From the games descriptions the two are quite similar in spirit. In application the two are very different of course. The Blade has magic, the Swashbuckler more thief skills etc.

Which do you prefer? Have you played both? Obviously someone who has played both is better able to give an acurate comparison, but I'd be interested in hearing opinions.

Do you see the two as kindred spirits?

Does Mazzy's portrait look like she should be a sexy female Blade?

Is a Swashbuckler really a pirate, and if so, why doesn't it have a CUTLASS proficiency..... har har....me hearties...... ;)

I played them both.

Blade:
His spin abilities are nice. The offensive one can hurt your opponents badly but take care that your blade will survive the fight due to his lousy AC. Using a bard - even a blade - near the frontline is risky.
The defensive spin is much better, even in a melee situation you are able to buy yourself enough time for spellcasting. My main problem with this kit is that the blade isn't a true bard. The whole bard stuff (singing, encouraging your companions, annoying your enemies) goes short.

Swashbuckler:
As close to a fighter as possible. Maybe it's just me, but all of his qualities (there are lots of) don't compensate for the missing backstab multifier. Besides that (if you can put aside), a swashbuckler is a true thief.

No, I don't think of them as kindred spirits. They share some qualitites but not more.

I like the blade better, cause they are better fighters and they have the bards abilities.
But if I play as a thief, swashbuckler is the favourite.

see ya!

Ive played both and i liked both. I think i liked the blade better for the duel wielding. and he can wear good amour.

i played a swashbuckler, dualed to a fighter at level 15, and that guy just KICKED ass. he could set traps EVERYTIME. and when i got to level 16 as a fighter, my ac was LOW, my thaco was lower, and i was a bad-ass. the loss of a backstab sux however, but i made due. i think i liked my assassin/fighter better though.

blades are cool, but only AFTER TOB. there are cool items that you can give to bards.

SoA: Swashbucklers
ToB: Both

I have played both, and both are strong with ToB.

Blades: They can use two exploits very efficiently. The <font color="white">Melf's Minute Meteors Dual-Wield Exploit</font> and the <font color="white">Mislead Exploit</font>. Both exploits are covered in detail in this thread.

Click me!

Swashbucklers: They have better base AC and THACO than the Blades, but remember that Blades can have magical assistance( Blur, Stoneskin, Improved Haste, etc...). In ToB, Swashbucklers can have Whirlwinds.

Both: In ToB, the differences starts to blur, because they nearly share the same pool of special abilities. Blades may not have access to Whirlwinds, but the MMM_DW Exploit gives them 6 attacks per round, and it is a range attack.

Blades can play it safe and use the Mislead Exploit to get undispellable invisibility( used very effectively to pulp Bodhi and the rest of her gang).

Swashbucklers can also play it safe and use traps to ambush the enemy( but in ToB, Blades get traps too).

The only real advantage that Swashbucklers have over the Blades, is that they can Lockpick and Detect/Disarm Traps.

Blades will have more Hp than Swashbucklers, thanks to Find Familiar.

Both are soloable material( with ToB installed).