Solo swashbuckler tips (also, what about the bounty hunter?)

[Nerull]

The solo assassin question thread gives a lot of great tips on soloing assassins, especially usage of poison weapon and backstabbing. But what about solo swashbucklers? Their main ability is better skill with weapons than the average thief, but can't backstab (well, they can, but they don't do any additional damage for it). What are some solid strategies for them? The reason I am asking is because I am planning to solo a thief through all 3 games, and I was wondering which kit to go with. Assassins are intriguing, but I like the idea of a swashbuckler, too.

Also, I never hear of anyone playing a bounty hunter. Do they suck that bad?

Oh, and I installed the Rogue Rebalancing mod, so how would that affect the tactics/strategies for each of the kits (assassin, bounty hunter, swashbuckler)?

[Lord]

If you solo an assassin, don't be a human, instead, be a multi-classed assassin/fighter. It's better.
Swashies are a bit tough since you can't backstab, so I don't like them. I don't care if they get combat bonuses; they can't backstab. That's bad enough for a thief for me.
Yoshimo is a bounty hunter. Would you consider him bad (as a character to play, not in alignment, cuz he's neutral )?

[Dundee Slaytern]

Lord, consider what you are saying.

multi-classed assassin/fighter

[karlosovic]

I think that without the good back stabbing and poison of the assassin, I'd rather have a straight thief cause he gets more ability points.
You could also multiclass him with a fighter to increase his combat abilities (but remember he can't do thieving with more than studded leather, and cant backstab with non-thief weapons)
Or you could multiclass him with a mage for some magic. Personally I'd go with the fighter half, but either way your level-ups will come slower

[Sonic]

hey! The swashbuckler is whort it the backstab isnt THAT important.You get more thief skills than an assasin and your ALOT beter to fight close combats.and a litle tips : When you meet big partys of vampires then when you cant use the amulet use a protection from unded scroll it realy rocks.Go for the swashbuckler!

[Rataxes]

Don't you mind their inability to backstab, it quickly becomes almost redundant once you're past the early and middle stages of the game. Assassins may be able to chunkify many ToB lowlives, but save for massive trapsetting sprees, they're helpless against more formidable foes who see the invisible and are most likely immune to poison. Swashbucklers excel on high levels, and they do excel big-time. It's all about surviving till you get UAI, which is the turning point, more so than for other thieves. From there on, the Swashbuckler outclasses the other kits by far. Thing is that Swashbucklers are weak in the beginning, so play them like the weaklings that regular thieves are then. At 15th level, or when you have acquired items like the Pale Green Ioun Stone, Shadow Dragon Scales, and Belm/Kundane, you can start to play like the fighter/rogue hybrid you were born to be.

• Swashbucklers cannot backstab no, but they're still just as good at "hit and run and hide". You can get by the entire early game by whacking something once and then running back to hide like any other thief, it will only take longer. You get the full 25 thief points per level, so you can afford to max out your stealth scores early on without sacrificing other skills like trapsetting and lockpicking.
• You'll already have a +3 AC bonus after the first dungeon, so grab the Aeger's Hide and the Cloak of the Sewers to easily tank most early game opponents. Later on, upgrade to the Shadow Dragon Scales and your tanking abilities will leave most fighters standing in shame. Starting ToB, you can lay your hands on the White Dragon Scales and get Greater Evasion, and that's when you turn into the supreme master of defense.
• The Rogue Re-balancing Mod improves the Swashbuckler's THAC0 table somehow. Don't know how much, but even without the mod, they will by 15th level have a greater regular THAC0 than other thieves have in stealth mode. Get Kundane and Belm and dual-wield them for 4 ApR, as well as the Girdle of Hill Giant Strength to get the STR bonuses every fighter needs. With 3 stars in Two Weapon Style, the Ioun Stone, and the Girdle, your THAC0 will be perfectly enough for connecting on most lesser foes, and the damage output will definitely match that of any fighter's.
• Come ToB, both your THAC0 and damage per hit will leave any fighter save the Kensai behind. Not to mention your AC, which will be more firmly grounded in the bottom than any other class can even come close to. UAI infinitly extends your arsenal and fighting capabilities. Combine the Scarlet Ninja-To with Belm, GoES, and Imp Haste scrolls for 9 ApR for several turns. Better yet, equip Staff of the Ram +6 and use Whirlwind to steamroll through most of ToB.
• Don't be afraid to use traps, only cheesy when used in a cheesy manner

[ 03-06-2004, 11:43 AM: Message edited by: Rataxes ]

[Odruith]

I'm currently playing a swashbuckler in a party.

level 12, 2 points dual-wield, 1 scim, 1 longsword, 1 katana.

He's currently using the sword of Balduran from Diedre --> +10% MR, +10 lore, +2 weapons

and Varscona from the improved shadowthieves/APACk.

Now, they're not the best. But after defeating Mae'var etc, they're pretty good. When I find adjatha the drinker and perhaps Celestial fury or belm .. then i'll change over.

My idea of a swashbuckler is more of a daring front-line swordsman. Not a pure fighter, but a rogue-fighter who is charismatic and skilled : P but that's just me.I like the dual-wielding thing for it. Especially in longswords, though scimitars are more 'piratey' if that's how you wanna play it.

[Lord]

Originally posted by Dundee Slaytern: Lord, consider what you are saying. multi-classed assassin/fighter

sorry Dundee, didn't think like my usual self .

Rataxes, when you put it that way, the Swashbuckler sounds pretty good. But keep in mind that UAI makes any thief kit good.

Edit: Belm is nice because of the extra attalk it gives, but its power dies out later on since it's a +2 weapon. Now, if it was a +3 weapon, then you could take it through the whole game.

[ 03-06-2004, 12:57 PM: Message edited by: Lord ]

[Rataxes]

Originally posted by Lord: Rataxes, when you put it that way, the Swashbuckler sounds pretty good. But keep in mind that UAI makes any thief kit good.

UAI can be abused to no end and all high level thieves do have unlimited potential, but what makes the Swashie are the combat bonuses, not UAI. At level 40: +9 AC, +8 THAC0, +8 Dmg. These bonuses are insane. A level 40 Swashie could be walking around with the Staff of the Ram, deal 30-35 dmg per hit, have 10 ApR, -10 THAC0 and have a permanent AC of -20.

+ Everything else a normal thief can do, minus backstab.

Edit: Belm is nice because of the extra attalk it gives, but its power dies out later on since it's a +2 weapon. Now, if it was a +3 weapon, then you could take it through the whole game.

+2 is enough to hit almost all enemies, both in SoA and ToB. Besides, it is the off-hand weapon. The Scarlet Ninja-To is +3.

[Jerr Conner]

I agree, Swahbucklers kick at later levels!

As for Fighter/Thieves, there is a ToB armor they can still use thieving skills with...