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[3.5] Help my bard contribute [Thanks guys!]
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<blockquote data-quote="Lord Pendragon" data-source="post: 1022892" data-attributes="member: 707"><p>Thanks for the advice Dan!</p><p></p><p>I've already modified my bard's Known Spells to include <em>Glitterdust</em>--the combo of an attack spell plus a way to counter <em>Invisibility</em> was too good to pass up. Now I need to go back and take a look at <em>Grease</em>.</p><p></p><p>As for feats, I've used three of my feats up to 6th-level to gain the Spring Attack chain. Several posters here and elsewhere have pointed out the heavy price of this--particularly with a class that isn't a particularly strong melee combatant--but it feels right. With around 20hp at 5th-level, he'd rather be away his foe entirely, rather than right next to him, even with a bonus to his AC from Expertise.</p><p></p><p>Right now at higher levels, I'm considering:</p><p></p><p>Weapon Focus (whip): I'm liking the Whip-Dagger (<em>Sword and Fist</em>) a lot as a weapon. It's basically a whip that does 1d6 real damage. Put the flaming property on it, and you've got a very Castlevania-esque type weapon. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" /> And my current thinking is that bonus dice (such as from flaming, shocking, icy) are probably the best way for a bard to up his melee damage potential. That, or even better--wounding, as someone here kindly pointed out. My bard's dream weapon? A <em>+5 Holy, Flaming, Wounding Whip-Dagger</em>. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" /></p><p></p><p>Expertise--Improved Disarm (Perfect for a whip, really. The imagery is classic.)</p><p></p><p>Improved Trip (same as Improved Disarm)</p><p></p><p>Bow Feats. My DM has indicated that the PCs may be getting something along the lines of "regional feats" at the start of the game, so I'm hoping that I might get one or two of these as bonus feats, since my PC's homeland is known for archery. Those that I don't pick up, I may need to take at higher levels. At the very least, Point-Blank Shot and Precise Shot, so that he can fire at foes engaged in melee with his allies. Possibly Greater Precise Shot, too. Though as a bard he doesn't have that many feat slots, so we'll see.</p><p></p><p>Great Fortitude. My bard's only poor save is Fort, and I doubt he'll have more than a 12 Con at best. That doesn't speak well for resisting poisons and such. This is relatively low on my priority list, since the most dangerous Fort-Save spells don't show up until mid-levels, and my bard is <em>not</em> geared towards lockpicking at all, so I don't have to worry about poisoned needles. But it might be something to consider at mid- to high-levels.</p><p></p><p>Regarding tactics:</p><p></p><p>I dual-wielded short swords in a previous campaign as a fighter-rogue, but what really made that technique effective were the bonus sneak attack dice. Without that, my bard would be taking a -2 to attacks, without any added damage per hit. Worse, in order to attack more than once, he needs to take a full attack action, IOW, <em>stay next to the target</em>, a practical death sentence at mid- to high-levels for a character in light armor with d6 hit dice.</p><p></p><p>So if my bard does go into melee, he'll be using Spring Attack to maintain his distance from his foe (even <em>more</em> distance, with the 15' range of a whip, plus possibly <em>Expeditious Retreat</em>,) rather than get up-close and personal. Otherwise, he'll fire off arrows, use bardic music, or cast spells.</p><p></p><p>From what people have been saying, I'm beginning to believe that this isn't the most optimized bard, mainly because of the feats: Dodge-Mobility-Spring Attack, as opposed to Point-Blank Shot-Precise Shot-Rapid Shot. But the party will have five or six PCs, so I <em>should</em> be all right. If worse comes to worst, I'll start taking levels of fighter. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lord Pendragon, post: 1022892, member: 707"] Thanks for the advice Dan! I've already modified my bard's Known Spells to include [i]Glitterdust[/i]--the combo of an attack spell plus a way to counter [i]Invisibility[/i] was too good to pass up. Now I need to go back and take a look at [i]Grease[/i]. As for feats, I've used three of my feats up to 6th-level to gain the Spring Attack chain. Several posters here and elsewhere have pointed out the heavy price of this--particularly with a class that isn't a particularly strong melee combatant--but it feels right. With around 20hp at 5th-level, he'd rather be away his foe entirely, rather than right next to him, even with a bonus to his AC from Expertise. Right now at higher levels, I'm considering: Weapon Focus (whip): I'm liking the Whip-Dagger ([i]Sword and Fist[/i]) a lot as a weapon. It's basically a whip that does 1d6 real damage. Put the flaming property on it, and you've got a very Castlevania-esque type weapon. :D And my current thinking is that bonus dice (such as from flaming, shocking, icy) are probably the best way for a bard to up his melee damage potential. That, or even better--wounding, as someone here kindly pointed out. My bard's dream weapon? A [i]+5 Holy, Flaming, Wounding Whip-Dagger[/i]. :D Expertise--Improved Disarm (Perfect for a whip, really. The imagery is classic.) Improved Trip (same as Improved Disarm) Bow Feats. My DM has indicated that the PCs may be getting something along the lines of "regional feats" at the start of the game, so I'm hoping that I might get one or two of these as bonus feats, since my PC's homeland is known for archery. Those that I don't pick up, I may need to take at higher levels. At the very least, Point-Blank Shot and Precise Shot, so that he can fire at foes engaged in melee with his allies. Possibly Greater Precise Shot, too. Though as a bard he doesn't have that many feat slots, so we'll see. Great Fortitude. My bard's only poor save is Fort, and I doubt he'll have more than a 12 Con at best. That doesn't speak well for resisting poisons and such. This is relatively low on my priority list, since the most dangerous Fort-Save spells don't show up until mid-levels, and my bard is [i]not[/i] geared towards lockpicking at all, so I don't have to worry about poisoned needles. But it might be something to consider at mid- to high-levels. Regarding tactics: I dual-wielded short swords in a previous campaign as a fighter-rogue, but what really made that technique effective were the bonus sneak attack dice. Without that, my bard would be taking a -2 to attacks, without any added damage per hit. Worse, in order to attack more than once, he needs to take a full attack action, IOW, [i]stay next to the target[/i], a practical death sentence at mid- to high-levels for a character in light armor with d6 hit dice. So if my bard does go into melee, he'll be using Spring Attack to maintain his distance from his foe (even [i]more[/i] distance, with the 15' range of a whip, plus possibly [i]Expeditious Retreat[/i],) rather than get up-close and personal. Otherwise, he'll fire off arrows, use bardic music, or cast spells. From what people have been saying, I'm beginning to believe that this isn't the most optimized bard, mainly because of the feats: Dodge-Mobility-Spring Attack, as opposed to Point-Blank Shot-Precise Shot-Rapid Shot. But the party will have five or six PCs, so I [i]should[/i] be all right. If worse comes to worst, I'll start taking levels of fighter. ;) [/QUOTE]
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