3.P - Multiclassing with Duskblade (post 13th level)

[Red Rubber Band]

Greetings,

Planning out a current character's future. I'm playing a straight classed Human Duskblade, and do not plan on dipping out until I've got the full attack channelling.

Once I hit 13th level, where can I go from there? The campaign will end by 17th level, most probably 15th, so I'm looking for a Prestige Class to dip.

Here are some other things to consider:

One of the highest priorities is that it continues to advance spellcasting most of the time. Level 4 offers a lot for my character in the utility and flavour departments.
My character has pledged his loyalty to another. Classes that showcase devotion/bodyguard abilities would be a nice touch.
Has an elemental connection. If there is a class that focuses on an element, or something like the void/metal/gravity, I am sure that I can attempt to refluff it to fit.
Easier entry prerequisites are better. I think the only feats I have that are prerequisites to anything are Leadership, and Improved Initiate. Skill prerequisites require 3 less if using a 3.5 class. Charisma skills have been left in the dust.
Magical items do not assist in entry prerequisites even if they give feats whilst being held.
Setting specific things (languages, regions) can usually be waived. Some racial prerequisites can also be waived.
PF character creation with 3.5 allowed.
No Dragon Magazine or 3rd party stuff allowed. I think the only 3rd party stuff allowed so far has been some of DSP's PF stuff.


I have shocking knowledge of PF PCs, and am slowly going through 3.5's. The below list are classes I've looked at and marked down for one reason or another. They will be revisited and marked against harsher criteria at a later date.

3.5 Prestige classes I've noted:
Citadel Elite
Defiant
Dracolexi
Earth Dreamer
Escalation Mage
Frost Mage

[Extra Anchovies]

Raumathari Battlemage is a pretty solid one. It provides 9/10 casting, and has a channel spell ability. Duskblade + Raumathari Battlemage + Spell Storing and Bloodstone weapon = four spells channeled through one attack (one of which is locked into Vampiric Touch).

[Sagetim]

Abjurant Champion. I had a party member in one campaign where we went from 3rd to 18th level and he went full 13 duskblade/5abjurant champion. It was super helpful for his AC and defensive abilities, which sync'd very well with his duskblade offensive capabilities. Since it's 3.5, try to get mithral full plate once you can afford it, and enchant that when you can. By the time you can get it, you'll have medium armor casting and it will count as medium armor. Invest in a +5 Dancing shield so you can two hand your sword later on. And shocking grasp is your friend, quick casting truestrike and pumping power attack is your friend...etc etc.

Remember that power attack works differently in 3.5 than in pathfinder, allowing you to drop up to your bab from your bonus to hit for bonus damage (or 1.5x bonus damage two handing). So when you truestrike, power attack for max and shocking grasp the target too if they're taking lightning damage. Also, I think that shocking grasp will give your stabbing a +3 to hit against targets in metal armor...so that should help too with general power attack shenanigans.

[Red Rubber Band]

Raumathari Battlemage is a pretty solid one. It provides 9/10 casting, and has a channel spell ability. Duskblade + Raumathari Battlemage + Spell Storing and Bloodstone weapon = four spells channeled through one attack (one of which is locked into Vampiric Touch).

Excellent, thank you. I shall keep an eye out for that one when I get to R's :smalltongue:


Abjurant Champion. I had a party member in one campaign where we went from 3rd to 18th level and he went full 13 duskblade/5abjurant champion. It was super helpful for his AC and defensive abilities, which sync'd very well with his duskblade offensive capabilities. Since it's 3.5, try to get mithral full plate once you can afford it, and enchant that when you can. By the time you can get it, you'll have medium armor casting and it will count as medium armor. Invest in a +5 Dancing shield so you can two hand your sword later on. And shocking grasp is your friend, quick casting truestrike and pumping power attack is your friend...etc etc.

Remember that power attack works differently in 3.5 than in pathfinder, allowing you to drop up to your bab from your bonus to hit for bonus damage (or 1.5x bonus damage two handing). So when you truestrike, power attack for max and shocking grasp the target too if they're taking lightning damage. Also, I think that shocking grasp will give your stabbing a +3 to hit against targets in metal armor...so that should help too with general power attack shenanigans.

My only gripe with Abjurant Champion is that I cannot remember there being any Mage Armour's or similar spells that buff AC for any amount of time.
Unfortunately PA is the PF version. So it's fairly well locked in. But the DM has ruled that Shocking Grasp gives +3 to hit targets in metal, likewise Seeking Ray helps with concealment. I was considering using one of my spare feats for the Metamagic Feat that raises the spell level by 5, even if that means it surpasses it's max d6/CL. This would raise, for example, Shocking Grasp to 10d6. Signature Spell, I think...

[Sagetim]

With a ring of wizardry 1, you don't need it to work with mage armor, you can have it work with, I think it's called, Deflection Field? It's an immediate action to cast and if I recall right, a level 1 spell. Which you'll have a lot of (nearly 20 with just the ring, +int bonus spells). Even if you cast it every round in an average fight, that's maybe 3 or 4 first level spells in a fight for boosting your ac by ridiculous amounts (I think it's +9 at 5 in abjurant champion). And with enough AC boosting, you won't need it every round, leaving you a lot of level 1 spells to blow on shocking grasp spam (not including higher level slots that you can use for other touch spells, like vampiric touch spam).

I'm rather afraid that if you go with the battlemage option, you'll wind up over-accelerating the arms race between player and DM. If you can consistently pump out 4 spells in one hit, then it seems likely that you'll outpace your other team mates in damage dealing capability to the point that having an encounter that would challenge you would instantly kill them. With Abjurant Champion, you're balancing out the heavy offensive that Duskblade already provides you with a good set of defensive options. Also, it's a full caster and full bab progression.

[Red Rubber Band]

With a ring of wizardry 1, you don't need it to work with mage armor, you can have it work with, I think it's called, Deflection Field? It's an immediate action to cast and if I recall right, a level 1 spell. Which you'll have a lot of (nearly 20 with just the ring, +int bonus spells). Even if you cast it every round in an average fight, that's maybe 3 or 4 first level spells in a fight for boosting your ac by ridiculous amounts (I think it's +9 at 5 in abjurant champion). And with enough AC boosting, you won't need it every round, leaving you a lot of level 1 spells to blow on shocking grasp spam (not including higher level slots that you can use for other touch spells, like vampiric touch spam).

I'm rather afraid that if you go with the battlemage option, you'll wind up over-accelerating the arms race between player and DM. If you can consistently pump out 4 spells in one hit, then it seems likely that you'll outpace your other team mates in damage dealing capability to the point that having an encounter that would challenge you would instantly kill them. With Abjurant Champion, you're balancing out the heavy offensive that Duskblade already provides you with a good set of defensive options. Also, it's a full caster and full bab progression.

I'll think on it, but Lesser Deflect is a 1 round/until attacked boost to AC equal to 1 per three CL (max 5). With 2 levels of Abjurant Champion I'm getting +7 to AC for 2 rounds, or until a single attack is made against me.
While it's not the worst thing in the world, I'm not getting the warm fuzzies over it. That being said Abjurant Champion, if I can swing a Mage Armour or another AC boosting spell, is a definite possibility.

[Sagetim]

If worse come to worse and you can't find a suitable sell, ask your dm if you can research one.

[Red Rubber Band]

I may do that.

However, after looking through all 3.5 PCs that increase spellcasting, I think I'm going to go with Escalation Mage. The ability to Empower Spells at 3rd level without increasing casting time appeals to the multitude of ability penalties I can inflict.