An Intelligent Warrior [3.5]

[OMG PONIES]

I'm drumming up a duskblade (most likely with Spiked Chain trip-attack shenanigans), and I'm seeing the potential for some great synergy with Factotum and Warblade. What's the best balance of 20 levels that includes all 3 classes? Also, what feats can I take to up my reach?

[Swok]

Willing Deformity and Willing Deformity: Tall (though they are vile) there is also Abberant Blood and Inhuman Reach. Book of Vile Darkness and Lords of Madness respectively.

[Snake-Aes]

I'm drumming up a duskblade (most likely with Spiked Chain trip-attack shenanigans), and I'm seeing the potential for some great synergy with Factotum and Warblade. What's the best balance of 20 levels that includes all 3 classes? Also, what feats can I take to up my reach?

Upping reach? Reach weapons and spells. I think the classic is "spiked chain and enlarge person".
which will be the center? the duskblade's defining feature(arcane channeling) is only useful if you load yourself with touch spells, ruling out any synergy between warblade and duskblade features.

[OMG PONIES]

Basically, I just like warblade for providing some extra options. Is a dip viable to get...Thicket of Blades? The stance that causes 5-foot step to provoke opportunity attacks. Otherwise, is it worth burning two feats just for that stance?

If it was just a factotum/duskblade, what would the ideal 20-level build be for touch spell trip-attacking inspiration-using madness?

[Snake-Aes]

Basically, I just like warblade for providing some extra options. Is a dip viable to get...Thicket of Blades? The stance that causes 5-foot step to provoke opportunity attacks. Otherwise, is it worth burning two feats just for that stance?

If it was just a factotum/duskblade, what would the ideal 20-level build be for touch spell trip-attacking inspiration-using madness?

I don't know the factotum nor the specific warblade spells offhand...but if you want "touch spell trip attacking inspired madness" you probably want a full attack arcane channeling...so Dusk13/Factotum+Warblade7

[ProfMoriarty]

Basically, I just like warblade for providing some extra options. Is a dip viable to get...Thicket of Blades? The stance that causes 5-foot step to provoke opportunity attacks. Otherwise, is it worth burning two feats just for that stance?

If it was just a factotum/duskblade, what would the ideal 20-level build be for touch spell trip-attacking inspiration-using madness?

I believe Thicket of Blades is a Devoted Spirit stance requiring a Devoted Spirit maneuver. So you will need Crusader not Warblade and depending on the interpretation of the "begins play with a 1st level stance," you'll need 2 levels of Crusader or a feat and a level of Crusader to get the stance since it isn't a 1st level stance. I think, can't confirm as I don't have ToB with me.

[Amphetryon]

Lunging Strike, from PH2, improves your Reach situationally.

[OMG PONIES]

Argh. I always forget that it's DS...it seems like an Iron Heart stance to me. I may go w/ Duskblade 13/Factotum 3/Warblade 4, just to top off the build with some high-HD, full-BAB, maneuvery goodness.

[Person_Man]

IMO, no synergy exists.

Duskblade is a 3/4 casting class. Most of it's power comes from it's spells, which it can channel through it's attacks. Similarly, most of the Warblade's power comes from his maneuvers and stances. Multi-classing either basically screws your power progression.

For example, something like Factotum 3/Duskblade 3 would be garbage - your friends will be rocking out 3rd level spells and Leap Attack, while you're still stuck on 1st level spells.

Factotum 3/Warblade X might work better, thanks to ToB's unique progression rules. But I don't see it working with Duskblade at all.

[Lateral]

Inhuman Reach is probably the best reach feat. It gives you +5 feet on reach, but +10 if you are wielding a reach weapon. So, if you have this feat, your reach is 10 feet and 20 feet with a spiked chain.

[OMG PONIES]

Hmm, perhaps the word I was looking for is...versatility? I know it gimps the final progression. But what about taking Duskblade straight to 13 and then adding the other classes? It seems that my bread and butter would be in place by then, and adding the other classes would be like adding...cinnamon butter. MMM, cinnamon butter.

[Amphetryon]

Consider this suggestion, from BG's Duskblade handbook:

duskblade13/fiendblooded7 (from Heroes of Horror).

[Escheton]

It does not have duskblade but a factotum3/warblade2/wizard3/Jade phoenix mage might be exactly what you are looking for.
JPM progresses Devoted and as such has that stance.
I made a similar build, but also being the rogue I made him a elf paragon for searchbonus madness amongst other sweetness as +2 int, wizard casting on d8 hd lvls.

Of course this build works best with partial bab from UA as otherwise you lose a few points, not that it needs it...

[Person_Man]

Hmm, perhaps the word I was looking for is...versatility? I know it gimps the final progression. But what about taking Duskblade straight to 13 and then adding the other classes? It seems that my bread and butter would be in place by then, and adding the other classes would be like adding...cinnamon butter. MMM, cinnamon butter.

Well, what exactly do you want to do?

[Thurbane]

Can you work in three levels of Swashbucker, for INT to damage on finessable weapons?

[DragoonWraith]

Heh, Factotum 3/Swashbuckler 3/Warblade 14 for Int-to-absolutely-everything?

Can we work some Swiftblade in there for Int to Initiative?

Unfortunately, the Warblade's Int-to-Attack/Damage-on-AoOs is at 15, and unavailable if you have Insightful Strike and Brains over Brawn.

[Snake-Aes]

Does swashbuckler synergize well with duskblade? They're not expected to be dexfreaks, since they can use armor, and there isn't mcuh on the Weapon Finesse side that a duskblade would use instead of a trusty longsword, scimitar of glaive. Maybe the Chain. Would it apply if you did not use the chain through finesse tho?

[Runestar]

Some boosts from the warblade side may be nice, such as using lightning recovery to reroll a missed attack, or those diamond mind save boosters to augment your saves. And who can forget white raven tactics?

So maybe duskblade8/warblade1/duskblade+2/warblade+1.

Lunging Strike, from PH2, improves your Reach situationally.

Anything which prevents you from using arcane channeling is a big nono, in my book.