Help with a good attack pattern for my evil duskblade

[NewJeffCT]

This is a 3.5 campaign that has been going on for a little over a year now.

But, back when my group was in the level 4-5 range, they had a couple of encounters with an evil Elvin duskblade, level 6 – she chopped them up pretty good both times before they ganged up on her – she retreated the first time, and the second time, she was rescued at 0hp and escaped on the back of a dragon (after she killed one major NPC and knocked a PC below 0)

She has not made a re-appearance since that time, though she has been busy gaining experience.

However, now that the party is level 9, it is time for her to return at level 12.

She is a STR-based duskblade and will have drunk a Bull’s Strength potion before wading into combat, bringing her 20 STR up to 24. She wields a longsword.

She will have allies, including an evil cleric around the same level, plus a few low level drow fighters (screeners/flankers) and a few bearded devils. The evil cleric’s domains are Domination and Strength.

The party is all level 9, though I consider them level 10 in terms of capability due to most of them having a magic weapon that is appropriate for a higher level character (campaign specials)

Elf Fighter/Paladin of Freedom – finesse fighter
Human Cleric
Human Rogue
Human Sorcerer
Halfling Psion
Dwarf Fighter

There will also be an elf Scout/Ranger (Level 4) and a human sorceress (Level 4) along as well as NPCs. The guy playing the sorcerer may bring his son along and I can give him a character to play as well (any suggestions for balance?)

I figure the Duskblade’s first attack is +12 for BAB; +7 for Strength, +3 for magic, +1 for Weapon Focus, or +23 total, not counting any other potential bonuses (like Shocking Grasp vs metal armor)

I want to play this encounter smartly (which would be very unlike me!)
1) What would you take for 3rd level spells? I was thinking Vampiric Touch so she gets the extra 6d6 hit points to start, while also hitting for d8+10+6d6. Heck what are a couple of good 2nd level spell choices, too?

2) What would be a plan of attack – go for the “squishies” first, and rely on your allies to take out the front line fighters? Or, would you have the cleric and devils take on the squishies, while the duskblade and the drow flankers engage the fighters? My thought is the first option; because the cleric’s Will save spells would be more effective vs the front-line fighters than against the cleric and psion. But, I am flexible.

3) Which spells would you hit with first through your Quick Cast ability and Arcane Channeling?

4) Anything else I am missing?

 

[blargney the second]

Enlarge person the BBEG, and consider giving her Combat Reflexes.

Also, quick cast true strike plus full power attack is somewhat traditional for duskblades.
-blarg

 

[Runestar]

Because classed npc crs are notoriously inaccurate, I expect a run of the mill duskblade12 to be far weaker than the cr12 the guidelines make it out to be. As such, if you want to improve it to actually be a threat to the PCs, you may need to put a little effort into optimizing it. Consider making it a dusblade13 for access to full channeling and 4th lv spells.

For starters, I recommend you swap out weapon focus for knowledge devotion (complete champion). At 12th lv, you should have a score of at least 18 (so you are assured at least +2 to-hit/damage), and can hit the +3 breakpoint with a little more work/luck.

Arcane strike (complete warrior) is also great for funneling excess spells (and you will have a lot, even for a duskblade, since your npc only needs to care for that 1 encounter). 1 3rd lv slot gives you +3 to-hit and +3d4 damage on all attacks for that round, and it is a free action (not even a swift!).

For weapons, a reach weapon such as a guisarme may be better. MIC has the whirling weapon property (+1), which is just nasty if you can catch multiple PCs (in tandem with full channeling). Throw in enlarge person somewhere and you are looking at 20-ft reach.

As for quickcast, as noted, swift true-strike + power attack is always great for a +24 damage boost, but other possible alternatives include ray of enfeeblement or scorching ray.

I agree that at this stage, vampiric touch is more or less your bread and butter attack spell, combining decent damage with moderate defense. But don't ignore the possibility of disabling a PC with spells like ghoul touch, then administering a CDG (or leaving the dirty work to another npc).

 

[Kishin]

You can trigger Blade of Blood in conjunction with other touch spells, like shocking grasp. It makes for nasty spike damage if done well.

 

[Ydars]

I love using low level spells to bugger high level parties. My favourite ploys are to have low level spell casters hidden above the battlefield (invisible/levitating via potions). These wizards have the practised spellcaster feat (+5 to caster level) and a hoard of scrolls (if the PCs can do it, why not the monsters).

The key to fights is often mobility so use shock and awe to win iniative for the entire fight (-10 to party initative). Since this is area effect it does not spoil invisibility. Then have the two casters cast Summon Monster I and benign transposition to spoil any attempt to gang up on the Duskblade and allow him to move around the battlefield. Simply have the summoned monster appear anywhere you want to duskblade (or anyone else) to go and then have the other spellcaster use benign transposition to switch duskblade with summoned creature. It is a great way to allow the duskblade to kneecap the squishies and then escape. Do this many times in the combat and it becomes very difficult to pin the duskblade down and he will last much longer as he can rotate between fighting and getting buffed/healed via the cleric (use a wand of Cure). The duskblade can communicate with his minions via simple 0 level spells like message.

The low level wizard minion could also use spells like Stand to get the Duskblade up as an immediate action if any of your party are trip specialists. I would also have a low level drow sorceror minion use Ray of Clumsiness on the finesse fighter and/or the rogue in the first round (no save and it targets DEX 1d6+ caster level [use practised spellcaster as a feat again]).

Caltrops (a 0 level spell) can also be immensely annoying for charging melee characters (it attacks AC12 no matter what armour or spells someone is using and gains a to hit bonus based on caster level). If the spikes hit they halve the targets speed; a massive bonus in this type of battle.

If you combine these tactics with expeditious retreat on the duskblade, the party will have a very hard time pinning him down. Grease can also cause annoyance and allow any rogue minions to sneak attack balancing PCs (that or use persistant blade to flank the PC granting the rogue sneak attacks; since persistant blade can't be attacked I would have it "aid another" and grant a minion or the duskblade +2AC or +2 to hit.

Just give a few of your minions spellcasting levels and practised spellcaster and life becomes very annoying.

All of these spells are first level and yet can cause havoc. They are all in the PHB II and Spell compendium and yet players are not used to facing them.

 

[blargney the second]

Great suggestions, Ydars! In the same vein, hordes of low-level casters with snake's swiftness...

 

[Ydars]

You and I were born EVIL Blargney.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I love using low level spells to bugger high level parties. My favourite ploys are to have low level spell casters hidden above the battlefield (invisible/levitating via potions). These wizards have the practised spellcaster feat (+5 to caster level) and a hoard of scrolls (if the PCs can do it, why not the monsters).

The key to fights is often mobility so use shock and awe to win iniative for the entire fight (-10 to party initative). Since this is area effect it does not spoil invisibility. Then have the two casters cast Summon Monster I and benign transposition to spoil any attempt to gang up on the Duskblade and allow him to move around the battlefield. Simply have the summoned monster appear anywhere you want to duskblade (or anyone else) to go and then have the other spellcaster use benign transposition to switch duskblade with summoned creature. It is a great way to allow the duskblade to kneecap the squishies and then escape. Do this many times in the combat and it becomes very difficult to pin the duskblade down and he will last much longer as he can rotate between fighting and getting buffed/healed via the cleric (use a wand of Cure). The duskblade can communicate with his minions via simple 0 level spells like message.

The low level wizard minion could also use spells like Stand to get the Duskblade up as an immediate action if any of your party are trip specialists. I would also have a low level drow sorceror minion use Ray of Clumsiness on the finesse fighter and/or the rogue in the first round (no save and it targets DEX 1d6+ caster level [use practised spellcaster as a feat again]).

Caltrops (a 0 level spell) can also be immensely annoying for charging melee characters (it attacks AC12 no matter what armour or spells someone is using and gains a to hit bonus based on caster level). If the spikes hit they halve the targets speed; a massive bonus in this type of battle.

If you combine these tactics with expeditious retreat on the duskblade, the party will have a very hard time pinning him down. Grease can also cause annoyance and allow any rogue minions to sneak attack balancing PCs (that or use persistant blade to flank the PC granting the rogue sneak attacks; since persistant blade can't be attacked I would have it "aid another" and grant a minion or the duskblade +2AC or +2 to hit.

Just give a few of your minions spellcasting levels and practised spellcaster and life becomes very annoying.

All of these spells are first level and yet can cause havoc. They are all in the PHB II and Spell compendium and yet players are not used to facing them.

well, I want a challenging combat, I don't want to kill them... however, if the evil duskblade can take a PC or three down and then retreat to fight another day, the party will hate the duskblade even more (and they've been talking about this duskblade since the first encounter back in January...)

but, some great ideas.

 

[blargney the second]

I just looked up snake's swiftness, and it's not quite as evil as I thought. The spell has a built-in limit of once per round, and it also doesn't work if they're hasted.

 

[Ydars]

NewJeffCT; the tactics I suggest are really designed just to challenge the players and get them panicking.

The problem with most "climatic battles" is that they so often can fall flat. But a little bit of forethought and it can be a very different story.