My Shapeshifting Druid just died tragically and young. My personal rule is that any replacement characters need to be significantly different, so i'm looking at a Duskblade.
My goal is to contribute to the party at all levels (not just have something cool at L20). I'm going for a balance between melee, and extending his spell casting. The character will start at L6, and attributes are a 35 pt buy. Setting: Forgotten Realms
EDIT: Also, The campaign won't work for evil PCs. And no Flaws.
Allowed Sources: (scroll)
BoED Book of Exalted Deeds
BoVD Book of Vile Darkness
CoR Champions of Ruin
CoV Champions of Valor
CoS:W City of Splendors: Waterdeep
Cityscape
CAdv Complete Adventurer
CA Complete Arcane
CC Complete Champion
CD Complete Divine
CM Complete Mage
CP Complete Psionic
CS Complete Scoundrel
CW Complete Warrior
Dungeonscape
EPH Expanded Psionics Handbook
Frostburn
HoB Heroes of Battle
HoH Heroes of Horror
MoF Magic of Faerun
MH Miniatures Handbook
PH Planar Handbook
PH2 Player’s Handbook II
PGtF Players Guide to Faerun
RoD Races of Destiny
RoF Races of Faerun
RoS Races of Stone
RotDr Races of the Dragon
RotW Races of the Wild
Sandstorm
SC Spell Compendium
Stormwrack
ToB Tome of Battle (feats not classes)
ToM Tome of Magic (feats not classes)
Underdark
Some select Unearthed Arcana and Dragon Magazine
The Party consists of a
competent buffing wizard
dwarf cleric
ranged rogue
monk/fighter/ninja
bard/druid/rogue/fighter
I've gone over Dictum's Guide, and found it very helpful. Here's what i'm leaning towards.
Human
ST 16, DX 12, CN 14, IQ 14, WS 14, CHA 9 (includes the +1 at 4th level)
Feats:
Power Attack,
Spiked Chain Proficiency
Touchstone
Knowledge Devotion
Class: Duskblade 5, Sandshaper 1
Thereafter i'll probably go to Duskblade 13
The DM has concerns about weather a duskblade can cast with a 2-handed weapon, and is not eager to allow touchstones in the campaign. I've made my case for those, but we'll see. If those get nixed, that will open up new feat slots.
I think the first thing feat i'd substitute is Arcane Disciple. Am i right in thinking that Knowledge Devotion is more important, so that I'll choose an Arcane Disciple domain from the subset of deities that have the Knowledge domain? Time and Travel look good, subject to alignment availably, and weather the power works for non-clerics.
EDIT: I just realized that this just adds to the spells, that the dusk blade *could* learn, not nearly so attractive.
Also the source i was looking at often has the domain powers described as: "For a total time per day of 1 round per
cleric level you possess..."
Is there an errata or ruling that opens that up to non-clerics?
Thanks for any advice, in advance