What do you think of the Duskblade?

[rgard]

Hmmm...just re-read the feat from Complete Divine...does it allow you to choose from the domain for spells known or does it add the spell to your number known?

Not sure.

Having fun responding to my own posts. The bloodline feats (Dragon Compendium and mags) do say the sorcerer adds a bonus spell known.

HR for me to do the same with arcane disciple if it hasn't already been officially clarified as a bonus spell known.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[rgard]

Though I haven't played one, it seems to me that the Battle Sorceror has too little Sorceror in it. I think I'd sooner play a Cleric.

(But I like the concept. If someone wanted to play one in my game, I'd let them, and I'd also give them the option for School Specialization: One additional spell known per level, one additional spell cast per level, spell known needs to be from their chosen school but daily spell need not be. Obviosuly they'd still lose two schools by specializing.)

I like the school specialization take on this.

I think we need a battle sorcerer thread as this thread is about the Duskblade.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[DM-Rocco]

I like the school specialization take on this.

I think we need a battle sorcerer thread as this thread is about the Duskblade.

Thanks,
Rich

No worries, feel free to talk about the battle sorcerer here. I'm up for options and, unlike others, don't mind if the topic strays. Go nuts.

Let me get on the same page, are you talking about the battle sorcerer alternate class from the Unearthed Arcana?

 

[Klaus]

No worries, feel free to talk about the battle sorcerer here. I'm up for options and, unlike others, don't mind if the topic strays. Go nuts.

Let me get on the same page, are you talking about the battle sorcerer alternate class from the Unearthed Arcana?

Yep.

In short:

- Lose 1 spell known of each level. (minimum 1)
- Lose 1 spell per day of each level. (minimum 0)
- Swap Bluff for Intimidate.
- Increase HD to d8.
- Increase BAB to Medium (= cleric and rogue)
- Gain Light Armor Proficiency and Armored Mage (Light).
- Gain Martial Weapon Proficiency with one light or one-handed martial weapon.

I think this class is the perfect warrior/mage hybrid. It fights almost as well as a Fighter, casts spells almost as well as a Wizard, and is very customizable.

If you want to go for a tank, you can take feats like Battle Caster (and don mithril full plate) and Arcane Strike (and spend spell slots for +1/spell level to attack and +1d4/spell level to damage for 1 round). If you want a draconic character, be a human and take Dragonblooded and Dragon Wings at 1st level.

If you want a Sidhe-like knight, take the Fey Heritage feats (two of which give you lots of spell-like abilities, and another gives you a very good DR x/cold iron).

 

[rgard]

No worries, feel free to talk about the battle sorcerer here. I'm up for options and, unlike others, don't mind if the topic strays. Go nuts.

Let me get on the same page, are you talking about the battle sorcerer alternate class from the Unearthed Arcana?

Yes, that's the class from UA.

Sorry, duplicate like post to Klaus'.

 

[rgard]

Yep.

In short:

- Lose 1 spell known of each level. (minimum 1)
- Lose 1 spell per day of each level. (minimum 0)
- Swap Bluff for Intimidate.
- Increase HD to d8.
- Increase BAB to Medium (= cleric and rogue)
- Gain Light Armor Proficiency and Armored Mage (Light).
- Gain Martial Weapon Proficiency with one light or one-handed martial weapon.

I think this class is the perfect warrior/mage hybrid. It fights almost as well as a Fighter, casts spells almost as well as a Wizard, and is very customizable.

If you want to go for a tank, you can take feats like Battle Caster (and don mithril full plate) and Arcane Strike (and spend spell slots for +1/spell level to attack and +1d4/spell level to damage for 1 round). If you want a draconic character, be a human and take Dragonblooded and Dragon Wings at 1st level.

If you want a Sidhe-like knight, take the Fey Heritage feats (two of which give you lots of spell-like abilities, and another gives you a very good DR x/cold iron).

And less tank to start, you can take one of the Bloodline feats from Dragon mag or Compendium and gain back your loss of one spell per level known and cast.

Also, there is also another feat in the Dragon mag that gets the BS a clerical domanin power and access to the domain list of spells (only one per day.) The PC's alignment needs to be close to the Deity's. Not bad if you take the War domain (weapn focus) or the Elf domain (Spell Compendium, which gets you point blank shot and true strike.) I think you get point blank shot with the latter.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[wayne62682]

Strange, I always heard (well, read) that Battle Sorcerer was complete garbage because it takes the Sorcerer (who already has paltry few spells known) and reduces them even further. Something like you only get 3rd level spells at 9th level or thereabouts. The worst part about Sorcerers is that they're one level behind a "real" caster and know fewer spells. Making that two levels behind AND knowing even LESS spells is just adding insult to injury.

 

[Klaus]

Strange, I always heard (well, read) that Battle Sorcerer was complete garbage because it takes the Sorcerer (who already has paltry few spells known) and reduces them even further. Something like you only get 3rd level spells at 9th level or thereabouts. The worst part about Sorcerers is that they're one level behind a "real" caster and know fewer spells. Making that two levels behind AND knowing even LESS spells is just adding insult to injury.

You heard wrong.

The thing is, you get your spells known at the same levels a regular Sorcerer would (so 2nd at 4th level, 3rd at 6th level, etc...), but at those levels you get 0 spells per day, meaning you must stick to your bonus spells from high Charisma. If your charisma is high enough, you'll be casting spells at the same levels as a regular Sorcerer. And your caster level isn't reduced.

 

[rgard]

You heard wrong.

The thing is, you get your spells known at the same levels a regular Sorcerer would (so 2nd at 4th level, 3rd at 6th level, etc...), but at those levels you get 0 spells per day, meaning you must stick to your bonus spells from high Charisma. If your charisma is high enough, you'll be casting spells at the same levels as a regular Sorcerer. And your caster level isn't reduced.

It's actually a little bit better than that. If you only show one on the chart for spells known or to cast per day, you don't reduce that to 0. You always get a minimum of one.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[DM-Rocco]

It's actually a little bit better than that. If you only show one on the chart for spells known or to cast per day, you don't reduce that to 0. You always get a minimum of one.

Thanks,
Rich

I would be inclined to agree with you, but I wouldn't know why. How come you don't reduce it to zero? There are plenty of other examples of why you would reduce it to zero. Does it say somewhere why you don't reduce it to zero?