Beguiler//Duskblade build

[faceroll]

I really like the versatility and roll both the classes fill, being nicely self-contained T3 classes. How would you go about gestalting them? What sort of race would you use? Lesser Tiefling? A dip in mindbender at 6 would be worthwhile, but is there anything you get from PrCing out?

What about feats?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Definitely Arcane Strike and Power Attack. Probably Versatile Spellcaster, if you could do some early-access shenanigans with it, mostly for higher level Advanced Learning choices. I'd either take Battle Caster to be able to cast spells from both classes in medium armor unhindered, or get Darkstalker and stick to light armor. Use Advanced Learning to get Irresistible Dance, to use with Arcane Channeling: Full Attack. This alone would make Whirlwind Attack and a spiked chain worthwhile.

A Sand Shaper dip would be good, especially considering you'd get Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, and Bear's Endurance as 1st level spells. I'd probably grab a Spellsword level after Duskblade 4 to use an animated mithral extreme shield (RoS) without risking Beguiler ASF, don't bother spending a feat for proficiency since its armor check penalty is zero. You don't really have anything to gain from prestiging out of either of those classes, other than a few dips to improve what they already give you. I'd dip Spellsword at 5 and Sand Shaper at 7 on the Duskblade side, and dip Mindbender at 6 on the Beguiler side, and just stick to your base classes otherwise.

[Fouredged Sword]

I would consider a mindbender dip for the bugiler side.

Also you have a prepared and spontanious caster on each side. talk to your Dm and see if he will allow you to take ultimate magus if ti only progresses one side of the casting.

Another good idea would be to take unseen seer on the bugiler side to get really good divinations like hunters eye and such. Nothing like a full sneak attack greatsword to the back with a liberal casting of blade of blood and maximised kelgores fireball.

Also fell drain can be really nasty when mixed with duskblade. A negative level is an excelent rider on an attack.

Another odd build idea is to go daggerspell mage on the bugiler side with a rouge dip to let you double up on spells in one attack. You store a spell in the dagger and then cast a second spell with the duskblade ability. Fell drain both of the attacks and you get a very nasty mix.

Another powerful build involves takeing warblade -> bloodstorm blade after 13th level duskblade. The ability to throw a melee attack at everything at once mixes well with the ability to effect everything you hit with a spell.

[faceroll]

Definitely Arcane Strike and Power Attack. Probably Versatile Spellcaster, if you could do some early-access shenanigans with it, mostly for higher level Advanced Learning choices. I'd either take Battle Caster to be able to cast spells from both classes in medium armor unhindered, or get Darkstalker and stick to light armor. Use Advanced Learning to get Irresistible Dance, to use with Arcane Channeling: Full Attack. This alone would make Whirlwind Attack and a spiked chain worthwhile.

Ooh, Arcane Strike. That's a brilliant feat. Any race suggestions? Lesser Tiefling seems like the best so far, getting me +dex & +int. Maybe putting draconic on that and buying it off, for str, con & cha boost? [edit] Fire hobgoblin is what I'm going to go- +2 dex, +2 con, +2 int, -2 cha, LA+1. Sweet. I like hobgoblins.

Deciding on skills is going to be hard, cause I want to be awesome at everything, but am only getting 11 skills to max ranks in.

I like the idea of getting darkstalker.

Any suggestion on spells known for duskblade side? Shocking Grasp, Vampiric Touch, and Swift Fly are on the short list. Should I pick up arcane disciple to get a few utility spells (making me even more MAD).


A Sand Shaper dip would be good, especially considering you'd get Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, and Bear's Endurance as 1st level spells. I'd probably grab a Spellsword level after Duskblade 4 to use an animated mithral extreme shield (RoS) without risking Beguiler ASF, don't bother spending a feat for proficiency since its armor check penalty is zero. You don't really have anything to gain from prestiging out of either of those classes, other than a few dips to improve what they already give you. I'd dip Spellsword at 5 and Sand Shaper at 7 on the Duskblade side, and dip Mindbender at 6 on the Beguiler side, and just stick to your base classes otherwise.

I'm not sure those spells are worth losing a caster level, a point of BAB, and a feat over.


I would consider a mindbender dip for the bugiler side.

That's pretty much a given. It also nets me all knowledges as class skills. :smallsmile:


Also you have a prepared and spontanious caster on each side. talk to your Dm and see if he will allow you to take ultimate magus if ti only progresses one side of the casting.

Actually, they're both spontaneous int casters.


Another good idea would be to take unseen seer on the bugiler side to get really good divinations like hunters eye and such. Nothing like a full sneak attack greatsword to the back with a liberal casting of blade of blood and maximised kelgores fireball.

Hmmm, not sure if I want to give up the skill points, tbh.


Also fell drain can be really nasty when mixed with duskblade. A negative level is an excelent rider on an attack.

Ooh, that is pretty nasty. Just noticed that I can channel ANY touch spell I know through arcane channeling. That is pretty sweet.


Another odd build idea is to go daggerspell mage on the bugiler side with a rouge dip to let you double up on spells in one attack. You store a spell in the dagger and then cast a second spell with the duskblade ability. Fell drain both of the attacks and you get a very nasty mix.

Another powerful build involves takeing warblade -> bloodstorm blade after 13th level duskblade. The ability to throw a melee attack at everything at once mixes well with the ability to effect everything you hit with a spell.

I think I am going to go with a greatsword as my fighting style, purely for thematic reasons.

[Draz74]

IIRC, Duskblade gets no worthwhile class features except spellcasting after Level 13. So at the late levels, you might as well PrC into Abjurant Champion or something.


Should I pick up arcane disciple to get a few utility spells (making me even more MAD).
Probably not.


I'm not sure those spells are worth losing a caster level, a point of BAB, and a feat over.
Probably not, since they don't stack with magic items anyway ...


That's pretty much a given. It also nets me all knowledges as class skills. :smallsmile:
Only for one level, unless you're taking Able Learner. Which you shouldn't bother with.


Hmmm, not sure if I want to give up the skill points, tbh.
Unseen Seer has 6+Int skill points per level, same as Beguiler.

[faceroll]

Probably not, since they don't stack with magic items anyway ...

Or looted potions. Drinking potions is way more cost effective than selling them, imo.


Only for one level, unless you're taking Able Learner. Which you shouldn't bother with.

Well, it changes the skill cap and I can also pick up a rank for 1 point instead of 2, which let's me make trained knowledge checks.


Unseen Seer has 6+Int skill points per level, same as Beguiler.

Dang, really? That's pretty nice!

[Fouredged Sword]

Also look into fell weaken. It's a great metamagic, and a fell weaken cantrap is a level one spell. -4 to strength is a great penelty to slap on a melee brute right as you get in his face.

Fell shaken is also in the same book and works along a similer pattern. Slap a no save debuff on your swings and turn into a sword swinging debuffer.

[Philistine]

Knowledge Devotion is really nice for a high-Int character with 6+Int skill points per level. Especially if you were already looking to boost Knowledge skills.