Unlike Neverwinter Nights 2, there is no swashbuckler class in Neverwinter Nights 1. But I think I could create a "swashbuckler-alike" character based on Fighter class (Fighter, Paladin, or Ranger).

Here's my plan for ability points:
STR: 11
DEX: 13
CON: 13
WIS: 12
INT: 13
CHA: 15

The weapon of choice, obviously, will be rapier. Too bad NWN doesn't have main gauche, but I plan my character to be dual-wielding; rapier in the right hand, dagger in the left hand.

I realize my character won't be very powerful (except if I multiclass to sorcerer or bard, and then become a red dragon discipline), but sometimes we just want to play the character we want to be instead of building a very powerful character. ;)

However, I'm also looking for tips that can improve my character, combat-wise. I mean, anything to improve my survivability is welcome.

(1) what combat skills should I focus on? Is parry a good skill? How about tumble?

(2) is it better to focus on few skills, or spreading your ranks on many skills? For example, is it better to spend 8 skill ranks on either parry or tumble, or is it better to spend 4 on each?

(3) generally, after how many ranks combat skills become effective?

(4) which feats would you suggest?

(5) is it worth it to take weapon master route? A WM sounds impressive, but it seems the class can only focus on a single weapon type. What if I plan to dual-wielding with two different weapons? (ie rapier at right hand and dagger at left hand)

Besides, becoming a weapon master requires the following feat: dodge, mobility, expertise, spring attack, weapon focus in a melee weapon, and whirlwind attack. I can see the benefit of dodge and weapon focus, but is expertise, for example, really worth it?

Thanks in advance,

Those stats are going to be a fairly big problem. If you have your heart set on being a melee character with stats like these, your best course of action is to use a medium-sized sword (longsword, scimitar or bastard sword) with a shield and full platemail. Your dexterity simply isn't high enough to actually make much use of lighter armor or weapons.

As for class, Paladin and Bard are the only choices that will put that charisma to any use. However, you're already packing so few bonuses to attack that I don't think bard is viable if you want to remain a competent melee character as opposed to a dedicated spellcaster. Even Red Dragon Disciple is a hard sell here, since RDD comes at the cost of reduced attack bonus and you don't have much attack bonus to begin with.

If you want to slightly tweak those stats, this would be my suggestion:
STR: 12
DEX: 14
CON: 14
WIS: 12
INT: 12
CHA: 14

Although this only moves each stat one point in either direction, the net result is several bonuses at absolutely no penalty (to be exact, +1 AC, +1 reflex and fortitude save, +1 hit point per level, +1 melee damage, +1 to hit with melee and ranged weapons; needless to say, a lot of bonuses) Tumble is very good. The problem is that it won't be a class skill for you unless you multi-class rogue or bard (which I already mentioned probably isn't in the cards). Parry is useless. Depend on what you're doing. Parry is useless, so don't bother with it. Tumble, I generally either go all-in or just put one rank in it and never look back.

Given your mediocre intelligence, you probably want to pick a couple skills you want to excel at and not spread out too much from there. Nothing wrong with diversity, but keeping your discipline skill maxed out takes precedence. Tumble is useful with a single rank, and gets better at every multiple of 10 ranks (minus armor penalties). Discipline is always important. The other combat skills are forgettable. Dodge, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Specialization will all be very important for you. Since your physical stats are low, getting feats to improve them further is important. Probably Knockdown and Improved Knockdown would be nice. Your dexterity isn't high enough to qualify for the dual-wielding feats. There is effectively no way for your character to be competent at that style of fighting.

The weapon master would work fine for you. Go for either the greatsword or scimitar as your weapon of choice if you do this. Another great choice for your character is the Champion of Torm; you could potentially use the bonus feats that prestige class offers to qualify for the weapon master prestige class later. Only if you're stacking AC. It's not great, but not completely useless. Most of the time you only pick it up when it's a prerequisite for something else.

I recommend going the way of a DEX-based fighter, mixing in some levels of rogue for the tumble.

Tumble gives you +1 AC per five ranks. Mixing in rogue levels at 2, 7, 12, and 17 will allow you to dump in Tumble points for maximum AC.

Use Magic Device isn't bad if you are taking some rogue levels too. Among other things, it lets you wear monk items (like armor and boots), which help the AC if you aren't going with heavy armor.

Start with DEX of at least 14, and look at the Weapon Finesse Feat (allowing you to use your DEX bonus as an attack bonus with light melee weapons- that includes your rapier). When you get a stat bonus every fourth level, +1 DEX moves you toward increasing AC and attack. At 4th level, you will have the DEX 15 you need as a prerequisite for Ambidexterity. Alternately, you can start with DEX 15 to qualify right away (assuming you will still go +1 DEX at fourth level to even it out for bonuses).

You probably want STR 14 and INT 14 to get some of the combat feats you want. STR 13 and INT 13 are prerequisites for quite a few; may as well go with the extra points to bring each to 14 to get the extra damage bonus and extra skill slot.

Parry is useless. Expertise can be quite helpful though (as long as someone else is doing the damage).

If you are going mostly fighter with a few rogue levels mixed in, you will have plenty of feat slots. Look at Dodge and Mobility too. Dodge gives you an AC bonus; Mobility gives you an AC bonus for some attacks of opportunity for which Tumble does not apply.

Your first 10 levels could look something like this:

Human
STR 14
DEX 15
CON 14
INT 14
WIS 10
CHA 10

1. Fighter (Feats: 2-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity, Weapon Focus: Rapier)
2. Rogue (For at least +5 Tumble; Enough Pts. for +5 UMD or +5 Persuade)
3. Fighter (Feats: Weapon Finesse; Weapon Focus: Dagger)
4. Fighter (+1 DEX)
5. Fighter (Weapon Specialization: Rapier)
6. Fighter (Weapon Specialization: Dagger)
7. Rogue (+5 Tumble, then +5 UMD or Persuade)
8. Fighter (Dodge, +1 DEX)
9. Fighter (Improved Critical: Rapier)
10. Fighter (Improved Two-Weapon Fighting)

Keep going with +1 DEX every four levels. After 10th level you can mix in Knockdown/Improved Knockdown, Power Attack/Cleave/Great Cleave, Expertise/Improved Expertise, Mobility, Blind Fight. (Not all of those; you get 7 more feats by 20th level, you must prioritize.) Make sure you are always wearing armor that lets you have your full DEX bonus.

(I suppose you only need INT of 13+ for Expertise, Improved Expertise, and Improved Knockdown. If they aren't in your plan, INT 12 will get you the extra skill pt. per level for 10 at your rogue levels and 4 at your fighter levels.)

Not necessarily maximized, but looks like the kind of character you want and should do well in the official campaign and modules.

You also get Sneak Attack, which goes off if you have your opponent flanked.

With only 2 points separating the STR and DEX, I wouldn't recommend going for weapon finesse.
(Except if you continue pooling in dex as you level up and take dex-enhancing items over STR-items.
You get the same +1 by choosing weapon focus.

Fighter, Ranger and Barbarian are all viable choices. I'd pick based on roleplay gut feeling, what kind of character are you making.

Being a finesse combatant, ranger (with 2-weapon fighting, decent skill points and ability to spend on hide and move silently) would seem the ideal choice.

Though, with fighter you can take weapon specialization, giving the +2 on damage, which would really help.

On that note, weapons. I'd rather go with 1 weapon type and take weapon focus on it. But there's something to be said for not taking weapon focus, specialization or improved criticals, rather keeping the freedom to use whatever is the most effective weapon item currently on hand.

Prestige classes. Weapon master isn't really all that great for your kind of build. It requires spending many levels to get the best critical hit feats. Shadowdancer would be the obvious ideal choice. Hide in plain sight is probably the most powerful ability in the game.

And yes, tumble is great as already mentioned, giving +1 to AC every five skill levels. While parry is almost worthless, it only works when fighting single opponents.

Also, it's practical to keep disarm traps (and maybe also set traps) at maximum, enabling you to recover traps instead of just disarming them. Not only can you use them against enemies, but resale values of some types (poison) are very high indeed.

--
edited to minimize stupid advice

Thank you for the replies, many interesting points being made.

I'd actually like some more questions, but whenever I reply with quote, the board doesn't responds.

Rogue has no alignment restrictions in 3rd edition, and the Paladin multi-classing rule isn't included in Neverwinter Nights, so there's actually no problem here. Due to his low strength and dex, he needs every +1 bonus he can get; I think weapon focus and specialization are mandatory here.

--"I'd actually like some more questions, but whenever I reply with quote, the board doesn't responds"
It's easy to use alternate styles to communicate the same effect. Just so long as people can tell you're quoting, you're fine. I've had that problem before. I've been able to get around it by posting part of my response and making piecemeal edits. Not sure what it's about.

That's Tumble, actually. :)

1) Tumble is almost a must-have skill, since it gives AC which is pretty much paramount in this game. Discipline is actually not necessary since (if memory serves) none of the mobs try to knock you down, disarm you, or use called shot.

Other skills to look at are Use Magic Device (assuming you take Rogue levels).

As noted, you need to min/max more. Your stats are way too low and too evenly spread to be truly effective. You don't necessarily have to go extreme, but at the very least you should (as pointed out) go for even stats if possible, since odd numbers give no benefit. I'd lower the CHA and WIS down to 10 (12 max for CHA if you want to roleplay a charismatic character). For the incorrigible min/maxer like me, I'd look at something like this for a Human character:

STR 12 (or 14)*
DEX 16
CON 16 (or 14)*
INT 14
WIS 8
CHA 8

*If you go for the 14s here, then (assuming my math is right) you'll have 2 points left to invest elsewhere. I'd suggest WIS to eliminate the Will save penalty.

If you don't like min/maxing that much, then maybe something like:

STR 10
DEX 16
CON 14
INT 14
WIS 10
CHA 12

2) Depends on the skill. Some benefit from only a few ranks (for example, you don't need to max Open Locks), while others benefit from heavy investment (things like Tumble, Spellcraft, and UMD).

3) Discipline isn't a must-have skill IMO for reasons I stated above. Tumble should be heavily invested, IMO, since the AC boost is pretty much the best benefit any of the skills offers.

4) For feats, if you're going high DEX, go with Weapon Focus*, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Specialization* (if you have Fighter levels), Knockdown (especially if you have Rogue levels), Improved Knockdown, Improved Critical, Dodge, Mobility, Ambidexterity (assuming high DEX), Two Weapon Fighting (again, assuming high DEX), Improved Two Weapon Fighting (assuming high DEX).

*If you take enough FTR levels and have enough bonus feats, you could take these for two weapons (thus allowing you to go with the Rapier and Dagger and not feeling you're gimped by doing so).

5) Weapon Masters can actually get the benefits of the class in more than one weapon, but you have to take Epic levels in WM in order to do so, using your Epic bonus Feats to select another Weapon of Choice.

To me, a swashbuckler screams Rogue and I'd go with a Rogue/Fighter build. You can split the levels any way you like, but looking at the amount of feats you should be considering, I'd suggest a good number of FTR levels. I personally don't enjoy high DEX melee builds, since they have a real issue with damage dealing, but you can certainly make it viable if that's what you want.

Thanks. Looks like I'm brainfarting more than usual today. :)
And yeah, improved knockdown is extremely best feat to have.

Your first 10 levels could look something like this:

Human
STR 14
DEX 15
CON 14
INT 14
WIS 10
CHA 10

This looks good. maybe a dwarf is better if you don´t want to talk much.
lower cha to the minimum and put points in dex, raise dex at lvl up.
Most people start as rogue because you get 4 times more skill points at char creation.
Ignore the rapier and take only daggers and short sword weapons and feats if you like dual wielding.
Take more levels as rogue than as fighter because fighters gain nothing past lv4 except tons of feats
while rogues gain a lot. One lvl of shadowdancer is good if you like to be stealthy.

Edit: For some reason my computer deos not want to post it when I click on reply.
The numbers are taken from someone else, just in case you didn´t read the stuff before

Edit2: Just to be sure: In NWN1 dwarfs gain con, lose cha?
I don´t want to mix up NWN1 and NWN2

Really now. One wants to make a dashing rogue scoundrel and the first thing everybody suggests is to make charisma a dump stat because it's worthless. :D

Not OC or the expansion is that difficult for every point to count.
A bunch of fighter levels gives a decent BAB bonus over plain rogue, and plain rogue, or bard, or a monk, hits just fine enough.

In NWN2 and BG2 the swashbuckler is a thief that gains lots of fighting skills but loses his ability to backstab.

Of course, you can make a char with average str, dex int and cha in light armor with a feather on his hat, but he wil not be very powerful.
In any case, either take a rapier OR dual wield a small weapon.
You get lots of penalties if you dual wield the medium sized rapier.

Not if you use the rapier in the mainhand with a light weapon in the offhand, as the OP suggested in his original post.

If that's the case, then it was patched at some point. I distinctly remember being perma-knockdown'd by an enemy, and pumping discipline ever since. Hey, I didn't; my stat change suggestion was simply rounding to the nearest even number. Although charisma is worthless, sadly. Unless you've got levels in Paladin, it's nothing but a small skill bonus. By the time you're level 4 having an extra bonus to intelligence will be more meaningful. Just go with two Kukri's. You'll save yourself feats in the long run since you only need one weapon specialization chain, and the damage difference between a Kukri and Rapier isn't very big at all.

There aren't many cases in the official campaigns/expansions where opponents use knockdown or called shot, but when they do, they are tough. If I'm a melee character, I want the maxed Discipline.

No one taunts, so you don't need Concentration at all for purely melee purposes. If you were making a character for a community-created module, or installing something like the TonyK AI as an enhancement for the official compaign/expansions, that's when I would consider Concentration for a melee-type.