What do you think of the Duskblade?

[Christian]

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.

Really? I count seven:

0: Touch of Fatigue
1: Chill Touch, Shocking Grasp
2: Ghoul Touch, Touch of Idiocy
3: Dispelling Touch, Vampiric Touch

None above 3rd level, though, so I guess it gets to be a problem for the higher level 'blade ... Still, at low levels, it's a significant fraction of their available spells.

 

[Vegepygmy]

Too many spells per day.

I agree. I like the basic concept, but the class is just a little too good, IMO.

 

[BlackMoria]

Temp hps... from the same source do not stack.

Sorry to disagree but,

Stacking applies to named bonuses. Unnamed bonuses do stack. And hit points are not 'bonuses', they are ... well, hit points. And even if they are consider a bonus, (which they are not) they are not a 'named' bonus - temporary is not a proper name. It is clear what is a bonus because the word bonus is included - Inherent bonus, luck bonus, enhancement bonus, etc.

 

[Anti-Sean]

File off the laaaaaaaaame and outmoded "duskblades were created by the elves because elves are uber and teh awesum" flavor text, and I like 'em just fine.

 

[Mort]

Sorry to disagree but,

Stacking applies to named bonuses. Unnamed bonuses do stack. And hit points are not 'bonuses', they are ... well, hit points. And even if they are consider a bonus, (which they are not) they are not a 'named' bonus - temporary is not a proper name. It is clear what is a bonus because the word bonus is included - Inherent bonus, luck bonus, enhancement bonus, etc.

I think you still run afoul of this:

Per the SRD: Same Effect More than Once in Different Strengths: In cases when two or more identical spells are operating in the same area or on the same target, but at different strengths, only the best one applies.

Vampiric touch provides temp. HP's that last for one hour (unlike a cure spell that provides real HP's that do not go away unless taken away) so no Vampiric touch doesn't stack with itself.


For the original poster: IME duskblades have been fun in play and not overpowered. To thos that say "too many spells" the duskblades spells for the most part last 1 round or less -they burn through spells much faster than a wizard or standard fighter mage, so it evens out rapidly.

 

[Laman Stahros]

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

If you use a Windows based computer with Excel (not OpenOfiice), then you could use the fan supported Heroforge.

If you use Apple OS, then Heroforge won't work very well. Microsoft and Apple are not playing well with each other, you know.

 

[Felon]

Dislikes:
The name is lame.
Somewhat sloppy progression for class feature acquisition.
Inability to add spells to list.
Bizarre class list (which I suppose is what you get when you have a class that lacks sufficient self-explanation).
Supposed to use shields, but is rife with spells that require somatic components.

Likes:
Makes an effective "paper tiger", carving out its own niche amongst the heavy-damage/light-defense warriors.
Uses Int as spellcasting key attribute, not Cha.

Overall, I give it a thumbs-up.

 

[Felon]

Too many spells per day.

Nah, not really if one stops to give the matter some consideration. That is to say, they get a LOT of bottom-tier spell slots, but the net effect is to keep them from having to arm themselves with 1st-level wands when their hands are supposed to be filled with weapons and shields.

Then again, I'd say that other arcanists get too few bottom-tier spell slots.

 

[wildstarsreach]

I agree. I like the basic concept, but the class is just a little too good, IMO.

I play a duskblade with this guy.

My character is very good but there are drawbacks. That is necessary. As much as I would want more spells, I'm happy as is.

A common misconception about the class happens with Arcane Channeling (full attack) is that if I cast vampiric touch, it affects every target hit with each attack. Vampiric touch only affects one attack. You may cast a spell with a full attack. Chill touch can affect several targets would be applicable for each attack.

 

[FireLance]

A common misconception about the class happens with Arcane Channeling (full attack) is that if I cast vampiric touch, it affects every target hit with each attack. Vampiric touch only affects one attack. You may cast a spell with a full attack. Chill touch can affect several targets would be applicable for each attack.

Actually...

At 13th level, a duskblade can cast any touch spell he knows as part of a full attack action, and the spell affects each target he hits in melee combat that round.

Doesn't seem like a misconception to me.

The more common question related to arcane channeling is whether, if the duskblade hits the same target twice in a round, the spell affects the target twice. My favored interpretation is that the spell affects each target only once in a round. This makes the full attack version of arcane channeling work better against multiple opponents than against a single powerful opponent.