last minute help request

[dragonfriend7738]

I'm putting together a high level (lv 15) bard npc for a game in three days, and would like some suggestions for gear for her; specifically anything that would give stack-able bonuses to her charisma. Any suggestions? Armor is not necessary, as the character is usually in non-combat situations, and would rely on a mark/recall type token to remove her from immediate danger.

Anyone willing to help?

 

[Belzbet]

Well nothing is "stackable" unless it is untyped or unless it is a dodge bonus (some divine bonus's and some competence bonuses and other bonuses stack in certain situation but aside from those situations it is not important to consider those relatively uncommon rules)...
So unfortunately it is hard to get straight up rules that cater to getting stackable CHA bonuses. But there are those bonuses that are rarely used and that stack (a competence bonuse stacks with a profane bonus stacks with a armor bonus, etc).. So, ASIDE FROM GETTING a build that gives your bard the highest CHA possible (and aside from getting multiple items that give different stackable bonuese to CHA, adn aside from picking a race that has a high natural CHA)... you are really crap out of luck (dont take my humble (2 years DMing) words as gospel though (I MAY BE WRONG... but as far asI see not many things gives you stackable bonuses to CHA besides items and magic, and maybe some PrC...which is not what your concerned with).. as a note: increase in CHA is not what you are looking for... you are lookking for EFFECTIVE increase in CHA that are not debendent on items or abilites and class selctiion...

 

[Belzbet]

As an example (I am assuming that the standard races are the "only" races): No standrad race (unless you called aasimar, or drow a standard race) gets an increase to CHA. Let say a 15 level human bard had 18 CHA. You could increase that CHA ONLY by:
(1) increasing your CHA with your ability choice increase you get every 4HD,
(2)getting items that increase CHA,
(3)getting racial MODS to CHA,
(4)getting PrC MODS (which most PrC MODs WOULD NOT give you an EFFECTIVE increase to all CHA but you would simply give you a +2 to CHA or whatever, so really PrCs arent what your looking for),
(5)getting magic MODs,

But again NON of these MODS are stackable (yes amny magic MODS are stackable but take those INTO consideration), and the ones that are stackable (like ones that you get through PrC's arent that varied). (obviously increase in CAH means increase CHA based checks but again you are not looking for increase in CHA your looking for increase in EFFECTIVE CHA that is not based on items, etc)..

So your friend is UNTYPED bonuses...

 

[Wycen]

Give her some sort of template. "Charming" or "Sultry" or "Insert Favorite Adjective Here" (heh, double entendre). +2 to CHA plus an aura like the spell Sanctuary because people don't want to spoil her beauty or charm by harming her.

 

[Belzbet]

Aasimar is the obvious choice... But most outsider and fey have excellent CHA...

 

[Belzbet]

Also I dont think the OP was concerned about templates... She wanted stackable CHA bonuses (not considering race or template selection which essentially as a PC template dictates your race)...

 

[Belzbet]

Also (PLEASE CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG) but the OP wasnt concerned with magical ways to increase CHA; which are a dime a dozen (think Eagles Spelndor).. (since those ways are open to all)...

 

[Belzbet]

OP: if you are looking for ways to optimize your bard then ask... but i DID NOT take the OP as a request for an optimzied bard...

 

[Belzbet]

Also, this is an NPC so give it what items you want (+2 profane to CHA, +2 competence to CHA, + 2 luck to CHA, etc). (As long as you dont want your PC getting ahold of the items lol)

So, really if all your asking about is gear then MAKE THE GEAR UP AS A DM.... if the items are too powerful that you dont want your PC's to use it/ be able to get ahold of it then... I dont know what to say... actually I do just lie to your PC's.. yeah many encounters I had the mosnters with +2 swords just so they could do damage to my PC's... but did I give my PC's a +2 sword every time they beat a foe with a +2 sword?... NO!... what i mean is that a ceratin way to Dm is to give your monster WAY better items than your PCs WOULD aquire if they looted those monsters... yes THIS IS NOT STANDARD AS PER RAW... but I noticed that many RAW creatures are weak... so I usually up the RAW monsters without uping the items they give (which means I up the items they have without uping the items I give to the NPC's (note: monsters without regular items dont factor into this equation)... This may seem deceptive... so yeah its about the campaign... in a high powered campaign monsters in the MM's are generally very weak in terms of CR... I play high powered campaigns so most monsters have weak CR.. so i give most monsters more items that arent relfected in the items PC actually get from beating that said creature.. if thats deceptive than hey i dont mind it...)

This usually applies to monsters that use items... obviosuly i wouldnt up the items of a monster that uses no items to attack (like a Behir or a Delver, etc, etc; i would just increase RHD (racial HD))
\And yes you can ask yourslef: would it be better to just up RHD or other factors? actually alot of the time it iseasier (as a DM in some sense to...) just up the items not the racial (creature ) based stats

 

[dragonfriend7738]

Actually, I was more or less looking for items that would boost her effective charisma bonus. She's human, so no racial bonus, and giving her level boosts to Cha makes her base CHA at 21. The items I've given her so far are a circlet of persuasion, 'cloak' of Cha +4 (not really a cloak, but I'm assigning it the same qualities), and gloves that boost her perform (string) by +5. Are there any other items that would benifit her that you can think of off the top of your head? If not, then I'll run with what I've got, and I'm sure the players won't really mind that much.

Thank you for your input, though.