The Duskblade's Handbook

[ProfessorCirno]

There's a game vaguely coming up in the vague future set in a vaguely steampunk -esque world (think Eberron style technology, but with more elemental powered stuff).  One of the deities is of strength and magic, so Duskblade seems perfect.  I was thinking of grabbing battle caster and a dancing shield along with a glaive and serving as a sorta front liner, along with the clockwork armor from here:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070212a

My questions:

I was considering just straight Duskblade, but I'm starting to lean more towards grabbing a level or two of Warblade and ending with Jade Phoenix.  The game would start at level 9, so I'm not sure when to take the dips, or even if to take the dips.

The clockwork armor is...weird.  I'm getting Battle Caster because I'm guessing it's a heavy armor, but it almost looks like, if you have proficiency in heavy armor and make the craft/spellcraft check, it's more or less just a free 8 AC and +4 strength/dex with no ASF or ACP, and no dexterity limit.  Um.  What?  Would it also be enchantable?  This armor is "what" all over the place.

Desiring at least one non-magic related range attack for just in cases, I'm pondering my options.  We currently use the weaposn from this:

http://www.ptolus.com/images/Technology.pdf

For firearms, and I'm torn between a rifle or a bow.  I'm leaning towards rifle just out of "hey that's cool"-ness.

A few things to be pointed out:

We have an artificer NPC that helps us craft items for cheap.  We also tend to play somewhat loose.  That's because the group as a whole tend to be on the lower end of the power scale ( Zappy wizards, straight warlocks, a pixie barbarian).  I don't want a horrible campaign smasher - I'm more asking for the best mechanical way to build out the character.  No flaws.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

As a ranged weapon, etherblades (from the ethergaunt entry in fiend folio) are pretty good.  Ranged touch, nonmagical force damage.

[ProfessorCirno]

As a ranged weapon, etherblades (from the ethergaunt entry in fiend folio) are pretty good.  Ranged touch, nonmagical force damage.

I considered it, but trying to juggle more then one two handed weapon is a bit irksome, and I dislike dropping weapons as I go.

Depending on if firearms take a feat or not, I might take a pistol if just because it fits the aesthetic rather nicely.

I'm mostly curious as to how the clockwork armor works, but I think I'll post about that seperately.

[edventure]

I just wanted to thank the creator of this guide and all its contributors.  My scythe wielding Duskblade13/Archivist1 one shotted a Hezrou (sp?) last time we played. (Gotta love x4 crits.) By the way, this was in a dead magic zone, no channeling possible.

I'm looking at that Human duskblade/swiftblade combo a couple pages back by banthejester as my next method to piss of a GM. 

[QuarianRex]

I noticed that you recommended against metamagic for the Duskblade but might I draw ones attention to some of the feats in Libris Mortis.  Notably Fell Animate and Fell Drain.  

Fell Animate is a free Animate Dead on anything you kill with the affected spell.  While minion making is not a forte of the Duskblade it can be a nice method of gaining an effect normally denied.  

Fell Drain adds a level of energy drain to every attack, debuffing and nullifying the highest uncast spell slots of whoever you hit.  I'm sure we can all see how useful this could be.  

Granted, these feats adjust the spell level by +3 and +2 respectively but these can be dealt with through the standard Practical Metamagic and Arcane Thesis.  In fact, this can be a better option for a Duskblade since he has so few offensive spells to specialize in (Shocking Grasp, Chill touch, and Vampiric Touch).  In fact, Chill Touch is so good when combined with Fell Drain that it is best used without Arcane Channeling as it allows you to make CL touches before expiring.  Might even be worth a dip into Monk for Unarmed Strike and Flurry to be able to inflict multiple Negative Levels in a round as early as level 6.  

Just some thoughts.  

[ninjarabbit]

But the problem is that you're spending several feats (something the duskblade is short on) on one little trick and it doesn't come together until the mid-to high teens in level.

[QuarianRex]

But the problem is that you're spending several feats (something the duskblade is short on) on one little trick and it doesn't come together until the mid-to high teens in level.

Not really.  You can pick up Fell Drain and Arcane Thesis (Chill Touch) by 6th level.  The best way to deliver it would be through Unarmed Attacks so you would need Improved Unarmed Attack or a one level Monk dip.  So a 6th level Duskblade could dish out up to six Neg. Energy Levels, three times per day, at a rate of +6/+1 (before any bonuses) per round. 

A Duskblade 5/Monk 1 could dish out up to five Neg. Energy Levels, two times per day, at a rate of +3/+3 (before any bonuses) per round.  At 7th he would be able to inflict three Neg. Energy Levels a round with +4/+4/+0 (before bonuses). 

Remember too that Chill Touch can apparently be pre-buffed with no real limitations (duration is instantaneous and lasts for CL touches). 

Granted, prior to Duskblade 13 this is really only effective with Chill Touch.  After 13 this can make Shocking Grasp ans Vampiric Touch even more potent. 

Overall, a minimal investment (two feats) available as early as 6th level and provides substantial benefits.  By no means the best option for all builds but I think that it is something to consider. 

[GawainBS]

You're still limited in the number of enemies you can reach. The moments when you're surrounded by multiple opponents aren't as numerous as you'd think.
Also, taking those feats precludes you from Power Attack & Knowledge Devotion, which are allaround more useful to a Duskblade.

[cru]

also, the feats are notoriously broken

[Harven]

I wanted to start by saying I'm new to the board and to 3.5 in general so bear with me. With the whole gammut of classes now available with the game I was wanting to find something interesting to play and I ran across the Duskblade in one of my GM's books.

Reading this thread has a lot of neat and interesting ideas for optimization and mixing the classes. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good mix of Duskblade with a rogue-style class that may focus on Sneak Attack or remaining hidden to create flat-footed attacks?

The GM is starting me at level 10 which is equal level with the rest of the group atm so I was wanting to see if anyone could recommend some good ideas before I start next weekend. 

[Havok4]

I wanted to start by saying I'm new to the board and to 3.5 in general so bear with me. With the whole gammut of classes now available with the game I was wanting to find something interesting to play and I ran across the Duskblade in one of my GM's books.

Reading this thread has a lot of neat and interesting ideas for optimization and mixing the classes. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good mix of Duskblade with a rogue-style class that may focus on Sneak Attack or remaining hidden to create flat-footed attacks?

The GM is starting me at level 10 which is equal level with the rest of the group atm so I was wanting to see if anyone could recommend some good ideas before I start next weekend. 

Duskblade is generally a poor choice to combine with a stealth based class due to their limited spell list, but the game play experience you seem to be looking for seems a lot like that of a swordsage from the Tome of Battle, look into that if you can. You can learn a bit about them here.

[Harven]

I wanted to start by saying I'm new to the board and to 3.5 in general so bear with me. With the whole gammut of classes now available with the game I was wanting to find something interesting to play and I ran across the Duskblade in one of my GM's books.

Reading this thread has a lot of neat and interesting ideas for optimization and mixing the classes. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good mix of Duskblade with a rogue-style class that may focus on Sneak Attack or remaining hidden to create flat-footed attacks?

The GM is starting me at level 10 which is equal level with the rest of the group atm so I was wanting to see if anyone could recommend some good ideas before I start next weekend. 

Duskblade is generally a poor choice to combine with a stealth based class due to their limited spell list, but the game play experience you seem to be looking for seems a lot like that of a swordsage from the Tome of Battle, look into that if you can. You can learn a bit about them here.

Hrm I'm still more interested in this class than the swordsage (though that may be something to play with later  ). I know that this forum has some great recommendations so I guess at this point what would anyone recommend would be a good build for a support-line damage-dealer with this class?

The tank character we have is a doing an odd Weapon Master/Barbarian thing and we have two healers and a druid character who's really focused on social abilities like Bluff and Diplomacy and whatnot.

[Havok4]

It is very good at dishing out the hurt, I was just saying that it does not have much synergy with a stealth/sneak attack character.

[sud]

I noticed that "Jump" skill gets a shrug.  Eight ranks of Jump being a pre-requisite for the Leap Attack feat, which doesn't even get mentioned?  Yeah, Leap Attack may usually require a full round action (see Boots of the Battle Charger, MIC p76), but why not have a good attack that *doesn't* consume spell slots?

And thanks muchly to DM and all the other contributors for gathering this all together!

[Freshums]

I noticed that "Jump" skill gets a shrug.  Eight ranks of Jump being a pre-requisite for the Leap Attack feat, which doesn't even get mentioned?  Yeah, Leap Attack may usually require a full round action (see Boots of the Battle Charger, MIC p76), but why not have a good attack that *doesn't* consume spell slots?

And thanks muchly to DM and all the other contributors for gathering this all together!

Duskblades generally have enough spell per day to pass on an alternate attack form.
Also, feat starvation.

Not saying it wouldn't be a fun choice or anything.

[ninjarabbit]

Leap attack is nice but it doesn't fit the duskblade's style. A level 13+ duskblade is much better off using his full round attack for arcane-channeling arcane-striking multiple foes rather than doing one big mega-attack.  Besides duskblades get plenty of spells per day, especially with rings of wizardy.

[sud]

Thanks for the response on Leap Attack; I guess I can see that.

Maybe it's just my DM, but the obligatory AMF/dead magic area/super-dispeller-cum-counter-speller every level or two (1 encounter in 20, give or take, though some of these are solved better w/out combat) demands a non-magic-based backup plan for every character.  Power attack (with no magic) is living (knock on wood) right on the edge.

[ninjarabbit]

Knowledge devotion helps there since you can get up to +5/+5 on your attack and damage rolls. Bags of caltrops and tanglefoot bags are also good depending on what you're fighting.

[McPoyo]

Grab Iron Heart Surge somehow. Ends the AMF totally, per the FAQ.

[Havok4]

Grab Iron Heart Surge somehow. Ends the AMF totally, per the FAQ.

That is really an answer to all problems in DnD.