Dervish AOO/TWF (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Introduction

Inspired by the Ultimate Damage Dervish on this site but makes a few sacrifices to open up a ton more possibilities by cutting out some of the ranger levels. This is one of the most feat-intense builds, stacking 12 feats in the first 12 levels, and sixteen in the first eighteen, without flaws. Dervish 10 is the main conceit of this build; it's possible you could get more sustained damage by swapping derv for Disciple of Dispater/Lightning Mace/Aptitude, but this build harnesses the Dervish elements including its capstone for huge damage bursts.

References

Lots. Used d&d tools for research.

Game Rule Components

Spells, Powers, Soulmelds, Stances, etc...

Child of Night Stance is the important one. The least-likely-to-be-never-used 1st lv swordsage manuevers are:

Burning Blade (satisfies discipline focus prerequisite), Counter Charge, Distracting Ember, Sudden Leap, Shadow Blade Technique, and Stone Bones. Ready Priority: High: Sudden Leap repositions as swift action triggering skirmish, Burning Blade (more damage); Medium: counter charge (unless you’re sure you’re not being charged), Distracting Ember (any time flanking could be good, and unless you’re certain the enemy has low dex); Low: Shadow Blade Technique if your DM has cued you that an enemy looks almost dead and you want to finish him off without dropping him below -9 but definitely want to hit, Stone Bones if you are being swarmed by low-damage enemies like in a massive generic goblin pack. Unless you plan to max Concentration there is no reason to take Moment of Perfect Mind even though it is one of the strongest maneuvers if you do.

Items

753912g, leaving 6.1k for discretionary.

Head: [Custom] Circlet of Mind Blank 1/day 43,200

Face: Third Eye Clarity 3,000g

Throat: Amulet of Health +6 36,000

Torso: Shirt of Resistance +5 36,000g

Body: Natural Armor +5 36,000g

Belt: Belt of Battle 12,000

Shoulders: Phoenix Cloak 50,000g

Arms: Bracers of Armor +8 64,000g

Hands: Gloves of Dexterity +6 36,000g

Ring: Ring of Deflection +5 50,000

Ring: Ring of Freedom of Movement 40,000g

Feet: Boots of Speed 12,000

Manual of Quickness in Action +5 137,500g

[Custom] No-Slot Standard-Command-Activated Item of the Reach Power 21,600 This power's existence is noted here. Hopefully someone can find the actual reference. http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?127732-3-X-Increasing-Size-Effective-Size-Unarmed-Damage-Reach

+1 Aptitude Keen Blindsighted Vanishing Prismatic Burst Scimitar and +1 Fierce Aptitude Keen Vanishing Prismatic Burst Scimitar (2*88,306g) Found reference to torturous enhancement in http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?183276-3-5-Obscure-weapon-ehancements.

Progression

28 point buy: Str 8 Dex 18 (23 by level 20 from leveling) Con 14 Int 14 Wis 8 Cha 8 Importantly, with Innate +5, Magic +6, you end with 34 dex for a +12 bonus. Human - You need the bonus feat.

ECL	Class/HD/LA	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Feats	Class Features	Special
			Fort	Ref	Will
1st	Scout 1 (With skirmish errata and optional Drow Rogue ACF)	+0	+0	+2	+0	Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesse	Skirmish +1d6; trap-finding or poison use with ACF	40 skill points!
2nd	Swordsage 1	+0	+0	+4	+2	Weapon Focus (Scimitar) as a subset of Discipline Focus	Quick to Act +1, Child of Night Stance, 6 Maneuvers, Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus)	Make sure to be putting max ranks in Jump so you can reliably jump 10ft
3rd	Ranger 1	+1	+2	+6	+2	Combat Expertise	1st Favored Enemy*, Track, Wild Empathy	1st FE recommended Undead, you could use Truedeath Crystal instead.
4th	Ranger 2	+2	+3	+7	+2	Combat Style: Two-Weapon Fighting	Combat Style (see feats)
5th	Scout 2	+3	+4*	+8	+2	Up the Hill (Skill Trick)	Battle Fortitude +1, Uncanny Dodge	*Battle Fortitude included in numbers below this
6th	Scout 3	+4	+5	+8	+3	Nimble Stand (Skill Trick), Swift Hunter (Benefit Noted in Class Features)	- class="odd" Favored Enemy (Constructs or Plants), Skirmish v Favored || Build start point. Deal d4+5d6 damage max per turn with TWF, using a kukri rather than a scimitar and full attack with the swift action jump from swordsage, with bad attack bonuses. Mediocre.
7th	Cobra Variant Monk 1 (Decisive Strike ACF)	+4	+7	+10	+5	Dodge	Skill Bonus: Escape Artist, Unarmored Wis to AC, Decisive Strike, Improved Unarmed Strike, Unarmed Damage 1d6
8th	Cobra Variant Monk 2	+5	+8	+11	+6	Mobility	Evasion	With your reflex save and high dex, evasion means you usually take no damage from aoe.
9th	Dervish 1	+6/+1	+8	+13	+8	Improved Skirmish, Back On Your Feet (Skill Trick)	Dervish dance 1/day, movement mastery, slashing blades, AC Bonus +1, Skirmish +4d6 +3 AC	Build upgrade point! You now have 3 attacks including your offhand at minimal penalty, 1/day dervish dance, can use dual scimitars instead of kukri, and dish out max damage of 15d6. Due to high saves and other defensive bonuses making up for your slightly weaker to-hit, you're about comparable to TWF rogue at this point. Can take 10 on jump checks for the Swordsage maneuver. Also, start racking up the to-hit/damage bonuses with Dervish Dance.
10th	Fighter 1 (Hit-And-Run Fighter ACF)	+7/+2	+10	+13	+8	Improved TWF	Hit and Run Fighter: Dex to damage while enemy is flat footed (no heavy armor prof)	Extra attack! Now pile-of-d6 as standard TWF rogue. Deals an additional 6 or so on hit if catching flat-footed. Still not optimization-level.
11th	Dervish 2	+8/+3	+10	+14	+9		Fast Movement (does not stack)	Dead level.
12th	Dervish 3	+9/+4	+11	+14	+9	Spring Attack, Karmic Strike	Dervish Dance 2/day	Start accumulating aoo's. we're at around 20 average damage per attack or so.
13th	Dervish 4	+10/+5	+11	+15	+10		Dance of Death (Cleave)	Effective extra attack against multiple enemies, given your high damage.
14th	Dervish 5	+11/+6/+1	+11	+15	+10		Fast Movement +10ft, Dervish Dance 3/day, AC Bonus +2	Extra attack from BAB. Fast movement does not stack.
15th	Fighter 2	+12/+7/+2	+12	+15	+10	Robilar's Gambit, Double Hit		Build Upgrade Point! When struck in combat up to Dex_bonus/2 times per turn, you attack back 4 times, adding +4d6 skirmish for each one. Forget tumbling in combat to avoid aoo's, provoke them instead. You probably deal more damage to them than they do to you.
16th	Dervish 6	+13/+8/+3	+13	+16	+11		Improved Reaction
17th	Dervish 7	+14/+9/+4	+13	+16	+11		Elaborate Parry, Dervish Dance 4/day
18th	Dervish 8	+15/+10/+5	+13	+17	+12	Shadow Blade (Child of Night Stance + Aptitude)	Fast Movement +15 ft.	Dex to Damage
19th	Dervish 9	+16/+11/+6/+1	+14	+17	+12		Dervish Dance 5/day, Tireless Dance, AC Bonus +3	Extra attack and better sustainability through multiple combat via Tireless Dance.
20th	Dervish 10	+17/+12/+7/+2	+14	+18	+13		A Thousand Cuts	Build end. We've been ignoring all the goodies from your items. Look below to find out!

Highlights

You end with 34 dexterity (+12).

This operates in two modes: the Surprise Combo and the AOO Sustain Damage.

Surprise Combo (1/day):

(Optional: Activate Reach item before combat). Activate Boots of Speed. Activate Dervish Dance. Pass the AC into Dex using your Fierce enchantment. Move to your flat-footed enemy. Activate Belt of Battle (3 charges). Knee them in the face with Decisive Strike (does not only double damage from monk weapons; must be used with a monk weapon however). Activate One Thousand Cuts. Take (4 basic attacks + 2 offhand attacks + 1 Haste Attack (boots of speed)) * 2 from A Thousand Cuts = 14 attacks + number of opponents dropped via great cleave. Let's say 14 attacks for now.

Your max to-hit is as follows: 17 bab + 12 weapon finesse - 2 Two-weapon fighting + 5 Dervish Dance + 1 Weapon Focus + 1 Magic Weapon = +32 to hit. Average damage with average crits if everything hits:

Damage Per no-crit Unarmed Strike 1d6(3)-1(strength)+12(dex from Shadow Blade with Aptitude/Child of Night stance)+12(dex from Hit and Run Fighter)+12(dex from Fierce enchantment)+4d6(14)(Skirmish)=52 average damage.

Damage Per no-crit Scimitar: 1d6(3)-1(strength)+12(dex from Shadow Blade with Aptitude/Child of Night stance)+12(dex from Hit and Run Fighter)+12(dex from Fierce enchantment)+5(Dervish Dance)+1(Magic Weapon)+4d6(14)(Skirmish)=58 average damage.

Damage Per crit Scimitar: [1d6(3)-1(strength)+12(dex from Shadow Blade with Aptitude/Child of Night stance)+12(dex from Hit and Run Fighter)+12(dex from Fierce enchantment)+5(Dervish Dance)+1(Magic Weapon)]*2(crit)+4d6(14)(Skirmish)=102 average damage + Prismatic Burst.

Noting that Decisive Strike need only be triggered by a monk weapon originally later attacks can be made with any weapon), we calculate total damage as follows:

1 unarmed strike * 52 damage + 10 no-crits * 58 damage + 4 crits * 102 damage = 1040 damage * 2 from Decisive Strike = 2080 damage + 4 prismatic bursts. Plus great cleave.

AOO Sustain Damage (6/round):

Activate Reach item before combat. Pass the AC into Dex using your Fierce enchantment. Activate Karmic Strike. Activate Robilar's Gambit. Possibly have used decisive strike on the turn before instead of your full attack, or have used the Surprise Combo. We'll note the potential for doubled damage at the end. Be attacked (per attack).

Since your effective AC is being reduced by 20 via Fierce enchantment, Karmic strike, and Robilar's gambit, we'll say your opponent hits. If they miss your 26 AC, you get a free two-scimitar AOO from Robilar's (though not Karmic Strike) anyway.

1 AOO (Karmic Strike) + 1 AOO (Robilar's Gambit) * 2 attacks/aoo (Double Hit) = 4 scimitar attacks. We'll say 1 crits. Copying from above: Damager Per no-crit Scimitar: 1d6(3)-1(strength)+12(dex from Shadow Blade with Aptitude/Child of Night stance)+12(dex from Hit and Run Fighter)+12(dex from Fierce enchantment)+5(Dervish Dance)+1(Magic Weapon)+4d6(14)(Skirmish)=58 average damage.

Damage Per crit Scimitar: [1d6(3)-1(strength)+12(dex from Shadow Blade with Aptitude/Child of Night stance)+12(dex from Hit and Run Fighter)+12(dex from Fierce enchantment)+5(Dervish Dance)+1(Magic Weapon)]*2(crit)+4d6(14)(Skirmish)=102 average damage + Prismatic Burst.

Total average damage: 58*3+102 = 276 + 1 Prismatic burst. Double the damage = 562 damage + 1 Prismatic Burst if Decisive strike was used. Six times per round. So if you get full-attacked six times by a boss and miss once it's -58 damage so 1048 damage estimate. Therefore, this enemy is unlikely to be able to finish their full attack. And if you drop them, you get an attack with Cleave (only 1 per round since you are not using One Thousand Cuts). Then, get healed because you are likely low on HP due to tanking a full attack from the boss. If it's a regular encounter, you can rinse and repeat.

Additional Goodies:

Immunity to Reflex-based AOE: +18+12 dex to Reflex save and Evasion.

Win Initiative Rolls: +12 dex +1 Battle Fortitude +2 Improved Reaction +1 Quick to Act gives +16 to initiative.

Recover from Prone and Difficult Terrain with Skill Tricks

20% Dodge Chance innate to Child of Night Stance.

Good skills for combat due to early levels in Scout. Later, you'll just be maxing Hide and Perform (Dance).

Crit immunity negation to 2 (3 with truedeath) types and Skirmish immunity negation to 2 types of creature with Swift Hunter.

Good saves due to multiclassing.

Standard immunity and blindsense suite due to items.

Tactical Teleportation via Vanishing enhancement.

+15 ft of movement, or more with Boots of Speed active. Perfect flight via Phoenix Cloak.

Favored Enemies: They do something other than give you crit/skirmish immunity bypass.

+2 on Martial Lore Checks involving the desert wind discipline :) (most important thing in the build)

And finally, when not decreasing it yourself, your AC is quite impressive: 10+12(dex)+8(bracers)+5(nat armor)+5(deflection)+3(dervish)+wis(probably 0, monk)+3(skirmish) = 46 AC. When ambushed/caught off guard, you won't be able to activate the skirmish and dervish bonuses but retain the Dex bonus from Uncanny dodge, leaving you with a healthy 40 ac to allow you to get un-flat-footed and start making aoo's.

Munchkin-Size Me

If flaws are allowed, consider taking Lightning Mace with aptitude weapons, or Greater TWF, etc. At lv 21, take Improved Combat Reflexes to make aoo's all day. Use reach optimization to allow you to aoo more enemies.

Limitations

Can use its strongest combo once per day. Enemies can't take aoos while flat footed which hurts the ability to strike back, but if they are not flat footed you lose one of your dex-to-damage stacks from Fighter ACF. No built in fatigue immunity.

DM Counters

This is a pure damage build, and it can dish out heavy full attack ambush damage. However, it does require getting within 5' of the enemy. Reactive magical safeguards easily shut it down. The build only gets crit immunity negation for 2 types (3 with Truedeath) so oozes and other rarer types of crit immune works well. Throw some stones of weight or otherwise encumber. Losing TWF from Combat Style is crippling. Kill the Dervish's magic items with dispel traps.

Miscellaneous

This uses a ton of different sources, which aren't all listed. Sorry.

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