Am I overdoing it?

[Duelpersonality]

So, I've been playing a bard and I really like the flexibility, perhaps too much. We just hit 8th level, and my feat selection so far is Combat Virtuoso, Sneak of Shadows, Warrior of the Wild, Student of the Sword and Whip Training. My plan is to head for Shock Trooper. I mostly picked up so much multiclassing for the skills, but Whip Training is my most recent pick to shore up some issues we've been having with me being up too close to the enemies (no defenders in this group, unfortunately).

I'm stuck between Two-Weapon Fighting, Novice Power (to pick up Ruffling Sting), or Weapon Expertise (I'll be wielding a short sword and a whip, so the benefit will be slightly lessened) for 10th level.

So, am I overdoing the multiclassing? Is Whip Training really worth it?

 

[Engilbrand]

Go with it. Whatever's fun.
In my game, in order to make multiclassing a little more interesting for my players, I allowed them to take an initial feat that offered an At-Will as an Encounter power. One guy has 2 initial Swordmage feats, one for the arcane shield, and the other for Lightning Lure as an Encounter. He likes it. You might want to ask if you can do this. Just a random though. Then again, it sounds like you're enjoying yourself anyway.

 

[Duelpersonality]

Go with it. Whatever's fun.
In my game, in order to make multiclassing a little more interesting for my players, I allowed them to take an initial feat that offered an At-Will as an Encounter power. One guy has 2 initial Swordmage feats, one for the arcane shield, and the other for Lightning Lure as an Encounter. He likes it. You might want to ask if you can do this. Just a random though. Then again, it sounds like you're enjoying yourself anyway.

I'm having a blast, and in the end that's what matters the most. Still, the group is pretty striker heavy (halfling rogue, shifter warlock, tiefling ranger, goliath barbarian and a dwarf cleric). I initially needed the skills (along with Hunter's Tune) to keep the stealthy nature of the party intact, though convincing the cleric to sneak anywhere is a challenge in and of itself.

I'm more wondering if I'm going to stop having as much fun down the road if I'm completely behind the rest of the group in terms of power. My healing is already a well played joke next to the cleric, but right now I'm performing admirably as a movement granting leader (I really wish Allegro was an encounter power, but that's probably good proof that it should stay a daily).

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I have a sorcer(ess) that just multiclassed into bard.

Let me put it this way - your healing is a joke next to the cleric until the cleric goes down. Then you are a god send if you can use your healing to get the cleric back up. One of the first encounters after I multiclassed, my party's cleric got pushed down a hole, knocking him into negative HPs. Its only my sorceress charging down the stairs to use my bard healing on him that prevented what was a decent challenge from slipping into a potential TPK.

Your healing is also useful if you can rescue a character who the cleric just can't get to.

Basically, keep multiclassing as long as you have fun. As soon as you think you would have more fun focusing, stop or retrain out of one of them.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

why do you need combat virtuoso if you have no mc powers?

 

[Starfox]

I have a sorcer(ess) that just multiclassed into bard.

Let me put it this way - your healing is a joke next to the cleric...

Sorry if I go a little off-topic, but I have this feeling about the bard in my group - I'm the DM. The bard feels a bit useless next to the strikers/defenders and I kind of agree.

He is playing a variant Graceful bard[]/url], it might just be me that has made an underpowered variant. The graceful bard is all about positioning, which isn't all that important in the end. Like the OP, she (the character) is very diverse, with a lot of focus on skills and therefore multiclassing.

 

[Duelpersonality]

why do you need combat virtuoso if you have no mc powers?

Two words: twin strike. I do plan on picking up at least novice power eventually, with either a fighter or ranger dual weapon power. I'll be getting versitile master at 11th just to have twin strike at-will and I really don't plan on blowing two feats for just one power, so novice and acolyte power are definitely on the list.