Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 datenshi_no_kai Sep 22, 2009 7:44:17	Okay, so I really enjoy gish classes & I particularly love the Duskblade. I normally run my Duskblade with a Spiked chain & focus on tripping sense Duskblades are generally glass cannons. But in an upcoming game I thought about building a Duskblade that uses a great-sword & can sunder/cleave anything, the only problem is that I'm not sure I can channel a spell while making a sunder attempt. If I can; I can channel all of my spells power to really cripple enemies who use alot of magic items (or any other enemy that attempts to strike me with any weapon for that matter, or wear armor, or sheilds, etc.) Anyway, the game I'm playing in the ECL is 5-6 & i'm be partying with; -a Dragonborn Ranger/Fighter/Rogue/ (soon to be Dervish) -an Aaismar Gestalt Paladin/Fighter (I think) -& a Human Rogue/Swashbuckler So I thought of Running a human Gestalt Duskblade/Archivist, because for some reason nobody in this group will run any magic & they'll probaby die horriblly without a healer. But my stats are as follows: 16,16,18,18,14,15. ((got lucky)) so stat placement is pretty obvious. My only concern is if I can Channel during a Sunder attempt & if so, then this is my build so far; Str: 18 (needed for sunder attempts) Dex: 16 Con 15 Int 18 ( bonus spells) Wis 16 (more bonus spells) Cha 14 (dump stat sense Archivist can not turn or rebuke undead.) Feats: 1st: Power Attack (pre req) Human: Cleave (just because) Flaw: Improved Sunder (needed to avoid AoOs) Flaw: obtain Familiar (Familiars are always helpful) Archivist 1: scribe scroll Duskblade 2: combat casting 3rd lv: Knowledge Devotion 6th lv: (???) [Improved familiar or Leadership] If everything is correct then following just being a Duskblade/Archivist I have full BAB, full Caster, Arcane spells, Divine spells, both of which can be fueled into mass damage & many sundered items. but those are just my thoughts... Everyones 2cp is wecome!
#2 steelblue Sep 24, 2009 2:34:26	Hmm... well, Arcane Channeling says that as a standard action you cast a spell into your weapon, then deliver it with a melee attack. Sundering is described in the PHB as a melee attack. So I think you're safe channeling a spell then making a sunder attempt. The real question is, would the spell actually deal damage to the weapon? As a practical question, and taking a basic duskblade spell for my example... I seriously doubt that hitting someone's shield with a weapon charged with Shocking Grasp is going to do anything extra to the shield. Possibly some acid touch spell would work better. But as a RAW question... honestly I'm not sure. I seem to recall some ruleset somewhere re: sundering with spells, but I'm a little brain-dead right now. If anyone else remembers this, say so, otherwise I'll do some research and get back to you.
#3 datenshi_no_kai Sep 24, 2009 7:15:43	That's exactly why I think a Sunder attempt can be made while channelling a spell via Arcane Channeling, because the rules claim that a Sunder is just, essentially, a melee attack on an item. My other problem which you already mentioned was which spells would actually affect a foe's armor or weapons. I think that most simple damaging spells would though, like shocking grasp, or combust...but not spells like Harm, or other -/+ energy spells... Anyway, thanks Blue, I'll have to look around more too & let me know if you find out something. The whole "Sundering with Spells" thing you mentioned has me curious so I'll have to look more into that.
#4 ashyl Sep 24, 2009 8:24:26	I am sure I saw a spell (2nd level maybe) named Rusting Fist or Rusting Gasp somewhere..
#5 datenshi_no_kai Sep 24, 2009 9:26:25	I am sure I saw a spell (2nd level maybe) named Rusting Fist or Rusting Gasp somewhere.. Hmm, which book? it sounds familiar, I'll have to look through my spell compendium. The only problem is that I think it's an arcane spell, & with the duskblade's limited spell list I won't be able to acquire it even with the Extra Spell feat, because my DM ruled that it only applies to a spell of my list. However on the off chance Rusting Grasp is divine, then I'm good thanks to the Archivist's cheese-tactular prayerbook.