Build: Shaman 21/Warblade 9/Shifter (PnP) 10 (Shiftblade)

[ebonfowl]

I think this is my best overall melee build.  Does massive damage, has incredible defenses, and eventually gets full divine casting.  The only thing it can't do is insta-kill.  Ever wanted to be a pouncing dragon?  Then this build is for you!

What this build gives you: 16 pre-epic BAB for 4 attacks/round; very high damage output - between Lolth's Meat, (Epic) Weapon Specialization, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Rend, massive Strength from Shifter, Power Attack, Holy Warrior, Maneuvers, and Blood in the Water, this character can average ~2900 melee damage a round (~3500 if you begin combat with a pounce) and ~900 on a single pouncing charge***; you also get charisma bonus to saves and the best saving throw boost there is (Diamond Defense); Intelligence to reflex saves, critical confirmation, damage against flat-footed opponents and rolls to disarm, trip, etc.; the ability to clear any status effect that it somehow does get hit with (Iron Heart Surge); an animal companion that scales with level (even non-Shaman levels); Shaman spellcasting; turn undead (but tops out at level 21); ability to see invisible creatures (Spirit Sight); healing once a minute while recovering maneuvers (Vital Recovery); can switch all weapon-specific feats to match your best weapon; it can obtain huge DR and AC from Shifter forms as well as immunities; and there is no LA with this build.

Weak points: low Strength and low Constitution until level 13, then it doesn't matter anymore.

Build Name: Shiftblade

Race: Half-Drow
   
STR 8   
DEX 16   
CON 8
WIS 13   
INT 13
CHA 16      
                        
Lvl   Class
1   Shaman 1: Lolth's Meat, Domains: War, any other
2   Sha 2
3   Sha 3: Two-Weapon Fighting
4   Sha 4: B: Expertise, DEX 17
5   Sha 5
6   Sha 6: Alertness
7   Sha 7
8   Sha 8: B: Improved Trip, DEX 18
9   Warblade 1: Weapon Focus (Aptitude), Stance: Blood in the Water, Manueuvers: Flesh Ripper, Emerald Razor, Disarming Strike
10   WB 2: Maneuver: Iron Heart Surge
11   WB 3: Maneuver: Ruby Nightmare Blade
12   WB 4: Improved Critical (Aptitude), Stance: Pearl of Black Doubt, WIS 14
13   WB 5: B: Endurance, Maneuver: Pouncing Charge
14   Shifter 1
15   Shft 2: Improved TWF
16   Shft 3: INT 14
17     Shft 4
18   WB 6: Weapon Specialization (Aptitude)
19   Shft 5
20   Shft 6: DEX 19
21   Shft 7: Greater TWF
22   Shft 8
23   Shft 9
24   WB 7: Epic Weapon Focus (Aptitude), Maneuver: Raging Mongoose, WIS 15
25   Shft 10
26   WB 8
27   WB 9: Epic Weapon Specialization (Aptitude), B: Vital Recovery, Maneuver: Diamond Defense
28   WB 10: WIS 16
29   WB 11: Maneuver: Time Stands Still
30   Sha 9: Holy Warrior
31   Sha 10
32   Sha 11: WIS 17, Domain: Any
33   Sha 12: Two-Weapon Rend, B: Improved Disarm
34   Sha 13
35   Sha 14:
36   Sha 15: Power Attack, WIS 18
37   Sha 16: B: Armor Skin
38   Sha 17
39   Sha 18: Cleave
40   Sha 19: WIS 19

Recommended Readied Martial Maneuvers: Pouncing Charge, Iron Heart Surge, Raging Mongoose, Time Stands Still, and Diamond Defense

Note, this a good candidate for an undead template, especially Curst.  As a general strategy, this build should begin combat by charging the strongest opponent, initiate raging mongoose as soon as possible, recover maneuvers, repeat.  When it comes to domains, it is generally best to pick those that add good melee buffs to the Shaman's arsenal.  Offensive spells generally won't be super useful in this build.  Keep a spell from the War domain of the highest level you can cast prepared to max out the bonus damage from Holy Warrior.

***Damage calculations updated after the scripted combat system was updated to pull in all the damage boosts.  They assume max level, that enemies are not crit-immune, and +20 damage from Lolth's Meat (which seems like a good average that I am doing in combat-heavy modules).

[ThE LoSt BoY]

Shaman casting sucks, no question. If you pick the right domains, you can access real spells. Plant gives CD. Death gives Wail. Destruction gives Implosion. Storm & Retribution give Storm of Vengeance. Orc domain gives access to Divine Power.

Looks like you went Shaman just for the Cha save + bonus feats. With proper domain selection, that could work well.

[ebonfowl]

Actually Shaman is there as it is the fastest single-class entry into shifter (it qualifies at level 7) and one of only two options that work with this build. The only other options to get shifter in this build are Hexblade, but you have to wait until level 14, or a different race but then you loose Lolth’s Meat which is unacceptable.

Shaman is an interesting class, it is a caster that actually works way better as a chassis for melee builds. It gets all combat-related bonus feats, an animal companion/meat shield, CHA to saves, turn undead for divine melee feats, see invisibility, and three domains.

[Stratovarius]

Actually Shaman is there as it is the fastest single-class entry into shifter (it qualifies at level 7)

You obviously mean aside from Druid who gets in at 5...

[ebonfowl]

Who is this Stratovarius guy?

Haha yes, I mean aside from Druid. Actually what I mean is that I entirely failed to include Druid in that little list I made. But nevertheless Shaman still takes it for the melee perks.