Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 RPGBG May 07, 2015 6:07:04	I am playing a Human Duskblade 3/Dragonmarked Heir 1/Knight Phantom 2 using the major titan bloodline for early entry into both PRCs (credit goes to Tempest, I believe but most builds on this board do so...). It's not much of a powerhouse build even to the point of being somewhat worse than a straight duskblade, but it allows me to be a dragonmarked heir without that putting me at too much of a mechanical disadvantage to standard builds, so I like it. I have also always been a fan of the flavor behing the Knight Phantoms, but never before was able to justify playing one.   Anyway, since I play 3.5e very sporadically if at all during the last few years - I wanted to check if my spell/feat and magic item selection is solid or it can be improved somewhat.   For reference, my stats are Str 16, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 12. Q1: Would increasing my Dex to 12 at the expense of -2 Con be worth it?   My skills are mainly focused around Craft (Alchemy), Diplomacy, Spellcraft, Ride, a bit of Spot and the various Knowledge skills. It opens the option for going for knowledge devotion somewhere down the road... or now (see feats). Q2: I have just enough concentration to be able to cover the DC for casting while mounted. Since I mostly use a reach weapon - I don't think this will come back to bite me in the butt too often... am I right?   My feats are (B - bonus, R - requirement): Combat Casting (B, R), Combat Expertise, Favored in House Orien (R), Least Dragonmark of Passage (R), Lesser Dragonmark of Passage (B, R), Power Attack, Still Spell (R). I took combat expertise mostly to be able to use eternal wand of heroics for Improved Trip when fighting trip-friendly enemies. My other option for Heroics is Mounted Combat when required for keeping the mount alive, Cleave when fighting a lot of weak enemies, blind fighting when it is obviously needed... and thats it... Q3: What will be other good options for the Heroics provided feat?   My spell selection includes: shocking grasp, lesser deflect, chill touch, and ray of enfeeblement with heroics and stone fist provided by eternal wands. I intend to get my hands on Drake-Helm of Shield once Abjurant Champion comes online. Q4: Is there any 1st-2nd level spell that I should consider adding to my repertoire with a second slot on the Drake Helm? I like shadow spray thematically and it is very good spell, but the Fortitude Save seems like a downer for a duskblade. Also the lvl 2 spell selection for duskblades seems awfull... am I missing something?   My item selection includes: +1 Guisarme (Lesser Crystal of Acid Assault*), mithral breastplate (Least Crystal of Arrow Deflection), Bracers of the Entangling Blast, Empowered Spellshard (Shocking Grasp), Eternal Wand of Fist of Stone (CL 1st), Eternal Wand of Heroism (CL 3rd). It's generally tailored towards making shocking grasp and chill touch stand above their tier with empowered spellshard turning shocking grasp into a heavy hitter and the bracers of entangling blast provided some minor but unresistable debuffs to chill touch. Q5: Does chill touch under the effect of the Bracers of Entangling Blast work the way I think it work (1d6/2 Cold and 0 Str damage on hit and then no save entangle and 1 Str damage per turn for 1d3 turns? Would heightening the spell to level 2 make this 2 Str damage per turn?
#2 RPGBG May 11, 2015 2:40:08	We had a sesion this Friday and I have stumbled upon an unsuspected (at least by me) weakness of the build... deamons. We fought some babaus and few other custom (or MM whatever) demons and it was a trainwreck. Empower Shocking Grasp... immune... d6 acid damage... 10 acid resistance... bracers of entangling blasted chill touch... 10 cold resistance, no damage so no entangling...   I did manage to get a bit of a power attack damage through their 10/cold iron DR, but even with the cleric's buff - my AC proved inadequate to save me from the onslaught and I had to spend the remaining of the fight in full combat expertise mode, just to survive while the pouncing barbarian was two-shotting them.   What can a duskblade do to deal with electrical immunity and cold resistance that stop his staple spells? I already have still spell due to entry requirements, so I can grab energy substitution... in three levels instead of knowledge devotion, but without rapid metamagic - it will hardly do me any good. I guess I can try to talk the DM in allowing me to take a flaw and getting a feat in exchange if the story allows it, but is it worth the effort or there is an easier way? Metamagic rod of energy substitution should be cheap I guess... but is there a way to make it work with a two handed weapon and chanelling duskblade? I can always grab a rapier untill we are done with the demon part of the campaign I guess.