Author Topic: Duskblade help  (Read 2554 times)

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Risada

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Duskblade help
« on: May 20, 2009, 07:11:32 PM »
Hey guys!

I am joining this game and I will play a Duskblade.

I gave a good read on the Duskblade Handbook, but I still have some doubts: should I go spiked chain or some other weapon? Is tripping useful enough, or I could try going damage dealing only?

I am planning on something like this:

Human Duskblade 5
Stats should go Int/Str>Con>everything else (any tips on the exact numbers is fine; 32 PB)
Feats:
H: EWP Spiked Chain?
1: Power Attack
3: Knowledge Devotion


ninjarabbit

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2009, 09:04:53 PM »
Int isn't that improtant. You only need an int of 15 by level 17 and a human with 14 int should be good enough. Str and Con are the important stats.

Str 16
Dex 14
Con 16
Int 14
Wis 8
Cha 8

The spiked chain is a fine choice but you could easily get away with using armor spikes and a glaive or a guisarme to save yourself a feat. Tripping isn't a bad idea but it's a two feat investment to do it properly. You could do it all if you're allowed to use flaws.

If you decide not to go the spiked chain or combat expertise/improved trip route then you need to figure out what to do with your bonus 1st level feat. Some good choices include improved initative, improved bullrush to set you up for shock trooper later, and eschew materials.

Takanaki

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2009, 11:50:58 PM »
Cannot stress enough, Arcane Disciple or whatever it's called for Wrath domain. Gives you Rhino's rush. Pearl of power 1k gp gives you another use of it per day, buy lots =p Depends on the build though.

Other useful ideas... mhm, Arcane Strike heh. Lady's Gambit isn't a bad thing to get but you don't have enough feats.

woodenbandman

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2009, 11:47:19 AM »
I'd actually prefer a domain with a great touch spell, which I unfortunately can't think of at the moment.

Brainpiercing

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2009, 12:09:22 PM »
I tend to think the main reason a Duskblade wants to trip is to improve his chance of hitting with his channelled spell.
So you channel into the touch attack for tripping, then hopefully manage the trip and get normal damage against -4 AC.
So maybe, go
H: Combat Expertise, 1 Improved Trip,
3 PA (or maybe straight to Knowledge Devotion).
6 Arcane Strike.

You should optimise your Strength checks, though, especially those against being tripped back. Martial Study/Stance for some Stone Dragon stance could help, here, especially in the later game.

woodenbandman

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2009, 12:38:21 PM »
RAW you can't channel a touch spell through a weapon to trip. However, you may unarmed improved trip them. Or you could trip them and then channel the spell. In fact, if you unarmed trip them with a full attack channeling, you can double your spells/round. One touch attack unarmed (counts as the spell) + one unarmed attack (take Superior Unarmed Strike), for another. Also add in snap kick.

Brainpiercing

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2009, 02:35:04 PM »
RAW you can't channel a touch spell through a weapon to trip. However, you may unarmed improved trip them. Or you could trip them and then channel the spell. In fact, if you unarmed trip them with a full attack channeling, you can double your spells/round. One touch attack unarmed (counts as the spell) + one unarmed attack (take Superior Unarmed Strike), for another. Also add in snap kick.
Must have missed something there. Was that in an Errata outside of the PHB2 errata? The wording for Channelling doesn't suggest that it doesn't work. Tripping is a special melee attack action that can replace any other melee attack action, AFAIK, and I don't see the difference between unarmed and using a weapon.

woodenbandman

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2009, 02:43:39 PM »
Well, you can deliver a touch spell, AFAIK, with any touch attack. Tripping IS a touch attack. Using a channeled spell, again AFAIK, takes away the Touch Attack thing and makes it so that you must use a normal attack vs their normal AC. So I'm probably wrong. If you used, say, vampiric touch, you would be able to use the touch attack version and the normal attack Improved unarmed Strike version.

Brainpiercing

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2009, 03:03:08 PM »
Well, you can deliver a touch spell, AFAIK, with any touch attack. Tripping IS a touch attack. Using a channeled spell, again AFAIK, takes away the Touch Attack thing and makes it so that you must use a normal attack vs their normal AC. So I'm probably wrong. If you used, say, vampiric touch, you would be able to use the touch attack version and the normal attack Improved unarmed Strike version.
Hmm, I don't really agree there. The reason being, for instance, that with that interpretation you could never use Wraithstrike in conjunction to channel a spell. I think the main idea is delivering through the weapon, so it's irrelevant whether that requires a normal melee attack or a melee touch attack, as long as you interpret a melee touch attack as a subset of melee attacks.

Risada

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2009, 05:22:47 PM »
So, in the worst possible scenario, I would have to trip the guy without channeling the spell, and then channel the spell with the AoO? Or is this also wrong?

Int isn't that improtant. You only need an int of 15 by level 17 and a human with 14 int should be good enough. Str and Con are the important stats.

Would 14/15 Int be enough to supply my Knowledge ranks to use Knowledge Devotion?

ninjarabbit

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2009, 05:48:35 PM »
With 14 int as a human you get 5 skill points/level. With that you can max out concentration , max out 3 main knowledge skills, and split the rest between lesser knowledge skills. Of course this depends on the campaign but the 3 main knowledge skills you max out are arcana (magical beasts, dragons, constructs), nature (animals, giants, fey, monsterous humaniods, plants), and either planes (outsiders, elementals) or local (humanoids). Knowledge (religion) and (dungeonerring) are too limited to really max out unless in specific campaigns.

I suppose you could bump int to 16 but I'd rather have the 16 in con unless you're willing to dump dex to 10 so you could have 16's in str, con, and int.

Risada

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2009, 06:11:27 PM »
With 14 int as a human you get 5 skill points/level. With that you can max out concentration , max out 3 main knowledge skills, and split the rest between lesser knowledge skills. Of course this depends on the campaign but the 3 main knowledge skills you max out are arcana (magical beasts, dragons, constructs), nature (animals, giants, fey, monsterous humaniods, plants), and either planes (outsiders, elementals) or local (humanoids). Knowledge (religion) and (dungeonerring) are too limited to really max out unless in specific campaigns.

I suppose you could bump int to 16 but I'd rather have the 16 in con unless you're willing to dump dex to 10 so you could have 16's in str, con, and int.

I see your point... I'm going with your stats  ;)

Now the question: does the touch attack on a trip attempt channel the spell or not? Guess I will see what Alastar thinks...

Risada

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Re: Duskblade help
« Reply #12 on: May 22, 2009, 12:43:42 AM »
I can channel spells with touch attacks... so I guess I will stick with tripping...

Feats are gonna be like this:

1: Combat Expertise
H: Improved Trip
3: Power Attack
6: Knowledge Devotion
9: Arcane Strike

I guess this much is decided... what should I go next (that is, if the game goes that far)? Combat Reflexes? Some Arcane Disciple?