Vampire Char help

[SeanXD]

Hi, my current character is in pickle right now and I might need a replacement soon. I was thinking of making a Dhampir character that would be good at using swords for close combat and use some mgic as well if he would feel like it. I wouldn't mind too much if he was amazing at melee, but I would still want him to have a high dps of either melee/magic. If he were to use magic I would like him to have a more telekinetic and dark flare to his spells. I wouldn't care for his utility value and only really would want to deal decent dps as him. I'm fairly new to D&D, so I really have no idea on how to build this character, so if anyone could try to give me suggestions or a build or wo to try and work around any of those specifications, it would be greatly appreciated. BTW, just so you know me and my group play d20 3.5 rules. thanks for any help

 

[Shin Okada]

Welcome to the board.

So basically, you want to play a fighter mage type right?

The easiest way to do this is to play a Duskblade class in PHB II. This is a well made class of it's own and you can play it straight, without multi-classing.

Or, you can always play a Cleric. In mechanic, Cleric is a kind of fighter mage.

And, if you dare to use multiple 3.5e supplements and complex multiclassing, there are many ways to make an efficient fighter mage. Usually, you will start from taking several levels of spellcaster class and warrior-type class, then proceed to prestige classes such as Abjurant Champion (Complete Mage) & Eldritch Knight (DMG).

 

[SeanXD]

i dunno bout the duskblade class, from what i understand it seems fairly underpowered in comparison to other classes and is more suited as support, my current char is more surrotish and im trying to lean more towards dps, so i may have to go towards the multiclassing route

 

[Dandu]

Favored Soul, or Cleric.

 

[Shin Okada]

i dunno bout the duskblade class, from what i understand it seems fairly underpowered in comparison to other classes and is more suited as support, my current char is more surrotish and im trying to lean more towards dps, so i may have to go towards the multiclassing route

Duskblade is not underpowered at all. It is a full-BAB class with spell-casting ability. Thus, a single-class Duskblade can have better BAB than multi-classed fighter mages and yet have unique class ability which can combine your spellcasting ability and melee attacks.

At lower levels, you can just channel damaging touch attack spells such as Shocking Grasp or Vampiric Touch via your sword. And when needed, you can quick cast True Strike and use Power Attack to increase damage. At higher levels, you start to combine spell channeling and Arcane Strike feat, almost all of your combat turns.

The class is rather weak in ranged spells, though. Still, Scorching Ray is not a bad spell and you can change it's energy type via Energy Substitution feat if needed.

For defense, you have to start from chain shirt (but even fighters do so at the 1st-level). But you will eventually start to wear Mithral Full-Plate (or Heavy Plate) as a suit of heavy armor made of mithral is considered to be a medium armor. And you will likely to combine it with an animated heavy shield. And Duskblade has, like cleric, two good saving throws. Fort and Will, the more important ones.

 

[shadyizok]

Hi, my current character is in pickle right now and I might need a replacement soon. I was thinking of making a Dhampir character that would be good at using swords for close combat and use some mgic as well if he would feel like it. I wouldn't mind too much if he was amazing at melee, but I would still want him to have a high dps of either melee/magic. If he were to use magic I would like him to have a more telekinetic and dark flare to his spells. I wouldn't care for his utility value and only really would want to deal decent dps as him. I'm fairly new to D&D, so I really have no idea on how to build this character, so if anyone could try to give me suggestions or a build or wo to try and work around any of those specifications, it would be greatly appreciated. BTW, just so you know me and my group play d20 3.5 rules. thanks for any help

The first thing that does pop up here is the duskblade, because it is a good melêe fighter with some damaging spellcasting to up his damage and otherwise improve his combat abilities.

If you want to look into duskblade you should check out this handbook:
clicky

Like as have suggested, the cleric is basicly a full fighter mage but more on the mage aspect and has a lot more buffing and utility spells. If you want to play a cleric there are a thousand good builds.

For multiclass there are a lot of fighter/mage builds, I like:
Fighter2/wizard4/Abj. Champ5/Eldritch Knight9, which is mostly mage orientated but with a good base attack bonus and a couple of spare feats to get through. You could switch out fighter for 3 levels of swashbuckler taking only 3 levels of wizard but personally I like the feats.

Basicly if you want a FIGHTER/mage then go duskblade, if you wanna go fighter/MAGE go with cleric or a multiclass build.

 

[irdeggman]

Warmage from Complete Arcane is a possiblity.

Poor BAB, d6 HP but has good damage spells (essentially evocation ones), gains some sudden metamagic feats for later on and can cast spells while wearing armor w/o ASF chance.

Only proficient with simple weapons though.

 

[SeanXD]

i read through the faq and decided to stick w/ the duskblade for my main class, now i just gotta plan out the specifics for my characters progression. imma try to optimize his dps, but not sure how that'll go with my knowledge of D&D =P

 

[SeanXD]

sorry for the double post, but I was lookng around and saw a Hexblade class, how would that compare to a duskblade since they both cast and melee

 

[FEADIN]

Hexblade are more "dark" ,alignement chaotic or evil only, d8, don't remember if they get one or two good save, cast curse x/day as swift action, some other powers.
You can see him like a "light" blackguard with arcane spells
Like paladin they begin casting spells at 4th level only with half hd as caster level.
Duskblade cast from 1st level on with full caster level, they are more melee oriented than hexblade with their powers.