Any suggestions for a new bard?

[Bloodsparrow]

I'm going to play my first bard ever in a new campaign, and I need some advice on interesting or useful ways to play or build him. I'm thinking of emphasizing fighting and face skills primarily, but it's still up in the air. Any general suggestions? Any prestige classes that are recommended? Would multiclassing into fighter or some other class be recommended? Are the Sublime Cord and Seeker of Songs in Complete Arcane worth looking into? Is there enough good stuff in the Complete Adventurer for it to be worth picking up for this? And is using a specially made buckler as a percussion instrument a really cool idea or a really stupid one? I'm still torn on that idea.

I'm not a big fan of the "Instrament as weapon" school. But the idea of beating out a rythem on a shield is age old and cool. You may be able to discuss with your DM the idea of having your Performance skill being with "improvised instraments". And then you simply play what you find. Like the Blue Man Group or STOMP.

Multi-classing casters can be a sticky situation. As Bards, our spell list is already rather limited. I would wait a few levels before you branch out into something else. But that's just me. I played a Rogue/Cleric for quite some time and while I really liked the stuff 3 levels of rogue gave me, it did sometimes get frustrating not having those three spell levels.

Ranged, go for ranged or reach weapons.

Don't forget to sing.

There is a great spell in Complete Adventurer called "Insparational Boost" that makes your song give a +2 instead of +1.

Always cast BEFORE you start to sing.

You CAN attack while singing.

Never underestimate the power of a well placed low level spell; like Daze, Resistance, Sleep, Glitterdust, or Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter.

Don't be afraid to stop singing if you need to do something that makes you stop singing.

You do get access to healing spells, they are your friend, even if you have a Cleric.

Tumble Tumble Tumble.

Here's what I'm currently playing. Macmathan helped me with her.

[sblock]
Level 4 Bard
"Medium Humanoid; CR 4;
HD 4d6+12; hp 27;
Init +3; Spd 30 ft/x4;
AC 16 (+3 armor, +3 dex), touch 13, flat-footed 13;
Base Atk/Grapple +3/+4;
Full Atk +6 Two-handed (1d6;20/x3, Shortbow (+1 Str)), +4 One-handed (1d6+1;19-20/x2, Short Sword);
AL CG; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +4;
Str 13(+1), Dex 17(+3), Con 16(+3), Int 16(+3), Wis 10(+0), Cha 18(+4);
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot"

Yes, I actually rolled those stats, my group hates me.
[/sblock]

 

[Findlefarb]

Perform(Percussion) is an excellent skill for a bard. You can perform with a one-handed instrument like a tambourine or devil chaser, and percussion is essentially just beating out rhythms on stuff (my apologies to all drummers out there). It covers snares, chimes, triangles, bongos, rain sticks, kettle drums, cymbals, and even gongs. You can be as loud as a taiko or quiet as castanets.

The big thing to remember about bards is that they aren't the group's heavy hitters so much as the group's managers. Songs help manage the flow of combat. Diplomacy helps manage when combat begins. Gather Information and (Bardic) Knowledge can help you find trouble--but only when you're ready for it. With Bluff and Tumble, you can arrange flanking bonuses, help with Aid Another, or simple things like Daze. Fascinate is huge as you pump up perform. The bard's job is to set the situation up to guarantee victory, like a point guard in basketball. The wizard or fighter might do the actual smacking, the cleric might do the actual protection, but the bard figures out what is needed where and arranges for any holes to be filled, either by oneself or one's friends.

Ranged combat is an excellent way to leverage the bard's managerial role, once you've taken Precise Shot. However, the Dodge/Mobility Tumbling fighter lets bards take a role as a melee fighter. If you're going to go the melee route, consider the Dragon Disciple. The spontaneous arcane caster loses spellcasting capability for combat readiness. A sorcerer might not afford it too well, but a bard can make it work.

Finally, take Use Magic Device. You've got the great Charisma, and Use Magic Device gives the bard far more versatility. So what if you killed the bad guy and took his artifact without knowing the trigger? The bard can still tap into its potential. The cleric falls? Restore him with his own wand.

 

[diaglo]

Hmmm... Diaglo, that sounds suspiciously like the Bard class from AD&D1... did you finally update your OD&D books?

the Original Bard appeared in the Strategic Review 6 (Feb 1976) prior to the 1edADnD PHB (1978).

maybe looking over TSR 6 will help the original poster get an idea of the history behind the class as it was introduced, used, adapted, and then revised.

it became a single class in the 2edADnD PHB (1989).

and then could be modified with PHBR7 The Complete Bards Handbook.

before finally appearing in the 2000ed. and further revised in 2003.

 

[The Souljourner]

Here are my standard bard suggestions -

Don't multiclass. Bards already have a little bit of everything, multiclassing takes away more than it gives (this doesn't necessarily apply to prestige classes, but in general I prefer straight bard to anything else).

Don't spend feats on archery. Oh sure, you should definitely bring along a bow, but you need three feats to be any good at archery, and that's just too much focus on one area, which brings me to my last point -

Maintain the balance. Bards are a balance of combat, spells, and skills. If you try to concentrate too much on one area, you'll be hurting yourself in the other areas, and you'll feel like a fifth wheel in the party. You'll never be able to compete with anyone else in their area of expertise, so don't even try. What you can do is be a solid second string in any field, and that's where you should be happy.

Of course, the one place where you can excel is in social skills, but don't go too overboard there, either. You have natural benefits to it, so don't spend too many resources getting better at it.

Here are feats that I think are great -

Lingering Song - from complete adventurer, doubles the length songs last after you stop singing
Spell Focus: Enchantment
Skill Focus: Use Magic Device

And don't listen to people who say you can't melee. You're just as good as a cleric, and with the proper spells, you can do pretty well.

-The Souljourner

 

[interwyrm]

Just as good as the cleric?
Bards can't wear heavy armor.