How would you build a Death Knight?

[Darth Vyce]

Hmm, OK, so paladin 4 for the divine feats. Understandable. Why bard 8? I was personally thinking of having a few levels of bard and then putting the remainder of levels in some PrC (I think the build she currently has is Mourner, which is very appropriate in a country full of undead.)

I wanted to keep it simple because I didn't how much multiclassing was allowed.

Power Attack seems . . . dubious to me without the ability to attack touch AC. BAB+10, +2 str, +6 or 7 cha leaves only +19 to attack, far from a guaranteed hit. I suppose I could get wraithstrike through some shenanigans and a feat, and ditch battlecaster.

Power Attack is included due to it being a prerequisite for Divine Might. The main objective in including the feat was to optimize the character's use of charisma.

Does anyone want to get into the finer points of using blackguard vs. paladin of tyranny levels? I'd still like some sort of rigorous treatment of that.

I think the choice is simple. Based on what you have pointed out above the character is a diplomat first and a fighter second. Trying to get into Blackguard requires 3 very combat oriented feats. Due to this I think it would be a waste. Instead, I would go with paladin of tyranny.

Here is another neat trick which would free up a feat: use a harmonizing crystal echoblade (Magic Item Compendium). The sword can continue a bardic music effect for 10 rnds and you will inflict additional sonic damage equal to half of your bard level!

Is the mourner the prestige class in Dragon? If so aren't some of the special abilities tailor made to fight/hamper undead?

 

[moritheil]

Power Attack is included due to it being a prerequisite for Divine Might.

Ah, OK.

I think the choice is simple. Based on what you have pointed out above the character is a diplomat first and a fighter second. Trying to get into Blackguard requires 3 very combat oriented feats. Due to this I think it would be a waste. Instead, I would go with paladin of tyranny.

True; not much call for Improved Sunder. It's been a little while since I've built a Blackguard; I had forgotten about all the feats it eats.

Here is another neat trick which would free up a feat: use a harmonizing crystal echoblade (Magic Item Compendium). The sword can continue a bardic music effect for 10 rnds and you will inflict additional sonic damage equal to half of your bard level!

Is the mourner the prestige class in Dragon? If so aren't some of the special abilities tailor made to fight/hamper undead?

Thanks.

Yes, it is made to allow bards to affect undead and to get bonuses vs. necromancy. Note that as an undead being she benefits greatly from bonuses vs. necromancy (it makes it harder to land anti-undead spells on her.)