Thethan’s guide to duskblades

[TheThan]

Due to the recent insurgence of Duskblade questions I thought I would take time out from my not so busy day to write a guide, or user’s manual for the duskblade, one of my favorite classes in the game.

The Basics of the Duskblade

So you’ve decided to try your hand at this duskblade thing…
What is a duskblade? Simply put a duskblade is Wotc’s attempt to combine arcane spell casting and martial power into one 20 level package. They did a pretty darn good job with making the class. It’s both fun and balanced well against the core classes. Why would you want to play a duskblade over a wizard or a fighter? Because the duskblade can do things the fighter can’t do, while also doing things the wizard can’t do. A duskblade can fight almost as good as a fighter or barbarian (something wizards and sorcerers can’t do) and throw magic around almost as good as a wizard or sorcerer.
Now lets get more in depth with the duskblade.

The party

The usual adventuring group has four basic party roles or jobs, the tank, the arcane caster, the heal bot, and the skill monkey.
Duskblades usually fall into the 5th wheel slot in a party. They are excellent support characters. They increase the fighter’s strengths in a fight and can act as another tank to protect the wizard and can also take some of the weight off the wizard’s shoulders with his magic.
But the duskblade isn’t suck in that role (unlike a bard), they can easily take the role of a fighter or a wizard. But they will not be nearly as strong as either classes in their perspective jobs. Their main faults is they don’t have the feat selection that a fighter does, neither do they have spell selection of a wizard or sorcerer.

Duskblade roles

Fighter/wizard hybrid
Possibly the best use of the duskblade’s class features is in the roll of the fighter/wizard hybrid, after all that’s what the class is designed to be. Keep in mind that setting your duskblade up to be both a strong caster and a strong fighter means you have to plan ahead and make tough feat choices. You can literally change tactics each fight. You can sit back and whip out spells and tear into your enemies one fight. Then the next fight you can close in and power attack you’re way to victory. Building a duskblade to fill this roll will take some work but if you follow this guide you’ll end up with quite the successful duskblade.

Wizard
Sometimes you may get stuck without a wizard or sorcerer. If this happens have no fear, a duskblade is here. The key to playing a duskblade as a mage (well It’s more like a sorcerer really) is to spend your feats on your magic ability. That means investing in metamagic feats. Now the problem with this is the duskblade casts spells like a sorcerer (int based) so metamagic feats turn your spells into full round actions; which is very bad. You will have to invest in the sudden metamagic feats from complete arcane to overcome this. Another option is to take arcane preparation (from complete arcane) as a first level feat. That way you can invest in the normal meta-magic feats (like quicken spell). The duskblade has a very small spell list. Which means that you will have to be very careful about which spells you select.



Fighter
In the event that the party doesn’t have a dedicated fighter, you can fill that role very easily. You have the same Base attack bonus and fortitude save as a fighter, as well as a better will save. You also have both simple and martial weapon proficiencies, which allows you to wield nearly any weapon. You have to choose your feats carefully because you only get seven. You don’t have the hit points of a fighter or barbarian but then again d8-hit dice is nothing to sneer at either.
As a fighter you’re going to forgo sudden metamagic feats and other spell casting feats and instead concentrate on fighting feats. You’ll have to decide which feat tree to go down and stick with it.
For example you could be a spiked chain tripper or a great sword power attack character, or a two-weapon fighting dexterity monkey. The choice is up to you. There are plenty of feats that help you out in this role; I’ll get into that later.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:
The duskblade has several advantages working for him. You get a full base attack bonus, which is good for both ray and touch spells as well as melee and ranged attacks. D8 hit dice gives you about twice the hp as a wizard or sorcerer. Good fortitude and will saves mean you’re more likely to avoid mental attacks and some nasty save or die (or save or loose spells) spells.
You’re a full arcane caster, with access to some 8th level spells (they count as 5th level though).
You have both martial and simple weapon proficiencies can wear light (and later medium armor) and not risk arcane spell failure. You eventually can cast spells as swift actions. You also can overcome spell resistance with melee attacks.
Disadvantages:
The duskblade has few disadvantages, but they are very big disadvantages. The duskblade casts spells like a sorcerer, which means he can’t apply meta-magic feats to his spells without turning them into full round actions, this is the same drawback the sorcerer faces. Another serious drawback is that the duskblade has a miniscule spell list, this forces a player to make some tough decisions on spell selection (something a wizard doesn’t have to worry about).

Taking advantage:
The best way to use your advantages to there fullest is to balance spell casting and melee combat. You’re designed to channel spells into your weapon and attack with it. So do just that. You have a few ranged magic attacks but don’t rely on them (mostly because they aren’t that good). You have a lot of buff spells here so you should take advantage of them. Your primary spells should consist of a self-buff (true strike, bull’s strength) a touch spell (chill touch, vampiric touch) to power your arcane channel ability and some utility spells (expeditious retreat, dimension door) for a variety of other uses.
[/b]Minimizing disadvantages:[/b]
You can’t do it all so don’t try to do it all. Make a plan and stick with it. You’re not Batman.
The worst thing you can do is load up on direct damage spells; most of the ones you have are lousy at best and you don’t have a lot of those to begin with. If you want to smash things at range, get a composite long bow and have fun with that. You can’t arcane channel with a bow but you’ll be open to a lot of archery prestige classes. Spell selection is the most important decisions you’ll have to make. Pay careful attention to your spell list and your spell selection.

[TheThan]

Spells

The duskblade casts spells as a sorcerer, only his spells are based off of intelligence. This means that duskblades can cast any spell they know without preparing it ahead of time. The drawback of this is that they do not get any benefits from arcane metamagic feats. I’ll go into further detail in the feats section.
The duskblade has a limited selection of spells at his disposal. They can be divided up into three categories, buffs, attack spells, and miscellaneous spells. You get stuck with 1st level spells for a while but do not worry, their good spells to have (and it beats not having them). You get one spell every level up you get.

Main spells (player’s handbook I, II)

[list]
1st level Spells: [*]Chill Touch: an attack spell you can use arcane channeling on, it’s a good spell anyway but hold off until level three for it. What this spell lacks in damage it makes up for in utility, it saps your opponents strength and panics undead, useful for when you find yourself up to your neck in zombies (happens to everybody) [*]True Strike: This is an awesome spell for you, you can use it with a ranged attack, with your melee weapon or any ray (or other touch attack spells) spells you have, it’s so good you should never pass it up. [*]Expeditious Retreat (swift): one of the few defensive spells you have, you’ll need it to run away and regroup, your party will thank you for it. It’s also great for just getting around. [*]Shocking Grasp: this is your next best spell to use with arcane channeling, not as useful as chill touch, but it deals a heck of a lot more damage, and it makes metal wearing enemies easier to hit as well. [*]Obscuring mist: another great spell for making a get away and controlling a battlefield [*]Color spray: It’s a save or lose spell, and it will be good for a while. [*]Blade of blood: this spell is great for a you since it adds damage dice to your next attack, you can pump it at the cost of hp and it’s a no save and no spell resistance spell. It will last you quite a while really, [*]Ray of enfeeblement: this spell will drain the strength right out of your enemy, which makes it hard for him to kill anyone. Good against fighters, barbarians and other high strength enemies.

2nd level spells [*]Bull’s Strength: +4 strength will certainly help your melee game out. [*]Cats Grace: +4 dexterity will certainly help your defensive game out, it also helps you hit stuff at range. [*]Dimension Hop: not as awesome as Dimension door, but it will let you move around the battlefield quickly so you can cover a downed warrior or get back and protect the mage. [*]Fly (swift): defensive buff, if they can’t hit you they cant kill you, it also beats climbing those pesky walls. [*]Invisibility (swift): strong defensive buff, it also good for scouting out an area




3rd level spells [*]Doom scarabs: this spell has good damage and the benefit of giving you a little temporary hp. [*]Energy surge: this spell isn’t that great by itself, but when you combine it with your arcane channeling it gets pretty good. [*]Halt: it sticks them in place for a turn, good for stopping something from bum-rushing your wizard buddy, that’s about it. [*]Magic weapon (greater): this spell is significantly better than its little brother. You can enhance ammunition with it and it grows better with time. [*]Protection from energy: another strong defensive buff, especially if you know what kind of monsters your facing. [*]Ray of exhaustion: good all around debuff spell with no drawbacks, even if they make their save. [*]Regroup: this spell is a great spell, its part utility part battlefield control. I’ve got some a couple of good tricks with this. [*]Vampiric touch: this is your mid level arcane channel spell, it deals good damage and sucks life, what more do you want?
4th level spells [*]Bigby’s interposing hand: good battlefield control spell here, its hard to get around and you can use it protect casters. [*]Dimension door: way better than dimension hop, it gets you around the battle field, out of danger and to places you normally can’t go. See the neat tricks section for some cool stuff on this spell. [*]Dispel magic: finally you have a way to deal with pesky clerics (or other duskblades), never ever, ever, and I mean ever skip this spell [*] Fire shield: nice spell here, gives your enemies something to think about when they fight you. It doesn’t deal that much damage But now you can deal damage when its not your turn, buahah [*]Toxic weapon: this spell helps out your combat ability and it lasts for a lot longer than all of your other buffs.

5th level spells [*]Chain lightening: battlefield control, and pure damage spell, good at that [*]Disintegrate: It’s a really high damage ray spell, good against most targets. [*]Hold monster: significantly better than Halt, this spell will let you or your fighter cope de grace the enemy. [*]Waves of fatigue: this spell is pure battlefield control, it renders enemies useless, allowing your allies to pick them off at range.

Bad ideas (spells to avoid)

These are spells you have in your spell list, but they are weak and should be avoided.

kelgore's firebolt: I admit at first I thought this spell was a pretty good spell. Then I looked it over again when I wrote this and I realize now, it stinks. It maxes out at 30 damage; affects one target and just isn’t that good.
Lesser deflect: it’s a defensive spell but overall not very good, you gain +1 defection bonus per 3 caster levels, and it maxes out at +5.. Blah just avoid it
Rouse: this spell has one, and I mean one use. It wakes people who have been hit with a sleep spell. Its so situational that it becomes useless.
Stand: another totally useless spell, it stands a creature up after it has been tripped. Just do yourself a favor and avoid it.
Darkvision: buy or scribe yourself some scrolls instead of wasting your precious spell slots on this. Or you can be dwarf and not bother with it at all.
Deflect: not bad, but it only lasts one round, so you’re wasting a spell slot for it.
Stretch weapon: good idea, but poorly made. It only lasts one round, which makes enlarge person so much better… too bad you don’t get enlarge person.
Shout: avoid this spell for the same reasons a wizard should avoid it, it stinks!

Races:

You may wonder “what is the best race for a duskblade?” Well read on and learn.
Human: hands down the best core race for a duskblade is humans. That bonus feat is a huge boon to the duskblade, pushing his total feats from seven to eight. That one feat is more than worth not having any racial ability modifiers.
Elf/half elf: elves make decent duskblades because their racial ability modifiers don’t interfere with your combat and spell casting ability.
Dwarf: surprisingly dwarves make good duskblades. Their +2 constitution makes it harder for them to loose a concentration check and a lot of their other miscellaneous bonuses are built for combat.
Gnome/halfing: not a good choice for a duskblade because strength is so important to the class. Even if you go with a dexterity monkey, you’ll be at disadvantage when it comes to damage.
Half orc: this is also a bad choice for a duskblade. Instead of sacrificing strength, you’re sacrificing your spell casting, which is the whole point in playing the duskblade, so don’t play a half orc.

Warforged: like dwarves the +2 constitution helps out on concentration checks. Also with the Mithral body feat you get more armor and you’ll ignore the 15% spell failure.
Changeling: about as good as an elf or half elf, cant go wrong with one but you’ll miss that human bonus feat.
Shifter: I don’t recommend playing a shifter, you take a –2 to intelligence and that is certainly a bad idea with a duskblade.

[TheThan]

Skills and Feats

Your most important skills are spellcraft, concentration and knowledge (arcane). If you have a wizard handy you can forgo the knowledge (arcane) for something else. I strongly suggest sense motive. Keep these three skills maxed out as much as possible, you will need them.

I keep saying you only get seven feats (eight if you’re a human, and you should be). Its true you get no bonus feats like fighters get so you’ll have to make due. But what should you do with your feats? You have a lot of options at your disposal here so here’s a guide to help you on your way.

PHB feats

• combat feats:
• Power attack, cleave and great cleave.: These feats are nice to have because power attack translates directly into damage, and the duskblade is about dealing damage. While cleave and great cleave allows you to switch targets fast. I recommend using this in conjunction with a reach weapon.
• Dodge, mobility, spring attack: this is a good feat tree to go down, but be sure to stop at spring attack since whirlwind attack is an unreliable feat to pick up.
• Combat expertise, Improved trip/disarm: if you’re going for a tripper or Disarmer your only doing yourself a favor with these feats.
• Improved initiative: going first is good, since you’ll want to hit first and hit hard.
• Weapon focus: potentially useful by itself, it’s also a prerequisite for some other good feats.
• Craft wand, scribe scroll: this lets you carry more spells with you than you can cast.
• Metamagic feats: normally these feats would turn your spells into full round actions. Which is a bad thing. But I have a way of getting around it. I’ll explain that below. With the proper feat selection you won’t need to use the sudden meta-magic feats in complete arcane.

Splat book feats (PHB II, complete series)

Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of feats that benefit the duskblade at all, it’s a bit strange since the duskblade is found in the same book. Anyway here are some notable feats.
Recommended combat feats:

• Arcane thesis: this feat is great for you, using it with a still spell means it takes up a slot of the same level that you would normally cast it as.
• Short haft: great if you’re using a reach weapon.
• Arcane preparation: oh my gosh! This feat almost turns you into a wizard. Now you can use meta-magic feats at no penalty. Now you can get quicken spell at the cost of two feats instead of spending six feats on sudden quicken spell. I strongly suggest taking this feat as early as you can.
• Arcane strike: this is the perfect feat for a duskblade. You get plenty of spell slots to burn on using this feat. It gives you a +1attack bonus and a +1d4 bonus per spell level . This maxes out for you at +5 and +5d4. But since it activates as a free action, you’re set to consistently add damage extra damage to your attacks.
• Obtain familiar: this is potently useful. It allows you to summon a familiar, which you can use to enhance your senses. You can pick a flying animal and use it as a scout so you can prepare your spells for the situation. Its also good for delivering touch attacks, meaning it’s easier to take on multiple foes.
• Repeat spell: this is really good for you, combine it with true strike so you can power attack twice. or you can use it with Ray of exhaustion do totally screw with your enemies.
• Power critical: this is if you’re using a weapon with a good threat range.
• Improved familiar: like obtain familiar this feat will give you a familiar, only this familiar will be better suited for combat.
• Leap attack; wow this feat is awesome, if your using the power attack feat you should differently get it.
• Practiced Spellcaster: this feat is awesome for a duskblade, +4 caster levels will push the spell level you can access up one whole level. It only works when you move into a prestige class. I can’t recommend it enough.
  
  
  Feats to avoid
• Sudden metamagic: don’t bother picking these, your way better off with arcane preparation and normal meta-magic feats
• Ranged spell specialization: this is only good if you plan on concentrating on rays. I’d stay away from it
• Item creation feats: I’d avoid most of these, since you don’t have the spell selection to make all that nifty stuff for your allies.
• Pont blank shot, rapid shot, precise shot etc: the standard archery feat tree doesn’t work well with a duskblade’s advantages at all, unless your going for an arcane archer or some other archery prestige class. While you can use some of them with ray spells, you’re better off avoiding them under most circumstances.
• Two weapon fighting, two weapon defense, etc: I’d avoid this feat tree because you need one hand free for somatic components and aiming your spells. You can hold a two handed weapon in one hand (but not attack with it).
• Eschew materials: this feat removes most material components, most of the time wizards and sorcerers don’t need it, but it helps you keep your hands free, thus making room to fill those hands with a weapon. But that’s usually not a problem so don’t take it.
• Combat casting: it’s a trap, your better off with skill focus (concentration) for a continued +3 bonus as opposed to a situational +4 bonus.

Prestige classes:

When or if you choose to prestige class out of the Duskblade you have to make a critical choice do you want to continue casting spells, or do you want to concentrate on combat. Picking a combat prestige class makes you a better fighter at the cost of your spells while a spell casting class will make you a better mage, at the cost of your fighting ability.

Arcane archer:
The arcane archer is surpassingly good with a duskblade. You’ll have to invest in feats that normally aren’t worth it but you’ll make it worth it. normally you’ll loose two caster levels but you should pick up Practiced Spellcaster to avoid that, and you get two extra levels of spell casting out of it. The idea is to concentrate on your archery and magic, but fall back on your melee skills when you find yourself too close to enemies to shoot at.
Arcane trickster:
You can pull this class off but it will take sacrificing some spell casting abilities. You need a minimum of three levels of rogue for this, and getting the 7 ranks in Disable Device and Escape Artist isn’t going to be easy. You might want to start off as a rogue before multi-classing into duskblade.
Archmage:
You can’t qualify for this class. If you want to play one, pick a wizard.
Assassin:
you have to be at least level 13 to qualify for this class. You’re better off with a rogue.
Blackguard:
now you can do this class easily. Sure you’ll need to spend some skills in a cross class skill but still its not a bad class at all for a duskblade.
Dragon disciple:
This class fits the duskblade really well. You will want Practiced Spellcaster before you dive into this class. But you get some ability bonuses, breath weapon, wings, natural attack, bonus spells, and you eventually become a half dragon.
Duelist:
You can take this class but only take it for four levels and make sure you get Practiced Spellcaster first. The biggest problem with classes that it does not have + caster levels and will leave your spell casting behind, so you wont be an effective caster. This class is designed for high dexterity monkeys.
Dwarven defender: this class has the same problem that the Duelist has, it lacks spell casting. This is good if you don’t like being mobile at all. It’s not my style, mayhap someone can give some more info into it.
Eldritch Knight:
As much as I like this class, I admit it doesn’t offer you that much. You only get +1 caster levels and nothing else. You should probably avoid it for something better.
Hierophant:
Like the Archmage, you can’t qualify for this class. If you’re interested in playing a Hierophant your better off playing a cleric.
Horizon Walker:
Like the Archmage and Hierophant, you can’t qualify for this class. If you’re interested in playing a Hierophant your better off playing a druid or ranger.
Loremaster:
This class would be pretty cool, but you can’t get the divination spells so you can’t qualify for it.
Mystic Theurge:
You might be able to pull this class off if you multi-class into cleric. But it doesn’t offer you that much so you’re probably better off not taking this class.
Shadowdancer
This is another class you might be able to pull off. It’ll take a lot of cross class ranks. The shadow jump and a few other features I can see as being very useful for battlefield control, but its difficult and you probably will want to avoid going into it.
Thaumaturgist
Like the Archmage, Hierophant and LoreMaster you can’t qualify for this class. If you’re interested in playing a Thaumaturgist your better off playing a cleric.

[TheThan]

Reserved for future use.

[TheThan]

Reserved for future use.

[Ramza00]

Looking forward to more, I always loved what I have seen of the duskblade, a nice arcane/fighter hybrid that makes a good gish.

[Tibor]

Vampiric Touch is another great spell and a must have for duskblade after 13th level when you can full attack arcane channel. You might also want to mention that human is required for Chameleon which is the best PRC that you're likely to enter, and Recaster is a good one for those that wish to take the changeling route for the races.

[Noneoyabizzness]

burning hands scales up to 5d4, has one of the best 1st level fans, and with searing spell ignores energy resistance as 2nd level (and hits for half against immune targets)


2nd level,
touch of idiocy is a caster castrater. if you are doing anything in combat taking out other casters is a good idea (including clerics who will also likely be in some melee)

feats-arcane prep is a waste, and quickening when your highest spell slot is 5th, means you can prepare free actioned zero/first level spells... at 17th level...
who needs wish when you can cast chill touch as a free action...

searing spell, transdimensional spell, piercing cold, and energy substitution (sonic) are all good things to put on the magic side of the feat tree for a build. the goal of the duskblade is to do damage.

[Ninja_Wizard]

I very much disagree with you on the Duskblade's role. They are a primary melee class; the spells are there almost solely to help them in combat and help them to do damage. They have none of the utility that would be required of a primary arcane caster, or even secondary caster such as the bard; if you use a Duskblade to fill the arcanist role in a party, you are making a major mistake.

[Tibor]

I very much disagree with you on the Duskblade's role. They are a primary melee class; the spells are there almost solely to help them in combat and help them to do damage. They have none of the utility that would be required of a primary arcane caster, or even secondary caster such as the bard; if you use a Duskblade to fill the arcanist role in a party, you are making a major mistake.

Seconded.

[Ninja_Wizard]

The best class to compare Duskblades to, in fact, would be the Barbarian--lighter armor than the fighter, no bonus feats, and an ability that lets them do more damage.

[TheThan]

You certainly have a right to disagree, but as I stated above they don’t fill the role nearly as well as wizard or sorcerer. But they can do it. I agree that if you have a dedicated arcane spell caster you’re putting your character to waste. But in the occasional situation when you don’t have one a duskblade can fill in for it. Granted the duskblade lakes most of the utility spells that are needed. But they can pull it off to some extend. I hope I can open your eyes some more when I post the “tips and tricks” section, when I finish it. With the right feats you can turn yourself into somewhat of a sorcerer.

Vampiric touch is listed in the spell section. As far as burning hands… I dunno how that happened I checked all the spells before I wrote about it, I could have sworn that it didn’t scale up… I’ll fix that part here in a second.

edit: fixed it.

[Fax Celestis]

[*]The main benefit of Kelgore's Firebolt is that half of it ignore SR, and there's no save. For a first-level spell, that's pretty good.[*]Avoid Channeled Pyroburst like the plague. It's not worth it for a melee-type caster like the Duskblade is.[*]Duskblade + Arcane Archer + Smiting Spell [+/- Practiced Spellcaster] lets you (essentially) use your Arcane Channeling on your arrows. Pretty nice, actually.[*]Acquiring Sneak Attack dice is always a good thing. Try Martial Study (at third level) + Martial Stance (at sixth) to grab Shadow Blade Technique and Assassin's Stance. While in Assassin's Stance, you can add an extra 2d6 to that Vampiric Touch you hit with and drain some extra HP. Even better if you manage to critical.[*]Speaking of which, weapons that critical often are terrific for a Duskblade, since they'll multiply spell damage too (see Weapon-Like Spells in Complete Arcane). So, with the above example, using a keen rapier +1 (for a 15-20/x2), vampiric touch, and assassin's stance, you'd deal (1d8+1+Str + spell damage + 2d6 sneak attack) x2, and heal an equal amount.

[Goumindong]

Pratciced Spellcaster doesnt allow you to access higher level spells. It only increases caster level. That is good, but its not that good.

[Ninja_Wizard]

Here is my take on the topic:

Duskblade Building

As with all classes, a build should play to the Dusbklade's strengths, cover its weaknesses, or--preferably--both.


The duskblade is not a fighter/wizard hybrid. The duskblade is less of a true spellcaster than a bard or even a hexblade.
The strengths of the duskblade are melee damage output, due to its ability to channel arcane spells, and (once at 13th) the ability to affect many targets with a single touch spell.
The primary weaknesses are a slightly lower defense than fighters due to lighter armor, at least at first, and their very limited spell list.
The highest point of the Duskblade class is level 13, at which point the Duskblade acquires his Full Attack Arcane Channel ability. Therefore, multiclassing or prestige classing out of Duskblade before 13th is a fairly poor decision.

Race is a minor decision. Humans make the best duskblades simply because of their bonus feat; melee classes can make very good use of feats.
Multiclassing/prestige classing should be done after 14th.
Feats are fairly important, because they determine the Duskblade's combat tactics.

Feats should enhance a duskblade's chosen combat style.

There are a few kinds of effective duskblades: the primary ones are the charger and the karmic striker. In either case, having a reach weapon (such as the spiked chain, although a guisarme and armor spikes would also do) is good.

1: Dodge, Mobility
3: Power Attack
6: Leap Attack
9: Arcane strike
12: Elusive Target
15: Improved Bullrush
16: Shock Trooper

That build focuses less on the full attack arcane channel, and more on combining Arcane Strike, a channeled spell, and Power Attack on a charge (especially with a Quick-Cast True Strike). It has a great damage output and Elusive Target helps keep it safe.

1: EWP: Spiked Chain, Combat Reflexes
3: Dodge
6: Mobility
9: Elusive Target
12: Robilar's Gambit
15: Power Attack
18: Deft Opportunist

This build can also do a lot of damage, Power Attacking on its Robilar's Gambit counterattacks, and has the advantage of its full attack arcane channel letting it strike with the spell on its Attacks of Opportunity as well as on its full attack.


The best prestige class for the Duskblade is probably the (powerful even on its own) Chameleon, from Races of Destiny (and availible as a preview on the Wizards of the Coast website, here). Why? Because the Chameleon has access to, essentially, every spell in the game, arcane and divine, of sixth level and lower, and learning new spells to buff oneself and to Arcane Channel is very good for the Duskblade. This includes the likely-too-cheesy-to-actually-use Wraithstrike.
Duskblade 13/Chameleon 7 just barely gets the Chameleon's Double Focus at 20th, a great way to top off a campaign.

[The Glyphstone]

Isn't Polar Ray available as a 6th level spell for Duskblades too?

[TheThan]

Kelgor’s firebolt
Ok this spell maxes it’s damage potential at 30 points of damage. Meaning that it will do an average of about 15 points of damage. The target gets a reflex save for half which will drop your 15 points of damage down to about 7. Oooh that’s impressive, seriously considering that it’s a first level spell, the reflex save will be fairly easy to make. So against anything with a CR3+ is going to easily shrug that damage off. The only good thing about the spell is that it sort of goes through spell resistance. You might get lucky a few times but I’d rather not rely on luck.

I don’t have races of destiny so I really can’t comment on prestige classes in that book. Thanks for the info though. I would also like people with suggestion to list their sources for feats and what not. Not everyone has an encyclopedic knowledge of splat books.

Thanks for the additional impute, I knew about those builds so I’ll list them when I get around to writing the duskblade builds section and tips and tricks sections.

[Fax Celestis]

Duskblades are built for the Jade Phoenix Mage class, considering the JPM has near-full caster progression and an arcane-strike-like ability built in.

[Magnus_Samma]

Duskblades are built for the Jade Phoenix Mage class, considering the JPM has near-full caster progression and an arcane-strike-like ability built in.

Precisely where does one find the Jade Phoenix class?

[Dhavaer]

Precisely where does one find the Jade Phoenix class?

Tome of Battle.

[Fax Celestis]

Tome of Battle.

You are concise.

[Dhavaer]

You are concise.

I do my best.

[Stephen_E]

A minor critique.

Duskblades don't get twice the hit points of Wizards.

Con bonus +0, 80% more hp.
Con bonus +1, 57% more hp.
Con bonus +2, 44% more hp.
Con bonus +3, 36% more hp.
Con bonus +4, 31% more hp.

This is higher at very low level because of the max hit points at 1st level, but it rapidly approaches these figures.

Stephen

[Leon]

The best class to compare Duskblades to, in fact, would be the Barbarian--lighter armor than the fighter, no bonus feats, and an ability that lets them do more damage.

makes me want to try a Barbarian/Duskblade now

[Magnus_Samma]

makes me want to try a Barbarian/Duskblade now

That would be an interesting combo. Both classes only wear medium armor, and the barbarian's big hit dice and abilities would make it harder to kill, and the duskblade's spells would compensate when your rage winds down... Would take a lot of high ability scores to be worth it, but I could see it being pretty nasty.

[Stephen_E]

The inability to cast spells while raging would be a pain, unless you entered the Rage Mage prestice class (Comp War).

Stephen

[Leon]

The inability to cast spells while raging would be a pain, unless you entered the Rage Mage prestice class (Comp War).

Stephen

that is a point, but the duskblade has some buff type spells that would make the rage better

Edit - have now looked at the rage mage clas and have to it isnt to bad, the real limitation is the duskblade - have to be lvl 5 for acces to 2nd lvl spells but otherwise no extra's are needed - Combat casting is provided by duskblade and you will have lvls in barb for the rage.

[Baskineli]

I wish someone would write something like this for hexblades.

[TheThan]

Sorry for being away from this thread for a while, I’ve got a game in the work’s that’s taking a lot of my free time. I’ll get around to updating the actual guide when I can.

A barbarian/duskblade would be interesting though, I don’t know much about hexblades, as I immediately disliked the class when I saw it.

[Skyserpent]

Kelgores Firebolt doesn't allow Reflex Saves. so it's okay for combat, I mean, when you want ranged but don't want to pull out a bow... 15 damage it works!