What variety can a duskblade have?

[CyberThread]

Besides rolling fistfuls of d 6's , what can a duskblade give to a party?

[Hytheter]

Well, it has a handful of minor utility spells, but overall his main purpose is a Melee combatant with casting buffs. A single-class Gish.

[Snowbluff]

A lot of them blow all of their ranks in knowledge devotion, so Knowledge can be added to the list.

[Auramis]

Duskblades could serve as pseudo tanks, if played in such a way. Even with an average hit die, you could still take a good beating in the right armor and shield. I wouldn't say a Duskblade could be a primary tank, but a good secondary if you need one.

[HunterOfJello]

Duskblade can be a decent springboard and bring some variety to a Ur-Priest/Mystic Theurge build.

[DR27]

Off the top of my head, besides glass cannon - debuff, buff, battlefield control (limited short range teleports, mist), some utility (spider climb, swift fly, swift invisibility, ect), immediate action combat spells (optimal action economy utilization), save or X. It's weak in each of these compared to classes that specialize in those roles, and thus low in T3 - but it's still pretty versatile. It's in the realm of "doing one thing quite well (Glass Cannon), while still being useful when that one thing is inappropriate." WotC really started to figure things out late in the 3.5 game.

[CyberThread]

Duskblade can be a decent springboard and bring some variety to a Ur-Priest/Mystic Theurge build.

Hmm how so, for channeling magic?

[Blueiji]

Hmm how so, for channeling magic?

Yes, the Arcane Channeling class feature allows you to use "any touch spell you know", not just Duskblade ones.

So introducing the wide range of cleric debuffs offered by the Ur Mage makes for a really interesting and powerful character.

[Beleron]

Geomancer is an interesting thing to head into for a duskblade /urpriest.

[animewatcha]

A duskblade can go to a bunch of different magic shops and offer his spells to be expended in the creation of magic items instead of that spellcaster's.

[DarkSonic1337]

Hmm how so, for channeling magic?

Well...Yes. The Duskblade arcane chanelling class feature says you can channel ANY SPELL YOU KNOW.

They're also pretty useful as the martial side of other gish builds. Full bab, two good saves, full weapon and armor proficiency, free combat casting (prereq for the revered Abjurant Champion) and arcane channeling are really nice for a gish if you can stomach the 3 caster level loss on your main casting side.

Even single class duskblade has some perks. In my experience....they never run out of spell slots. Like seriously, you can arcane strike ALL DAY and channel shocking grasp/vampiric touch to your hearts content and still be going strong. Even more so if you can manage to get your hands on a Ring of Wizadry I or II (10 lvl 1 spells->20). Versitile spellcaster is particularly great with them since you'll be burning lower level slots that frankly you wouldn't be using even if you tried. And if you SOMEHOW run out of spells...well there's always just power attack+knowledge devotion goodness

[Khedrac]

I never got to play him far enough, but there is another duskblade mode - the ranged touch spell specialist.

If you look at the duskblade's 3rd, 4th and 5th level spells they get a lot of ranged touch spells that they cannot channel through their melee weapon.

Build a ranged specialist - not as good as a true mailman, but still OK - then when you get forced to melee out with the channel touch of idiocy and make them wish they left you at range...

[Dusk Eclipse]

Well, it has a handful of minor utility spells, but overall his main purpose is a Melee combatant with casting buffs. A single-class Gish.

They aren't that good at self-buffing, while they have a fair amount of buffs in their list most of them are really bad, though there are a few gems here an there.

[Nightraiderx]

If you want a duskblade tank, going to need alittle incarnum and dragon blood
a duskblade dipped into crusader can make his offense into a good healing conduit with the healing soulmeld. And on top of that with dragon blood there is a feat that lets you heal as you cast a portion equal to the spell level, so now you heal as you arcane smite, although really just better for lower level tactics.

[Fax Celestis]

They can make an excellent combatant/everyman type if you go with something like Duskblade 5/Warblade 1/Jade Phoenix Mage.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Crusader would be better in my opinion, it has a better maneuver recovery (Duskblade do have some nice swift action spells that clash with Warblades's recovery) and native access to Devoted spirit means you get higher level maneuvers a little faster and easier.

[Piggy Knowles]

If you're willing to do a little bit of wiggling, a duskblade can fulfill just about any role. Here's one I've put together that combines melee combatant and debuffer with controller and summoner: Magnus Veritas (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286800).