Duskblade ideas.

[Metahuman1]

So, here's a question.

I've got a player that's looking at running a Duskblade in the near future, but were both sorta concerned it's not gonna do what she wants it too do. Yeah, it's presented as a Gish but what we see is "Class that get's bonus damage and a couple of very minor and after a point forgettable tricks."

So, to make this work, were considering expanding the Duskblades spell list, and one way to go about that is to let it scribe scrolls and spell book pages, like a wizard does, up to it's highest spell castable level.

How much stronger does this make the duskblade, if the player is focused on learning new touch spells to channel, and buff spells like Haste, Mirror's Image, Displacement, Enlarge person and Greater luminous armor?

[Urpriest]

So, to make this work, were considering expanding the Duskblades spell list, and one way to go about that is to let it scribe scrolls and spell book pages, like a wizard does, up to it's highest spell castable level.

How much stronger does this make the duskblade, if the player is focused on learning new touch spells to channel, and buff spells like Haste, Mirror's Image, Displacement, Enlarge person and Greater luminous armor?

That doesn't follow. Just like a Wizard can't scribe Bard spells, a Duskblade can't scribe Wizard spells unless they're actually on its list, even if it uses a spellbook. You'd need to add specific spells as desired, or just add the entire Wizard list (the latter might be too powerful).

[Metahuman1]

We were thinking since as far as I know ALL the duskblades spells are found on the wizards list, just letting him scribe scrolls like a Wizard. We figured since it only get's up to like, 5th level spells, it wouldn't be too bad.

I know there are some nasty offenders by that level, black tenticals, polymorph, Glitter Dust, The first one or two Wall of X spells, but the player's not really gravitating towards those kinds of spells as they don't fit the play style/character imagery there going for.

the spells in the op are much more the sort of things the player is looking at, and there good spells but there not gonna in and of themselves destroy the game. Particularly with the op level of the monsters we've scene so far. (Party is level 5 and last session fought a CR 11 Dread Wraith. No one had ghost touch gear. Just to give you an idea of what were trying to be able to handle here.)

[Fax Celestis]

Why not give him a couple initiate feats as bonus feats? They add spells to the spell list (some of which are pretty awesome), and have some fringe benefits.

Alternatively, give them a bonus feat pattern (say, 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20), from which they can get Draconic Heritage and related feats, which would let them do some more interesting things with their spells.

[Red Fel]

Why not give him a couple initiate feats as bonus feats? They add spells to the spell list (some of which are pretty awesome), and have some fringe benefits.

Alternatively, give them a bonus feat pattern (say, 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20), from which they can get Draconic Heritage and related feats, which would let them do some more interesting things with their spells.

This, I think.

Yes, Duskblade's spell list is a bit underwhelming, but it's his; the spells may not be the best, but that (at least mostly) fit the concept of a magic swordsman. Choosing to add new spells individually would be a mountain of paperwork and prep simply deciding what you could add without being overwhelming; adding the entire Wizard list (at least up to level 5) ruins some of the charming simplicity of being a Duskblade.

Allowing bonus feats, or using feats that grant specific spells, is a nice, clean way of adding utility and function to the character without twisting into a pretzel.

[JungleChicken]

Why not just sub a few classes of sorcerer or wizard?

Seems much simpler and true to the intent of the classes.

[Kaje]

I really hate to be "that guy" but you could import the Magus spell list from Pathfinder.

[(Un)Inspired]

If your player wants to play a wizard Gish instead of a duskblade just tell them to do that. The duskblade exists as a simple, pre-constructed Gish. You lose the power of a real Gish in exchange for said simplicity.

If you really want a full bab wizard without multiclassing just have your player build a SotAO mystic ranger.

[Metahuman1]

The player's not likely to massively expand there spells known list. A couple of touch attack spells like Midnights Caress that should have been on the list anyway, and a short list of buffs for the same.

He's not trying to be a wizard, just a somewhat better magic swordsman then the base class was designed. It's a teir 4 low tier 3 class, so, I'd think adding to there spells know like this would get them mid tier 3 out of the box and high tier three if they use it well (player won't, decently but not well.), maybe if they use it Total Op low Teir 2.


Initiate feats is a though, but that requires a lot of reading of feat's and looking up spell lists from more then one class, were as with scribing new spells known, it's more "see cool buff/touch attack form this list, buy a scroll in town, learn it on your down time."

[roguemetal]

Arcane Disciple and Versatile Spellcaster can give the player some added usefulness.

Sand Shaper is a good PrC to gain some extra spells.

There's also the Bloodline feats in Dragon Magazine.

[Sal Trebov]

Lame spell list is why I don't like the Duskblade. Having said that, he gets just about everything he needs to function in combat: Channeling spells through a weapon hit (Usually Vampiric Touch unless they're undead or constructs) is their bread and butter, and it can hurt. They just don't get the top-notch defense spells or any utility spells. (Swift Fly doesn't count. That spell is terrible. I mean, take it, by all means. If you can fly, fly.)

Arcane Disciple is a good feat though, and I like the idea of homebrewing it as a bonus feat.

[Urpriest]

The player's not likely to massively expand there spells known list. A couple of touch attack spells like Midnights Caress that should have been on the list anyway, and a short list of buffs for the same.

Then why not just add the requested spells to their list? Why make the character jump through the hoop of seeking out scrolls or the like? Why restrict things to the Wizard list, if the player isn't going to ask for anything inappropriate anyway?

It's not like restricting the player to the Wizard list means they have meaningfully fewer choices to look at. That list is huge!

[Nihilarian]

The Beguiler gets a class ability to add a spell from wizard to its list. Tack that ability on the duskblade and he'll be able to pick whatever he wants, it won't be as unbalanced as adding the entire class list, and you won't have to do much work.

[Metahuman1]

Then why not just add the requested spells to their list? Why make the character jump through the hoop of seeking out scrolls or the like? Why restrict things to the Wizard list, if the player isn't going to ask for anything inappropriate anyway?

It's not like restricting the player to the Wizard list means they have meaningfully fewer choices to look at. That list is huge!

Give them a bit of freedom to go "No, not really digging this displacement thing, but I LOVE this Mirror's Image!" "Yeah, not wild about Luminous Armor stuff, but Enlarge person and Haste? Sign me UP!" "Um, yeah, not seeing Alter Self, but Wraith Strike and Fly? Now THOSE sound awesome!"

Edit: Plus, this give the player the chance to make a mistake/change there mind and correct it by not casting the spell that proved a mistake again and learning a different spell.