D&D 3E/3.5 Converting a duskblade from 3.5 to 4e?

[Nemesis Destiny]

Technically they can't, because their powers are all Implement and thus they need to keep their rod in the other hand.

Actually:

Property: This blade functions as a warlock implement, adding its enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls for warlock powers that use implements.

So a hexblade can dual-wield a Pact Blade and their Pact Weapon. Ideally it would be a parrying dagger for the +1 AC, since you're not actually going to use it to make a melee attack, though it does cost a feat.

This also opens up TWF & TWD for another +1 to damage with weapon attacks and another +1 AC & reflex.

 

[drothgery]

Apologies- I meant to say "the Swordmage is the only arcane class with proficiency in an implement that is also a "real weapon"...so if the campaign doesn't allow them, then Arcane Implement Proficiency won't do you any good as far as becoming a martial arcanist."

IOW, I'm specifically asking about that whole using a weapon as an arcane implement thing.

Along the same lines as a Pact Blade, bards have a songblade (which works as a bard implement) available at nearly every magic item level (except 5,10, and 15).

 

[wayne62682]

I have to say I enjoy some of the builds listed here since this is similar to what I'm looking at for my own character (although I'm not trying to convert one), and so gives me some things to think about

The only thing I don't get is how you are getting some of those items at level 11; looking at them the cost of any one of them is way more than what an 11th level character gets (5000g according to the Online Character Builder). Did I miss something, or are they just from a super-optimized standpoint of "If you got the best weapons/armor"?

 

[Klaus]

I have to say I enjoy some of the builds listed here since this is similar to what I'm looking at for my own character (although I'm not trying to convert one), and so gives me some things to think about

The only thing I don't get is how you are getting some of those items at level 11; looking at them the cost of any one of them is way more than what an 11th level character gets (5000g according to the Online Character Builder). Did I miss something, or are they just from a super-optimized standpoint of "If you got the best weapons/armor"?

IIRC, you get one item of your level, level +1, level -1 and gp equal to an item your level.

 

[drothgery]

The only thing I don't get is how you are getting some of those items at level 11; looking at them the cost of any one of them is way more than what an 11th level character gets (5000g according to the Online Character Builder). Did I miss something, or are they just from a super-optimized standpoint of "If you got the best weapons/armor"?

Standard starting equipment for a character above first level is a level N+1 item, a level N item, a level N-1 item, and the gp value of a level N-1 item. Plus any sub-30gp gear you want (DM's discretion if you get unreasonable with this). So an 11th level character gets 5000gp, a level 12 magic item, a level 11 magic item, and a level 10 magic item.

 

[wayne62682]

Oh, doh that's right. See what happens when I'm gone for a year? Mea culpa.

 

[Neonchameleon]

What's the best way to capture someone who fights with a sword, channels magic through it, and occasionally goes flying around for brief jaunts? I'm trying to show some 4e-reticent friends how their PCs from Red Hand of Doom would look in the new rules, and while the fire genasi wizard and human knight were really easy to convert (and even my own horse archer ranger wasn't too hard), the elf duskblade is a tough nut to crack.

Swordmage might work, but she operated more as a striker than a defender, and we already have a knight. Sorcerer only does blade channeling through daggers (how I wish it let you do it through any light blade). Multiclassing frankly sucks in 4e. Any suggestions?

We're having problems converting a gish to 4e?!?

To me there's only one question that needs to be asked here. Is teleportation sufficiently like flight to satisfy your player? Because if so, a Feypact Hexblade with (charisma-based) Warlock dailies and three utility spells (again from the Warlock list) should do nicely. Or failing that an Eldritch-Strike using Warlock. (There's also as mentioned Avenger available).

And swordmages were ruled out for not being strikers rather than for being banned IIRC. So any arcane caster-type could take the swordmage multiclass or Arcane Implement Proficiency to get swordmage implements.

 

[Nullzone]

Actually:So a hexblade can dual-wield a Pact Blade and their Pact Weapon. Ideally it would be a parrying dagger for the +1 AC, since you're not actually going to use it to make a melee attack, though it does cost a feat.

This also opens up TWF & TWD for another +1 to damage with weapon attacks and another +1 AC & reflex.

Huh. Good catch, and that makes my "vision" of a Hexblade's pact weapon make a lot more sense (rod in hand, transform it into pact weapon).

 

[DracoSuave]

A hexblade could use a pact weapon tho... meh.

Ideally you want a good implement with a good property. Id be tempted to go with a subtle dagger, light blade expertise, arcane imp prof, dual implement, fey pact... whoa.

 

[Talok]

I think that an eladrin swordmage is your best bet. Go for ageis of assault. Get eladrin swordmage advance, intelligent blademaster, eladrin soldier, and maybe some wizard muticlass for flight and blasting. Take the anarch of shyr paragon path and powers that do a lot of damage. Her damage should be about equivalent to a striker and she can hit a lot of targets at once most of the time.