Mechanics for an L12 Nerd/Librarian Type? (Also, how to build a bard?)

[Corsair]

Well, to be in a 14th level party and be of some use witohut dying every time they are hit with an area effect spell or face someone with missile weapons, she needs some HP and saves.

Here is your fallacy.

You want a character who is not powerful, yet powerful enough to travel with VERY POWERFUL ADVENTURERS.

The type of character you're describing would get minced by CR-appropriate challenges, and rightfully so.

 

[Artoomis]

How about Bard/Exemplar?

Complete Adventurer. Requires a skill with 13 ranks, so 10 levels of bard, 2 examplar.

Use normal point buy (if you use that) and put an "18" in intelligence, Next highest stat should probably be wisdom. Not the most effective bard, but that' s the idea anyway, right?

Focus on metal skills. Dimplomacy, Bluff, Sense motive, etc.

Better yet, design your own prestige class for this. Focus on knowledge at the expense of bardic music and maybe spell, too. Roll your own, baby!

 

[IanB]

You should be able to come to loremaster out of bard levels as well, not just wizard ones.

 

[Artoomis]

You should be able to come to loremaster out of bard levels as well, not just wizard ones.

Yes, that combo works pretty well. I'd also make the Loremaster Lore stack with the Bards' - makes sense, really. I think MAYBE that was an oversight. It's the same ability.

 

[nittanytbone]

You could always go multiclass. Frontload something with high skill points such as bard or expert and then smatter in a few wizard levels. Focus on defensive, utility, and divination spells.

 

[Shin Okada]

Do you want him to just survive? Or do you want him to actually fight?

If you just want him to survive, Expert with full of defensive gears (magic items which gives him higher AC, HP & saves) will make him reasonably durable. You can also give him those save +2 feats and Improved Toughness (from CW).

Or, how about Expert/Survivor (from savage species). Several levels of Survivor class will make him really tough to kill. Give him Able Learner feat (in Races of Destiny) and high Int. Then he can use skill points gained during multiclass into appropriate skills.

I think Bard is too charismatic and social to be called as a "nerd".

 

[Cam Banks]

Sovereign Press' War of the Lance sourcebook includes a new core class called the master, which is to the expert what the fighter is to the warrior. It takes the four skills of Knowledge, Perform, Profession, and Craft and allows you to model a character around one or two of those skill groups, complete with "knacks" (based on d20 Modern's talents) and bonus feats. I designed the class to represent anybody from Theros Ironfeld, the balcksmith, to one of Krynn's non-spellcasting bardic characters or adventuring barmaids like Tika Waylan. It also handles sages well, which I think is what you're looking for.

We do include a fair number of lootable things in these Dragonlance books, you know.

Cheers,
Cam