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[3.5] Help my bard contribute [Thanks guys!]
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<blockquote data-quote="Lord Pendragon" data-source="post: 1037192" data-attributes="member: 707"><p>Weeeell, I tend to believe that you are more of whatever you have more levels in. So a Fighter2/Bard3 is a fighting bard. While a Fighter3/Bard2 is a bardic fighter. And originally I had planned to go Fighter2/Bard18, so he'd still have been very much a bard. His bardic abilities would simply have been delayed.This is true. Another poster also mentioned this. It's important to remember that despite having only 6 spell levels, bards gain full caster level advancement. So loss of levels can hurt them as it hurts any other full spellcaster. Also, they do get some nice gems on their spell list (<em>Greater Invisibility</em>, <em>Dimension Door</em>, <em>Modify Memory</em>,) so its a good idea to keep up with spell progression.This is an interesting idea, though I decided not to go with it for a few reasons. Firstly, my bard is really, <em>really</em> effective in a town environment. He's human, so he gains a total of 9 skill points each level, and at 5th-level will have a Diplomacy of +17, plus various other social skills. So I don't need him to compete with the fighter in damage output. My focus was merely to do the best I could with the combat potential of the character, so that he isn't totally useless in a fight.</p><p></p><p>Having said that, I decided on mobility and flexibility for my bard. He won't do a serious amount of damage no matter what I do (mid-level BAB makes Power Attack a poor choice, no sneak attack means no crutch,) so I thought I'd focus on having him be where he needs to be, when he needs to be. To this end I went with a whip-dagger as his main weapon (1d6 19-20/x2). It's a nice exotic weapon that the bard (and only the bard) gets free proficiency with. The whip has a powerful 15' reach. Combine that with <em>Expeditious Retreat</em>, a high Tumble, and Spring Attack, and he should be able to attack whomever, and from wherever, he wants. The downside to the whip is that it provokes AoOs and does not threaten, but with his mobility options he should have no problem avoiding AoOs, and he'll be wearing a spiked gauntlet to threaten with.</p><p></p><p>His damage will begin at 1d6+1. Not the greatest amount, granted. I'm hoping that a shocking enchantment, followed by (or preceded by if I'm lucky enough,) a wounding enchantment. That'd provide an extra d6 of damage plus Con damage, which is always nice.As I noted above, taking a -4 to hit when you have a mid-level BAB is probably not a good idea. You have to hit to do Power Attack damage, and a -4 is seriously going to cut into that ability. My bard only has a 12 strength, but I'm hoping that he can get some weapon enchantments to help him provide a bigger punch. He also has a couple potions of <em>bull's strength</em> if a fight gets <em>really</em> serious. As the whip is now a melee weapon, it gains strength damage the same as any other.</p><p></p><p>Also, here is where strategy comes into things. I've already noted that, as far as <em>me</em> playing a bard, I like to be able to go into melee myself (rather than just sing from the back shooting arrows,) and get some of the glory that my bard will then sing about. <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" /> However, there are more ways to contribute in melee than straight damage. Other thing's I've considered:</p><p></p><p>* Flanking with the rogue: I can bump up my AC to 24 with <em>Alter Self</em>, and if I fight defensively (5 ranks in Tumble) AC 27. This could allow me to flank for the rogue, but be fairly well-protected from assault (at least at our level). My attacks may not hit (I'd be at a -4 to hit) but my own attack only does 1d6+1, while the rogue gains +2d6 or more from a successful sneak attack.</p><p></p><p>* Aiding Another. From a safe 15' away, my bard can Aid Another and give the fighter a +2 to attack vs. the Iron Golem <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />p).</p><p></p><p>And of course he also has his spells, though most of those I've chosen (and on the entire bard spell list, for that matter,) are support spells.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lord Pendragon, post: 1037192, member: 707"] Weeeell, I tend to believe that you are more of whatever you have more levels in. So a Fighter2/Bard3 is a fighting bard. While a Fighter3/Bard2 is a bardic fighter. And originally I had planned to go Fighter2/Bard18, so he'd still have been very much a bard. His bardic abilities would simply have been delayed.This is true. Another poster also mentioned this. It's important to remember that despite having only 6 spell levels, bards gain full caster level advancement. So loss of levels can hurt them as it hurts any other full spellcaster. Also, they do get some nice gems on their spell list ([i]Greater Invisibility[/i], [i]Dimension Door[/i], [i]Modify Memory[/i],) so its a good idea to keep up with spell progression.This is an interesting idea, though I decided not to go with it for a few reasons. Firstly, my bard is really, [i]really[/i] effective in a town environment. He's human, so he gains a total of 9 skill points each level, and at 5th-level will have a Diplomacy of +17, plus various other social skills. So I don't need him to compete with the fighter in damage output. My focus was merely to do the best I could with the combat potential of the character, so that he isn't totally useless in a fight. Having said that, I decided on mobility and flexibility for my bard. He won't do a serious amount of damage no matter what I do (mid-level BAB makes Power Attack a poor choice, no sneak attack means no crutch,) so I thought I'd focus on having him be where he needs to be, when he needs to be. To this end I went with a whip-dagger as his main weapon (1d6 19-20/x2). It's a nice exotic weapon that the bard (and only the bard) gets free proficiency with. The whip has a powerful 15' reach. Combine that with [i]Expeditious Retreat[/i], a high Tumble, and Spring Attack, and he should be able to attack whomever, and from wherever, he wants. The downside to the whip is that it provokes AoOs and does not threaten, but with his mobility options he should have no problem avoiding AoOs, and he'll be wearing a spiked gauntlet to threaten with. His damage will begin at 1d6+1. Not the greatest amount, granted. I'm hoping that a shocking enchantment, followed by (or preceded by if I'm lucky enough,) a wounding enchantment. That'd provide an extra d6 of damage plus Con damage, which is always nice.As I noted above, taking a -4 to hit when you have a mid-level BAB is probably not a good idea. You have to hit to do Power Attack damage, and a -4 is seriously going to cut into that ability. My bard only has a 12 strength, but I'm hoping that he can get some weapon enchantments to help him provide a bigger punch. He also has a couple potions of [i]bull's strength[/i] if a fight gets [i]really[/i] serious. As the whip is now a melee weapon, it gains strength damage the same as any other. Also, here is where strategy comes into things. I've already noted that, as far as [i]me[/i] playing a bard, I like to be able to go into melee myself (rather than just sing from the back shooting arrows,) and get some of the glory that my bard will then sing about. :D However, there are more ways to contribute in melee than straight damage. Other thing's I've considered: * Flanking with the rogue: I can bump up my AC to 24 with [i]Alter Self[/i], and if I fight defensively (5 ranks in Tumble) AC 27. This could allow me to flank for the rogue, but be fairly well-protected from assault (at least at our level). My attacks may not hit (I'd be at a -4 to hit) but my own attack only does 1d6+1, while the rogue gains +2d6 or more from a successful sneak attack. * Aiding Another. From a safe 15' away, my bard can Aid Another and give the fighter a +2 to attack vs. the Iron Golem (:p). And of course he also has his spells, though most of those I've chosen (and on the entire bard spell list, for that matter,) are support spells. [/QUOTE]
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