Duskblade
The Duskblade is a base class that blends arcane spellcasting with front-line melee. Duskblades cast in armor without penalty, fight with full attack progression, and channel their spells straight into their weapon.
Durations
Duskblade ability durations are measured in turns (1 turn = 1 minute) and scale with your Duskblade level, with a minimum of 5 turns. Recasting refreshes the duration rather than stacking.
The basics
| Hit Die | d8 |
| Attack progression | Full (as Fighter) |
| Saves | Good Fortitude and Will, poor Reflex |
| Skill points | 2 + Intelligence modifier (×4 at 1st level) |
| Primary ability | Intelligence |
| Spellcasting | Arcane, Intelligence-based, spontaneous (no preparation) |
| Alignment | Any |
Class skills: Concentration, Discipline, Heal, Lore, Parry, Spellcraft, Ride, Craft Trap, Craft Weapon, Craft Armor.
Intelligence requirement
To cast a spell you need an Intelligence of 10 + the spell's level — so a 5th-level spell requires Intelligence 15.
Armored Mage (level 1)
You ignore arcane spell failure from armor and shields entirely.
This applies only to your Duskblade spells. Spells from another arcane class (Wizard, Sorcerer, Bard) still suffer normal armor spell failure.
Arcane Attunement (level 1, active)
You sharpen your strikes with arcane focus.
- Effect: attack bonus equal to your Intelligence modifier
- Duration: 1 turn per Duskblade level (minimum 5 turns)
- Uses: 3 per day
Arcane Channeling (level 3, active)
You pour arcane power into the weapon in your hand. While active, every hit you land deals bonus magical damage.
- Effect: 1d4 magical damage per point of Intelligence modifier, on every hit
- Duration: 1 turn per Duskblade level (minimum 5 turns)
- Uses: 3 per day
- Requires a melee weapon equipped. If you dual wield, both weapons are coated.
The damage is rolled from your Intelligence at the moment you hit, so buffing your Intelligence mid-fight increases the damage of an already-active channel.
Epic Arcane Channeling (level 21, active)
The epic evolution of Arcane Channeling. It replaces the base ability and adds a retaliatory aura.
- Weapon effect: 1d6 magical damage per point of Intelligence modifier on every hit
- Aura effect: anyone who strikes you takes 1d6 magical damage, plus 1 per point of Intelligence modifier and per Duskblade level
- Duration: 1 turn per Duskblade level (minimum 5 turns)
- Uses: 3 per day
The aura applies even if you have no weapon equipped — only the weapon coating needs a melee weapon.
Spellcasting
Duskblades cast spontaneously from a known-spells list, like a Sorcerer, using Intelligence. The list tops out at 5th-level spells at Duskblade level 17.
Spells per day
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | 6 | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | — | — | — |
| 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | — | — | — |
| 9 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 2 | — | — |
| 10 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 3 | — | — |
| 11 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 5 | — | — |
| 12 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | — | — |
| 13 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 2 | — |
| 14 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 3 | — |
| 15 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | — |
| 16 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | — |
| 17 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 18 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 3 |
| 19 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| 20 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 |
Spells known
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | 3 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — |
| 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | — | — |
| 16 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — |
| 20 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Beyond 20th level you continue to learn one additional spell per level.
Spell list
Level 0 — Acid Splash, Light, Ray of Frost
Level 1 — Burning Hands, Color Spray, Expeditious Retreat, Identify, Magic Weapon, Ray of Enfeeblement, Resist Elements, Shield, True Strike
Level 2 — Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Endurance, Ghostly Visage, Ghoul Touch, Invisibility, Knock, Melf's Acid Arrow, See Invisibility, Ultravision
Level 3 — Find Traps, Greater Magic Weapon, Haste, Ice Storm, Keen Edge, Lesser Spell Breach, Protection from Elements, Vampiric Touch
Level 4 — Bigby's Interposing Hand, Dispel Magic, Elemental Shield, Enervation, Ethereal Visage, Firebrand, Improved Invisibility, Mestil's Acid Sheath, Phantasmal Killer
Level 5 — Bigby's Clenched Fist, Chain Lightning, Energy Buffer, Greater Spell Breach, Hold Monster, Hold Person, Premonition
Level progression
| Level | Gained |
|---|---|
| 1 | Armored Mage, Arcane Attunement, simple & martial weapons, light & medium armor, shields |
| 2 | Combat Casting |
| 3 | Arcane Channeling |
| 6 | Spell Penetration |
| 16 | Greater Spell Penetration |
| 20 | Quicken Spell |
| 21 | Epic Duskblade, Epic Arcane Channeling |
| 22 | Improved Combat Casting |
| 23 | Bonus feat (and every 3 levels after: 26, 29, 32, …) |
| 25 | Automatic Quicken Spell I & II |
| 26 | Epic Spell Penetration |
Epic bonus feat list
Epic Spell Focus, Great Intelligence, Great Strength, Armor Skin, Damage Reduction, Epic Prowess, Devastating Critical, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Overwhelming Critical.