use with a +6 bonus which effectively does the same thing as staggering strike with the save being the trip mechanics. Plus a tripped character, you get a +4 to hit. Plus the AoO from them getting up also limiting them to one attack. Imp Disarm is another good one. If you disarm your foe, they either have to draw another weapon limited them to one attack, or pick up their weapon (which draws and AoO) and still getting one attack.

I wouldn't get Imp. Init. You already have a +5, including the Imp Reaction from duelist. You have other fish to fry, like how you are going to get that BAB up! You might want weapon focus; every little bit helps. Use your jump skill to get on higher ground giving another +1. Maybe have the mooks aid another in combat as well.

Iron Will is a GREAT choice. His Will save will be horrible! You don't want him frozen with a hold person or any other silly such spell.

So after all that rambling, I'd recommend dumping Staggering Strike and Imp Feint. Pick up Imp Trip and maybe Imp Critical. His AC is a little low, so use Combat Expertise frequently. You MIGHT consider Karmic Strike (CW) combined with Combat Reflexes. Finally, you might consider picking up a level of fighter instead of that 4th-level of rogue. You lose skills and uncanny dodge; you gain hp and a feats (as well as an xp penalty).

 

[Psimancer]

I think you have one too many feats there: combat expertise, dodge (1st), imp feint (3rd), Iron Will (6th), Mobility (9th), and staggering strike (12th). That leaves weapon finesse without a home (or any of your feats).

Weapon Finesse is actually a first level class ability of the Swashbuckler.

 

[Shadeus]

Weapon Finesse is actually a first level class ability of the Swashbuckler.

Umm...err...duh. Sorry about that.

 

[Elric]

Darkness- even with Iron Will, he's going to have a pretty darn low Will save. Since it is hard to prevent spellcasters from hitting him with spells. Glitterdust, Blindness/Deafness, Dominate Person or one of any number of other spells could easily end the battle for him. I would get him a Wisdom of 14 as well as a +2 Cloak of Resistance if you have any spellcasters who like to throw around strong Will save spells.

Also, his AC is a little low for a villain at this level. If he gets ganged up on by 3 PCs at a time, he'll fall within 2 rounds for sure. Increasing AC (not HP) to a relatively high level is the only way to prevent this. I like the build overall- it has a very good feel for what a duelist should be like.