What do you think of the Duskblade?

[DM-Rocco]

What do you think of the Duskblades?

I have some mixed feelings about them. The basic idea of the class is great, but the channeling magic through a melee weapon seems to be limited. I looked up the "touch" spells in the spell list and I think it was something like 3 or 4 touch spells. That seems a bit limiting as a class feature. Sure you could take the learn spell feat and get cause critical wounds, but just going off of the spell list, it seems weak.

Unless you allow "ranged" touch spells too. Then they are mean, nothing worse than a full Whirlwind attack of Disintegrate per hit

Although, there is a difference between ranged touch attack and touch attack, so I would say that doesn't work.

 

[Rhun]

I've never played on, but I did have a short-time player that played one. Seemed like a pretty nice class. His PC was more of the warrior type, and he used arcane channeling pretty effectively.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Too many spells per day.

I don't like this class. Or any of the others in the same book. :\

 

[DM-Rocco]

Too many spells per day.

I don't like this class. Or any of the others in the same book. :\

I never thought it had too many spells. They can only get up to 5th level spells, at a worse progression than a Sorcerer (off the top of my head I don't think you even get 2nd level spells until 6th level) and you have a limited spell list. If you ask me, the War Mage has a more useful spell list and a better progression. They only suck cause you still don't get a decent BAB.

I just thought that the class feature to channel touch spells was too limited IMO

 

[Drowbane]

I never thought it had too many spells. They can only get up to 5th level spells, at a worse progression than a Sorcerer (off the top of my head I don't think you even get 2nd level spells until 6th level) and you have a limited spell list. If you ask me, the War Mage has a more useful spell list and a better progression. They only suck cause you still don't get a decent BAB.

I just thought that the class feature to channel touch spells was too limited IMO

why would a Warmage need a good BA?

 

[BlackMoria]

Definately, do not make ranged spells so they can be channelled through the blade as it would make the Duskblade too powerful.

If the lack of a variety of touch spells is perceived to be a issue, then touch spells could be added to the spell list, assuming the DM will allow it.

I have played a Duskblade and I don't have problem with the spell list. Once the Duskblade reaches the level to cast Vampric Touch, that usually become the preferred spell to channel. What's not to like - 1d6 damage / 2 levels and gain hit points equal to the spell damage. In one protracted combat, my Duskblade beatdown his enemies and more than tripled his hit points in the bargain with that spell choice.

 

[DM-Rocco]

why would a Warmage need a good BA?

For no reason other than the fact that the title of the class infers you will be in close quarter battle. Yes, I know it more refers to the types of spells you cast versus you wielding a sword. However, when I first read the class, it was what I thought the Duskblade might have been. That is to say, a wizard who fights with steel and can blast with spells.

It would only stand to reason that if you could cast spells while in armor that you may also have a bit better BAB. Maybe the cleric progression if not the full BAB.

After all, the first line in the text describing them is thus:
Some spell casters care for only one thing: war.

War or battles as part of a war, don't just get resolved in 4 rounds. It is quite possable that a war mage, even one of high level, would run out of spells long before the battle is over. I would think it more than reasonable that they would have at least a clerics BAB and some martial profiencies as back up. Specially with the limited spell casting list.

But that is just me.

 

[DM-Rocco]

Definately, do not make ranged spells so they can be channelled through the blade as it would make the Duskblade too powerful.

If the lack of a variety of touch spells is perceived to be a issue, then touch spells could be added to the spell list, assuming the DM will allow it.

I have played a Duskblade and I don't have problem with the spell list. Once the Duskblade reaches the level to cast Vampric Touch, that usually become the preferred spell to channel. What's not to like - 1d6 damage / 2 levels and gain hit points equal to the spell damage. In one protracted combat, my Duskblade beatdown his enemies and more than tripled his hit points in the bargain with that spell choice.

Don't get me wrong, I think that Vampric touch rocks; and vampric touch focused through your spiked chain while doing a whirlwind is just nuts. It just seems like they could have added in one or two more touch attack spells to the list. If someone wanted to play one in my game, I think I would allow them the chance to alter the list to include a few other touch attack spells and then remove at least one spell from the current list in its place.

I am actually going to be playing one in a friends game, but he won't alter it.

Anyway, I just wanted to hear from others on their experience from playing them or having DMed them. All pros and cons welcome.

 

[Greg K]

I don't like it and don't use it in my campaigns. I prefer both the battle sorcerer and AEG's Myrmidon

 

[The_Gneech]

I'm not likely to use it myself because it never made it into E-Tools and my math sucks. However, I think it's kind of a neat idea. If I -were- to use it, I'd probably make it available to elves as a favored class.

-The Gneech