D&D 5E (2014) Next spell for Duskblade 8

[shilsen]

Yup, I believe it's possible to touch yourself...

Paging Hong ...

 

[Graybeard]

My Duskblade uses Dimension hop often. Not only is it useful to get out of grapples but you can get out of melee range in order to use a potion (cure light being used most often).

It works much like the House Orien Dragonmark ability in Eberron.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

He's got a thing about necromancy in general, and the whole drain thing gets him all worked up. To be honest, the whole draining someone's life thing sounds purty evil to me too. Useful, but then I don't have the same moral issues he does.

So, let me get this straight. Killing the bad guy with a sword is acceptable to the paladin. Killing the bad guy with a spell that makes you able to pursue more evil more quickly is a bad thing?

Enter my problem with [Evil] and [Good] tags. Evil and good (as view by most players of paladins) should not be defined by game mechanic terms. It should be determined by observable and known motivation.

I think this is a case where a spell which doesn't have an [Evil] tag is more effective than the paladin's method. If the motivation of the paladin is to smite the evil and the motivation for the Duskblade is to smite the evil, why should the paladin have a problem with it?

 

[carborundum]

Killing the bad guy by draining his life force is inherently worse than killing him by slashing/ burning/ breaking his bones, puncturing his organs, freezing or spraying him in acid. That's about it, yup.

Hang on..... ;-)

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Oi!

That's just silly, but I know exactly what you mean. This is one of the reasons why I dropped [Evil] and [Good] tags from the game. I also changed the alignment system so that Good/Evil aren't one of the axis. Whetehr someone is acting good or evil should not be something that gets written on their sheet, it should be something that can be told by their actions.

And yes, that does mean spells like Prot from Evil are much more subjective, because being evil is a judgment call by the DM. But, now we stray into houserule territory.

EDIT:
For the record ... I also think it is silly that good clerics cannot cast contagion which only impares a person ... but can cast - oh, I don't know - Flamestrike? I mean, it would be rare for contagion to actually kill someone. It is relatively easy to think of Flamestrike killing!

But, then again, D&D doesn't consider killing an act of evil - or even a harmful act. After all, inflicting someone with a disease on purpose is obviously evil, but driving a sword through their heart and ending their life is good old fashioned fun! [And yes, I'm being snyde, so don't take me 100% serious!]

 

[wildstarsreach]

My duskblade just hit level 8 and needs a new spell. He currently alternates between Scorching Rays at a distance, or Channelled shocking grasps with his longsword. With only 50hp and medium armour, he can't melee too much, though he often ends up there anyway.

His current spells are:
(Level 1) Blade of Blood, Colour Spray, Jump, Shocking Grasp, Swift Exp. Retreat & True Strike.
(Level 2) Animalistic Power, Scorching Ray, Seeking Ray.

I'm torn between Kelgore's Fire Bolt (1st) and the 2nd level spells Dimension Hop, Stretch weapon, Swift Fly and Touch of Idiocy.

I can think of a few advantages and disadvantages for each and wondered if anyone out there has a particular favourite (possibly not on the short-list) which I could really get good use out of.

2nd – Melf’s Acid Arrow, Scorching Ray, Touch of Idiocy, See Invisibility
1st – Blade of Blood, True Strike, Magic Weapon, Stand, Shocking Grasp

I'm currently playing a 6th level duskblade. My choices for 7th and 8th are touch of idiocy and see invisibility. The animalistic power looked great but I can rely on others for buffs. I'm tanking and taking them down. I just got Mthril full plate with shield spec. It's not the best but respectable.

 

[wildstarsreach]

No way.

I concur with Dimension Hop. It's the closest thing to a utility spell you can get AND it's useful in combat.

Thinking about it dimension hop is good especially if you use it to help you rogues or other fighters getting flank bonuses.

 

[carborundum]

The animalistic power looked great but I can rely on others for buffs.

Ah, if only that applied to me. Other PCs are a Paladin (no, really), a Ranger/Sorcerer/Rogue, a Bow-spec Fighter and ... another Rogue. So, no buffs. We've only lived this long by blowing half the cash we find on healing potions, if you ask me.

And we're doing Red Hand of Doom, and haven't been near a decent city yet to order Mithril Full Plate, so I'm also stuck with AC 19 or 20. The AC boost from Anim. Power is as appreciated as the hitpoints and to-hit bonus!