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Cruel Lullabies: The Bard Handbook (by Litigation)
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<blockquote data-quote="Nibelung" data-source="post: 6705353" data-attributes="member: 74499"><p><strong>Originally posted by Litigation:</strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 22px"><u>Extra Practice: Feats</u></span></p><p></p><p>Note for the general, racial and power source feats: The ones I mention will mostly be ranked <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>blue</strong></span> or higher (with a few <strong>blacks</strong>). I'll note <span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>traps</strong></span>, as well.</p><p></p><p>Bards should generally prioritize their feat selection in the following order:</p><p></p><p><strong>1. Attack accuracy.</strong> Hitting enemies is the most important thing any character does. It's even more important for you as a Leader. The better you hit, the more often your party-starter powers will benefit your allies. That simple.</p><p></p><p><strong>2. Healing/buffing/enabling.</strong> In short, what you do as a Leader. Feats that buff your class features' capacity to boost attack rolls, defenses and movement options are vital. Almost as important are feats that bolster your ability to restore hit points, grant THPs and grant saving throws.</p><p></p><p><strong>3. Debuffing/control.</strong> For maximum effectiveness, you need to pay attention to your Controller aspects, since it's part of how you lead. Look at feats that help debuff enemy attack rolls and defenses, as well as enhance forced movement and possibly inflict status effects. Feats that buff specific keywords tend to fall into this category.</p><p></p><p><strong>4. Initiative.</strong> This is often a lot more important to you than it is to many other Leader classes, since your specialty tends to be movement enabling and positioning. Putting your allies (and enemies) in position before they act greatly expedites combat. Since you likely won't have a high Dexterity, feats are your best bet for improving this.</p><p></p><p><strong>5. Defenses/survivability.</strong> You're no good to the party dead. The Leader, more than any other role, must stay upright. So feats that boost this are important, and they also increase the possibility that your healing is used on your allies, rather than yourself.</p><p></p><p><strong>6. Power recovery.</strong> Take any feats that let you recover encounter and daily powers. They can have a huge effect on any battle, or adventuring day.</p><p></p><p><strong>7. MID reduction.</strong> As a class who uses both implements and weapons, you'll want to fold both modes of attack into one, if needed.</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Class/Power Source Feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Advantage of Cunning</span> (PHB2): Its strength may not be readily apparent, but experiment with it (pull out a chessboard) and you'll quickly see why it's mandatory for any serious Cunning Bard. The number of clever rearrangements you can pull with this feat is mind-boggling. And it only gets better in Paragon Tier when you also take Improved Cunning. <strong>Some things to remember:</strong> (1) There is no sliding distance specified by this feat, allowing you to slide the enemy in a path you see fit. (2) You can slide a Large or larger enemy into any group of squares so long as one of those squares was formerly occupied by your ally. And (3) the enemy you move does NOT have to be the one who triggered Virtue of Cunning, and in many cases (e.g. ranged attacker) isn't.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Arcane Familiar</span> (AP): You gain a familiar. Details on those have their own handbook, so look there for what familiars and familiar feats you should take. Not all of you will take a familiar, but having one does come with some interesting and useful perks. And it's fun.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Arcane Implement Proficiency</span> (AP): Skalds should lap this one up ASAP. Many of their best power options, particularly Staggering Note and dailies, still remain implement attacks, and to be able to use their shortsword or dagger for such saves a lot of MID headache. <strong>O-Bards</strong>, on the other hand, should accomplish the same thing by picking up a Swordmage multiclass feat if they have the qualifying INT 13, instead, thanks to their Multiclass Versatility.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Bard of All Trades</span> (D 383): It's Jack of All Trades upgraded just for you Bards, granting a +3 feat bonus to all untrained skills. With Skill Versatility on top of this, all your untrained skills are merely -1 away from being effectively trained. Incredible.</p><p></p><p>Bardic Knowledge (PHB2): +2 feat bonus to several knowledge checks, some of them conducive to rituals. Worth a look, although be aware that it doesn't stack with Bard of All Trades' bonus if said knowledge skill is untrained.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Bardic Wayfarer</span> (D 387): With the standard teleport optimizations on hand (Eladrin Armor, Eladrin Boots, Gloves of Dimensional Repulsion, Eladrin Ring of Passage, Ring of Retreat, Incisive Dagger), your Majestic Word becomes a great heal-and-rescue spell for those allies who prefer to keep their distance, or just need to be lifted out of immediate danger. Then there's the side effect that teleports you whenever you teleport an ally, which is also awesome, and benefits from all the same teleport enhancers. That latter side effect makes this feat one of the cornerstones of the "Bard Taxi" concept.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Battle Cadence</span> (D 396)</strong>: Slide the beneficiary of your Majestic Word an extra square and give them an untyped +2 bonus to their next damage roll as well. Pretty good on its own, but it can become amazing in <span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span> with melee allies taking Agile Opportunist. Now when you heal with Majestic Word, you can slide your ally one square, then the second square back to where they were before, triggering their attack without them having to give up an ideal position. Very nice. <strong>Wayfarer Note:</strong> It's debated whether this feat works with Bardic Wayfarer's Majestic Word teleport.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Battle Song Expertise</span> (D 402)</strong>: This is the Bard-specific member of the Expertise family, and it's the Expertise of choice for Bards who use heavy blades, light blades, wands or instruments. It applies its feat bonus correction to attack rolls for all attacks using a weapon (including implement attacks) as well as for wands, songblades and instruments. And its secondary benefit is quite nice, too: An extra square of forced movement for all applicable Bard and Bard PP attack powers. </p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Combat Virtuoso</span> (AP): Not everyone will need to take it, obviously, but it opens up tons of options for multiclassing or a Half-Elf's Dilletante power that you wouldn't have even thought of otherwise. Note, however, that it does NOT affect paragon path powers or powers gained through the Eternal Seeker epic destiny.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Dual Implement Spellcaster</span> (AP): Not as necessary for you as it is for, say, Sorcerers, but something to consider. Two wands, or two Songblades or AIP-ed light blades will do nicely. Mind the DEX 13 requirement, though.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Extended Prescience</span> (AP): For Prescient Bards only, and it improves that Virtue considerably with its much longer duration. A must for them in the first 10 levels of their career.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000">Feyborn Charm</span> (AP): Ouch. How the mighty hath fallen. With the recent update to the Expertise feats classifying their bonuses as feat bonuses, this one is as good as dead. It does not stack with the Expertise feats now. Yeah, it still grants a feat bonus to damage as well, but you're probably not picking Charm powers for the damage they do.</p><p></p><p>Friendly Deception (AP): Apply your Words of Friendship class feature power to Bluff checks. Can be handy.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Improved Majestic Word</span> (PHB2): CHA-mod temp HPs for the target of a Majestic Word, making it even more efficient. You'll want this sooner or later.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Majestic Fervor</span> (D 377)</strong>: Requires training in Religion, but a +1 untyped bonus to attacks for an ally who isn't bloodied when you heal them with Majestic Word is rather nifty.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Moonbow Dedicate</span> (D 386)</strong>: Has an annoying deity restriction (Sehanine), but if you qualify, you get to use a shortbow as an implement for all divine and arcane powers, and it even comes with a free Weapon Focus benefit. Awesome.</p><p></p><p>Prescient Fortification (AP): A +2 to the Virtue of Prescience benefit. Helpful in the beginning, but you may want to retrain it later as your WIS increases.</p><p></p><p>Saving Breath (D 383): Geared toward the Valorous, this grants a Majestic Word beneficiary your CON-mod bonus to the next save before the end of your next turn. Fair enough. <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Better</strong></span> if you have Mark of Healing.</p><p></p><p><strong>Skald Training (HotF)</strong>: Replace your Majestic Word with Skald's Aura. The cornerstone of the Fake Skald build, and essential if you want to take advantage of Bard powers that rely on the Skald's Aura.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #800080">Strength of Valor </span>(PHB2): The oft-random nature of the Valor benefit makes this minor damage boost questionable in value.</p><p></p><p>White Lotus Defense (D 374): +1 untyped bonus to all defenses against the enemy you hit with an arcane at-will. Decent.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">White Lotus Enervation</span> (D 374): -1 debuff to a defense targeted by an arcane at-will. Pretty good. Especially since penalties stack. If Guiding Strike is debuffing AC that round, it essentially gets an extra penalty point.</p><p></p><p>White Lotus Evasion (D 374): Minor action shifting after you hit with an arcane at-will. Fair enough.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">White Lotus Hindrance</span></p><p>(D 374): Makes all squares next to you difficult terrain, which can keep melee attackers away from you. Good stuff, and opens up an even more potent prize in Paragon Tier.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">White Lotus Riposte</span> (D 374): Inflicts your ability modifier's worth of damage to an enemy who attacks you after you hit it with an at-will. The real value of this feat lies in what it opens up in Paragon Tier, but it's not like this feat itself is anything to sneeze at.</p><p></p><p><strong>Wild Virtue (D 396)</strong>: Shift a square whenever you use your Virtue. <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Valorous Bards</strong></span> are probably going to get the most out of this one, as they'll typically be within the thick of the fight, their Virtue is guaranteed to trigger twice as often as there are enemies on the map, and free shifts in melee are great for setting up flanks and other nice positions. The Cunning might look at it just for some free movement to more easily stay clear of the fray. The <span style="color: #800080"><strong>Prescient</strong></span> won't look at it for a while, if ever, since their Virtue only goes off once per encounter by default.</p><p></p><p><strong>Words of Wrath (D 396)</strong>: Your Words of Friendship power can apply to Intimidate. If Intimidate is more your style than Diplomacy, this one can come in handy. And unlike its counterpart for Bluff, this one even comes with a +2 feat bonus to its relevant skill.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Arcane Admixture</span> (AP): You can unlock all sorts of fun exploits with this feat. Best used on an arcane at-will power or two you plan to use often, making the powers qualify for synergies with various feats (ex. Tieflings with their Fire-based tricks, Cold for Lasting Frost synergy, Lightning with Oncoming Storm, etc.) <strong>Note</strong>: The keyword from this feat is <em>in addition to </em>the default damage-type keywords of the power. That is this feat's key advantage, and is different from using, say, a Frost Weapon, which would instead replace the power's default damage-type keywords.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Disheartening Presence</span> (AP): Debuff bloodied enemies' attacks by -1 just by being next to them and not bloodied. Pretty good for melee Bards. Protects you and protects any allies next to those adjacent enemies as well.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Improved Cunning</span> (PHB2): Cunning Bards most definitely want this. Sliding 2 squares is priceless as you fight more enemies that are bigger than you. Gets vulnerable allies out of the melee range of even Large enemies, and makes flanks even easier to set up. This feat also opens up a nifty trick on an ally with Agile Opportunist: if they're already in the melee position they want to be in next to the enemy, slide them one square away, then one square back to where they started and trigger their AO attack.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Improved Valor</span> (PHB2): An extra 3 THPs from Virtue of Valor. Since you'll be a War Chanter with that Virtue, this helps you as well. Boring, but you should take it if you can.</p><p></p><p>Majestic Rescue (AP): Majestic Word grants a save, too. Worth a look. If you're in Eberron and <span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>took Mark of Healing</strong></span>, however, it's redundant.</p><p></p><p>Lyric of Rejuvenation (PHB2): Your party regains a couple extra hit points with surge usage after a short rest. Can come in handy when you don't have enough Majestic Words to go around after a tough battle, so it's a decent choice.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Prescient Aid</span> (AP): Your Virtue of Prescience now gets an AMAZING offensive application. Prescient Bards should never pass this one up. You use an immediate interrupt to turn an ally's miss into a hit with your WIS-modifier bonus from up to 10 squares away (double the range of the default defensive Prescience). This might as well be your only use of the virtue from this point forward. In which case, you can retrain Extended Prescience for this one, since that feat specifically applied only to the defensive application.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000">Song of Inspiration</span> (AP): Va fanculo, is this one a fraud. Pre-emptive healing is a wonderful concept, but the <em>amount </em>of THPs gained from this is pitiful. Most definitely NOT worth trading in a whole damn healing surge to get them.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Walk Among the Fey</span> (D 387): The teleportation granted by this may be bound to all restrictions on the original slide from the power in question (including the system-wide restrictions on forced movement, so an uninterrupted 2D plane, basically) but this feat's benefit can still be very helpful to have around in the right situations. <span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>Bard Taxis</strong></span>, in particular, will go for this one.</p><p></p><p>White Lotus Master Evasion (D 374): Free 1-square shift when you hit with an arcane at-will. Decent.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">White Lotus Master Hindrance</span> (D 374): All allies get your Hindrance benefit now; they create difficult terrain wherever they step. Defenders love you for helping them cut off certain shift-and-charge lanes, and squishies love you for making them more difficult to approach in melee, and if your melee allies have flanks set up, they'll REALLY love you.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">White Lotus Master Riposte </span>(D 374): Immediate reaction at-will repeat against an enemy who attacks you. Combine with a Defender's help to set the enemy up in a lose-lose between you and him.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Epic Tier</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Bard Implement Expertise (AP): Requires CON 15 and INT 15. Gives you a 19-20 crit range with implement attacks from a wand. Since you're not going to be big on personal damage if you're using a baton, this is only really worth a look if you're packing significant on-crit effects. (Ex: Tiefling with <span style="color: #ff9900"><strong>Glasya's Charming Words</strong></span>.)</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #800080">Long Arm of Virtue</span><span style="color: #0000ff"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"></span>(PHB2): <span style="color: #0000ff"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"></span>The Valorous</p><p><em>might</em> consider this one. Otherwise, the Cunning already have all the range they'll ever need, and the Prescient are doing just fine with the 10-square range on Prescient Aid.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Multiclass Mastery</span> (AP): Get the benefits of two full multiclass feats for the price of this one. Awesome stuff. This gives you the opportunity to retrain out of up to two multiclass feats you had, effectively saving yourself a feat.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Prescient Resurgence</span><span style="color: #00ccff"></span></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff"></span>(AP): Another use of Virtue of Prescience in an encounter when you use an action point. Prescients neglect this one at their party's peril.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Quickened Spellcasting</span> (AP): There are enough Bards who would kill for a per-encounter minor-action use of an at-will for this feat to be considered mandatory, overall. Pretty much any Bard packing Staggering Note, for one (which should be pretty much all of you). Resourceful Magicians or Half-Elves with Eldritch Strike and Dimensional Step powers, for another.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Supreme Majesty</span> (AP): Target two with Majestic Word. If that's your healing feature, take this. That is all.</p><p></p><p>Trusted Spellcasting (AP): Best used on an AoE encounter spell. Might be worth a look.</p><p>[/sblock][/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Martial Power Source Feats (for Skalds)</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Deft Blade</span> (MP2)</strong>: Makes your basic attacks, melee or ranged, with light blades nail Reflex instead of AC if you prefer. Mandatory if you're using light blades (which you DEFINITELY should if you're melee, and even if ranged throwing a dagger is about as good as it gets.)</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>General Feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Armor Proficiency (Ring Mail)</span> (MME)</strong>: For the Cunning Bards yearning for armor properties normally restricted to chainmail (<span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>Tactician's</strong></span>, especially, comes to mind), but wanting to keep their light armor AC bonus to INT, this one is for you. Has no attribute requirements, and all Bards have the necessary proficiencies by default. </p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Armor Proficiency (Scale)</span> (PHB): Mainly for Valorous Bards to improve their AC. Requires STR 13 and CON 13.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Beguiling Enchantment</span> (PHB3): The attack penalty only applies when the enemy attacks you, but it's still an excellent self-defense feat that you'll definitely want if you plan on using Vicious Mockery and a preponderance of Charm encounter powers.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Distant Advantage</span> (PHB2): Cunning and Prescient Bards, in particular, will want to look at this one since they use a lot of ranged attacks.</p><p></p><p><strong>Implement Focus (E:HFL)</strong>: Finally, a general tier-scaling feat bonus to implement damage. Yay. However, it's not a high priority for you like it is for a few other classes.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Improved Defenses</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: It's a matter of when, not if, you're taking this tier-scaling feat bonus to NADs, since your defenses don't scale well as you level up. This feat helps correct that. <strong>Note:</strong> This feat obsoletes Paragon Defenses (PHB2) and Robust Defenses (PHB2).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Improved Initiative</span> (PHB)</strong>: More important for Bards than for most other Leaders, especially if you're going to take advantage of the many movement enabling options your class offers.</p><p></p><p>Melee Training (PHB2): Mostly for<span style="color: #ff9900"><strong> Fake Skalds</strong></span>, or anyone looking to use the <span style="color: #ff9900"><strong>basic attack-triggered powers</strong></span>, who aren't Eladrins, Tieflings or Paragon Tier Half-Elves. Which I don't recommend as enthusiastically, but if you want to head down that route, this one is essential for you. Of course, it's not a bad choice for melee-focused Bard builds in general.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Nimble Blade</span> (PHB)</strong>: Extra +1 to attack rolls with light blades with CA that stacks with all other bonuses makes for a must-take if you're using that weapon category.</p><p></p><p>Oncoming Storm (PHB2): If your prospects include a Lightning Weapon and/or some Arcane Admixture abuses, this one can have some nice uses. (Particularly with Staggering Note.)</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Orb Expertise</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: If you get orb proficiency somehow (being an Eladrin or picking a certain multiclass), using orbs is better overall than wands thanks to the side benefit from this, an extra square on ALL your forced movement attack powers (remember, Battle Song Expertise only applies its forced movement bonus to Bard and Bard PP powers). The tier-scaling feat bonus to attack, of course, is the main course that makes this feat essential.</p><p></p><p>Restful Healing (PHB2): Makes a use of your Majestic Word or Skald's Aura healing more efficient between encounters. Decent.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Serene Archery</span> (D 386)</strong>: Annoying deity restriction (Sehanine), but for you CHA/WIS dual-stat Prescient Bards looking for an RBA, here you go.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Silvery Glow</span> (D 386)</strong>: Annoying deity restriction (Sehanine), but if you qualify and you plan to either use the Permafrost combo (most tempting for those of you using basic attack trigger powers) or join the Radiant Mafia, this is strictly better than Weapon Focus. </p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Skill Power</span> (PHB3): Gain an extra skill power at the cost of this feat. It's actually a <span style="color: #00ccff">very good </span>investment if you take it for the right power.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Speed Loader</span> (PHB2): A must for Prescient Bards and ranged Skalds who want to use a superior crossbow.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Staff Expertise</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: One of the best feats in the all-important Expertise family. If you have proficiency here somehow (Eladrin, applicable MC, White Lotus Dueling Expertise), this feat alone makes the staff a prime implement choice. One of the side benefits prevents enemy OAs for using ranged and area powers, and if you want to pick up the odd weapon power, your staff becomes a reach weapon for such. This one is so good that even if you got your staff proficiency from White Lotus Dueling Expertise, this one should be considered mandatory.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Superior Implement Training</span> (PHB3): No reason at all for Bards of the baton (or the orb, or the staff, should that apply to you somehow) to not use an Accurate version.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Superior Will</span> (E:HFL)</strong>: All Bards will qualify automatically, which means it's mandatory. Saving versus dazing and stunning at the start of your turns, even if you normally can't end the effect on a save, is a benefit you do not pass up. Period. Especially as a Leader, who really can't afford to be incapacitated. And you'll also get a net +1 gain per tier over the bonus to Will that Improved Defenses will give you.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Toughness</span> (PHB): Tier-scaling increase of your maximum hit points value. Very valuable, especially if you're Valorous. That has the lovely side benefit of increasing your healing surge and bloodied values, as well.</p><p></p><p>Weapon Focus (PHB): Tier-scaling feat bonus to weapon damage. How high a priority this is greatly depends on how often you plan on using weapon powers. Bards looking to load up on their MBA opportunities and the basic attack-triggered powers (Skalds included) are <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>a lot more likely</strong></span> to care about this one.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Weapon Proficiency</span> (PHB): Likely taken by Prescient Bards to use a superior crossbow. Bastard swords for melee Bards is an option, too, but unless you're aiming for a Striker bent, your standard longsword will do fine.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">White Lotus Dueling Expertise</span> (D 402)</strong>: As long as you keep your attack arsenal limited to Arcane powers and basic attacks, this feat gives the Expertise correction to all attack rolls with a weapon (implement attacks included), and on top of that you even get a free choice of another implement to become proficient with (orb, rod or staff). Good, easy way to get staff proficiency without having to MC (which means Skalds, in particular, will love this).</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Wintertouched</span> (PHB): The first half of the famous Lasting Frost synergy. You don't need to take this until Paragon Tier.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Agile Opportunist (PHB2): You're usually the one making your allies slide, not sliding yourself. On the other hand, if you're not the only Leader in the party who slides allies ...</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Armor Specialization</span> (PHB): Your feat bonus to AC. Most likely, you'll be picking this one for hide (CON 15 needed), which also reduces your armor check penalties. The Valorous have the easiest time picking this up.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Fleet-Footed</span> (PHB): Extra speed is never a bad thing.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Lasting Frost </span>(PHB): Synergistic with Wintertouched to set up combat advantage on every hit with a Cold-keyword attack.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Point-Blank Shot</span></p><p>(PHB): Cunning and Prescient Bards, in particular, may want this to ignore everything but total concealment with their ranged attacks.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Psychic Lock</span> (PHB): You've got access to tons of Psychic powers, including at-wills like Vicious Mockery. This just adds insult to injury with those spells via an additional attack roll debuff.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Reserve Maneuver</span> (PHB2): Don't like your paragon path's encounter power? Trade it out for something else after you rest. This feat may not be for everyone, but it's handy for those who want it.</p><p></p><p>Resounding Thunder (PHB): Mostly for Half-Elves to look at if they took an arcane AoE at-will like Sword Burst or Thunderwave, then outfitted it with Arcane Admixture, if necessary. <span style="color: #00ccff">Awesome</span> in that application.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Solid Sound</span> (PHB): +2 untyped bonus to a NAD for a round when you hit with the Thunder or Force keyword. This one is good for those using a Force Weapon or using Arcane Admixture.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Vexing Flanker</span> (PHB2): All your allies get combat advantage against an enemy you're flanking. Pretty useful, particularly for the Valorous.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">War Wizardry</span> (FRPG): Helps make your party-unfriendly spells substantially less party-unfriendly.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Epic Tier</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p>Blind-Fight (PHB): Thwart invisibility and concealment (but not total concealment) on adjacent creatures. Not bad for Valorous Bards, in particular, to consider.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Bow Mastery</span> (PHB2): You're typically not the high-damage sort of class, nor do you come packing tons of effects off crits with a bow or crossbow, so this one isn't quite as necessary for you as it would be for some other classes. That said, you can hardly call it a waste.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Deft Aim</span> (PHB3)</strong>: If you're a ranged Skald using a bow or crossbow for whatever reason, targeting Reflex with your RBAs is just what you want, and need.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Epic Fortitude/Reflexes/Will</span> (PHB2): +4 to the NAD in question. Stacks with Improved Defenses. You would do well to go for at least one of these. Can make your highest defense extremely hard to hit, and a medium defense from a secondary stat in the high teens-low 20s solid.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Epic Resurgence</span> (PHB): Regain an encounter power on a crit. Nice one, especially if you've expanded your crit range.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Rapid Regeneration</span> (PHB3): Valorous Bards will want this if they have sources of regeneration for themselves.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Superior Initiative</span> (PHB3)</strong>: You'll likely pick this vital feat up from retraining Improved Initiative, since it's just a higher feat bonus.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Triumphant Attack</span> (PHB): Encounter-long attack roll and defense debuff whenever you crit in melee. Nice for the Valorous, in particular.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Unfettered Stride</span> (PHB): Ignore difficult terrain. Good if you're trained in Acrobatics.</p><p>[/sblock][/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Racial feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Deva</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Auspicious Lineage (PHB2)</strong>: Increases Memory of a Thousand Lifetimes' die to d8, which essentially means a +1 average bonus to the correction provided by that power. Not a bad pick if you can fit it in, but I'd look for feats that give more consistent bonuses to attacks and saves, first.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Battle Intuition</span> (D 374)</strong>: If you're a Prescient Bard, hold it, love it and call it George. WIS to initiative, and a +2 feat bonus to initiative on top of that, is something you just don't pass up.</p><p></p><p><strong>Immortal Skill (D 374)</strong>: Eliminates bad die rolls on your racial power for skill and ability checks. Valuable in a <span style="color: #00ccff"><strong>skill-heavy campaign</strong></span>.</p><p></p><p><strong>Potent Rebirth (PHB2)</strong>: I'm not too hot on abilities that kick in after you get KO-ed, normally, but an untyped +2 to attack and damage is about as good as that type gets, so it's worth a look. </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Ascendant Lineage</span> (PHB2): Memory of a Thousand Lifetimes is not expended if the triggering roll still fails. Due to the variable nature of that racial power, this is a great feat to take to alleviate being on the wrong end of the die. It also lets you use your racial power more aggressively when your triggering roll was very low (say, when you need a 5 or 6 on your MOTL roll to succeed).</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Immortal Resilience</span> (D 374)</strong>: Eliminates bad die rolls on your racial power for saving throws. Requires having Immortal Skill before it, but this one's great all around. </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Immortal Prowess</span> (D 374)</strong>: The pinnacle of the Immortal line, this eliminates the bad die rolls on your racial power for attack rolls. If you already took the previous two Immortal feats, definitely take this one if you can.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Transcendant Lineage</span> (PHB2)</strong>: Roll twice and take the better result for Memory of a Thousand Lifetimes. Really awesome boost for your racial power.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Dragonborn</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #800080">Draconic Spellcaster</span> (AP): Much like Feyborn Charm, victimized heavily by the recent feat bonus classification of the Expertise feats, meaning that this one no longer stacks. It does now give the damage bonuses, but unless you're trying to steer your build in a Striker-ish direction for some reason, you won't really care.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Drow</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Master of Fire and Darkness</span> (FRPG): Now your two Lolthtouched powers are separate encounter powers. Nice.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Genasi</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Extra Manifestation</span> (FRPG): Some extra versatility never hurt.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Shocking Flame</span> (FRPG): Extra fire or lightning damage on all melee attacks with the right manifestation. Solid.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Stormrider</span> (FRPG): Strictly better than Fleet-Footed with the right manifestations.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Double Manifestation </span>(FRPG): Manifest two elements at once. Yes, this is awesome.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Gnome</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Magic of the Mists</span> (AP): Stay hidden with Fade Away when you attack with an arcane power. Nice.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Fade Ally</span> (PHB2): Gives your Fade Away power a legitimate leader application by letting an ally turn invisible instead of you.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Surprising Disappearance</span> (PHB2): Combat advantage for the party when you use your Fade Away power. Nice.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Vanishing Act </span>(PHB2): And the Gnome gets a teleport attached to his Fade Away. Great fun.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Half-Elf</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Adept Dilletante<span style="color: #0000ff"></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"></span>(D 385): Unlike Combat Virtuoso, this feat also allows you to use Charisma to determine the damage you do with your Dilletante power, which is great for some powers, but not necessary for others. Remember that it counts as a multiclass feat for your Dilletante power's native class, but since you have unlimited multiclassing, that's not a real disadvantage for you.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Versatile Master</span> (PHB2): You took Dilletante for a reason. Go all the way and make that power a true at-will.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Halfling</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Lost in the Crowd</span> (PHB): Plenty of things are bigger than you. A +2 untyped bonus to AC in this case is nice.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Underfoot (PHB): If you're trained in Acrobatics, this one is worth a look for the beneficial movement option. You'll fight plenty of Large things.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Human</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Action Surge</span> (PHB): Take the Expertise feats first, but definitely consider this one after. +3 untyped bonus to all attacks for the action from an action point is just too good to ignore.</p><p></p><p>Rousing Voice (AP): Grant CHA-mod THPs when an ally uses second wind. Not bad. Better if you have allies with minor-action or less second winds who are likely to use them more often.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Kalashtar</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Group Mindlink</span> (EPG): Telepathic communication can come in handy a lot.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Quori Desperation</span> (EPG): Buy yourself a round to heal and/or act when you would've been knocked out. Nice.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Pixie</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier </strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Streak of Light</span> (HotF)</strong>: Combat advantage whenever you charge is absolutely perfect for Pixie melee Skalds, especially when looking to trigger nice things like the Dimensional Step or Flash of Distraction line of powers.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Teeny Target</span> (HotF)</strong>: Put that Tiny size to good use and get partial cover for being in an ally's space.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Flitting Harrier</span> (HotF)</strong>: Entering and exiting enemies' spaces for free can be quite nice to have in the positioning game.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Satyr</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Powerful Lure</span> (HotF)</strong>: A strong buff for your racial power, doubling its sliding distance and letting you slide your enemy into hindering terrain. Take it if you can.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Shardmind</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Telepathic Sustenance (PHB3): Neat ability that can be lifesaving in some cases.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Tiefling</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Heroic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Hellfire Blood (PHB): An extra +1 untyped bonus to hit with Fire attacks. With the pointless Flaming Weapon nerf in effect, playing with Fire isn't nearly as appealing a choice as it used to be, but if you're going that route, you'll want this for sure.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900">Imperious Majesty</span> (D 381): Use your Charisma to determine initiative? Yes, please. Combine with Improved Initiative and you'll have your party closing in on your enemies before they can blink.</p><p></p><p><strong>Stirring Song of Baator (PHR:T)</strong>: The nerf to the Flaming Weapon, which had been the cornerstone of transforming all your favorite Bard powers into Fire damage, puts a damper on this one quite a bit. The THP generation is still very nice, though, and can justify taking a somewhat weaker power than you had planned, but this is no longer the knockout option it used to be.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Paragon Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Glasya's Charming Words</span> (PHR:T)</strong>: If you have Vicious Mockery and even so much as a plurality of Charm powers, you're taking this. Period. No way you're passing up on dominating crits.</p><p></p><p><strong>Hellfire of Mephistopheles (PHR:T)</strong>: Errata-ed so that it no longer creates vulnerability. That brings its value down a ton, but if you're playing with Fire anyway for Stirring Song of Baator (itself now a weakened option from its zenith), you might still want to fit this in to make your attacks reduce the fairly common Fire resistance.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Epic Tier</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Royal Command of Asmodeus</span> (PHR:T)</strong>: If you pick up powers that stun directly, somehow, this one is incredible, turning those into domination powers. Resourceful Magicians, particularly those Cunning Bards who went the Wizard path, should consider this <span style="color: #ff9900"><strong></strong></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff9900"><strong></strong><strong>mandatory</strong></span>, as should Eternal Seekers looking to poach Wizard stun powers.</p><p>[/sblock][/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Eberron Dragonmark feats</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Mark of Healing</span> (EPG)</strong>: Saving throws attached to all your healing powers. Yeah, that's kinda good.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Mark of Scribing</span> (EPG): Strictly better than Linguist. More languages and copy ritual scrolls in half the time.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Mark of Storm</span> (EPG): Awesome with Staggering Note, a Lightning Weapon or Arcane Admixture use.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #00ccff">Mark of Warding </span>(EPG): Boosts the effects of all your powers that grant defense bonuses by 1. You've got access to a lot of those.</p><p>[/sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nibelung, post: 6705353, member: 74499"] [b]Originally posted by Litigation:[/b] [CENTER][SIZE=6][u]Extra Practice: Feats[/u][/SIZE][/CENTER] Note for the general, racial and power source feats: The ones I mention will mostly be ranked [COLOR=#0000ff][b]blue[/b][/COLOR] or higher (with a few [b]blacks[/b]). I'll note [COLOR=#ff0000][b]traps[/b][/COLOR], as well. Bards should generally prioritize their feat selection in the following order: [b]1. Attack accuracy.[/b] Hitting enemies is the most important thing any character does. It's even more important for you as a Leader. The better you hit, the more often your party-starter powers will benefit your allies. That simple. [b]2. Healing/buffing/enabling.[/b] In short, what you do as a Leader. Feats that buff your class features' capacity to boost attack rolls, defenses and movement options are vital. Almost as important are feats that bolster your ability to restore hit points, grant THPs and grant saving throws. [b]3. Debuffing/control.[/b] For maximum effectiveness, you need to pay attention to your Controller aspects, since it's part of how you lead. Look at feats that help debuff enemy attack rolls and defenses, as well as enhance forced movement and possibly inflict status effects. Feats that buff specific keywords tend to fall into this category. [b]4. Initiative.[/b] This is often a lot more important to you than it is to many other Leader classes, since your specialty tends to be movement enabling and positioning. Putting your allies (and enemies) in position before they act greatly expedites combat. Since you likely won't have a high Dexterity, feats are your best bet for improving this. [b]5. Defenses/survivability.[/b] You're no good to the party dead. The Leader, more than any other role, must stay upright. So feats that boost this are important, and they also increase the possibility that your healing is used on your allies, rather than yourself. [b]6. Power recovery.[/b] Take any feats that let you recover encounter and daily powers. They can have a huge effect on any battle, or adventuring day. [b]7. MID reduction.[/b] As a class who uses both implements and weapons, you'll want to fold both modes of attack into one, if needed. [b]Class/Power Source Feats[/b] [sblock] [b]Heroic Tier[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#ff9900]Advantage of Cunning[/COLOR] (PHB2): Its strength may not be readily apparent, but experiment with it (pull out a chessboard) and you'll quickly see why it's mandatory for any serious Cunning Bard. The number of clever rearrangements you can pull with this feat is mind-boggling. And it only gets better in Paragon Tier when you also take Improved Cunning. [b]Some things to remember:[/b] (1) There is no sliding distance specified by this feat, allowing you to slide the enemy in a path you see fit. (2) You can slide a Large or larger enemy into any group of squares so long as one of those squares was formerly occupied by your ally. And (3) the enemy you move does NOT have to be the one who triggered Virtue of Cunning, and in many cases (e.g. ranged attacker) isn't. [COLOR=#0000ff]Arcane Familiar[/COLOR] (AP): You gain a familiar. Details on those have their [URL=/go/thread/view/75882/22001741/The_Pet_Store:_A_Familiar_Keepers_Handbook]own handbook[/URL], so look there for what familiars and familiar feats you should take. Not all of you will take a familiar, but having one does come with some interesting and useful perks. And it's fun. [COLOR=#ff9900]Arcane Implement Proficiency[/COLOR] (AP): Skalds should lap this one up ASAP. Many of their best power options, particularly Staggering Note and dailies, still remain implement attacks, and to be able to use their shortsword or dagger for such saves a lot of MID headache. [b]O-Bards[/b], on the other hand, should accomplish the same thing by picking up a Swordmage multiclass feat if they have the qualifying INT 13, instead, thanks to their Multiclass Versatility. [COLOR=#00ccff]Bard of All Trades[/COLOR] (D 383): It's Jack of All Trades upgraded just for you Bards, granting a +3 feat bonus to all untrained skills. With Skill Versatility on top of this, all your untrained skills are merely -1 away from being effectively trained. Incredible. Bardic Knowledge (PHB2): +2 feat bonus to several knowledge checks, some of them conducive to rituals. Worth a look, although be aware that it doesn't stack with Bard of All Trades' bonus if said knowledge skill is untrained. [COLOR=#00ccff]Bardic Wayfarer[/COLOR] (D 387): With the standard teleport optimizations on hand (Eladrin Armor, Eladrin Boots, Gloves of Dimensional Repulsion, Eladrin Ring of Passage, Ring of Retreat, Incisive Dagger), your Majestic Word becomes a great heal-and-rescue spell for those allies who prefer to keep their distance, or just need to be lifted out of immediate danger. Then there's the side effect that teleports you whenever you teleport an ally, which is also awesome, and benefits from all the same teleport enhancers. That latter side effect makes this feat one of the cornerstones of the "Bard Taxi" concept. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Battle Cadence[/COLOR] (D 396)[/b]: Slide the beneficiary of your Majestic Word an extra square and give them an untyped +2 bonus to their next damage roll as well. Pretty good on its own, but it can become amazing in [COLOR=#00ccff][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/COLOR] with melee allies taking Agile Opportunist. Now when you heal with Majestic Word, you can slide your ally one square, then the second square back to where they were before, triggering their attack without them having to give up an ideal position. Very nice. [b]Wayfarer Note:[/b] It's debated whether this feat works with Bardic Wayfarer's Majestic Word teleport. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Battle Song Expertise[/COLOR] (D 402)[/b]: This is the Bard-specific member of the Expertise family, and it's the Expertise of choice for Bards who use heavy blades, light blades, wands or instruments. It applies its feat bonus correction to attack rolls for all attacks using a weapon (including implement attacks) as well as for wands, songblades and instruments. And its secondary benefit is quite nice, too: An extra square of forced movement for all applicable Bard and Bard PP attack powers. [COLOR=#00ccff]Combat Virtuoso[/COLOR] (AP): Not everyone will need to take it, obviously, but it opens up tons of options for multiclassing or a Half-Elf's Dilletante power that you wouldn't have even thought of otherwise. Note, however, that it does NOT affect paragon path powers or powers gained through the Eternal Seeker epic destiny. [COLOR=#0000ff]Dual Implement Spellcaster[/COLOR] (AP): Not as necessary for you as it is for, say, Sorcerers, but something to consider. Two wands, or two Songblades or AIP-ed light blades will do nicely. Mind the DEX 13 requirement, though. [COLOR=#ff9900]Extended Prescience[/COLOR] (AP): For Prescient Bards only, and it improves that Virtue considerably with its much longer duration. A must for them in the first 10 levels of their career. [COLOR=#ff0000]Feyborn Charm[/COLOR] (AP): Ouch. How the mighty hath fallen. With the recent update to the Expertise feats classifying their bonuses as feat bonuses, this one is as good as dead. It does not stack with the Expertise feats now. Yeah, it still grants a feat bonus to damage as well, but you're probably not picking Charm powers for the damage they do. Friendly Deception (AP): Apply your Words of Friendship class feature power to Bluff checks. Can be handy. [COLOR=#00ccff]Improved Majestic Word[/COLOR] (PHB2): CHA-mod temp HPs for the target of a Majestic Word, making it even more efficient. You'll want this sooner or later. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Majestic Fervor[/COLOR] (D 377)[/b]: Requires training in Religion, but a +1 untyped bonus to attacks for an ally who isn't bloodied when you heal them with Majestic Word is rather nifty. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Moonbow Dedicate[/COLOR] (D 386)[/b]: Has an annoying deity restriction (Sehanine), but if you qualify, you get to use a shortbow as an implement for all divine and arcane powers, and it even comes with a free Weapon Focus benefit. Awesome. Prescient Fortification (AP): A +2 to the Virtue of Prescience benefit. Helpful in the beginning, but you may want to retrain it later as your WIS increases. Saving Breath (D 383): Geared toward the Valorous, this grants a Majestic Word beneficiary your CON-mod bonus to the next save before the end of your next turn. Fair enough. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Better[/b][/COLOR] if you have Mark of Healing. [b]Skald Training (HotF)[/b]: Replace your Majestic Word with Skald's Aura. The cornerstone of the Fake Skald build, and essential if you want to take advantage of Bard powers that rely on the Skald's Aura. [COLOR=#800080]Strength of Valor [/COLOR](PHB2): The oft-random nature of the Valor benefit makes this minor damage boost questionable in value. White Lotus Defense (D 374): +1 untyped bonus to all defenses against the enemy you hit with an arcane at-will. Decent. [COLOR=#0000ff]White Lotus Enervation[/COLOR] (D 374): -1 debuff to a defense targeted by an arcane at-will. Pretty good. Especially since penalties stack. If Guiding Strike is debuffing AC that round, it essentially gets an extra penalty point. White Lotus Evasion (D 374): Minor action shifting after you hit with an arcane at-will. Fair enough. [COLOR=#0000ff]White Lotus Hindrance[/COLOR] (D 374): Makes all squares next to you difficult terrain, which can keep melee attackers away from you. Good stuff, and opens up an even more potent prize in Paragon Tier. [COLOR=#00ccff]White Lotus Riposte[/COLOR] (D 374): Inflicts your ability modifier's worth of damage to an enemy who attacks you after you hit it with an at-will. The real value of this feat lies in what it opens up in Paragon Tier, but it's not like this feat itself is anything to sneeze at. [b]Wild Virtue (D 396)[/b]: Shift a square whenever you use your Virtue. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Valorous Bards[/b][/COLOR] are probably going to get the most out of this one, as they'll typically be within the thick of the fight, their Virtue is guaranteed to trigger twice as often as there are enemies on the map, and free shifts in melee are great for setting up flanks and other nice positions. The Cunning might look at it just for some free movement to more easily stay clear of the fray. The [COLOR=#800080][b]Prescient[/b][/COLOR] won't look at it for a while, if ever, since their Virtue only goes off once per encounter by default. [b]Words of Wrath (D 396)[/b]: Your Words of Friendship power can apply to Intimidate. If Intimidate is more your style than Diplomacy, this one can come in handy. And unlike its counterpart for Bluff, this one even comes with a +2 feat bonus to its relevant skill. [/sblock] [b]Paragon Tier[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#0000ff]Arcane Admixture[/COLOR] (AP): You can unlock all sorts of fun exploits with this feat. Best used on an arcane at-will power or two you plan to use often, making the powers qualify for synergies with various feats (ex. Tieflings with their Fire-based tricks, Cold for Lasting Frost synergy, Lightning with Oncoming Storm, etc.) [b]Note[/b]: The keyword from this feat is [i]in addition to [/i]the default damage-type keywords of the power. That is this feat's key advantage, and is different from using, say, a Frost Weapon, which would instead replace the power's default damage-type keywords. [COLOR=#0000ff]Disheartening Presence[/COLOR] (AP): Debuff bloodied enemies' attacks by -1 just by being next to them and not bloodied. Pretty good for melee Bards. Protects you and protects any allies next to those adjacent enemies as well. [COLOR=#ff9900]Improved Cunning[/COLOR] (PHB2): Cunning Bards most definitely want this. Sliding 2 squares is priceless as you fight more enemies that are bigger than you. Gets vulnerable allies out of the melee range of even Large enemies, and makes flanks even easier to set up. This feat also opens up a nifty trick on an ally with Agile Opportunist: if they're already in the melee position they want to be in next to the enemy, slide them one square away, then one square back to where they started and trigger their AO attack. [COLOR=#00ccff]Improved Valor[/COLOR] (PHB2): An extra 3 THPs from Virtue of Valor. Since you'll be a War Chanter with that Virtue, this helps you as well. Boring, but you should take it if you can. Majestic Rescue (AP): Majestic Word grants a save, too. Worth a look. If you're in Eberron and [COLOR=#ff0000][b]took Mark of Healing[/b][/COLOR], however, it's redundant. Lyric of Rejuvenation (PHB2): Your party regains a couple extra hit points with surge usage after a short rest. Can come in handy when you don't have enough Majestic Words to go around after a tough battle, so it's a decent choice. [COLOR=#ff9900]Prescient Aid[/COLOR] (AP): Your Virtue of Prescience now gets an AMAZING offensive application. Prescient Bards should never pass this one up. You use an immediate interrupt to turn an ally's miss into a hit with your WIS-modifier bonus from up to 10 squares away (double the range of the default defensive Prescience). This might as well be your only use of the virtue from this point forward. In which case, you can retrain Extended Prescience for this one, since that feat specifically applied only to the defensive application. [COLOR=#ff0000]Song of Inspiration[/COLOR] (AP): Va fanculo, is this one a fraud. Pre-emptive healing is a wonderful concept, but the [i]amount [/i]of THPs gained from this is pitiful. Most definitely NOT worth trading in a whole damn healing surge to get them. [COLOR=#0000ff]Walk Among the Fey[/COLOR] (D 387): The teleportation granted by this may be bound to all restrictions on the original slide from the power in question (including the system-wide restrictions on forced movement, so an uninterrupted 2D plane, basically) but this feat's benefit can still be very helpful to have around in the right situations. [COLOR=#00ccff][b]Bard Taxis[/b][/COLOR], in particular, will go for this one. White Lotus Master Evasion (D 374): Free 1-square shift when you hit with an arcane at-will. Decent. [COLOR=#00ccff]White Lotus Master Hindrance[/COLOR] (D 374): All allies get your Hindrance benefit now; they create difficult terrain wherever they step. Defenders love you for helping them cut off certain shift-and-charge lanes, and squishies love you for making them more difficult to approach in melee, and if your melee allies have flanks set up, they'll REALLY love you. [COLOR=#00ccff]White Lotus Master Riposte [/COLOR](D 374): Immediate reaction at-will repeat against an enemy who attacks you. Combine with a Defender's help to set the enemy up in a lose-lose between you and him. [/sblock] [b]Epic Tier[/b] [sblock] Bard Implement Expertise (AP): Requires CON 15 and INT 15. Gives you a 19-20 crit range with implement attacks from a wand. Since you're not going to be big on personal damage if you're using a baton, this is only really worth a look if you're packing significant on-crit effects. (Ex: Tiefling with [COLOR=#ff9900][b]Glasya's Charming Words[/b][/COLOR].) [COLOR=#800080]Long Arm of Virtue[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000ff] [/COLOR](PHB2): [COLOR=#0000ff] [/COLOR]The Valorous [i]might[/i] consider this one. Otherwise, the Cunning already have all the range they'll ever need, and the Prescient are doing just fine with the 10-square range on Prescient Aid. [COLOR=#00ccff]Multiclass Mastery[/COLOR] (AP): Get the benefits of two full multiclass feats for the price of this one. Awesome stuff. This gives you the opportunity to retrain out of up to two multiclass feats you had, effectively saving yourself a feat. [COLOR=#ff9900]Prescient Resurgence[/COLOR][COLOR=#00ccff] [/COLOR](AP): Another use of Virtue of Prescience in an encounter when you use an action point. Prescients neglect this one at their party's peril. [COLOR=#ff9900]Quickened Spellcasting[/COLOR] (AP): There are enough Bards who would kill for a per-encounter minor-action use of an at-will for this feat to be considered mandatory, overall. Pretty much any Bard packing Staggering Note, for one (which should be pretty much all of you). Resourceful Magicians or Half-Elves with Eldritch Strike and Dimensional Step powers, for another. [COLOR=#ff9900]Supreme Majesty[/COLOR] (AP): Target two with Majestic Word. If that's your healing feature, take this. That is all. Trusted Spellcasting (AP): Best used on an AoE encounter spell. Might be worth a look. [/sblock][/sblock] [b]Martial Power Source Feats (for Skalds)[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Deft Blade[/COLOR] (MP2)[/b]: Makes your basic attacks, melee or ranged, with light blades nail Reflex instead of AC if you prefer. Mandatory if you're using light blades (which you DEFINITELY should if you're melee, and even if ranged throwing a dagger is about as good as it gets.) [/sblock] [b]General Feats[/b] [sblock] [b]Heroic Tier[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Armor Proficiency (Ring Mail)[/COLOR] (MME)[/b]: For the Cunning Bards yearning for armor properties normally restricted to chainmail ([COLOR=#00ccff][b]Tactician's[/b][/COLOR], especially, comes to mind), but wanting to keep their light armor AC bonus to INT, this one is for you. Has no attribute requirements, and all Bards have the necessary proficiencies by default. [COLOR=#0000ff]Armor Proficiency (Scale)[/COLOR] (PHB): Mainly for Valorous Bards to improve their AC. Requires STR 13 and CON 13. [COLOR=#00ccff]Beguiling Enchantment[/COLOR] (PHB3): The attack penalty only applies when the enemy attacks you, but it's still an excellent self-defense feat that you'll definitely want if you plan on using Vicious Mockery and a preponderance of Charm encounter powers. [COLOR=#0000ff]Distant Advantage[/COLOR] (PHB2): Cunning and Prescient Bards, in particular, will want to look at this one since they use a lot of ranged attacks. [b]Implement Focus (E:HFL)[/b]: Finally, a general tier-scaling feat bonus to implement damage. Yay. However, it's not a high priority for you like it is for a few other classes. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Improved Defenses[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: It's a matter of when, not if, you're taking this tier-scaling feat bonus to NADs, since your defenses don't scale well as you level up. This feat helps correct that. [b]Note:[/b] This feat obsoletes Paragon Defenses (PHB2) and Robust Defenses (PHB2). [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Improved Initiative[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: More important for Bards than for most other Leaders, especially if you're going to take advantage of the many movement enabling options your class offers. Melee Training (PHB2): Mostly for[COLOR=#ff9900][b] Fake Skalds[/b][/COLOR], or anyone looking to use the [COLOR=#ff9900][b]basic attack-triggered powers[/b][/COLOR], who aren't Eladrins, Tieflings or Paragon Tier Half-Elves. Which I don't recommend as enthusiastically, but if you want to head down that route, this one is essential for you. Of course, it's not a bad choice for melee-focused Bard builds in general. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Nimble Blade[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Extra +1 to attack rolls with light blades with CA that stacks with all other bonuses makes for a must-take if you're using that weapon category. Oncoming Storm (PHB2): If your prospects include a Lightning Weapon and/or some Arcane Admixture abuses, this one can have some nice uses. (Particularly with Staggering Note.) [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Orb Expertise[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: If you get orb proficiency somehow (being an Eladrin or picking a certain multiclass), using orbs is better overall than wands thanks to the side benefit from this, an extra square on ALL your forced movement attack powers (remember, Battle Song Expertise only applies its forced movement bonus to Bard and Bard PP powers). The tier-scaling feat bonus to attack, of course, is the main course that makes this feat essential. Restful Healing (PHB2): Makes a use of your Majestic Word or Skald's Aura healing more efficient between encounters. Decent. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Serene Archery[/COLOR] (D 386)[/b]: Annoying deity restriction (Sehanine), but for you CHA/WIS dual-stat Prescient Bards looking for an RBA, here you go. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Silvery Glow[/COLOR] (D 386)[/b]: Annoying deity restriction (Sehanine), but if you qualify and you plan to either use the Permafrost combo (most tempting for those of you using basic attack trigger powers) or join the Radiant Mafia, this is strictly better than Weapon Focus. [COLOR=#0000ff]Skill Power[/COLOR] (PHB3): Gain an extra skill power at the cost of this feat. It's actually a [COLOR=#00ccff]very good [/COLOR]investment if you take it for the right power. [COLOR=#00ccff]Speed Loader[/COLOR] (PHB2): A must for Prescient Bards and ranged Skalds who want to use a superior crossbow. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Staff Expertise[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: One of the best feats in the all-important Expertise family. If you have proficiency here somehow (Eladrin, applicable MC, White Lotus Dueling Expertise), this feat alone makes the staff a prime implement choice. One of the side benefits prevents enemy OAs for using ranged and area powers, and if you want to pick up the odd weapon power, your staff becomes a reach weapon for such. This one is so good that even if you got your staff proficiency from White Lotus Dueling Expertise, this one should be considered mandatory. [COLOR=#ff9900]Superior Implement Training[/COLOR] (PHB3): No reason at all for Bards of the baton (or the orb, or the staff, should that apply to you somehow) to not use an Accurate version. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Superior Will[/COLOR] (E:HFL)[/b]: All Bards will qualify automatically, which means it's mandatory. Saving versus dazing and stunning at the start of your turns, even if you normally can't end the effect on a save, is a benefit you do not pass up. Period. Especially as a Leader, who really can't afford to be incapacitated. And you'll also get a net +1 gain per tier over the bonus to Will that Improved Defenses will give you. [COLOR=#00ccff]Toughness[/COLOR] (PHB): Tier-scaling increase of your maximum hit points value. Very valuable, especially if you're Valorous. That has the lovely side benefit of increasing your healing surge and bloodied values, as well. Weapon Focus (PHB): Tier-scaling feat bonus to weapon damage. How high a priority this is greatly depends on how often you plan on using weapon powers. Bards looking to load up on their MBA opportunities and the basic attack-triggered powers (Skalds included) are [COLOR=#0000ff][b]a lot more likely[/b][/COLOR] to care about this one. [COLOR=#0000ff]Weapon Proficiency[/COLOR] (PHB): Likely taken by Prescient Bards to use a superior crossbow. Bastard swords for melee Bards is an option, too, but unless you're aiming for a Striker bent, your standard longsword will do fine. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]White Lotus Dueling Expertise[/COLOR] (D 402)[/b]: As long as you keep your attack arsenal limited to Arcane powers and basic attacks, this feat gives the Expertise correction to all attack rolls with a weapon (implement attacks included), and on top of that you even get a free choice of another implement to become proficient with (orb, rod or staff). Good, easy way to get staff proficiency without having to MC (which means Skalds, in particular, will love this). [COLOR=#00ccff]Wintertouched[/COLOR] (PHB): The first half of the famous Lasting Frost synergy. You don't need to take this until Paragon Tier. [/sblock] [b]Paragon Tier[/b] [sblock] Agile Opportunist (PHB2): You're usually the one making your allies slide, not sliding yourself. On the other hand, if you're not the only Leader in the party who slides allies ... [COLOR=#00ccff]Armor Specialization[/COLOR] (PHB): Your feat bonus to AC. Most likely, you'll be picking this one for hide (CON 15 needed), which also reduces your armor check penalties. The Valorous have the easiest time picking this up. [COLOR=#0000ff]Fleet-Footed[/COLOR] (PHB): Extra speed is never a bad thing. [COLOR=#00ccff]Lasting Frost [/COLOR](PHB): Synergistic with Wintertouched to set up combat advantage on every hit with a Cold-keyword attack. [COLOR=#0000ff]Point-Blank Shot[/COLOR] (PHB): Cunning and Prescient Bards, in particular, may want this to ignore everything but total concealment with their ranged attacks. [COLOR=#00ccff]Psychic Lock[/COLOR] (PHB): You've got access to tons of Psychic powers, including at-wills like Vicious Mockery. This just adds insult to injury with those spells via an additional attack roll debuff. [COLOR=#0000ff]Reserve Maneuver[/COLOR] (PHB2): Don't like your paragon path's encounter power? Trade it out for something else after you rest. This feat may not be for everyone, but it's handy for those who want it. Resounding Thunder (PHB): Mostly for Half-Elves to look at if they took an arcane AoE at-will like Sword Burst or Thunderwave, then outfitted it with Arcane Admixture, if necessary. [COLOR=#00ccff]Awesome[/COLOR] in that application. [COLOR=#0000ff]Solid Sound[/COLOR] (PHB): +2 untyped bonus to a NAD for a round when you hit with the Thunder or Force keyword. This one is good for those using a Force Weapon or using Arcane Admixture. [COLOR=#0000ff]Vexing Flanker[/COLOR] (PHB2): All your allies get combat advantage against an enemy you're flanking. Pretty useful, particularly for the Valorous. [COLOR=#0000ff]War Wizardry[/COLOR] (FRPG): Helps make your party-unfriendly spells substantially less party-unfriendly. [/sblock] [b]Epic Tier[/b] [sblock] Blind-Fight (PHB): Thwart invisibility and concealment (but not total concealment) on adjacent creatures. Not bad for Valorous Bards, in particular, to consider. [COLOR=#0000ff]Bow Mastery[/COLOR] (PHB2): You're typically not the high-damage sort of class, nor do you come packing tons of effects off crits with a bow or crossbow, so this one isn't quite as necessary for you as it would be for some other classes. That said, you can hardly call it a waste. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Deft Aim[/COLOR] (PHB3)[/b]: If you're a ranged Skald using a bow or crossbow for whatever reason, targeting Reflex with your RBAs is just what you want, and need. [COLOR=#00ccff]Epic Fortitude/Reflexes/Will[/COLOR] (PHB2): +4 to the NAD in question. Stacks with Improved Defenses. You would do well to go for at least one of these. Can make your highest defense extremely hard to hit, and a medium defense from a secondary stat in the high teens-low 20s solid. [COLOR=#0000ff]Epic Resurgence[/COLOR] (PHB): Regain an encounter power on a crit. Nice one, especially if you've expanded your crit range. [COLOR=#0000ff]Rapid Regeneration[/COLOR] (PHB3): Valorous Bards will want this if they have sources of regeneration for themselves. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Superior Initiative[/COLOR] (PHB3)[/b]: You'll likely pick this vital feat up from retraining Improved Initiative, since it's just a higher feat bonus. [COLOR=#0000ff]Triumphant Attack[/COLOR] (PHB): Encounter-long attack roll and defense debuff whenever you crit in melee. Nice for the Valorous, in particular. [COLOR=#0000ff]Unfettered Stride[/COLOR] (PHB): Ignore difficult terrain. Good if you're trained in Acrobatics. [/sblock][/sblock] [b]Racial feats[/b] [sblock] [b]Deva[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [b]Auspicious Lineage (PHB2)[/b]: Increases Memory of a Thousand Lifetimes' die to d8, which essentially means a +1 average bonus to the correction provided by that power. Not a bad pick if you can fit it in, but I'd look for feats that give more consistent bonuses to attacks and saves, first. [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Battle Intuition[/COLOR] (D 374)[/b]: If you're a Prescient Bard, hold it, love it and call it George. WIS to initiative, and a +2 feat bonus to initiative on top of that, is something you just don't pass up. [b]Immortal Skill (D 374)[/b]: Eliminates bad die rolls on your racial power for skill and ability checks. Valuable in a [COLOR=#00ccff][b]skill-heavy campaign[/b][/COLOR]. [b]Potent Rebirth (PHB2)[/b]: I'm not too hot on abilities that kick in after you get KO-ed, normally, but an untyped +2 to attack and damage is about as good as that type gets, so it's worth a look. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#00ccff]Ascendant Lineage[/COLOR] (PHB2): Memory of a Thousand Lifetimes is not expended if the triggering roll still fails. Due to the variable nature of that racial power, this is a great feat to take to alleviate being on the wrong end of the die. It also lets you use your racial power more aggressively when your triggering roll was very low (say, when you need a 5 or 6 on your MOTL roll to succeed). [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Immortal Resilience[/COLOR] (D 374)[/b]: Eliminates bad die rolls on your racial power for saving throws. Requires having Immortal Skill before it, but this one's great all around. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Immortal Prowess[/COLOR] (D 374)[/b]: The pinnacle of the Immortal line, this eliminates the bad die rolls on your racial power for attack rolls. If you already took the previous two Immortal feats, definitely take this one if you can. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Transcendant Lineage[/COLOR] (PHB2)[/b]: Roll twice and take the better result for Memory of a Thousand Lifetimes. Really awesome boost for your racial power. [/sblock] [b]Dragonborn[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#800080]Draconic Spellcaster[/COLOR] (AP): Much like Feyborn Charm, victimized heavily by the recent feat bonus classification of the Expertise feats, meaning that this one no longer stacks. It does now give the damage bonuses, but unless you're trying to steer your build in a Striker-ish direction for some reason, you won't really care. [/sblock] [b]Drow[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#0000ff]Master of Fire and Darkness[/COLOR] (FRPG): Now your two Lolthtouched powers are separate encounter powers. Nice. [/sblock] [b]Genasi[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#0000ff]Extra Manifestation[/COLOR] (FRPG): Some extra versatility never hurt. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#0000ff]Shocking Flame[/COLOR] (FRPG): Extra fire or lightning damage on all melee attacks with the right manifestation. Solid. [COLOR=#0000ff]Stormrider[/COLOR] (FRPG): Strictly better than Fleet-Footed with the right manifestations. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#00ccff]Double Manifestation [/COLOR](FRPG): Manifest two elements at once. Yes, this is awesome. [/sblock] [b]Gnome[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#0000ff]Magic of the Mists[/COLOR] (AP): Stay hidden with Fade Away when you attack with an arcane power. Nice. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#00ccff]Fade Ally[/COLOR] (PHB2): Gives your Fade Away power a legitimate leader application by letting an ally turn invisible instead of you. [COLOR=#0000ff]Surprising Disappearance[/COLOR] (PHB2): Combat advantage for the party when you use your Fade Away power. Nice. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#00ccff]Vanishing Act [/COLOR](PHB2): And the Gnome gets a teleport attached to his Fade Away. Great fun. [/sblock] [b]Half-Elf[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] Adept Dilletante[COLOR=#0000ff] [/COLOR](D 385): Unlike Combat Virtuoso, this feat also allows you to use Charisma to determine the damage you do with your Dilletante power, which is great for some powers, but not necessary for others. Remember that it counts as a multiclass feat for your Dilletante power's native class, but since you have unlimited multiclassing, that's not a real disadvantage for you. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#ff9900]Versatile Master[/COLOR] (PHB2): You took Dilletante for a reason. Go all the way and make that power a true at-will. [/sblock] [b]Halfling[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#0000ff]Lost in the Crowd[/COLOR] (PHB): Plenty of things are bigger than you. A +2 untyped bonus to AC in this case is nice. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] Underfoot (PHB): If you're trained in Acrobatics, this one is worth a look for the beneficial movement option. You'll fight plenty of Large things. [/sblock] [b]Human[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#00ccff]Action Surge[/COLOR] (PHB): Take the Expertise feats first, but definitely consider this one after. +3 untyped bonus to all attacks for the action from an action point is just too good to ignore. Rousing Voice (AP): Grant CHA-mod THPs when an ally uses second wind. Not bad. Better if you have allies with minor-action or less second winds who are likely to use them more often. [/sblock] [b]Kalashtar[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#0000ff]Group Mindlink[/COLOR] (EPG): Telepathic communication can come in handy a lot. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [COLOR=#0000ff]Quori Desperation[/COLOR] (EPG): Buy yourself a round to heal and/or act when you would've been knocked out. Nice. [/sblock] [b]Pixie[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier [/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Streak of Light[/COLOR] (HotF)[/b]: Combat advantage whenever you charge is absolutely perfect for Pixie melee Skalds, especially when looking to trigger nice things like the Dimensional Step or Flash of Distraction line of powers. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Teeny Target[/COLOR] (HotF)[/b]: Put that Tiny size to good use and get partial cover for being in an ally's space. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Flitting Harrier[/COLOR] (HotF)[/b]: Entering and exiting enemies' spaces for free can be quite nice to have in the positioning game. [/sblock] [b]Satyr[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Powerful Lure[/COLOR] (HotF)[/b]: A strong buff for your racial power, doubling its sliding distance and letting you slide your enemy into hindering terrain. Take it if you can. [/sblock] [b]Shardmind[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] Telepathic Sustenance (PHB3): Neat ability that can be lifesaving in some cases. [/sblock] [b]Tiefling[/b] [sblock] [Size=4][b]Heroic Tier[/b][/size] Hellfire Blood (PHB): An extra +1 untyped bonus to hit with Fire attacks. With the pointless Flaming Weapon nerf in effect, playing with Fire isn't nearly as appealing a choice as it used to be, but if you're going that route, you'll want this for sure. [COLOR=#ff9900]Imperious Majesty[/COLOR] (D 381): Use your Charisma to determine initiative? Yes, please. Combine with Improved Initiative and you'll have your party closing in on your enemies before they can blink. [b]Stirring Song of Baator (PHR:T)[/b]: The nerf to the Flaming Weapon, which had been the cornerstone of transforming all your favorite Bard powers into Fire damage, puts a damper on this one quite a bit. The THP generation is still very nice, though, and can justify taking a somewhat weaker power than you had planned, but this is no longer the knockout option it used to be. [Size=4][b]Paragon Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Glasya's Charming Words[/COLOR] (PHR:T)[/b]: If you have Vicious Mockery and even so much as a plurality of Charm powers, you're taking this. Period. No way you're passing up on dominating crits. [b]Hellfire of Mephistopheles (PHR:T)[/b]: Errata-ed so that it no longer creates vulnerability. That brings its value down a ton, but if you're playing with Fire anyway for Stirring Song of Baator (itself now a weakened option from its zenith), you might still want to fit this in to make your attacks reduce the fairly common Fire resistance. [Size=4][b]Epic Tier[/b][/size] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Royal Command of Asmodeus[/COLOR] (PHR:T)[/b]: If you pick up powers that stun directly, somehow, this one is incredible, turning those into domination powers. Resourceful Magicians, particularly those Cunning Bards who went the Wizard path, should consider this [COLOR=#ff9900][b] [/b][b]mandatory[/b][/COLOR], as should Eternal Seekers looking to poach Wizard stun powers. [/sblock][/sblock] [b]Eberron Dragonmark feats[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Mark of Healing[/COLOR] (EPG)[/b]: Saving throws attached to all your healing powers. Yeah, that's kinda good. [COLOR=#0000ff]Mark of Scribing[/COLOR] (EPG): Strictly better than Linguist. More languages and copy ritual scrolls in half the time. [COLOR=#00ccff]Mark of Storm[/COLOR] (EPG): Awesome with Staggering Note, a Lightning Weapon or Arcane Admixture use. [COLOR=#00ccff]Mark of Warding [/COLOR](EPG): Boosts the effects of all your powers that grant defense bonuses by 1. You've got access to a lot of those. [/sblock] [/QUOTE]
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Cruel Lullabies: The Bard Handbook (by Litigation)
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