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View Full Version : good feats for a duskblade



nysisobli
2009-06-19, 05:36 AM
Im making a level 1 duskblade, not using a reach weapon and i need some help picking feats.

Roc Ness
2009-06-19, 05:37 AM
I'm in the same boat, only I'm level 2 :smalltongue:

Saph
2009-06-19, 05:38 AM
Power Attack is fairly essential, seeing as it combos so nicely with True Strike.

Other than that, any feats that are good for melee fighters will work, but you have to decide on what you want to specialise in. You don't get many feats, so pick them carefully.

- Saph

Tempest Fennac
2009-06-19, 05:41 AM
Arcane Strike, page 59 of http://crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Feats.pdf , may be useful later on. If you use Arcane Chanelling with Cleave, Great Cleave or Whilwind Attack, will the chanelled spell apply to everyone who gets hit?

Eldariel
2009-06-19, 06:02 AM
Well, basic awesome for Duskblade:

Power Attack: As mentioned, you'll hit easily and turning it into extra damage is always good, especially with True Strike.
Arcane Strike [CWar]: As mentioned, as soon as you qualify this turns your massive spell slots into damage. You can take this level 9 earliest (3rd level arcane spells required)
Knowledge Devotion [CChamp]: You're an Int-based melee caster with all Knowledges in class; duh? You can take this level 2 earliest (5 ranks in a Knowledge required)
Obtain Familiar [CArc]: Unlike normal, your familiar would actually be really sturdy and have a nice BAB; you could pick up a solid combat familiar. You can pick this level 3 earliest (required 3rd arcane caster level)

Combat Expertise > Improved Trip: You easily have the Int for it - Tripped people are still ****ed. You have full BAB and decent Str so it's a solid feat for you - unfortunately you critically lack Enlarge Person on your spell list, but make do with what you've got.
Improved Bull Rush > Shock Trooper [CWar]+Leap Attack [CAdv]: This is the logical conclusion of Power Attack. Note that Leap Attack doesn't require Improved Bull Rush, so you can go for that without spending a feat on the prerequisite; True Strike kinda enables you to hit pretty well anyways.


Other than that, some metamagic like Energy Substitution [CArc] can be handy (you're a bit limited with energy types, and Energy Substitution is +0 to apply so it'd versatilize you a lot), and Sudden Metamagic (Sudden Maximize [CArc], Sudden Empower [CArc], etc.) + Residual Magic [CMage] allows you to metamagic stuff without needing the higher level slots (which is something Duskblades don't have).

nysisobli
2009-06-19, 06:03 AM
any feats that let you change rays into touch attacks?

Dhavaer
2009-06-19, 06:09 AM
The duskblade I'm playing at the moment is level 3 and has Improved Initiative, Eschew Materials and Combat Intuition. I'm planning on taking Arcane Strike and Sickening Grasp at 6th and 9th, respectively.

Roc Ness
2009-06-19, 06:10 AM
any feats that let you change rays into touch attacks?

There aren't any that I know of, since that might be a bit cheesy (4 Disintegrates in one round).

I think there was a homebrew in the homebrew section a while back, though.

nysisobli
2009-06-19, 06:14 AM
um maybe a level in a prestige class might let me do that lol

Roc Ness
2009-06-19, 06:16 AM
I found it! :smallbiggrin:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111305&highlight=duskblade

Its near the bottom. Hope it helps!


EDIT: It's not terribly cheesy either!

Eldariel
2009-06-19, 06:17 AM
any feats that let you change rays into touch attacks?

None exist to my knowledge and with a quick Crystalkeep search, so I don't think official 3.5 rules have anything enabling that. By the way, you could consider the following:
Smiting Spell [PHBII]: Allows you to effectively channel an additional spell for each attack.
Born of Three Thunders [CArc] + Quick Recovery [Lords of Madness]: Makes your damage spells force some nasty saves. Quick Recovery allows you to shake off the Daze side-effect.

nysisobli
2009-06-19, 06:19 AM
dont you make a ranged touch attack with a ray? So if i was adjacent wouldn't it work lol

Dhavaer
2009-06-19, 07:03 AM
The Enlightened Fist in Complete Arcane can use a ray as a touch spell at 7th level.

KillianHawkeye
2009-06-19, 07:20 AM
dont you make a ranged touch attack with a ray? So if i was adjacent wouldn't it work lol

Yes, but just because the target is adjacent doesn't make it into a melee touch attack.

Blackfang108
2009-06-19, 08:44 AM
dont you make a ranged touch attack with a ray? So if i was adjacent wouldn't it work lol

It's still a ranged attack.

And now provokes an AoO from the target, as well as anyone else next to you.

Ianuagonde
2009-06-19, 08:45 AM
My Duskblade is very happy with Somatic Weaponry. It allows you to trace the gestures required for spellcasting with a weapon instead of a hand. Now you can channel with a two-handed weapon.

Person_Man
2009-06-19, 10:30 AM
Ancestral Relic: Pick one item (usually a weapon). You can sacrifice treasure and magic items to improve that item, bypassing the need to sell stuff at the standard 50% mark down. Assuming your DM plays using standard wealth by level and doesn’t short change you because he knows you have this feat, this is a great choice for long running campaigns that start at level 1ish. Book of Exalted Deeds pg 39.

Arcane Strike: Burn arcane spells to gain an untyped bonus to hit and damage. Very handy for half caster tanks. Complete Warrior pg 96.

Combat Reflexes: Combine with any reach weapon and you usually get 2+ extra attacks per combat (a big deal when you're level 1ish).

Deepspawn: You gain two tentacle attacks. Requires Aberration Blood, which also opens up a bunch of other useful Aberration feats. Lords of Madness pg 179.

Dark Speech: A potent low level Fear effect that loses effectiveness as your enemies gain hit die. Best for short, low level campaigns. Fiendish Codex I pg 85.

Obtain Familiar: Familiars share your BAB and Saves, have half your hit points, and can share spells (like Alter Self). Combine with Improved Familiar, and you get an excellent mount or tag team partner. Complete Arcane pg 81.

Touch of Golden Ice: Any Evil enemy hit by your unarmed strike or natural weapon must Save or take 1d6 Dex damage. Very useful with Improved Unarmed Strike and/or natural weapons. Note that the Save DC is garbage, so like Dark Speech this is only viable for a low level and/or debuff build. Book of Exalted Deeds pg 47.

AslanCross
2009-06-19, 10:37 AM
My Duskblade is very happy with Somatic Weaponry. It allows you to trace the gestures required for spellcasting with a weapon instead of a hand. Now you can channel with a two-handed weapon.

I was under the impression that you could do that by default, since releasing one hand from your weapon and gripping the weapon again is a free action. Furthermore, two of the three starting packages in the PHB2 are equipped with 2-handed weapons, while the third uses both hands as well (sword and board).

Anyway, another feat that Duskblades could use is Battlecaster Offense from Complete Mage. It requires Combat Casting, which you get as a bonus feat. It gives you a +1 bonus to attack rolls after hitting your opponent with a spell, and a +1 bonus to DCs after hitting your opponent with a melee attack. Since Arcane Channeling allows you to do both at the same time, it's quite helpful early on, and can even help Arcane Strike when you get it.

Blackfang108
2009-06-19, 11:36 AM
My Duskblade is very happy with Somatic Weaponry. It allows you to trace the gestures required for spellcasting with a weapon instead of a hand. Now you can channel with a two-handed weapon.

By RAW: removing a hand from a weapon is a free action. So is putting the hand back on.
So, you wasted a feat for that. :smalltongue:

EDIT: *shoots the Ninja*

There. :smallbiggrin:

Person_Man
2009-06-19, 12:32 PM
By RAW: removing a hand from a weapon is a free action. So is putting the hand back on.
So, you wasted a feat for that. :smalltongue:

EDIT: *shoots the Ninja*

There. :smallbiggrin:

It's also specifically addressed in the FAQ (www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20030221a), in case your DM cares about such things. (Obviously the people who wrote 3.5 supplements didn't care).

weenie
2009-06-19, 03:21 PM
Anyway, another feat that Duskblades could use is Battlecaster Offense from Complete Mage. It requires Combat Casting, which you get as a bonus feat. It gives you a +1 bonus to attack rolls after hitting your opponent with a spell, and a +1 bonus to DCs after hitting your opponent with a melee attack. Since Arcane Channeling allows you to do both at the same time, it's quite helpful early on, and can even help Arcane Strike when you get it.

Actually if I remember it correctly this feat is worse than Weapon focus for a Duskblade, since it isn't always active, and most of your spells don't really have DCs.. How does it help with Arcane Strike?

AslanCross
2009-06-19, 06:08 PM
Actually if I remember it correctly this feat is worse than Weapon focus for a Duskblade, since it isn't always active, and most of your spells don't really have DCs.. How does it help with Arcane Strike?

I realized that many spells don't have DCs. I still can't consider it worse than Weapon Focus, though, because apart from the Spell Focus line, DC increases are hard to come by. It's easy enough to activate anyway (which is more than I can say for other tactical feats).

There are a couple of notable spells that do have save Dcs, though:
-Ghoul Touch
-Dimension Hop (this is pretty fun)
-Disintegrate

I'd think any little bonus to your attack role helps Arcane Strike not end up as a wasted nova.

Woodsman
2009-06-19, 06:11 PM
I'm pretty sure the PHB 2 has feat progression suggestions at the back (in an appendix).

I find them helpful, at least.