Duscblade

[@stroVal]

Hello,
I recently bought the Fantasy Craft book and am still reading it(working in science often drains your time)
so maybe it isn't wise to ask before I have finished it; but maybe somebody here shares the same query with me:

I was really fond of the Duscblade class in 3.5(made them to be protectors of the elves for my World in the same sense that a dwarven protector would work for..well dwarves)
now I noticed there's the expert class equivalent for it (rune-knight) but I was wondering if anyone has transcribed it from 3.5 to FC as a base class...I understand I could pick feats and origins etc to create this but I would prefer to have a few tips on it as well as I am new to this system

Any brainstorming would be appreciated..as soon as I gain more insight on the workings of the system I will post my version for it too

[Krensky]

Not needed. Doubly so because the Duskblade exists solely to try and recapture the feel of the Fighter Mage in 2e and better balance the concept. Doesn't succeed very well at either, but that's not important. Frankly, there's not enough there for a core class.

Play a mage, take a combat oriented specialty and combat feats, and pick your spells appropriately. For examples, see the Ailaya, the iconic mage, or Roger my character from a PbP here.

[Sletchman]

To recapture the feel you could multiclass a little of fighter with some mage, or check out the Channeler.  It works with FantasyCraft with minimal alteration [and all you need to change is in the wiki].  Its very much a fighter-mage class [and an excellent entrance to runeknight].

As for straight conversion, the class looks exactly like a Mage / Rune Knight.  All its special tricks are standard for everyone in FC [cast in armour, cast cantrips often, more weapon choice then just sticks, no prepared spells] and its only really good ability is the Rune Knight's 10th level ability.

Also check out this for a cool bladesinger-esque masterclass, something that elves could aspire to.

[Crafty_Pat]

Welcome to the boards @stroVal!

The regulars seem to have answered your question but I have one of my own...

(working in science often drains your time)

Is that "science" or "SCIENCE!"? (The answer lies in whether you help save or destroy the world.) 

Happy gaming!

[Antilles]

Or to put it another way: is it or ?

[Nova]

Rune Knights are pretty badass on their own. The only real question is "how much casting" do you want. You're gonna be exchanging some spell levels, guaranteed here, and you probably want some fighteriness in there anyways.

But while we all know the 'basic' way to get/make one (levels of mage), there's other things to consider: Priest with path of magic can easily do the job, in some ways even better for this. At the very least the BAB would be nearly as good as 'full', and the bonuses may just make up for it.

You don't necessarily have to be only mage>rune or soldier/mage (or mage/soldier) into rune knight either. An assassin would have an excellent to-hit thanks to its core ability, versus the target that really matters (that fireball attached to the hit should handle the minions anyways right?). you could technically pull it off with nothing worse than "blessed":path of magic, after all. Good, healthy statline, excellent abilities.

A scout can pull it off easily, for some spectacular first-strike output when that bolt to the back is instantly followed by a raging elemental. Sages are naturals for this job...

[Psion]

I think Krensky has the right of it.

I found the Duskblade ultimately inflexible. All it really traded for that was the need to multiclass.

You don't have to multiclass in FC. Just take combat oriented origins (e.g., fencer or fighter) and the mage class.

If you are willing to multiclass, all you do is swap in or out Rune Knight or Soldier to taste and you get something you can tune to taste.

[Gentry]

Play a mage, take a combat oriented specialty and combat feats, and pick your spells appropriately. For examples, see the Ailaya, the iconic mage, or Roger my character from a PbP here.

Indeed. Ailaya's origin is Elf Fencer, with levels of mage layered on top. In that vein, Erik the Wanderer, the Wyrmstone campaign's iconic mage, is built from an origin of Intelligent Barbarian, with levels of mage on top. Either Ailaya or Erik is plenty dangerous even without spells.

[pawsplay]

I think Mage/Rune Knight (or Channeler/Rune Knight) with an emphasis on Melee and Spellcasting feats pretty much covers this. A spear or a sword would be a good choice for a favored weapon, since you could make use of a trick to use a skill bonus in place of an attack bonus at higher levels.

[Psion]

I think Mage/Rune Knight (or Channeler/Rune Knight) with an emphasis on Melee and Spellcasting feats pretty much covers this. A spear or a sword would be a good choice for a favored weapon, since you could make use of a trick to use a skill bonus in place of an attack bonus at higher levels.

Unless your wisdom bonus is really high, I'd question the wisdom of spending action dice on an anticipate check when you could just spend it on defense and have it last longer with no risk of failure.

But I just made a character in this vein for my Gameday game. A svelte fighter mage/rune knight, with sword basics and the tricks shove, relentless attack, and parry. He's the least subtle of the characters in a swashbuckling/nautical game. The character turned out pretty neat.

[Sletchman]

I'm playing a Mage 6 / Rune Knight in a game at the moment, took Spell Secret: True Strike, making it a cantrip, so I can cast it every time I attack [I use a pistol - so every other round usually].

[pawsplay]

I think Mage/Rune Knight (or Channeler/Rune Knight) with an emphasis on Melee and Spellcasting feats pretty much covers this. A spear or a sword would be a good choice for a favored weapon, since you could make use of a trick to use a skill bonus in place of an attack bonus at higher levels.

Unless your wisdom bonus is really high, I'd question the wisdom of spending action dice on an anticipate check when you could just spend it on defense and have it last longer with no risk of failure.

But I just made a character in this vein for my Gameday game. A svelte fighter mage/rune knight, with sword basics and the tricks shove, relentless attack, and parry. He's the least subtle of the characters in a swashbuckling/nautical game. The character turned out pretty neat.

Look at the supremacy trick; going from +9 BAB + Str to 17 ranks of Sense Motive + Wis is quite a jump.

[@stroVal]

Wow I didn't anticipate the swift response..I thank you all
Its not the mechanics of Duscblade in 3.5 that interest me(I always house ruled so it indeed offered something in the end) its the whole feel: a blade in one hand and magic fire in the other(yes in this case I think destructive magic and evocation better suit the style)
but as you have mentioned-and I have seen going through the book-it doesn't matter in FC any of the paths you mentioned could work..and more...I am so excited by the game so far...

As for the science bit as I am an aspiring young researcher its still Science!!!!(! for enthusiasm not world domination) for me
I just hope I never live up to the point of being fed up with everything like a few postdoc friends of mine...

May the winds on the sails of your imagination blow true

[@stroVal]

Welcome to the boards @stroVal!

The regulars seem to have answered your question but I have one of my own...

(working in science often drains your time)

Is that "science" or "SCIENCE!"? (The answer lies in whether you help save or destroy the world.)  

Happy gaming!

Haha the super science question went completely over my head the first time      
Actually no,that's not entirely true...I just took it very seriously
Teaches me to post half-asleep...