Pramxnim
2013-06-07, 08:32 PM
I got bored of just lurking, so here's my take on the spellsword archetype, building on the Duskblade from Player's Handbook II. It's been a while so I may have gone overboard with some things. I'm hoping to get this class to occupy a tier 3 slot, with the class focusing on dishing out tons of damage but still retaining a smidgen of utility and action economy.
Duskblade
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills
The Duskblade's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str).
Skills Points at 1st Level: (2 + int) x 4
Skill Points at each additional level 2 + Int
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Armoured Mage (light), Arcane Channeling|3|2|-|-|-|-
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Versatile Spellcaster|4|3|-|-|-|-
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Advanced Learning|5|4|-|-|-|-
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Armoured Mage (medium)|6|5|2|-|-|-
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Quick Cast 3/day, 1/enc|7|5|3|-|-|-
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Dusk Technique|8|6|4|-|-|-
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5|Armoured Mage (heavy shield)|8|6|5|-|-|-
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Advanced Learning|8|7|6|2|-|-
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Dusk Technique|8|7|6|3|-|-
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Quick Cast 4/day, 2/enc|8|8|7|4|-|-
11th|
+11|
+7|
+3|
+7|Advanced Learning|8|8|7|5|-|-
12th|
+12|
+8|
+4|
+8|Dusk Technique|8|8|8|6|2|-
13th|
+13|
+8|
+4|
+8|Arcane Channeling, improved|8|9|8|6|3|-
14th|
+14|
+9|
+4|
+9|Advanced Learning|8|9|8|7|4|-
15th|
+15|
+9|
+5|
+9|Dusk Technique, Quick Cast 5/day, 3/enc|8|9|8|7|5|-
16th|
+16|
+10|
+5|
+10|-|8|9|8|7|6|2
17th|
+17|
+10|
+5|
+10|Advanced Learning|8|10|9|8|6|3
18th|
+18|
+11|
+6|
+11|Dusk Technique|8|10|9|8|7|4
19th|
+19|
+11|
+6|
+11|-|8|10|10|9|7|5
20th|
+20|
+12|
+6|
+12|Quick Cast 6/day|8|10|10|10|8|6
[/table]
Class Features
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: Duskblades are proficient with all martial weapons, as well as all armours and shields (except tower shields).
Spells: You cast arcane spells, which are drawn from the Duskblade spell list found in the Player's Handbook 2, page 24. You are a spontaneous caster.
To learn or cast a spell, you must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The DC for a saving throw against your spell is 10 + the spell level + your Int modifier.
You can only cast a certain number of spells per day, as shown on the table above. In addition you receive bonus spells per day if you have a high Intelligence score (see the d20srd for relevant tables)
Spells Known: You begin play knowing all your 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells, chosen from the Duskblade spell list. Each time you gain a new class level, you learn one additional spell of any level you can cast, chosen from the Duskblade spell list.
Upon reaching 4th level, and at each subsequent even level, you can choose to learn a new spell in place of one you already know. In effect, you lose access to the old spell in exchange for gaining the new one. The new spell must be the same spell level as the old one.
You make the exchange at the same time you would choose a new spell to learn for that level.
I simplified some of the wording from the PHB II and changed the Duskblade's spell retraining mechanic a bit since it was needlessly complicated. I also gave the class 2 more cantrips/day and smoothed out the spell progression, resulting in earlier access to higher spell levels.
This buff is meant to make players feel more powerful earlier in their career, where most games start and end, and prevents long periods of "I channel Shocking Grasp on this guy"
Arcane Channeling (Su): Once per round as a free action, when you hit with a melee attack, you may channel a touch spell you know through your melee weapon. This counts as casting the spell, but does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The spell must have a casting time of 1 standard action or less. The effect of the spell is resolved after the target takes damage from your melee attack.
At 13th level, the channeled spell is stored in your weapon until the start of your next turn, and affects each target you hit in melee combat that round, but only once per target.
I used the 4th Edition template here since activating the ability and then missing feels horrible (you lose your attack AND your spell). This hopefully makes it easier to grok and prevents feel-bad moments.
Enabling this ability at level 1 makes for easy dippings, so I'm considering making it usable with Duskblade spells only. I think there's enough incentive to stay in the class to dispel fears of it being used as a 1-level dip
Versatile Spellcaster: You gain Versatile Spellcaster (Races of the Dragon, p.101) as a bonus feat.
Everyone is gonna take this feat anyways, since it's really good with the Duskblade's enormous amount of spells per day. Might as well give it out for free.
Armoured Mage (Ex): You ignore arcane spell failure when casting Duskblade spells while wearing light armour and light shields.
At 4th level, you learn to use medium armour with no chance of arcane spell failure.
At 7th level, you learn to use a heavy shield with no chance of arcane spell failure. Then you learn that Mithral Armour is the best.
Advanced Learning (Ex): You may add a spell to your spell list, representing the results of personal study and experimentation.
The spell must be a Sorcerer/Wizard spell of the Evocation or Transmutation school, and of a level no higher than the highest-level spell you already know.
You may channel this spell through your Arcane Channeling ability, even if it is not a touch spell. You gain another new spell at 8th, 11th, 14th, and 17th level.
It's standard Advanced Learning, with a twist. Not sure what exploits can be found here, I haven't thought too much about it. Could be fun brainstorming ways to break this.
Quick Cast: Beginning at 5th level, you may spend a swift action to cast a spell. You can do this 3 times per day, but only once per encounter.
At 10th and 15th level, you gain one more use of this ability per day and per encounter. At 20th level, the usage limit per encounter is removed.
More uses to prevent the 1-encounter adventuring day, but limited use to prevent abuse
Dusk Technique: At 6th level, then again at 9th, 12th, 15th and 18th level, your duskblade training manifests in one of the techniques listed below:
Arcane Power (Ex): Add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll of any arcane spells you cast (you only roll for damage once per spell). Spells cast through wands, scrolls and staffs
also benefit from this ability. The damage increases to 5+Int at 11th level and 10+Int at 16th level.
Explanation: Scaling bonus damage to maintain relevance at higher levels. Stealing from Warmage because they're not cool enough for this ability
Bonus Feat: You gain a bonus feat from the following list (without having to meet prerequisites): Arcane Strike (Complete Warrior, p.96), Shield Ward (PHB II, p.82), Shielded Casting (Races of Stone, p.144)
Selecting this again will gain you a different bonus feat.
Explanation: Arcane Strike is another must-have feat for Duskblades. Shield Ward and Shielded Casting are nice additions to shield users, but feat tax makes them unfeasible. This bypasses that to give options to sword-and-board duskblades.
Limit Break (Ex): By spending one use of your Quick Cast ability, you gain the benefits of the Enhance Spell feat (Complete Arcane, p.191) for your next spell cast. Using this ability counts towards the encounter limit of Quick Cast.
Explanation: A different way to siphon off a bigger Quick Cast pool. It can be expanded to include various other metamagics, but I feel like this one should suffice.
Spell Power (Ex): When you hit with a melee attack, you gain a +2 bonus to your caster level until the end of the encounter.
When you deal damage with a spell, you gain a +2 bonus on melee damage rolls until the end of the encounter.
Explanation: Simple way to benefit both sides of the class. Might be too simple.
Quick Cast (Ex): You gain 2 additional uses of Quick Cast per day. This ability does not increase your per encounter limit.
Explanation: This is good for longer adventuring days. There's also the possibility of adding more ways to use Quick Cast, I'm open to suggestions.
Pierce the Veil (Ex): You gain the benefit of the Pierce Magical Concealment feat (Complete Arcane, p.81) but do not suffer from the penalty to your caster level.
Explanation: For the aspiring anti-magic peeps out there. Also, concealment is annoying as heck.
Fun fact: A level 13 Duskblade (18 Str,20 Int) with Spell Power, Limit Break, Arcane Strike, Arcane Power and Power Attack can do, with a 2-round setup and a nonmagical Greatsword:
1d12+15d6+10 (Arcane Power)+4 (Str)+ 26 (Power Attack) + xd4 (Arcane Strike)
X = the amount of spell levels you decide to sacrifice [could be huge]
This damage is dealt to three separate targets at +28/+3/-2 (13 base + 4 Str + 20 True Strike + 4 Arcane Strike -13 Power Attack) attack bonus. Obviously this gets better with magic weapons and such.
Duskblade
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills
The Duskblade's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str).
Skills Points at 1st Level: (2 + int) x 4
Skill Points at each additional level 2 + Int
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Armoured Mage (light), Arcane Channeling|3|2|-|-|-|-
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Versatile Spellcaster|4|3|-|-|-|-
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Advanced Learning|5|4|-|-|-|-
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Armoured Mage (medium)|6|5|2|-|-|-
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Quick Cast 3/day, 1/enc|7|5|3|-|-|-
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Dusk Technique|8|6|4|-|-|-
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5|Armoured Mage (heavy shield)|8|6|5|-|-|-
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Advanced Learning|8|7|6|2|-|-
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Dusk Technique|8|7|6|3|-|-
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Quick Cast 4/day, 2/enc|8|8|7|4|-|-
11th|
+11|
+7|
+3|
+7|Advanced Learning|8|8|7|5|-|-
12th|
+12|
+8|
+4|
+8|Dusk Technique|8|8|8|6|2|-
13th|
+13|
+8|
+4|
+8|Arcane Channeling, improved|8|9|8|6|3|-
14th|
+14|
+9|
+4|
+9|Advanced Learning|8|9|8|7|4|-
15th|
+15|
+9|
+5|
+9|Dusk Technique, Quick Cast 5/day, 3/enc|8|9|8|7|5|-
16th|
+16|
+10|
+5|
+10|-|8|9|8|7|6|2
17th|
+17|
+10|
+5|
+10|Advanced Learning|8|10|9|8|6|3
18th|
+18|
+11|
+6|
+11|Dusk Technique|8|10|9|8|7|4
19th|
+19|
+11|
+6|
+11|-|8|10|10|9|7|5
20th|
+20|
+12|
+6|
+12|Quick Cast 6/day|8|10|10|10|8|6
[/table]
Class Features
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: Duskblades are proficient with all martial weapons, as well as all armours and shields (except tower shields).
Spells: You cast arcane spells, which are drawn from the Duskblade spell list found in the Player's Handbook 2, page 24. You are a spontaneous caster.
To learn or cast a spell, you must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The DC for a saving throw against your spell is 10 + the spell level + your Int modifier.
You can only cast a certain number of spells per day, as shown on the table above. In addition you receive bonus spells per day if you have a high Intelligence score (see the d20srd for relevant tables)
Spells Known: You begin play knowing all your 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells, chosen from the Duskblade spell list. Each time you gain a new class level, you learn one additional spell of any level you can cast, chosen from the Duskblade spell list.
Upon reaching 4th level, and at each subsequent even level, you can choose to learn a new spell in place of one you already know. In effect, you lose access to the old spell in exchange for gaining the new one. The new spell must be the same spell level as the old one.
You make the exchange at the same time you would choose a new spell to learn for that level.
I simplified some of the wording from the PHB II and changed the Duskblade's spell retraining mechanic a bit since it was needlessly complicated. I also gave the class 2 more cantrips/day and smoothed out the spell progression, resulting in earlier access to higher spell levels.
This buff is meant to make players feel more powerful earlier in their career, where most games start and end, and prevents long periods of "I channel Shocking Grasp on this guy"
Arcane Channeling (Su): Once per round as a free action, when you hit with a melee attack, you may channel a touch spell you know through your melee weapon. This counts as casting the spell, but does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The spell must have a casting time of 1 standard action or less. The effect of the spell is resolved after the target takes damage from your melee attack.
At 13th level, the channeled spell is stored in your weapon until the start of your next turn, and affects each target you hit in melee combat that round, but only once per target.
I used the 4th Edition template here since activating the ability and then missing feels horrible (you lose your attack AND your spell). This hopefully makes it easier to grok and prevents feel-bad moments.
Enabling this ability at level 1 makes for easy dippings, so I'm considering making it usable with Duskblade spells only. I think there's enough incentive to stay in the class to dispel fears of it being used as a 1-level dip
Versatile Spellcaster: You gain Versatile Spellcaster (Races of the Dragon, p.101) as a bonus feat.
Everyone is gonna take this feat anyways, since it's really good with the Duskblade's enormous amount of spells per day. Might as well give it out for free.
Armoured Mage (Ex): You ignore arcane spell failure when casting Duskblade spells while wearing light armour and light shields.
At 4th level, you learn to use medium armour with no chance of arcane spell failure.
At 7th level, you learn to use a heavy shield with no chance of arcane spell failure. Then you learn that Mithral Armour is the best.
Advanced Learning (Ex): You may add a spell to your spell list, representing the results of personal study and experimentation.
The spell must be a Sorcerer/Wizard spell of the Evocation or Transmutation school, and of a level no higher than the highest-level spell you already know.
You may channel this spell through your Arcane Channeling ability, even if it is not a touch spell. You gain another new spell at 8th, 11th, 14th, and 17th level.
It's standard Advanced Learning, with a twist. Not sure what exploits can be found here, I haven't thought too much about it. Could be fun brainstorming ways to break this.
Quick Cast: Beginning at 5th level, you may spend a swift action to cast a spell. You can do this 3 times per day, but only once per encounter.
At 10th and 15th level, you gain one more use of this ability per day and per encounter. At 20th level, the usage limit per encounter is removed.
More uses to prevent the 1-encounter adventuring day, but limited use to prevent abuse
Dusk Technique: At 6th level, then again at 9th, 12th, 15th and 18th level, your duskblade training manifests in one of the techniques listed below:
Arcane Power (Ex): Add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll of any arcane spells you cast (you only roll for damage once per spell). Spells cast through wands, scrolls and staffs
also benefit from this ability. The damage increases to 5+Int at 11th level and 10+Int at 16th level.
Explanation: Scaling bonus damage to maintain relevance at higher levels. Stealing from Warmage because they're not cool enough for this ability
Bonus Feat: You gain a bonus feat from the following list (without having to meet prerequisites): Arcane Strike (Complete Warrior, p.96), Shield Ward (PHB II, p.82), Shielded Casting (Races of Stone, p.144)
Selecting this again will gain you a different bonus feat.
Explanation: Arcane Strike is another must-have feat for Duskblades. Shield Ward and Shielded Casting are nice additions to shield users, but feat tax makes them unfeasible. This bypasses that to give options to sword-and-board duskblades.
Limit Break (Ex): By spending one use of your Quick Cast ability, you gain the benefits of the Enhance Spell feat (Complete Arcane, p.191) for your next spell cast. Using this ability counts towards the encounter limit of Quick Cast.
Explanation: A different way to siphon off a bigger Quick Cast pool. It can be expanded to include various other metamagics, but I feel like this one should suffice.
Spell Power (Ex): When you hit with a melee attack, you gain a +2 bonus to your caster level until the end of the encounter.
When you deal damage with a spell, you gain a +2 bonus on melee damage rolls until the end of the encounter.
Explanation: Simple way to benefit both sides of the class. Might be too simple.
Quick Cast (Ex): You gain 2 additional uses of Quick Cast per day. This ability does not increase your per encounter limit.
Explanation: This is good for longer adventuring days. There's also the possibility of adding more ways to use Quick Cast, I'm open to suggestions.
Pierce the Veil (Ex): You gain the benefit of the Pierce Magical Concealment feat (Complete Arcane, p.81) but do not suffer from the penalty to your caster level.
Explanation: For the aspiring anti-magic peeps out there. Also, concealment is annoying as heck.
Fun fact: A level 13 Duskblade (18 Str,20 Int) with Spell Power, Limit Break, Arcane Strike, Arcane Power and Power Attack can do, with a 2-round setup and a nonmagical Greatsword:
1d12+15d6+10 (Arcane Power)+4 (Str)+ 26 (Power Attack) + xd4 (Arcane Strike)
X = the amount of spell levels you decide to sacrifice [could be huge]
This damage is dealt to three separate targets at +28/+3/-2 (13 base + 4 Str + 20 True Strike + 4 Arcane Strike -13 Power Attack) attack bonus. Obviously this gets better with magic weapons and such.