I dont see it that way
Quote: + 3 tactics,
useless and takes up gear slots for nothing that cant be obtained without using feats and half the gear slots.
Quote:+3 extra boosts, haste boost,
get that in LD or twist boost. At the worst spend 4 ap and get haste boost anyway?
Quote:+1 enhancement bonus when scoring a vorpal stacks 4 times (pretty easy to do when swf
way easier to just get permanent ones from swash
Quote: +2 % doublestrike,
more from swash
Quote:power surge (+4 damage)
thats only unique thing the tree offers
Quote: keen edge
exploit weakness
Quote: giving up +17 damage on top of what
Getting +3 from swash on weapon enchantment, 1d20 on misses scaling, sonic on crits scaling, more doublestrike, 20% on miss to no fail knockdown mobs, uncanny dodge, improved destruction for undead, dodge capped. That +17 you mentioned comes out to at most 8 damage when higher doublestrike and on crit scaling sonic damage is added. Then factor in all the inherent free cc and better defenses. I wouldnt even bother kensei. The extra ap after spending in swash is better used for harper(which we can all agree is tits) and vanguard makes up further for that damage missed out from kensei. 60% shield bash proc(basically a 60% chance every attack procs a buckler smash) and up to +4 damage when using one hander+shield.