The Duskblade's Handbook

[GawainBS]

Did you notice that the full Duskblade spell list is found in the spell description section, not the Duskblade class section?

The other way around: the spell list is found in the class section, not the Spell section, despite the class section saying otherwise...

[Thuganomic]

oh wow! thanks guys for clearin that up.. i was a sad panda for a second there   

[GawainBS]

Did anyone else notice how the Duskblade is RAW only proficient with Martial Weapons, not Simple Weapons? I tend to chalk this up to WotC's *excellent* editing skills...

[Thuganomic]

So like.. you can Move, Swiftaction, Arcane Channel, AND attack in a single round?

[Dictum Mortuum]

So like.. you can Move, Swiftaction, Arcane Channel, AND attack in a single round?

Well, technically, arcane channel is attack and touch spell mixed together, but generally, yeah, you can do that. In most other spellcasting classes that would be very good, pushing to the limits of semi-broken, but duskblades have a limited spell list and limited swift action casts per day.

[Thuganomic]

Can you show me the text that makes that possible? cause my DM is very literal..

[bearsarebrown]

It's written straight out in the rules. Like, there is no other possible reading.

[Dictum Mortuum]

Well a character's round-worth of actions is a standard action, a move action and a swift/immediate action. Free actions are unlimited, only the DM can actually put a limit to them.

Arcane channeling reads:

you can use a standard action to cast any touch spell you know and deliver the spell through your weapon with a melee attack.

Clearly, you use the standard action to cast & attack.

[Thuganomic]

Alright. I just needed someone better with words to put it out there for me haha. Dyslexia isnt the business when youre tying to explain something from a book..

Edit: Also how would this work out with Leap attack? Could it even?

[Dictum Mortuum]

Leap attack? Doesn't that require you to charge? Because charge is a full-round action, thus you can't get a standard action to use arcane channeling.

[Thuganomic]

You are correct sir, thanks for not attempting to flame me for that dumb question haha

[Aliment]

Is there any reason, besides lvl 3 dipping, that someone would choose Swashbuckler over Duskblade?  Duskblade is just such an excellent class, that it pretty much dominates most non-ToB melee classes to a ridiculous degree.  The amount of damage a Duskblade can lay on with A Guisarme is astounding.
1d8+Str*1.5+Sp lvl sacificed4(arcane Strike)+lvl*2d6(Disintegrate)+PowerAttack *2.  Unless you charge that's hard to beat.

Okay I guess Ubercharger is just difficult to beat on damage scales, but when you need a little bit of versatility, Duskblade actually manages to pull off its concept well.

[Dictum Mortuum]

You can't channel disintegrate.

[ninjarabbit]

I just made a nar demonbinder-based duskblade

cloisteredcleric1 (or anything else that gets you summon monster)/duskblade13/nar demonbinder1/abjurantchampion5

18 BAB, a good CL thanks to martial arcanist and any extras you can throw on top of there like practiced spellcaster

[altpersona]

Leap attack? Doesn't that require you to charge? Because charge is a full-round action, thus you can't get a standard action to use arcane channeling.

is it a major assumption to think you may only get one set of standard/full round actions per round?

[Beltendu]

Leap attack? Doesn't that require you to charge? Because charge is a full-round action, thus you can't get a standard action to use arcane channeling.

is it a major assumption to think you may only get one set of standard/full round actions per round?

Generally speaking, yeah, you're only going to get one set of the usual actions per round.  Unless you have some way to mess with the action economy (everything from Belt of Battle to trade in your swift action a couple times a day, to the crazy spell casting shenanigans that let you blow every spell you have in a single round and the like).

[BenTheJester]

I was looking at my Duskblade stuff and noticed an "updated" Spell List(with all the spells that are not from Core/PH2) for the Duskblade.

This is totally homebrew, but spells chosen are spells that would make sense to have on a Duskblade.


This is not at all my work, but unfortunately I don't know who compiled it.

Duskblade spell list Expansion:
L0
Caltrops
Electric Jolt
Know Greatest Enemy
Launch Item
Stick

L1
Corrosive Grasp
Critical Strike
Deafening Clang
Fist of Stone
Ie Dagger
Lightfoot
Nerveskitter
Nightshield
Persistent Blade
Phantom Threat
Rhino's Rush
Snowshoes

L2
Battering Ram
Bladeweave
Body of the Sun
Bristle
Combust
Daggerspell Stance
Delusions of Grandeur
Fireburst
Flame Dagger
Infernal Wound
Ironthunder Horn
Mountain Stance
Rainbow Beam
Scorch
Shadow Spray
Weapon Shift
Wracking Touch

L3
Belker Claws
Body Blades
Clarity of Mind
Diamondsteel
Find the Gap
Knight's Move
Know Opponent
Moon Blade
Ring of Blades
Spectral Weapon
Spider Poison
Steeldance
Sppress Breath Weapon
Unluck
Whirling Blade

L4
Bands of Steel
Blindsight
Displacer Form
Flame Whips
Forcewave
Frost Breath
Lion's Charge
Mind Poison
Vulnerability

L5
Acid Sheath
Aura of Evasion
Charge of the Triceratops
Emerald Flame Fist
Fireburst, Greater
Girallon's Blessing
Ray Deflection
Translocation Trick

[BenTheJester]

I can't believe nobody here thought of Swiftblade before. While Dusks aren't natural qualifiers, their Arcane Strike ability works wonderfully with Swiftblade.

I did not use Drake Helm, Knowstones, or other cheesy ways to get spells on your spell list.


Duskblade 6/Wyrm Wizard 4/Swiftblade 9/Duskblade 1
(Duskblade 5/Abjurant Champion 1(and Abj Champ instead of Duskblade at 20th level) is better, but I'm not someone who likes dips)

Human

Base abilities(32pts):
Str 14
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 8

Feats
H Expeditious Dodge
1 Power Attack
B Combat Casting
3 Arcane Preparation
6 Maximize Spell
9 Mobility
B Spring Attack
12 Arcane Strike / Knowledge Devotion
15 Knowledge Devotion / Arcane Strike
B Bounding Assault
18 Flyby Attack / Versatile Spellcaster

Notable Features, etc
-18 BAB
-Casts as a level 15 Duskblade(gets access to 4th level spells)

-Arcane Channeling
-Quick cast 1/day
-Armored(medium) casting
-
-A level 2(or lower) spell known, from ANY spell list(Hint: this will be Wraithstrike)
-Haste added to your spell list(duh), and is later considered a (Ex) ability(i.e. not dispellable)
-A 2nd(or lower) level spell Maximized for free once per day

-+2 Attack, Dodge AC and Reflex Saves
-+20ft movement
-+1d6 damage if you move 10-20ft in a round, +2d6 if you move 20ft or more
-Individually targeted spells, Melee and Ranged attacks have a 50% miss chance against you. All the time. Yes even in an Antimagic Field
-Cast haste as a free action.
-+int to initiative
-2 standard action per round.

All and all, I think he's not too shabby.





As I'm done writing this, I realize that a Duskblade 3/Wizard 4/Abjurant Champion 2/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 1 would do even better.

He'd cast as a Wizard 13(much, much better than Duskblade 15), have 18 BAB, free up 2 feats(3 if you trade Scribe Scroll for a Fighter feat(which include Dodge and Mobility, winkwink)) and have all of the Swiftblade goodies(including time stop)

I'd rather have Sorcerer over Wizard in Duskblade/Swiftblade build, as I won't need that many spells known and will need more spells/day for channeling, but since you end with an odd level caster, it means that sorcerer will be 1 spell level behind.

[Ithamar]

Wow, very interesting build there!

[BenTheJester]

Here's a rehash as a Wizard(much better)
Note: By RAW, you can't use spring attack with channeling, but if your DM let's you do it, this build becomes awesome


Duskblade 3/Wizard 4/Abjurant Champion 1/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 2


Snow Elf(+2 Dex, -2 Cha) or Fire Elf(+2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Con, -2 Cha)

Base abilities(32pts):
Str 14
Dex 14 (you can swap this with int if you want)
Con 14
Int 16
Wis 10
Cha 10

Feats
1 Power Attack
B Combat Casting
3 Knowledge Devotion
B Expeditious Dodge
6 Mobility
9 Elven Spell Lore/Spell Mastery(if you intend to take Signature Spell)
B Spring Attack
12 Arcane Strike
15 Practised Spellcaster/Signature Spell[Haste]^{Forgotten Realms}
B Bounding Assault
18 Flyby Attack/Versatile Spellcaster

Alternative Class Features
-Generalist Wizard: Can't specialize, 1 more spell/day of highest level. At 3rd level, double your familiar's bonus.(giving +8 initiative with your Hummingbird familiar)
-Combat Wizard: Trade Scribe Scroll for a Fighter Feat

Notable Features, etc
-18 BAB
-Casts as a level 13 Wizard(gets access to 7th level spells)
-Arcane Channeling

-+2 Attack, Dodge AC and Reflex Saves
-+20ft movement
-+1d6 damage if you move 10-20ft in a round, +2d6 if you move 20ft or more
-Individually targeted spells, Melee and Ranged attacks have a 50% miss chance against you. All the time. Yes even in an Antimagic Field
-Cast haste as a free action.
-+int to initiative
-2 standard action per round.
-Time Stop as a 6th or 7th level slot




Variant 1: Human

Duskblade 3/Necromancer 4/Abjurant Champion 1/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 2
(Necromancer for more castings of Vampiric Touch, Night's Caress and Bestow Curse, although I guess Transmuter could work too)
Forbidden schools: Illusion and Enchantment

Human

Feats
H Expeditious Dodge
1 Power Attack
B Combat Casting
3 Knowledge Devotion
B Mobility
6 Practised Spellcaster/Spell Mastery(if you intend to take Signature Spell)
9 Elven Spell Lore
B Spring Attack
12 Arcane Strike
15 Versatile Spellcaster/Signature Spell[Haste]
B Bounding Assault
18 Flyby Attack/Practiced Spellcaster

Alternative Class Features
-Combat Wizard: Trade Scribe Scroll for a Fighter Feat
-Trade familiar for Abrupt Jump

What's different?
More Necromancy Spells/day
Bonus Feat
Bonus Skills

No stat bonus
No familiar bonus

Variant 2: Kobold Sorcerer

Duskblade 3/Sorcerer 4/Abjurant Champion 1/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 2

Dragonwrought Arctic Kobold(+2 Dex, -2 Str, -2 Con, -2 Wis)  (Dragonwrought is taken for +3 Int/Wis/Cha(hence the odd scores) that come from being Venerable)

Base abilities(32pts):
Str 16
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 9
Wis 9
Cha 15

Feats
1 Dragonwrought
B Combat Casting
3 Expeditious Dodge
6 Mobility
9 Draconic Reservoir
B Spring Attack
12 Arcane Strike/Knowledge Devotion
15 Versatile Spellcaster
B Bounding Assault
18 Flyby Attack/Practised Spellcaster

You have to do the Greater Draconic Rite of Passage, which effectively gives you +1 sorcerer level for free(no LA or anything)

What's different?
Way more Spells/day
Spontaneous casting
Better mental stats

Less Spells known
Loss of 3 feats(1st level for Dragonwrought, no bonus Wizard feat, have to take Draconic Reservoir)
Casting based on Charisma

Variant 3: Cleric

Duskblade 3/Cleric 5/Swiftblade 10/Cleric 2
Domains: Time(needed for Haste) and another one(Destruction, Envy, Liberation and Spell are good domains)

Human

Base abilities(32pts):
Str 14
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 12
Wis 16
Cha 8

Feats
H Expeditious Dodge
1 Power Attack
B Combat Casting
3 Free(aka there are many good feats for clerics, choose one)
B Knowledge Devotion
B Improved Initiative
6 Mobility
9 Practised Spellcaster
B Spring Attack
12 Arcane Strike
15 Versatile Spellcaster
B Bounding Assault
18 Flyby Attack/Free

Alternative Class Features
-Cloistered Cleric, Trade Knowledge domain for Knowledge Devotion. Make up for bad BAB with Divine Power
-Spontaneous Domain Casting (Cast Domain spells spontaneously instead of Inflict/Cure Spells)

What's different?
Bonus Feats(+1 Human, -1 no combat wizard, +1 Knowledge Domain->Knowledge Devotion, Improved Initiative for free)
Bonus Skills
Domain Power

Different(Better, IMO) Spell list

No stat bonus and more MAD because of wisdom
No familiar/familiar bonus