Question on Duskblade/Mage of the Arcane order

[CyberThread]

So two questions, am starting off as a level 6


What spellpool Level one spells can a duskblade benefit from, the most likely ?


How far along is it worth taking before the PRC is more of a hindrance?

[Cog]

What spellpool Level one spells can a duskblade benefit from, the most likely ?
Mostly it's good for situational utility. Get familiar with what's on the Sorc/Wiz core spell list so you can pull something surprising out in a pinch. Given that you effectively have to pay double slots for spellpool spells, you don't want to be relying on them for your basic tactics.

How far along is it worth taking before the PRC is more of a hindrance?
Take only the first level as soon as you can get it, then wait until you have full attack channeling to take enough to get Spellpool 2 - or skip that entirely if you have any other PrCs you want to take.

[HighWater]

As stated by Cog, you pay double for any spell you pull from the spellpool, although half the cost can be delayed (but only by a day if you only take one level in the class, if I'm reading "class level" correctly). What further inconveniences the use of spellpool spells in combat is the fullround action of concentration that is required, which basically means you're taking a full turn + the normal casting time to throw that spell out there. Only useful if you have time to prepare for a surprise round (the spell stays in your mind for a few minutes). Otherwise, the spellpool is mostly for strict utility, such as Identify, Charm Person or Knock (level 2) and such spells that only come up some of the time. Even then, making someone use a scroll or wand may be the better option if you guys have some money left and the spell doesn't offer a save or caster-level benefit. That said, sometimes you really could use that one spell you never thought off before...

Also be aware that MotAO only grants +1 level on your spells per day/spells known, all other Duskblade abilities are not advanced when taking levels in MotAO. This will hurt your BAB and Fortitude saves and will delay some of the gish-tricks the Duskblade has. Depending on how important you find a bonus language (usually not quite as powerful as advancing your duskblade), levels 3 and onwards will be pretty much dead levels until you learn to cast 4th levels. (Which means for a Duskblade/MotAO hybrid a total character level of 13).

MotAO is also very feat heavy. Unless your DM waves some, you require: Cooperative spellcasting (almost always useless), another Meta Magic feat, and the ability to PREPARE 2nd level spells, meaning another feat. If you're not a human and have no other way to score extra feats, you're stuck with entry at level 7 (1st level, 3rd level and 6th level feats, you get the feat AFTER you take another level in a class you qualify for, which can't be Duskblade because you don't have that third feat yet...) Provided you find an extra feat (or one is waived), the skillranks Knowledge arcana (8) also mean you can only enter MotAO at level 6 (you have enough skillranks at level 5, but you can't enter yet because you didn't actually have those nor did you have 2nd level spells until you picked a class to level in, which couldn't be MotAO... again...). Starting at level 6 you could be a Duskblade 5/MotAO1, if you got the extra feat.

I have no experience with Duskblades, but I'd say a one, or maybe two-level dip (for the free metamagic feat) is the max you'd want to spend inside your first 10 levels, as MotAO really doesn't offer you anything at level 3 (free language...) and only offers you something at level 4 once you're charlevel13. Level 5 and 6 are also pretty dead unless you can convince your DM to give you an extra spell known instead (lvl 5), which is likely still not worth it. Don't even think about level 7 (gives you spellpool access to spells you're not allowed to cast ever and therefore still can't cast)...

As the second MotAO level doesn't hurt your BaB, you mostly need to consider if the MMfeat is worth a straight Duskblade level less. Also take a stern look at just how much you'll require flexibility in 4th levels and 5s.

In short: the more levels in MotAO you take, the more you'll hurt your gishness. Take only 1, 2, or perhaps 4, and implement them at their most favorable moment.