Human duskblade build

[Shadowbane13]

Started a campaign last night with a level 1 human duskblade. Wondering how I should bring this guy up.

Abilities: (4d4 remove lowest rolled abilities.)
Str 16
Dex 14
Con 17
Int 16
Wis 12
Cha 12

Feats:
Power attack
Cleave

If you want more info just ask. Thanks guys.

[John Longarrow]

Depends, what else do you want to do besides your limited spell selection/hit things? I can think of a dozen ways to advance, depending on your desires.

Full Gish? Skill monkeyed? Serious caster? Party Buffer? Something else?

[Shadowbane13]

More likely to gish him out than anything. I'm second in line for taking hits so I'm probably gonna be in close combat rather often and casting spells in melee combat isn't the best of choices unless I can use said spells to keep them away. Ultimate goal is to create someone close to cloud strife.

[gorfnab]

Obligatory handbook link: Duskblade Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=k57110gl1k56fhi9gopiefp430&topic=8696)

Switch out Cleave for Versatile Spellcaster. Take Knowledge Devotion at 3rd, and Arcane Strike at 6.

What books is your DM allowing you to use?

[Shadowbane13]

Anything in 3.5 as long as I can cite it to a hardcover copy. (Or pdf of said copy)

[Rebel7284]

Those feats set you up nicely for Duskblade 9/Warrior Skald 1/Sublime Chord 1/Abjurant Champion 5/X 4

Edit: Although you will probably need to take apprentice entertainer at some point to get perform as a class skill.

[John Longarrow]

If you take your first three levels in Duskblade, you pick up Combat Casting for free and the ability to push your touch spells through your melee weapon. This sets you up to drop six ranks in Knowledge(arcana), one of your class skills. Then go up 2 levels in Wizard. From there, take one level in SpellSword (Complete Warrior, one level dip gives you a caster level, point of BAB, strong fort/will save, D8 hp) so you have a BAB of 5 at 6th level. This sets you up to go Abjurant Champion (Complete Mage, full BAB, full casting, Strong Will) for the next 5 levels. You will wind up with at 11th level with a BAB of 10 can access to 4th level spells from the wizards list (2 levels wizard + 6 levels in prestige classes that push it). With the D10 for Abj Champ you average out one HP ahead of straight Duskblade but you are behind a point of BAB. up side is you don't have the limited spell list to cast off of but you still get most of the benefits of being a duskblade.

By the time you hit 11th level you should be able to work out how you want to progress based on how the rest of the group is doing.

[Shadowbane13]

Sounds good but I was probably gonna stick to pure duskblade. More than less.

[John Longarrow]

The biggest downside to playing a duskblade is their spell selection. At 5th level they pick up their first 2nd level spells and 3rd levels come on at 9th. Compared to going up 2 levels in Wizard and doing a more normal gish build you pick up casting in medium armor at 4th instead of getting mage armor at 4th. At 6th you get +2 to overcome SR instead of getting access to 2nd level wizard spells. From there you fall farther and farther behind in your top level spells (and the variety). It can be an effective build, but you have a large space where your just not keeping up because of the spell selection and lack of class features. Plus side it mechanically its a pretty easy build.

As the 'other' fighter in your group, adding variety to what you can do will help you feel less like a 5th wheel and more like the support the party really needs. Down side of Duskblade is all of its spells are geared for use during a combat round with little to help your party out.