Duskblade Build help & opinions please - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Duskblade Build help & opinions please

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
voodoocry
Feb 01, 2012 18:28:22 Hi all, looking for some constructive help for duskblade im looking to make.

Basically all books are available, DM is very open, fine with power gaming without super cheese

There will be 5 players, I finally get to play a character of my choice!

Build I'm thinking of playing:
Duskblade13/Nar Demonbinder2/abjurant champion 5 (spellcasting + demonbinder)

Demonbinder will be consulted, if I can use 'extra spell' feat to gain a summon monster spell
The reason im looking to add it is: suppose to be a fiend based story, high level spells for arcane strike

Duskblade CL 13 (17 for practised spellcaster) Demonbinder 19 (negligible) - Is it worth it?
#2
The_Fred
Feb 03, 2012 5:40:07 13th level is a good breakpoint for 4th-level spells and Arcane Channeling (Full Attack). However, what level range are you looking at for this? If it's starting at low levels, you're going to have to slog through a lot of Duskblade before you get to the fun stuff (though I like Duskblade, it's pretty cool).

I'm not sure how well Duskblade and Nar Demonbinder go together, but using Dusk to get into AC and then progressing Demonbinder casting seems like a sound strategy (if your DM will allow it); you give up those last few levels of sucky Duskblade casting to get some cool Demonbinder spells, plus you get AC's bonuses and only lose one point of BAB.

However, note that Demonbinder doesn't specify whether it suffers from Arcane Spell Failure. Your DM will probably have to make a judgement call here. I would say it probably does; Duskblade Armoured Mage only applies to Duskblade spells. However, it could be that it syncs up with whatever class was used to enter the class, which will give you a much better time of things.

Also, info on the other characters, starting stats and stuff would be useful to know.
#3
voodoocry
Feb 03, 2012 8:35:55 Thanks Fred, good point about asf as the demonbinder casts as a sorcerer.
The spells for demonbinder arent great, but as I was told it will be fiend based, and we start at level 12, thats why I liked the idea of going duskblade and getting into the good stuff quick.

Another reason I was thinking of going demonbinder was fueling bigger arcane strikes. But im not sure that is enough reason to go that way, gunna go back to the handbook.

Game won't start until March, so i got plenty of time to dig through books.
DM is notorious for the old fashioned roll, but it is a best of 4d6 so fingers crossed for some lucky rolls.
We're getting together next weekend, for a talk about campaign and a dungeon crawl mod.
We will all roll and sort out who has what, I've already told a few im looking at Duskblade tripper.
I know there is gunna be a semi spellcasting rogue of some sort intended.
We have a new player whom we intend to push into the tank slot.. (suggestions on a good tank build would also be appreciated.)
Im not sure what the other 2 players will be, find out next week i guess.

Anyways, pretty late here I will update the further details asap. But please give me any further suggestions.
#4
The_Fred
Feb 04, 2012 14:45:35 Don't push your new guy into the tank slot if he doesn't want it; of course, he might find that easier (have him just go cannonball style or something), but I'm pretty sure you can make do without one.

From a flavour point of view, your proposed Duskblade/Nar Demonbinder/AbCha sounds kinda cool (maybe like a demonic anti-hero of sorts) and aside from the ASF etc, seems mechanically solid enough (I'm not talking 100% optimised or anything but you get pretty much full Demonbinder spellcasting and +19 BAB by the end). You will be rather Multiple Attribute Dependant, though - Str, Con and to an extent Dex, and Int for Dusk spells and Cha for Demonbinder spells, leaving only Wis as a dump stat (Will is high anyway).

A different idea would be to consider, say, the Jade Phoenix Mage. It's from Tome of Battle, so it must be good, and with five levels of Duskblade you could get the 2nd-level spells and all the skills you need to enter bar one point of Concentration (you need to be L6). Take a level of Warblade (for Int synergy) and you're in. I don't really like using Duskblade spellcasting for gish-type PrCs because you may as well just stick with Duskblade (you already get full BAB, and the spellcasting is lame) but this gives you access to some manouevres and stances too. At L12 you can be a Dusk 5/WB 1/JPM 6. However, I don't think you really get the spell slots to power the JPM's abilities. One trick you can use is to take a level of Nightmare Spinner (CM) which loses you a spellcasting level, but crucially gives you a bonus slot of each level. If you take cross-class points in Bluff, you can get in by Dusk 5/WB 1/JPM 5/NS 1. However, those spells need to be illusion spells - it doesn't matter since you're going to burn them, but you need to know them in the first place, and you'll have to find a 3rd level one from another source.

Yeah, probably not the best combo in the world, but if you're interested in gish builds, JPM is one thing work looking at (not sure it goes with Duskblade tho).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 voodoocry Feb 01, 2012 18:28:22	Hi all, looking for some constructive help for duskblade im looking to make. Basically all books are available, DM is very open, fine with power gaming without super cheese There will be 5 players, I finally get to play a character of my choice! Build I'm thinking of playing: Duskblade13/Nar Demonbinder2/abjurant champion 5 (spellcasting + demonbinder) Demonbinder will be consulted, if I can use 'extra spell' feat to gain a summon monster spell The reason im looking to add it is: suppose to be a fiend based story, high level spells for arcane strike Duskblade CL 13 (17 for practised spellcaster) Demonbinder 19 (negligible) - Is it worth it?
#2 The_Fred Feb 03, 2012 5:40:07	13th level is a good breakpoint for 4th-level spells and Arcane Channeling (Full Attack). However, what level range are you looking at for this? If it's starting at low levels, you're going to have to slog through a lot of Duskblade before you get to the fun stuff (though I like Duskblade, it's pretty cool). I'm not sure how well Duskblade and Nar Demonbinder go together, but using Dusk to get into AC and then progressing Demonbinder casting seems like a sound strategy (if your DM will allow it); you give up those last few levels of sucky Duskblade casting to get some cool Demonbinder spells, plus you get AC's bonuses and only lose one point of BAB. However, note that Demonbinder doesn't specify whether it suffers from Arcane Spell Failure. Your DM will probably have to make a judgement call here. I would say it probably does; Duskblade Armoured Mage only applies to Duskblade spells. However, it could be that it syncs up with whatever class was used to enter the class, which will give you a much better time of things. Also, info on the other characters, starting stats and stuff would be useful to know.
#3 voodoocry Feb 03, 2012 8:35:55	Thanks Fred, good point about asf as the demonbinder casts as a sorcerer. The spells for demonbinder arent great, but as I was told it will be fiend based, and we start at level 12, thats why I liked the idea of going duskblade and getting into the good stuff quick. Another reason I was thinking of going demonbinder was fueling bigger arcane strikes. But im not sure that is enough reason to go that way, gunna go back to the handbook. Game won't start until March, so i got plenty of time to dig through books. DM is notorious for the old fashioned roll, but it is a best of 4d6 so fingers crossed for some lucky rolls. We're getting together next weekend, for a talk about campaign and a dungeon crawl mod. We will all roll and sort out who has what, I've already told a few im looking at Duskblade tripper. I know there is gunna be a semi spellcasting rogue of some sort intended. We have a new player whom we intend to push into the tank slot.. (suggestions on a good tank build would also be appreciated.) Im not sure what the other 2 players will be, find out next week i guess. Anyways, pretty late here I will update the further details asap. But please give me any further suggestions.
#4 The_Fred Feb 04, 2012 14:45:35	Don't push your new guy into the tank slot if he doesn't want it; of course, he might find that easier (have him just go cannonball style or something), but I'm pretty sure you can make do without one. From a flavour point of view, your proposed Duskblade/Nar Demonbinder/AbCha sounds kinda cool (maybe like a demonic anti-hero of sorts) and aside from the ASF etc, seems mechanically solid enough (I'm not talking 100% optimised or anything but you get pretty much full Demonbinder spellcasting and +19 BAB by the end). You will be rather Multiple Attribute Dependant, though - Str, Con and to an extent Dex, and Int for Dusk spells and Cha for Demonbinder spells, leaving only Wis as a dump stat (Will is high anyway). A different idea would be to consider, say, the Jade Phoenix Mage. It's from Tome of Battle, so it must be good, and with five levels of Duskblade you could get the 2nd-level spells and all the skills you need to enter bar one point of Concentration (you need to be L6). Take a level of Warblade (for Int synergy) and you're in. I don't really like using Duskblade spellcasting for gish-type PrCs because you may as well just stick with Duskblade (you already get full BAB, and the spellcasting is lame) but this gives you access to some manouevres and stances too. At L12 you can be a Dusk 5/WB 1/JPM 6. However, I don't think you really get the spell slots to power the JPM's abilities. One trick you can use is to take a level of Nightmare Spinner (CM) which loses you a spellcasting level, but crucially gives you a bonus slot of each level. If you take cross-class points in Bluff, you can get in by Dusk 5/WB 1/JPM 5/NS 1. However, those spells need to be illusion spells - it doesn't matter since you're going to burn them, but you need to know them in the first place, and you'll have to find a 3rd level one from another source. Yeah, probably not the best combo in the world, but if you're interested in gish builds, JPM is one thing work looking at (not sure it goes with Duskblade tho).