Advice on my Duskblade

[CreganTur]

I've been DMing a Dragon Age RPG campaign for the past year (fun system- has it's flaws, but fun) and I'm finally going to get to sit back and play some good old 3.5 in the near future. I've been working on a Duskblade and could use a little help, mainly with equiping him, but any other advice would be helpful, too.

We're starting at 5th lvl with standard WBL (9,000gp)

Here's what he looks like:

Duskblade (5)
Human
STR- 17
DEX- 13
CON- 15
INT- 16
WIS- 12
CHA- 12

HP- 38

FORT- 5
REF- 3
WILL- 5

BAB- 5


Skills (Ranks)
------------
Climb- 4
Concentration- 5
Decipher Script- 5
Jump- 2
Knowledge(Arcana)- 8
Ride- 2
Sense Motive- 4
Spellcraft- 8
Swim- 2


Feats
------------
Spellcasting Prodigy
Power Attack
Exotic Weapon(Spiked Chain)


Spells
------------
Lvl 0
Touch of Fatigue
Detect Magic
Acid Splash
Disrupt Undead
Dancing Lights

Lvl 1
Shocking Grasp
Chill Touch
Ray of Enfeeblement
Resist Energy

Lvl 2
Dimension Hop
Melf's Acid Arrow



I did find a thread here with an expanded spell list that I'm going to look at (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7807766&postcount=19)

I went with Spiked Chain because it gives me reach and it's the only reach weapon I know of that lets me attack adjacent, so it seemed like a really good choice.

Whirlwind Spiked Chain- use Whirlwind Attack 3/day: this seemed like a realy good enchantment to put on this weapon since it will let me hit a larger group easier


Equipment
-----------
Whirlwind Spiked Chain (2325gp)
+1 Breastplate (1350gp)
Heward's Handy Haversack (2000gp)


That leaves me with 3325gp left to spend. Obviously some of that needs to go towards healing potions, but I'm not sure what other items would be good to buy. There are expansions I'm not familiar with and it's also been a long time since I've played 3.5, so my knowledge is rusty.

[Diarmuid]

Where's the WWSC from? Is Whirlwind a weapon enchantment, or is that a specific weapon?

If it's an enchantment, you need to make that Spiked Chain magical +1 before you can start adding on effects.

[gbprime]

One problem. The Whirling weapon ability cannot be added to a non-magical weapon. You have to make it a +1 Whirling Spiked Chain. The cost on that is 8325gp.

[Swordsaged. :smallfrown:]

[EDIT] For spell selection, Dimenion Hop is not very useful at your level, as it only gives a 10 foot teleport for a standard action. Consider instead Touch of Idiocy, because that spell one-shots many animals, vermin, oozes, and magical beasts who have INT scores of 2 or less...

[CreganTur]

Gah- I forgot about enchanting. Looks like it's just a +1 for now, then.

I'd rather keep Dimension Hop and replace Melf's with TOI- 10 feet could be enough to cause flanking or setup a baddie for a party member.

[Curious]

Just a suggestion; if you like the idea of a gishy base class, you may wish to check out this boy. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus)

[CreganTur]

What do you guys think about the idea of dual classing Duskblade with Rogue?

I'm thinking Duskblade(3) Rogue(2) and then continuing the progression with Duskblade. Extra skills & sneak attack...

[docnessuno]

Your build looks fine, only thinghs i would change are:

Spells: Lose a lvl1 spell, get true strike. One of the best low-mid level tricks of the duskblade is true strike (precast or quickened) and full powerattack while channeling a spell.

Skills: PLEASE max concentration

Feats: spellcasting prodigy is horrible, others are fine. Get improved toughness for extra survivability or arcane strike (best way to burn off 2nd level spells, and you will have to get that sooner or later). Also check with youe DM if you can use "Extra spell" (complete arcane) to grab wiz/sorc spells. If you can take it once at lvl9 for wraithstrike and possibly once more at lvl 6 for shield (great with a 1 level abjurant champion dip)

Items: Looks fine but remember "Whirlwind" propriety means +2 weapon, so out of your price range. Replace it with a standard +1 weapon, and either add a cloak of resistance +1 and a ring of protection +1, or a lesser extend metamagic rod.
Another option is maxing your craft ranks and crafting yourself a mithral full plate (10.600 if bought but only 3.534 if crafted, +55gp for masterwork tools). With that option, +1 mithral full plate (4.534), MW artisan tools (55), +1 weapon (2.109) and handy haversack (2.000), you are left with 302 gp for small expenses.

Edit: Don't class duskblade, the only dip i'd ever take is abjurant champion 1 if i could get shield on my list (and possibly some more ABC levels after duskblade 11). You want to get to level 11 as fast as possible, really.

[CreganTur]

What rank in craft would I need to craft the Mithril full plate?

Before you told me about that idea I had been thinking about dropping the Haversack, getting a restful crystal and either gloves of master strategist or quicksilver boots.

[docnessuno]

Off the top of my head the check should be DC20.
So with an int 16, masterwork tools and 5 ranks you should be able to take 10, but i'd place full 8 ranks to please the DM if it was me :P

Edit: if you have 1k spare (depending on your choices) i'd take cloak of resistance before other wondrous, for that price it's a steal.
Also something you might want to consider is amulet of tears (MiC), low price (2.000-2.500 iirc) and almost doubles your HP total.

[Essence_of_War]

You could check out the duskblade handbook (http://dictummortuum.blogspot.com/2011/08/duskblade-handbook.html) for some ideas.

In particular, being an int-based gish-in-a-can with all knowledges on your list sort of screams out "KNOWLEDGE DEVOTION PLEASE!" :smallbiggrin:

It's certainly better than spellcasting prodigy.

I'm a fan of obtain familiar + improved familar for the duskblade. GO GO HIPPOGRIFF! Something to think about certainly, your super BAB and lots of HPs can actually make the improved familars quite useful.

[CreganTur]

Does Arcane Strike really require that you be able to cast 3rd lvl spells? Found text here: http://dnd.savannahsoft.eu/feat-103-arcane-strike.html


I don't have access to my books ATM (at work) so I just want to know if this is accurate. If it is, then I'll have to wait to take it in the future.

[Diarmuid]

Yes that is correct.

[CreganTur]

Okay- future Feat, then. Now I just have to decide if I'm going to drop Spellcasting Prodigy, and if I do I'm leaning toward getting a Familiar. I'm not sure if I'll be able to use Knowledge Devotion if I take Craft so I can afford +1 Mithril Plate.

Got a lot of reworking to do on this character, but you guys have provided some great advice.

[Fax Celestis]

Consider instead Touch of Idiocy, because that spell one-shots many animals, vermin, oozes, and magical beasts who have INT scores of 2 or less...

No it doesn't.


With a touch, you reduce the target’s mental faculties. Your successful melee touch attack applies a 1d6 penalty to the target’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. This penalty can’t reduce any of these scores below 1.

[Barlen]

I second taking true strike. Also pick up ghoultouch at 2nd. Since you get quick cast 1/day at 5th this leads to Quick cast true strike - channel ghoultouch. Virtually guarantee 3 to 9 (1d6+2) paralysis 1/day.

[Grim Reader]

I like me a level of Sand Shaper on Duskblade.

[CreganTur]

Changes I'm thinking of making:

Spells:
-Swap out Ray on Enfeeblement for True Strike
-Pick up TOI at 6th (nothing worth taking in 2nd lvl that I can see)
-OR I could bump out Chill Touch for TOI and pick up CHill Touch @ 6th

Skills:
-rework for Crafting

Feats:
-drop Spellcasting Prodigy (I orginally chose for boost to SPD & DC)
-pick up Familiar
-6th lvl Feat: Knowledge Devotion or Extra Spell (after DM convo)
-9th lvl Feat: Improved Familiar- try to pick up Hippogriff @ 10th lvl (awesome monster!)
12th lvl Feat: Arcane Strike (don't get 3rd lvl spells until 10th lvl)

Equipment:
Take craft so I can get my +1 Mithril Full Plate set
Keep +1 Spiked Chain
Backup weapon of Longsword so I can use my Shield (at 7th lvl) for tough fights when I need AC boost
Cloak of Resistance +1
Leaves me with ~ 1,400gp for other expenses

Some questions/things I'm unclear on:
I'm finding it hard to choose between weasel and owl for my familiar. Part of me really wants that +2 to REF, but I also really like the idea of having a flying familiar that can b stealthy/useful at night spots.

Power attack is the only combat related feat I have, and looking at my feat progression above, the only one I'm going to have for a long time. Is it worth keeping? I know I could really use it well on the times I use True Strike- +5 bump to damage automatically.

This is probably a DM's choice, but can you hold a feat in reserve? Meaning I could change up progression and take Improved Familiar @ 6th and hold off until I can get my hippogriff, and then hold my 9th lvl feat and not fill it until 10th lvl when I meet requirements for Arcane Strike.

[docnessuno]

Power attack with a 2 handed weapon means -x to hit +2x damage, so at level5 you are looking at +10 damage. also remember that shocking grasp gives you +4 to hit agains foes with metal body/armor, wich can be kept or traded for powerattack damage depending on the opponent.

About arcane strike: I forgot it requires 3rd level spells, my bad. Get extra spell, improved toughness, Knowledge devotion or a familiar. If you want to use Knowledge devotions, you will have to devote (Ha!) a larger portion of your skill points to fuel it.

Familiar: I honestly don't like having to invest 2 feats for a sidekick liable to die quickly, and optimization-wise a familiar is really worth it only when you turn it into a wand-wielding buffing machine, but that's just me.

[CreganTur]

I just like the idea of a Large familiar I can use as a mount. Once I put some barding on him, he'll be pretty buff. It's the coolness factor that makes me excited about this idea- gives me something to work towards and it would be something really fun I can add to my character.

I'm going to skip Knowledge Devotion since I'm already sinking a lot into crafting. I'll just see if the DM will let me take Extra Spell so I can get a new touch spell and then use Improved Familiar @ 9th. I'll still get Arcane Strike- just means my damage dealing will scale really well at mid levels.

[docnessuno]

Extra spell choices:
Wraitstrike (cheese alert) > shield (if going abjurant champion) > Touch spells

[CreganTur]

What book is Wraithstrike in?

[Tyndmyr]

What do you guys think about the idea of dual classing Duskblade with Rogue?

I'm thinking Duskblade(3) Rogue(2) and then continuing the progression with Duskblade. Extra skills & sneak attack...

If you want rogue, your very first level should be rogue for skill point reasons. That said, I likely wouldn't bother with it.

[CreganTur]

If you want rogue, your very first level should be rogue for skill point reasons. That said, I likely wouldn't bother with it.

Yeah, I gave up on that idea.

I'm really liking the latest build I noted above- being able to Craft is giving me an edge on my equipment. The updated spell list is feeling better- I'm starting to be okay with the limited spell list... to a point. Lack of touch spells in higher levels is just stupid and will be houseruled to fix.

I'm also really excited about having a familiar with the goal of eventually having a Familiar mount- just need to decide between Weasel and Owl for now:smallconfused: