Level 9 feat for my Duskblade

[carborundum]

Does anyone have any tips for which feat to take for my Duskblade who's just hit level 9.

He is in the Red Hand of Doom but we have no cleric so it's potion use a-plenty. He alternates between Scorching Rays and channeling Shocking Grasps. Since he's just hit 9 he'll be getting Vampiric Touch for sure. He fights with a Balanced Mercurial Greatsword (1-handed - sweet) but has pretty average armour (Mithril Chain +1 - total AC 21).

Feats so far:
Exotic Wpn: Mercurial Greatsword
Combat Expertise
Improved Disarm

I'm thinking of either Improved Critical or that feat that lets me use heavy armour instead of just medium but still cast as normal (forget the name).
Is there a much cooler feat anyone can think of? I doubt the campaign will last another six levels so Power Attack then Cleave isn't really an option. (Unless you say that Power Attack a must is...)

 

[RangerWickett]

I'd go for Improved Crit where you are now. Mercurial greatswords are ridiculous, but if your GM lets you have them, flaunt it. In RHoD, I don't think power attacking is actually that useful, since foes tend to have pretty high ACs.

 

[carborundum]

Thanks!
You're right about the sword. Another party member had it - blew his entire starting budget on it and getting it balanced, built his character around it, and then died rather suddenly. I occasionally waved it around but with the massive -7 penalty it was only useful in combination with True Strike. Then I got a critical.
After that I decided to go for the Exotic Weapon proficiency.

 

[Simm]

I would suggest practiced spell caster (races of dragon). It lets you lose two spell slots of the same level to cast a spell one level higher. Always comes in handy when you need that one extra spell.

 

[SadisticFishing]

Sudden Silent is really good with Dimension Door. You can't be killed unless at all once (though I don't remember who you can bring with you). Gets out of grapples and silences either way, even both!

 

[wildstarsreach]

Does anyone have any tips for which feat to take for my Duskblade who's just hit level 9.

He is in the Red Hand of Doom but we have no cleric so it's potion use a-plenty. He alternates between Scorching Rays and channeling Shocking Grasps. Since he's just hit 9 he'll be getting Vampiric Touch for sure. He fights with a Balanced Mercurial Greatsword (1-handed - sweet) but has pretty average armour (Mithril Chain +1 - total AC 21).

Feats so far:
Exotic Wpn: Mercurial Greatsword
Combat Expertise
Improved Disarm

I'm thinking of either Improved Critical or that feat that lets me use heavy armour instead of just medium but still cast as normal (forget the name).
Is there a much cooler feat anyone can think of? I doubt the campaign will last another six levels so Power Attack then Cleave isn't really an option. (Unless you say that Power Attack a must is...)

First of all, I agree with the poster on Mercurial swords. They are an idea that isn't practical except in someones mind. Be that as it may since you've taken it, flaunt it.

Look at getting a Mithril Full Plate. It's a medium armor that is as good as you can get. This is what my 6th level duskblade has. A feat that she took at 6th level was shield Spec from PHB 2. Since you have Hvy shield prof at 7th level, Mithril full plate, a +1 Heavy shield and a 14 dex, this would give you 24 AC(+8 Armor, +2 Dex, +4 Shield). And you can use your Mercurial Greatsword in one hand. If your mithril plate is enchanted to +1 that gives you a 25 AC. The reason for Shield Spec is that at 9th or 12th I'm taking Shield Ward out of the PHB 2.

 

[wildstarsreach]

Sudden Silent is really good with Dimension Door. You can't be killed unless at all once (though I don't remember who you can bring with you). Gets out of grapples and silences either way, even both!

D door isn't in the Duskblades spell list. You also have to have another metamagic feat in order to take sudden silent.

 

[BASHMAN]

Consider one of the reserve feats from complete arcane? As long as you have an electricity spell uncast, you can continually do a 2d6 electricity ranged touch attack as a spelllike. Imagine channeling this with every attack. The prereq is you must have a 2nd level electricity spell-- which there is-- seeking ray I think it is called-- is electricity based.

 

[carborundum]

Consider one of the reserve feats from complete arcane? As long as you have an electricity spell uncast, you can continually do a 2d6 electricity ranged touch attack as a spelllike. Imagine channeling this with every attack.

Reserve feats - I've seen those before, ages ago - forgot all about them! They're in Complete Mage.
I can't channel ranged touch spells though, only melee touch spells. BUT if I could take a 3rd level sonic spell instead of Vampiric Touch, then I could do 3d6 sonic plus Deafness every single round as a touch attack! (digs in book) Drat - no 3rd level sonics on Duskblade list.
Reserve spells warrant more investigation though - thanks!

...at 9th or 12th I'm taking Shield Ward out of the PHB 2.

Shield Ward would be really useful - especially against the grappling, choking monks we keep bumping into. I don't know if we'll make 12th though so I couldn't get it. :\

Thanks for the tips, folks!

 

[mikebr99]

I wouldn't use a large shield if I were you... just because you can, doesn't mean that you still have one hand free to cast spells with somatic components. Though there is a feat called shielded casting (RoS IIRC) that gets around this...

Mike