Help with Duskblade leader build.

[Blas_de_Lezo]

Hello, we're starting a new campaing. Almost all players are newbies, so I'm taking the role of the groups's leader. I want to play a Duskblade, and I need help with feat, skills, equipment and spell selection. Maybe also with PrC, but I'm not sure.

I've already read the Duskblade Handbook.

Starting level: 6
Elite Array.

Race: ? (probably human)

Stats
Str 14
Dex 12
Con 14 (13+1)
Int 15
Wis 8
Cha 10

My idea of a good leader is one capable of:


negociating and decision taking, in and out of combat.
being durable warrior who actually can stand at melee fight and has no need of hiding back neither shouting orders from behind.
being dependable.


That would imply maybe a good Diplomacy/Sense Motive modifier, a melee weapon (no reach), a good defensive/resistance capacity and a proper spell selection.

Maximizing Sense Motive is easy because it's a class skill, but for Diplomacy (or Bluff) it's not so easy, I'm eager to spend a feat on Skill Training ONLY if I can't find a better solution (or a feat granting something more than Diplomacy). Is there a better way of getting a good Diplomacy modifier?

I also want to be durable, so I'll buy the best mithral I can afford, and maybe choose Improved Toughness as a bonus feat. Is this a good choice? Or there is a better way to improve durability?

Is it worth Power Attack with this concept? Or should I use a shield and a one handed weapon?

Possible feats: Skill Training (Diplomacy)?, Improved Toughness?, Knowledge Devotion.
Possible spells: level 1: shocking grasp, true strike, resist energy, lesser deflect, ray of enfeeblement (good defense is also good offense).
level 2: dimension hop, see invisibility.

Possible Equipment: mithral full armor.


PrCing?

Suggestions and new ideas are also welcome.

[Kyuu Himura]

If Tome of Battle is available, try the Martial Study feat

Martial Study (White Raven) will give you a White Raven Maneuver for which you qualify and will give you diplomacy as a class skill, you can get it at level 1, though check with your DM if a character can have an Initiator Level lower than 1.

As a duskblade, you have your spells for durability, a source of Miss chance on top of decent AC is better for durability than Improved Toughness, though that may feel like hiding for you (It kinda does for me)

I have little more to offer, hope it helps.

[Blas_de_Lezo]

If Tome of Battle is available, try the Martial Study feat

Martial Study (White Raven) will give you a White Raven Maneuver for which you qualify and will give you diplomacy as a class skill, you can get it at level 1, though check with your DM if a character can have an Initiator Level lower than 1.

As a duskblade, you have your spells for durability, a source of Miss chance on top of decent AC is better for durability than Improved Toughness, though that may feel like hiding for you (It kinda does for me)

I have little more to offer, hope it helps.

Unfortunately, Tome of Battle is not available (I would be playing a Warblade instead). Yes, high AC is nice because it allows me to stand in the battle front, so raw AC is mathematically better than raw HP?

Oh, and another question, does the Arcane Channeling and Armored Mage features allow you to cast spell while holding a shield in one hand and a weapon in the other?

[OverdrivePrime]

Yeah, by the time you're level 6, six hit points aren't the most critical thing in the world. I wouldn't get Toughness unless you have absolutely nothing else in the world to spend a feat on.

How willing are you to take a 1 level dip into Monk or Bard? Monk 1 gives you a nice boost to saves, and the ability to dominate in bar brawls (another chief quality of leadership, if you ask me). Bard 1 gives you... all the social goodness that comes with barditude. For your character, I'd probably go with Monk.
If your DM allows Alternate Class Features (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=7908.0), I'd replace Flurry of Blows with Decisive Strike from PHB II.

It doesn't sound like you're playing in a massively optimized game, so I suspect you'll actually benefit from the added versatility, rather than suffering for the loss of one caster level.

[Biotroll]

Well, there is list (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19860850/Alternative_ways_to_get_new_Class_skills) of ways to get skills as class skills. You can take a look at it, but most likely it will end up costing you a feat. (Since I have no experience with Duskblade, this is all help I can lend you I'm afraid.)

[Toliudar]

Duskblades are pretty feat-starved. Have you tried talking with your DM about perhaps swapping out a different skill for diplomacy? It not like duskblades are going to be in any position to heap tons of broken-ness onto that skill, and if the DM is good with this character assuming a 'face' roll, they may be open to some customizing.