PHB II: Duskblade too powerful?

[Plane Sailing]

One of the characters in that game is a duckblade (there's also a dread necromancer, and I forgot what the other characters are).

Now, you've got to be completely quackers to play that class

 

[Klaus]

Since I'd rather play a Battle Sorcerer (UA) instead of a Duskblade, I don't think it's too powerful at all.

 

[EyeontheMountain]

I've seen a duskblade in play (5th to 9th level), and it is a nice nice class, with a lot of options and choices in every single round of combat, which is something I must have in a character.

On the other hand, it is pretty limited. I mean, how many times can you give a character the same spell by a different name and call it a variety. All ofthe Duskblade spells are varients on a very thin theme, and they ahve almost no versatiliyy on the spell front. I mean, take away the actual spells and leave empty slots(which you can change into d6 damage at 2:1 ratio), and you end up with a character whose damage output is virutally the smae.

Kinda like a bladesinger varient I wanted to play with only Dragon Breath and Arcane strike as abilities. No real spells, just using slots.

If someone allows the Arcane disciple feat or the broad reading of Extra spell, Duskblades can be too powerful. But as written (and with a reasonable reading of the rules) they are fine.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

I'm of the camp that Spell+Spell+Zweihander+PowerAttack=Powerful ... I'm playing a Barbarian/Cleric with Destruction domain and Extra Smite, just for that. Spikes + Smite = Cleric Level x2 in damage and I usually dump the +4 into PA for another +8.

Last level, between that and Righteous Might and strength bonuses, I was doing XdX+40 on "the big hit".

Unfortunately I think every crit I've gotten has been on undead, so no sick damage totals. Our top ranked damage is still the full-caster Cleric with an empowered 15d12 Bolt Of Glory for 151 damage.

--fje

 

[Felon]

The duskblade's spells are reasonably diverse. For direct offense, you have some ranged touch spells, some short-range "shotgun" blasts, and touch spells. You also have buff spells that provide indirect offense, defense, and movement bonuses, and those come in a couple of different varieties: swift-action 1-round-duration, and standard-action 1-minute/level duration.

I do wish the list could be expanded and customized in some way.

 

[Pillsbury]

One small thing I notice is that many people don't do Chill Touch properly. Chill touch does 1d6 dmg not 1d6/level, however that still leaves Shocking Grasp as the spell of choice for Lower level Duskblades.

Chill Touch
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: Creature or creatures touched (up to one/level)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial or Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
A touch from your hand, which glows with blue energy, disrupts the life force of living creatures. Each touch channels negative energy that deals 1d6 points of damage. The touched creature also takes 1 point of Strength damage unless it makes a successful Fortitude saving throw. You can use this melee touch attack up to one time per level.

An undead creature you touch takes no damage of either sort, but it must make a successful Will saving throw or flee as if panicked for 1d4 rounds +1 round per caster level

 

[Piratecat]

Now, you've got to be completely quackers to play that class

Darn it! You stole my joke!

 

[Perun]

Ah I see this thread has returned to life... just for the record to the Duskblade w/Glaive post, the spell damage is not multiplied on a critical hit because it becomes "extra damage dice" along the line of Sneak Attack. It's not MUCH of a difference, but still a significant one.

If I'm reading it right, you're partiall correct -- the damage from blade of blood is classified as extra damage right there in the spell description. So, it's not multiplied on a critical. However, I couldn't find anything that would support that theory for shocking grasp. With arcane channeling you get two independent effects, first the melee attack and then the spell takes effect. It would make for a nice house rule, but, from what I understand, it's not implied in the rules (of course, I could very well be wrong).

My experiences have been that the Duskblade is a very powerful class but not ungodly so. When I played one, I did a fair amount of damage but I also used up all my spells in about two rounds.

Yes, that seems to be the major downside. The duskblade in my original post would get a total of three "big attacks" before running out of spells.

 

[Ace]

No because I would honestly like to see a fighter/mage hybrid that can cast higher than 5th level spells. I mean if they stopped at 8th, fine. But only 5th? No way.

Thats easy to do with the Complete Mage

Fighter 6 with class feature swap to allow casting in light armor

Wizard 5

Eldritch Knight 9


at 20th you have

7 "any feats"

5 Fighter only feats

7th level spells

familiar

scribe scroll

if you use stuff like Focused specialist and some of the UA varints you can have a very nasty secondary caster.

Nicely this combo is penalty free for all classes too

 

[wayne62682]

If I'm reading it right, you're partiall correct -- the damage from blade of blood is classified as extra damage right there in the spell description. So, it's not multiplied on a critical. However, I couldn't find anything that would support that theory for shocking grasp. With arcane channeling you get two independent effects, first the melee attack and then the spell takes effect. It would make for a nice house rule, but, from what I understand, it's not implied in the rules (of course, I could very well be wrong).

But if SG can crit, how do you determine it? Say I'm using a greatsword (19-20 threat range). If I roll a natural 19 (assuming I confirm it) then the greatsword crits but SG doesnt (as it requires a natural 20)? How about if I roll a 20; then both crit? It adds an extra layer of complexity which is why I just naturally assumed that it works the way I said.. channeling Shocking Grasp turns it into extra damage dice rather than a seperate attack so it's not multiplied on a crit anymore.