D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] Bard: what enables him to assemble a team?

[aboyd]

I have a 2nd level bard in a new game. While working out the backstory for how all the PCs met, we decided that my bard was one of many sent out as a herald looking for heroes... and it just so happened that his team is the one that was good enough to make it back and get the job.

So... I've not finalized the character sheet, and I'm willing to burn a little something on the backstory & role playing. What 0-level or 1st-level spell would help my bard to be more successful at picking out good-aligned, valorous heroes for a quest? Or what feat?

I was thinking of something like the paladin's Detect Evil, or something that would give a huge bonus to sense motive as the bard interviewed candidates. If there is no low-level spell or feat that enables something like that, what about something such as a disguise or other ability that would enable him to travel for days without being picked off by the evil forces that wish to stop any heroes before they even get started?

I just want something story driven that might explain how my bard got back with a good team while others failed. Any creative ideas appreciated! Thanks.

EDIT: I have the PHB, PHB2, Spell Compendium, and all the Complete books at my disposal. Other books are not allowed in the campaign.

 

[Dandu]

Perform: Spontaneous Song and Dance Routine

Hey, it worked in High School Musical.

 

[Particle_Man]

Featwise, Skill focus on any of Gather Information or Sense Motive or Disguise.

Similarly, Investigator, Deceitful, or Negotiator are skill-boosting feats.

Spell-wise, Disguise Self, maybe Charm Person (the right charmed person can be a wealth of useful information), or (if things get nasty) Expeditious Retreat!

 

[Particle_Man]

Leadership.

At 2nd level?

 

[Dandu]

At 2nd level?

Oh, it's doable.

It's the reason Keith Baker cannot be trusted with a spoon.

Explanation:

Look here

Feat
Nymm ascendant [Lunar]
Prerequisite: Natural birth
Benefit: Those born while Nymm is ascendant gain +1 bonus to Leadership score to recruit followers or cohorts, this bonus rises to +2 during the month of Nymm. Characters with Nymm Ascendant can take the Leadership Feat at 2nd level.
If a character born under an ascendant moon later develops the Dragonmark that is associated with the ascendant moon, the spell-like abilities of that Dragonmark are cast at +1 caster level.

Special: You may select this feat only as a first level character. You may not take more than one Lunar feat

So if you take this as one of your first level human feats, you can take Leadership upon reaching second level. This, however, presents a challenge: How do we take a feat at second level?

The Marshal class has this interesting bonus feat it grants: Skill Focus: Diplomacy. What's unusual about it is that it says that " If the marshal already has the feat, he can choose a different one."

So guess what feat you choose instead if you took Skill Focus: Diplomacy as your other first level human feat?

 

[Particle_Man]

Interesting. I did not know that. However, I assume the bard in the OP is the leader of a group of other PCs, while Leadership instead provides one with an NPC cohort and some NPC followers.

 

[pawsplay]

Isn't there a feat that gives a bonus to lore checks? "I think I know just the guys for the job, and I know how to get them involved, too..."

 

[Herobizkit]

If you can find one, the 2ed Bard's Handbook had a character kit called the Herald. You might find some ideas there.

... but all things aside, you don't need specific feats/skills to represent your Heralding, just an imagination.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Well, judicious use of disguises could take care of concealing the nature of the group, especially if- as part of the storyline- the party is willing to travel back to the Bard's base of operations as a group of mendicants, pilgrims or the like. Maybe even lepers. Some basic robes, walking staffs, and hidden spell components would be all they had except for some food & water.

He has gone out on a limb and promised them they'd be re-equipped when he delivers them to their destination, hoping that his lord will honor this.

It is this deep disguise that allows them to return when so many others failed.

 

[irdeggman]

Perhaps a skill trick?

Collector of Stories (Complete Scoundrel pg 85)

Requires 5 ranks in a knowledge skill. But the way it is worded you can get the benefit whenever you use a trained knowledge check to identify a creature's special powers or volunerabilies (+5 competency bonus).

Knowledge (local) applies to humanoids.

Prereq is 5 ranks in a knowledge skill though so I think you would need to be 3rd level to take this one.

Good spell - Comprehend Languages (1st level) - even though it doesn't help with alignments it would be extremely useful for the "search".

Detect Thoughts (2nd level) - could have backstory that character had a wand with limited charges and used it up to find the party.