Duskblade questions

[Astaroth]

I am considering setting up a progression to work on for a game (homebrew) that I am playing. My DM is allowing core+splat books and possibly psionics. So far, I have
Duskblade 15/DD 22/ Soulknife18

Currently I am at Lv 5. as  Duskblade (plottting a good path is often best for me, anyway)

16 Str
10 Dex
16 Con
16 Int
10 Wis
8 Char

Feats
Knowledge Devotion
Power Attack
Eschew Materials
Combat Casting

AC 17

I am wondering if I can use the Soulknife's Channel Mindblade with My Duskblade's Arcane Channeling feature. Also, would it be more benefical to find a class that I can use to benefit my caster level enough to give me acess to the Crowd Controlling Bomb like Chain Lightning

[woodenbandman]

First: What the hell is a DD? Second, Why soulknife? Why soulknife, ever? The whole class can be replaced by so many things. Third, why is there no extra caster progression, such as a wizard's, tacked on there?

[Astaroth]

1.  DD= Dragon Disciple
2.  I am not plain interested in Wizardry, despite the fact that I would excel at it excellently.
3.  I am curious to see what I can do as a Soulknife.

In terms of needing spells, I am more keen to keeping wands of what ever spells I need to have. If I need to make a dip, I'd likely would do wizard enough to go Ultimate Magus, but I am not really that interested in it. I know what I am giving up by saying this and how much bashing I am about to walk into, but I just don't want to do it that way.

[Sinfire Titan]

Except you can't use Wands with Arcane Channeling.

Soulknife is a horrid class for a Duskblade to multiclass into. You would be better suited to use Monk (at least then you get extra attacks each round). Soulknife offers you nothing at that level. Nothing you couldn't get anyway. Duskblades are casters and are capable of crafting their own items.

Furthermore, you've forgone 30 CLs. 30! You can't even penetrate SR with a CL 15 at that level. You need CL boosting classes in order to compete.

Finally, when you are in Epic levels the only thing that works is Epic Spellcasting. If you aren't using it, then you are probably going to die very quickly. And Epic Spellcasting is Broken. The Duskblade can get mileage out of Epic Touch Spells, to the point where you will be overshadowing anyone who isn't a caster in their own right.

Go with Eldritch Knight, Abjurant Champion, Warweaver, and other classes that advance your casting. You will appreciate it more than the minor stat boosts from DD and the worthless weapon and class features from Soulknife.

[woodenbandman]

^Yeah, Sinfire got it good. Also dragon disciple and soulknife are totally gay, and their moms dress them funny!

Who would your duskblade rather hang with? The cool guys wearing glasses over in the corner with the books, next to those tree climbing nature boys and catholic school wannabes; Or the guy who CREATES WEAPONS WITH HIS MIND, next to the guy who TURNS INTO A DRAGON? 

You're level umpteen thousand. You need spells or else.

[Astaroth]

Except you can't use Wands with Arcane Channeling.

Soulknife is a horrid class for a Duskblade to multiclass into. You would be better suited to use Monk (at least then you get extra attacks each round). Soulknife offers you nothing at that level. Nothing you couldn't get anyway. Duskblades are casters and are capable of crafting their own items.

Furthermore, you've forgone 30 CLs. 30! You can't even penetrate SR with a CL 15 at that level. You need CL boosting classes in order to compete.

Finally, when you are in Epic levels the only thing that works is Epic Spellcasting. If you aren't using it, then you are probably going to die very quickly. And Epic Spellcasting is Broken. The Duskblade can get mileage out of Epic Touch Spells, to the point where you will be overshadowing anyone who isn't a caster in their own right.

Go with Eldritch Knight, Abjurant Champion, Warweaver, and other classes that advance your casting. You will appreciate it more than the minor stat boosts from DD and the worthless weapon and class features from Soulknife.

Im dead set on keeping Dragon Disciple (storyline requires it), however, I had only came across psionics rather recently and thought to look at it from that point. I don't think Abjurant Champion would be bad to use. If WarWeaver is ToB, I won't be using it, since the DM refuses to allow the book (despite me trying to talk him into it). And most cases, The only thing I would want is higher caster level, considering Practiced Spellcaster Gives me a Caster push of +4 (lined it up for DD) and Spell power+3 added on. I might have decided to raise my Duskblade levels to gain Spell power+5 to give me a bit more mileage.

[Sinfire Titan]

Im dead set on keeping Dragon Disciple (storyline requires it), however, I had only came across psionics rather recently and thought to look at it from that point. I don't think Abjurant Champion would be bad to use. If WarWeaver is ToB, I won't be using it, since the DM refuses to allow the book (despite me trying to talk him into it). And most cases, The only thing I would want is higher caster level, considering Practiced Spellcaster Gives me a Caster push of +4 (lined it up for DD) and Spell power+3 added on. I might have decided to raise my Duskblade levels to gain Spell power+5 to give me a bit more mileage.

War Weaver is in Heroes of Battle, not Tome of Battle. It's a spellcaster PrC.

Why does your DM require you to enter DD? Or does your background story require it? If it's your background, Dragonborn (Races of the Dragon) is a better option.

[Astaroth]

I looked at it, but human gave me more time to prep my skills. The DM required it because to what I wanted, I had to go that route, since the Dragonborn aren't being played too tough, and I had already processed my character as being of a dragon bloodline... by birth.

Being that dragons interacting with mortals are rare in his homebrew campaign, he limited what options there were to being a dragon. If I went dragonborn, any dragon prestige classes I could qualify for would be closed to me. If went dragon disciple, there would classes closed to me, but not as many dragon PrC (because I sacrificed somethings for others)

Doing some thinking:

DD 22/duskblade 16/wizard 3/ Ultimate Magus 10

I get some decent casting progression, I keep what was after and my duskblade levels give me good chance to fight with spell power and quick cast 3/day

[woodenbandman]

Um... yeah. Your DM's being unreasonable, and your build is not very good. Dragon disciple isn't even good for one level, much less twenty two. Besides, you're not even taking and dragon related prestige classes. Just be a dragonborn with the dragon bloodline, and be a duskblade/wizard/crap.

[Astaroth]

Um... yeah. Your DM's being unreasonable, and your build is not very good. Dragon disciple isn't even good for one level, much less twenty two. Besides, you're not even taking and dragon related prestige classes. Just be a dragonborn with the dragon bloodline, and be a duskblade/wizard/crap.

He's not using bloodlines for this campaign.

And you feel that isn't good. I did like fact that I got 7 extra spells that I can use to burn with arcane strike. I'm not a fan of Dragonborn, honestly. I don't really see many things that I like, though I will thoroughly admit to being a good race.

You see, the DM will emphasize that I play the Dragonborn race as it occurs in story. So I am drawn to that cause of Bahamut and inherently stuck to a set of codes that I do not want. Yes he's a bit unreasonable, but I am working with him (considering he doesn't have many of the books that I have) and will ppl get over the wizard thing? I might not want to play that. The idea is to play something within his campaign world settings that is good and sturdy, but not something I am totally unsure of

[woodenbandman]

Well, I am sorry I didn't mean to say that the only thing that's right to do is to be a wizard, but you're going to be, like, level infinity, and at that level, you pretty much need high powered spells or things that couldn't kill you if you were a wizard will just totally rape you.

[Astaroth]

Based on my ability scores, I can't afford it right now to jump into Dragonborn, even if I wanted to. I already have a good Con, so it would place my con at an 18. I also lose one of my feats for it, so this a crucial move that needs to be dealt with utmost care. I can always pay for wyrmgrafter to gain abreath weapon if I want it. So its choosing the right aspects necessary.

[Akalsaris]

How are you lvl 60, with only 4 feats?  *scratches head*

[Sinfire Titan]

The be a Silverbrow Human (Dragonmagic). You lose the Human skill points, but get Featherfall as an SLA 1/day+1/day/4 HD. You are also descended from Silver Dragons.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

The be a Silverbrow Human (Dragonmagic).

+1. Times a billion.

How are you lvl 60, with only 4 feats?  *scratches head

Currently he's level 5 as a human. So two from levels, one from being human. Plus Combat Casting is a duskblade bonus.

Based on my ability scores[snip]

you will get, by level 60, 15 points to your ability scores, and all they should really go into is Int and maybe Con. But mostly Int. And then you add godknowswhat for equipment. Worry not about your ability scores, for in the long run, they will succeed. Also, take that draconic template that's cheesey +1 goodness, can't remember it's name.

Duskblade 15/DD 22/ Soulknife18

Currently I am at Lv 5. as  Duskblade (plottting a good path is often best for me, anyway)

I am wondering if I can use the Soulknife's Channel Mindblade with My Duskblade's Arcane Channeling feature. Also, would it be more benefical to find a class that I can use to benefit my caster level enough to give me acess to the Crowd Controlling Bomb like Chain Lightning

The bolded parts are what to read. To the first; hold on, Dragon Disciple the 10-level PrC from the DMG? Does it HAVE 12 epic levels? And if so, can we shoot the writer who made that happen? Unless you're showing something else, I think max it should be is 20, though I'm somewhat ignorant of epic rules (never played past 20. Or, sadly, even to 20...), so correct me if I'm wrong.

To the second part, I just wanna know; what crazy-ass xp bonus do you get that you're starting at five and slaughtering your way to 55 minimum? Do you wake up, eat some kobolds, and spend the rest of the day butchering layers of hell?

And the third part; delete everything you said but the bolded "to find a class that I can use to benefit my caster level." That is always the right answer. You will die, quickly, especially with this kinda jerk DM, if you go to lv 60 and have not a single 10th level spell. If you want to live, and I assume you do, you have no choice but this or broken-ass houseruled equipment, and even with it, you'll only survive, you wont really kill things/accomplish things.

And get Arcane Strike; you'll have a fascist numbers of spells (no idea what that means, just feel like it expresses the emotion) to fuel into your hate machine. Use them for death.

[Sinfire Titan]

And get Arcane Strike; you'll have a fascist numbers of spells (no idea what that means, just feel like it expresses the emotion) to fuel into your hate machine. Use them for death.

It means he'll have more spells than Stalin had corpses to bury.

[Akalsaris]

What does Stalin put on his pasta?

COMMUNIST MANIPESTO!

[Flay Crimsonwind]

And get Arcane Strike; you'll have a fascist numbers of spells (no idea what that means, just feel like it expresses the emotion) to fuel into your hate machine. Use them for death.

It means he'll have more spells than Stalin had corpses to bury.

That's terrifying.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Like Ringu, I get rid of it by passing it on...

--Edit-- For that joke, Akalsaris, you deserve the link.

Hmmm... I'd try something like DD 20 / Duskblade 13 / Wiz 1 / Double-casting class X, but you still wont manage to get 10th level spells with that. I suppose you could NOT go for the full-attack-channeling method, but why would you bother with anything less? Your DM screwed you with the dragon disciple. Not saying you must remove it, I'm just letting you know what you've gotten into.

[sonofzeal]

Can we see what progression you have for DD?  It only goes up to 10 as printed, and while some 10-level PrCs can be generalized higher with ease, DD can't since the whole thing is building to the capstone.  If your DM has his own version of the class that he's using, then showing it would help us help you.

That said, I think there are valid ways of playing high-level characters without revolving around epic spellcasting.  In theory you're the bitch of anyone who can research an epic spell of "Slay XYZ" (where XYZ is you), but in practice some groups are restrained by social conventions and silly concepts like trying to make it fun for everyone.  You'll still need to optimize hard to keep up, but it's possible.  That said....

Duskblade 6 / Warblade 1 / Jade Phoenix Mage 10 / whatever  <- a really good start; you can advance on Duskblade or Warblade and do well, or you can go off on a limb (like Warmind 10) for some good solid fun.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Can we see what progression you have for DD?  It only goes up to 10 as printed, and while some 10-level PrCs can be generalized higher with ease, DD can't since the whole thing is building to the capstone.  If your DM has his own version of the class that he's using, then showing it would help us help you.

That said, I think there are valid ways of playing high-level characters without revolving around epic spellcasting.  In theory you're the bitch of anyone who can research an epic spell of "Slay XYZ" (where XYZ is you), but in practice some groups are restrained by social conventions and silly concepts like trying to make it fun for everyone.  You'll still need to optimize hard to keep up, but it's possible.  That said....

Duskblade 6 / Warblade 1 / Jade Phoenix Mage 10 / whatever  <- a really good start; you can advance on Duskblade or Warblade and do well, or you can go off on a limb (like Warmind 10) for some good solid fun.

DD has 10 epic levels, so it can go up to 20 technically. Though yes, I wanna know why he's got it to 22...

The second paragraph should be considered heavily, especially closing in on CL 60, but he says that his DM wont allow ToB (which is a terrible pity...)