arcane channeling +13th level DB + orb = 50 d6 +/-

[StreamOfTheSky]

StreamOfTheSky: why not use a three level dip in Binder with Paimon instead of Dervish? Your own idea in another thread, IIRC. Should work much more smoothly.

Because I keep forgetting about Tome of Magic and the build idea came to me a few years ago before I even read it.

Paimon would almost certainly be easier to do.

And the once/creature limit really isn't that bad. You don't even have to use it for damage spells... I like the idea of using the spell that teleports someone you touch to tactically funnel all the bad guys into a condensed space for the god wizard to lock them up with a nasty battlefield control spell. You can even take a -4 to deal nonlethal mid-running-full-attack to hit allies and teleport them to a better spot, too!

EDIT: I'm not sure Dance of Death actually CAN be combined with arcane channeling. It's never called a full attack action, unlike dervish dance. Sure, you could use Travel Devotion or something + WWA, but that's not quite the same...

Anyway, adapting my previous build, I give you this rough skeleton:
[sblock]Illumian Duskblade 4 / Binder 1 / KoSS 1 / Duskblade X
Starting: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 8
Level 20 (w/ Paimon): Str 21 (27), Dex 18 (24), Con 14 (18), Int 16 (20), Wis 8, Cha 8

Uurkrau: +2 dex checks and skill checks; +2 CL; can use dex instead of int for bonus spells.

Free feats: Combat Casting (duskblade), Mobility (armor), Whirlwind Attack (Binder)
Feats:
1 Combat Expertise
1 Improved Trip [flaw]
1 Weapon Focus (guisarme) [flaw]
3 Knowledge Devotion
6 Improved Binding
9 Combat Reflexes
12 Dodge
15 Elusive Target
18 Power Attack
Flaws: Shaky, ?
Traits: Quick[/sblock]

Very feat starved. Though, since (unlike a non-WWA Dervish Dance), you cannot use Cause Overreach tactic (Elusive Target) with Dance of Death, maybe build should just drop dodge and elusive target entirely, but that's a shame.

 

[Duke Arioch]

Here is everything you need to now about duskblades. Have fun with very fun class XD

 

[kitcik]

How could a 10-Barbarian do that kind of damage, crits aside?
dbl str - 2 handed - great axe - power attack -im p sunder and even combat brute for a X3

Hood.

Just load up on things that advance damage on a charge. Pounce, Battle Jump, Valorous Enhancement, etc.

 

[Empirate]

How could a 10-Barbarian do that kind of damage, crits aside?
dbl str - 2 handed - great axe - power attack -im p sunder and even combat brute for a X3

Level 10, eh? Let's take a Half-Orc Barbarian 8/Fighter 2 for simplicity's sake (I'd say Barbarian 10, but I need more feats).

Enter damage multiplication feats: Battle Jump (double damage on a charge where you drop on someone - easy with a good Jump check), Headlong Rush (double damage on a charge), Shock Trooper (so you hit every time on a full power attack).

Also, take the Lion Totem (full attack on a charge) and Whirling Frenzy (flurry-like extra attack on a full attack) Barbarian variants.

All that lets you take three attacks at +8/+8/+3 base, even with a full -10/+20 power attack, since Shock Trooper lets us shuffle the attack penalty to AC.

Assuming Str 30 (base 20, +2 through levels, +4 rage, +4 Bull's Strength or Belt of Giant's Strength) and a magic weapon +2, we're looking at +20/+20/+15, or a good likelihood of two-ish hits on most level-appropriate encounters before further buffs/magic gear.

Assuming a +2 Glaive (reach weapon is good with Headlong Rush), we're doing 1d10 + 17 base damage, or 1d10 + 37 with full Power Attack. Each damage roll is taken times three (Battle Jump doubles it, Headlong Rush does it again, D&D multiplication logic applies...), so we're doing a nice round 3d10 + 111 damage with each hit. Let's assume we hit at least twice, and you see where this is going. Should you get your hands on a Valorous weapon, you're even better off, since that adds another x2 to the whole package. And don't get me started on the odd crit, or a simple Haste spell from your friendly arcanist, or any number of other options.

Oh, and your AC is really bad for the rest of the round, but with a little bit of luck (and one or two of the baddest bruisers already lying at your feet in rapidly spreading pools of their own blood), you should be OK.

Not a build for the faint of heart.


EDIT: Noooooo! Ninja'd by the Hood!!!

 

[Sektat]

> That makes the ability almost worthless, IMO, just like Whirlwind Attack

No no, having played a duskblade myself I can say that the point of that ability is that you can channel as part of a full attack.
It's an annoying problem for a level 6 duskblade that you have to decide between standard-attack+channeling OR full attack.

 

[Sekhmet]

I remember someone schooling me on Pouncers a couple of years ago. Managed to get up to an average of 250 or so damage per round on a single target, including trips (spiked chain user), or managing to get out to a 20 or 25 foot reach and using Whirlwind and Great Cleave to murder everything (so long as his absurd attack bonus never failed him), all by about level 10.

Leave damage to physical combatants (Fighters, Rogues, etc). Magic is for support and control.

 

[Empirate]

Pretty much sums it up. Although it is much harder to hit that damage reliably without some form of ubercharging. And a charge is pretty easy to stop cold, or at the very least the charger needs to take precautions against a lot of things: not being able to see the target, not being able to move there in a straight line, difficult terrain, fatigue/exhaustion, readied actions, Abrupt Jaunt... it ain't always easy to pull off a good charge, and if that's the only trick that keeps you relevant in a fight, that ain't good.

 

[Duke Arioch]

Warlock/cleric/eldritch disciple has full BAB with touch attacks with reach, each dealing full eldritch blast damage + what you can muster in equipment (greater chausable, gloves of eldritch admixture) and feats (mortalbane). Plus has better mobility with at will fly/dimension door. Just saying that magic can pack a punch too, although using melee.
Sure, duskblade can't match the power of dedicated barbarian, but is much more fun to play.

 

[Sekhmet]

Warlock/cleric/eldritch disciple has full BAB with touch attacks with reach, each dealing full eldritch blast damage + what you can muster in equipment (greater chausable, gloves of eldritch admixture) and feats (mortalbane). Plus has better mobility with at will fly/dimension door. Just saying that magic can pack a punch too, although using melee.
Sure, duskblade can't match the power of dedicated barbarian, but is much more fun to play.

I'm not arguing that a (pseudo)caster who is optimized can't deal damage, I'm merely stating that, for the purpose of unit cohesion and party readiness, it is generally better to allow characters to play to their strengths and cover as many bases as possible.
While the Wizard/Warlock/Cleric/what-have-you can cover damage dealing, it ties up their resources (Spells per day, equipment, funds, spells/invocations known, etc), reducing their ability to provide the utility and control that other classes are completely unable to provide (regardless of their optimization).

tl;dr Best to let each party member handle one or two things, instead of everyone just choosing to deal damage.

 

[Duke Arioch]

I'm not arguing that a (pseudo)caster who is optimized can't deal damage, I'm merely stating that, for the purpose of unit cohesion and party readiness, it is generally better to allow characters to play to their strengths and cover as many bases as possible.
While the Wizard/Warlock/Cleric/what-have-you can cover damage dealing, it ties up their resources (Spells per day, equipment, funds, spells/invocations known, etc), reducing their ability to provide the utility and control that other classes are completely unable to provide (regardless of their optimization).

tl;dr Best to let each party member handle one or two things, instead of everyone just choosing to deal damage.

I agree with you on this. It appears I missed on what you said earlier.