Feat/Build Advice for Duskblade

[Gnome Alone]

Hey Playgroundlings, thought I'd ask ye for a bit of advice on my character build. *What with y'all bein' so learnéd and all.

Anyway my character's pretty simple, just a single-classed duskblade. I just hit level 11 last session. *I have the following feats: Power Attack, Improved Initiative, Knowledge Devotion, Obtain Familiar, Improved Familiar (a salt mephit.)

I don't really know what to pick next. I know Arcane Strike is popular, but I just don't like it - I don't wanna burn through spells that quickly. I mean, 1st levels, I can do more damage by channeling, 2nd levels, I can cast Swift Fly, Cat's Grace, Dimension Hop, Invisibility (the DM lets sponatenois casters *learn lower level spells from scrolls), 3rd levels, I needs me my Vampiric Touch... I can do plenty of damage already, y'know?

I'd take Arcane Disciple except I have 10 Wisdom. Right now I'm thinking about either Combat Expertise and then Improved Trip later on, or Spell Penetration, then Greater Spell Penetration- we fight a lot of outsiders and such with spell resistance.

I guess not knowing what feat I really want is sort of symptomatic of how I don't really know where to go with the character once I hit level 13 and get full-attack channeling. Duskblade 20 seems pretty solid - I mean, I'll end up getting Disintegrate and some other sweet spells, plus all the Quick Casts. But I was wondering if anyone has any of those flashy suggestions for augmenting the build that are so popular 'round here. It's not that I want to be super-optimized, in fact in our group I'm almost the only one with non-core stuff anyway. Like Obtain/Improved Familiar, and being a duskblade in the first place. Although there is a bear warrior. So, I don't want to overshadow anyone and I might just go with Duskblade 20 anyway, but I'd just like to explore my options, y'know?

Here's some specifics in case anyone's interested.**

Lefty
Chaotic Neutral Human Duskblade Level 11
83 HP
28 AC
STR 20 (+5)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 15 (+2)
INT 15 (+2)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 9 (-1)

BAB +11/+6/+1 Grapple +16
Speed 30 ft. Initiative +7

Saves - FORT 11 REF 8 WILL 9*

Feats:
Power Attack
Improved Initiative
Knowledge Devotion
Obtain Familiar (Weasel)
Alertness (Familiar)
Improved Familiar (Salt Mephit)

Notable Gear:
+1 Masterwork Falchion enchanted keen
Composite Longbow (STR +6) with 51 arrows
Mithril Chain Shirt +2, cursed w/Tourette's
Amulet of Health +2
Headband of Intellect +2
Cloak of Resistance +2
Belt of Giant Strength +4
Ring of Climbing +10
The Body of Niffelheim (Animated Heavy Shield) +3

Spells:
Arcane Attunement - Dancing Lights, Flare, Ghost Sound, Read Magic
Level 0 - Touch of Fatigue, Acid Splash, Disrupt Undead
Level 1 - Shocking Grasp, Chill Touch, Burning Hands, Swift Expeditious Retreat, Ray of Enfeeblement
Level 2 - Animalistic Power, Cat's Grace, Dimension Hop, Invisibility, Swift Fly
Level 3 - Regroup, Vampiric Touch
**

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Learn the spells Wraithstrike and Whirling Blade. Get Leap Attack. Buy a Circlet of Rapid Casting and a few Lesser Metamagic Rods of Extend.

Spontaneously cast spells with metamagic will only take longer to cast if the spell's original casting time was a standard action or longer. Swift spells don't take any longer than normal when spontaneously cast with metamagic.

Use the Lesser Rods of Extend whenever you cast Wraithstrike so it will last two rounds. On the second round of its duration, charge something using Power Attack and Leap Attack. After the charge, use the Circlet to cast Whirling Blade, which will still have all the Leap Attack bonuses and it will make touch attacks via Wraithstrike.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Learn the spells Wraithstrike and Whirling Blade. Get Leap Attack. Buy a Circlet of Rapid Casting and a few Lesser Metamagic Rods of Extend.

Spontaneously cast spells with metamagic will only take longer to cast if the spell's original casting time was a standard action or longer. Swift spells don't take any longer than normal when spontaneously cast with metamagic.

Use the Lesser Rods of Extend whenever you cast Wraithstrike so it will last two rounds. On the second round of its duration, charge something using Power Attack and Leap Attack. After the charge, use the Circlet to cast Whirling Blade, which will still have all the Leap Attack bonuses and it will make touch attacks via Wraithstrike.

Depending on the relative optimization level of your campaign, Wraithstrike might get you a book thrown at you.

The OP likes his arcane channeling ability, which is incompatible with Leap Attack, if I recall correctly. Basic Arcane Channeling takes a standard action, while the full attack version is used as past of a full-round action.

[Gnome Alone]

Depending on the relative optimization level of your campaign, Wraithstrike might get you a book thrown at you.

The OP likes his arcane channeling ability, which is incompatible with Leap Attack, if I recall correctly. Basic Arcane Channeling takes a standard action, while the full attack version is used as past of a full-round action.

Yeah. Although I do appreciate the suggestion and it sounds fun, Wraithstrike is exactly the kind of thing I think would be too much given my current group. There's me, a bear warrior barbarian (nothing like a flying bear with a flaming greatsword...), and the rest of the group is I think only using core - a cleric of Fharlangh, an archery ranger, a TWF fighter, a bard (not particularly optimized but the player, she is quite clever she is) and a hobbit sorcerer. I don't wanna kill everything stone dead before anyone else can get to it.

And that's the thing, actually, is that I don't particularly feel the need to lay on more damage, I feel like I've got that covered. I do indeed likes me my arcane channeling.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Dictuum Mortim wrote quite an excellent Duskblade handbook over on the wizard boards... let's see if I can't track it down.

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=525.0

Turns out it was on the BG.com boards.

[Gnome Alone]

Dictuum Mortim wrote quite an excellent Duskblade handbook over on the wizard boards... let's see if I can't track it down.

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=525.0

Turns out it was on the BG.com boards.

Ooh, thanks. I'd actually seen that but I forgot about it.

I think I might go for Arcane Strike after all if I can get a Ring of Wizardry, or if we're gonna get all item-dependent anyway I might spring for something Wisdom-boosting to benefit from Arcane Disciple.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Nab a Hand of Glory (9000gp, IIRC) to get not only daylight and see invisibility 1/day each, BUT the ability to wear... a third ring. Oh yeah. Stack those Rings of Wizardry!

Best part? Guess where the hand of Glory is found.

The DMG (also the SRD, found here:http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#handofGlory)