duskblade spells question

[big teej]

hey all, I just got the PHB2

and I'm rolling a duskblade.

I'm having some issues figuring out how many spells I get.

by my calculations, as a 4th level duskblade. I should have 7 0 level spells, and 5 1st level spells

and the more I look through the book, the more the 0 level spells sound wrong... so I'm hoping you all can help me figure it out.

also, do I get to pick ANY 0 level spells? since there are no 0 level spells on the duskblade table in the PHB2?


relevant houserule for discussion:
bonus spells per day/known are = to relevant stat's modifier.
I.E. a cleric with 18 wisdom would get his normal spells per day/level +4 per level for having + 4 wisdom

so....
just how many 0 level spells do I get?
:smalltongue:

oh. also relevant, +2 bonus spells as per the above rule.

[Cog]

The full list of Duskblade spells is right at the end of the class description. The one toward the back of the book is only the spells new to PHB 2.

[Telonius]

Yeah, it's on page 24, pretty easy to miss, since it's right under one of the (usually-worthless) example characters.

As far as how many spells you should have, it depends on which ones you pick. Normally you'd learn one at the highest level you can learn. (No point in learning a zero-level spell when you could learn a level 1 spell). So it works out something like:

Level 1: 2 zero-level, 2 first-level, + 1 zero level per intelligence bonus
Level 2-4: Add one 0- or 1-level spell

So you'd have these spells known, if you pick them as most people would:

0: 2+int
1: 5

Per day, using those houserules, you'd get 8 level zero, and 7 level one, spells per day.

[big teej]

Yeah, it's on page 24, pretty easy to miss, since it's right under one of the (usually-worthless) example characters.

As far as how many spells you should have, it depends on which ones you pick. Normally you'd learn one at the highest level you can learn. (No point in learning a zero-level spell when you could learn a level 1 spell). So it works out something like:

Level 1: 2 zero-level, 2 first-level, + 1 zero level per intelligence bonus
Level 2-4: Add one 0- or 1-level spell

So you'd have these spells known, if you pick them as most people would:

0: 2+int
1: 5

Per day, using those houserules, you'd get 8 level zero, and 7 level one, spells per day.

wow that is easy to miss. I read past it once even after you said where it was.


thanks a bunch everybody.

[Allanimal]

Also, if I remember correctly, there are only like 4 0th level spells to choose from on the Duskblade's list, so you will have more available spells known then there are on the list if your INT is 16+.

[MeeposFire]

wow that is easy to miss. I read past it once even after you said where it was.


thanks a bunch everybody.

We knew the problems so fast since that is the biggest problem in the PHB 2 in terms of questions. Silly WotC putting spell lists in weird places.

[big teej]

We knew the problems so fast since that is the biggest problem in the PHB 2 in terms of questions. Silly WotC putting spell lists in weird places.

this specific question? or questions on the PHB2 in general?

it's a brand new book for me, so I'm sure I'll have more eventually.

[AslanCross]

this specific question? or questions on the PHB2 in general?

it's a brand new book for me, so I'm sure I'll have more eventually.

It's the usual question people new to PHB2 ask. The spell list really is poorly placed.

[MeeposFire]

this specific question? or questions on the PHB2 in general?

it's a brand new book for me, so I'm sure I'll have more eventually.

I am saying you are in good company. Of all the questions about PHB2 this is probably the most common and most easily understood on why it keeps coming up. The placement is bad and so it is far too easy to miss.

[big teej]

before I start digging through my growing library...

any feat suggestiosn for a duskblade?

please include reason and book for suggestiosn.

[Coidzor]

Knowledge Devotion (Comp. Champion): Using your knowledge skills to give you an edge in power attack (+5 to hit translates into +10 damage with 2-handed power attack for a total of +15 damage per hit you just got as a result of the feat) or to hit and synergizes well with your int and class skill list.

Obtain Familiar(complete arcane?) + Improved Familiar(various books): With full BAB, half of a d10 HD, it'd at least make a good flanker. Unfortunately don't really have many spells that would be good to share with it. Could open up some mounted combat options as well.

Improved Trip(PHB) combined with a reach weapon and spiked armor/gauntlet combo: Help keep foes from reaching into melee with you and give a bit of control of the battlefield. Also allows you to potentially move your party around a bit more with Dimension Hop.

Mostly cribbed/paraphrased from my recollections of the Duskblade's Handbook. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=525.0)

Rather intrigued by Poison Spell(Drow of the Underdark) though, since between Chilling Touch and Full-Attack arcane channeling, that's a number of potential uses one could get out of one dose of poison.

[Thurbane]

Duskblades qualify for the various Bloodline feats in Dragon Magazine Compendium - these add an extra spell known at spells levels 1 though 9, and will mostly be spells you wouldn't have access to. True, you miss on on spells level 6 though 9, but a bonus five spells known isn't too shabby (much better value for money than Extra Spell).

I would suggest Earth Bloodline - Enlarge Person, Shatter, Keen Edge, etc.

[Zaq]

Rather intrigued by Poison Spell(Drow of the Underdark) though, since between Chilling Touch and Full-Attack arcane channeling, that's a number of potential uses one could get out of one dose of poison.

Hmm . . . Duskblade, Poison Spell, Smiting Spell, and proficiency with the hilarious and stupid war spikard (or spear spikard) from Magic of Eberron. Get a spell-storing spikard with spell-storing spikard bolts. Smack your foe, and discharge:

1 dose of poison on the spikard
1 dose of poison on the spikard bolt
1 dose of poison loaded via Poison Spell into the spell-storing spikard
1 dose of poison loaded via PS into the spell-storing spikard bolt
1 dose of poison loaded via PS and Smiting Spell into the spikard
1 dose of poison loaded via PS and SS into the spikard bolt
1 dose of poison loaded via PS into your Arcane Channeling

7! 7 doses of poison! Ah ah aaaahh! Duskblades don't get Poison (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/poison.htm) by default, but if you can get it on your list somehow, definitely do so. Oh, and if you're high enough level, Duskblades do get Toxic Weapon on their spell list, so go with the spear spikard, cast that on the spikard and the spikard bolt, and tack on a few more. "I need you to take 20 on your Fort save."

Hell, even without Smiting Spell (everything else can be done a minimum of 1 hour in advance, while Smiting Spell dissipates after a minute, making it the weak link in the preparation chain), that's a lot of doses of poison shoved into one attack roll. A lot of spells, too, but pfft, magic. Not like that's gonna do anything good for you.

[big teej]

not to undercut the advice I'm getting. but.
sources...

Sword and Fist
Tome and Blood
Enemies and Allies
Song and Silence
Defender's of the Faith
Master's of the Wild
Arms and Equipment Guide
Monster Manual III
Book of Vile Darkness
Unearthed Arcana
Oriental Adventures
Magic of Incarnum
Dungeon Master's Guide
Monster Manual II
Psionics Handbook
Cityscape
Deities and Demigods
Book of Exalted Deeds
Monster Manual
Player's Handbook
Dungeon Master's Guide II
Player's Handbook II
Expanded Psionic Handbook

anything not from these sources is disallowed.

so...
of you're now limited source of material....
suggestions? :smalltongue: :smallredface:

[Coidzor]

Not a single complete, eh? Shame. Most of your better sources are gone with that.

All that 3.0 material is mostly going to be useless to you, really.

And, uh, don't play with the 3.0 Psionics Handbook, and instead just use the SRD's excerpts from the Expanded Psionics Handbook, really.

[big teej]

Not a single complete, eh? Shame. Most of your better sources are gone with that.

All that 3.0 material is mostly going to be useless to you, really.

And, uh, don't play with the 3.0 Psionics Handbook, and instead just use the SRD's excerpts from the Expanded Psionics Handbook, really.

my collection is a work in progess

also, we're a 3.x group, we use both material

case in point

we actually like how 3.0 psionics work.

the only thing we're drawing from 3.5 is the increased power points per level.

[Coidzor]

my collection is a work in progess

also, we're a 3.x group, we use both material

Still don't see it as being very useful to a Duskblade.


we actually like how 3.0 psionics work.

In the words of Strong Bad "I'm...quitescarednow!" :smalleek:

Why? :smallconfused:

[MeeposFire]

Still don't see it as being very useful to a Duskblade.



In the words of Strong Bad "I'm...quitescarednow!" :smalleek:

Why? :smallconfused:

They probably like the idea of each ability score being the power source for each type of power. Of course it is horribly MAD which makes it mostly useless. They may also like the idea of just having spells using spell points rather than the augmentation system (though I greatly prefer the augmentation system). 3.0 psionics seem fun in theory but they fail at mechanics in practice since making you buy multiple versions of the same thing makes you have less versatility and the crippling MAD really restricts.

[big teej]

Still don't see it as being very useful to a Duskblade.



In the words of Strong Bad "I'm...quitescarednow!" :smalleek:

Why? :smallconfused:

oh, I thought you meant useless in general.

as for psionics


They probably like the idea of each ability score being the power source for each type of power. Of course it is horribly MAD which makes it mostly useless. They may also like the idea of just having spells using spell points rather than the augmentation system (though I greatly prefer the augmentation system). 3.0 psionics seem fun in theory but they fail at mechanics in practice since making you buy multiple versions of the same thing makes you have less versatility and the crippling MAD really restricts.

this is why.

it works for us.

we took a look at 3.5 vs 3.0 and on the whole, we liked the feel of 3.0 better (including its MADness)