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<blockquote data-quote="Lancelot" data-source="post: 5558910" data-attributes="member: 30022"><p>I've played two bards (Half-Elf / Virtue of Valor, Human / Virtue of Cunning), and they're probably one of my favorite character classes. Here are my personal experiences...</p><p></p><p><strong>Virtue of Valor</strong></p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Despite going with good Con, and taking Scale Armor Proficiency feat, I elected to focus on implement attacks only (i.e. ignore all the melee powers). A key reason for this is that I was in a melee-heavy party and wanted to save my healing for other PCs, and also because the bardic implement powers are simply so good.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Vicious Mockery</em> is the bardic at-will MVP. Attack vs Will is usually very good, and the -2 attack penalty is nasty - especially against elites and solos.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Encounter powers I found very useful: <em>shout</em> <em>of triumph</em> (close blast, good damage, push enemies, shift allies), <em>theft of life</em> (good damage, and guaranteed healing for an ally), <em>song of the new dawn</em> (good damage, and saving throws for allies)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Daily powers I found useful: <em>stirring shout</em> (insane against solo targets - healing every time an ally hits them), <em>song of discord</em> (Dominate, at 5th level!), <em>wail of anguish </em>(absolutely brutal against large groups of enemies)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Invest in Wand Expertise to ignore cover, go for the best wand that money can buy. Defensive items were less important to me, because I was usually attacking from range, had good HP, and decent AC from Scale/Shield.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The bard could dish out reliable damage, and provide decent healing. The 1-square slide effect from <em>majestic word </em>is not to be ignored. Use it to better position allies (e.g. flanking) or to break grabs.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Other healing/buffing tricks included granting regular temp HPs from Virtue of Valor, granting saves or additional healing from the power selection above, and cheesing out with the dailies (all three of which are generally acknowledged as the "best" bardic dailies at their appropriate levels).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summary: Very tough leader (excellent AC, HP), good damage with ranged attacks, plenty of support options. Retired "undefeated" at 10th level.</li> </ul><p><strong>Virtue of Cunning</strong></p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I went a bit strange with this bard, going with a ranged weapon (longbow). That's normally the purview of the Prescient Bard, and you normally go a Cha/Wis build with that. However, I never like going with a "defense pair" (i.e. buffing two stats that contribute to the same defense, in this case Will). It would have left me with low-ish Con, and weak Fort/Ref defenses. Instead, I went Cha/Dex.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I went with <em>jinx shot</em> (which is a good long range option: 20+ squares with a bow), but I almost always preferred using <em>staggering note</em>. As noted by a previous poster, this has the downside of requiring two attack rolls. However, if you're in a party with one or more Essentials strikers, it's pretty nuts for an at-will. If you (the bard) hit with your first attack roll, the target take Cha damage (including static bonuses from magic bow, weapon focus, etc) and is pushed. That is often worth the price of entry, as it allows good tactical repositioning of enemies, or knocking them off cliffs, into pits, etc. However, a buddy can also make a free melee basic attack at any time during the push. In a typical round, my bardic at-will was inflicting 20+ damage (6 from me, 14 from my allied striker), even at 1st level. My best <em>staggering note</em> inflicted 50+ damage at 4th level; my bard hit, a slayer ally critted on his basic attack and dropped <em>power strike </em>into it, and the target got pushed over the edge of a 20' drop.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I also went for interrupts. If you're going a ranged weapon bard, it's very hard to go past <em>arrow of warning</em> (daily 1) and <em>rhyme of the bloodseeking blade</em> (encounter 3). Both give you some respectable damage even when it's not your turn, and they have spectacular synergies if you're in a party with a decent melee striker - especially if that melee striker thrives on basic attacks, such as an Essentials slayer, assassin, rogue, vampire, etc.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summary: Less durable than the Virtue of Valor build, but could dish out more damage (especially with the human racial power that allows you to add +4 to a missed attack, 1/encounter). Made it to 9th level before succumbing to a massive gnoll onslaught that TPK'ed his party (18 gnolls, 5 hyenas - no minions, no blast or burst powers in the entire party). Ouch.</li> </ul><p>Other things that are cool about bards: free bardic ritual 1/day. <em>Lullaby </em>is an excellent option here, lowering enemy Perception to help get PC scouts or rogues into good positions, or assisting in Skill Challenges. Words of Friendship is also invaluable in Skill Challenges - your Diplomacy skill is likely formidable already; this class ability usually makes it an auto-succeed (+5 on the roll).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lancelot, post: 5558910, member: 30022"] I've played two bards (Half-Elf / Virtue of Valor, Human / Virtue of Cunning), and they're probably one of my favorite character classes. Here are my personal experiences... [B]Virtue of Valor[/B] [LIST] [*]Despite going with good Con, and taking Scale Armor Proficiency feat, I elected to focus on implement attacks only (i.e. ignore all the melee powers). A key reason for this is that I was in a melee-heavy party and wanted to save my healing for other PCs, and also because the bardic implement powers are simply so good. [*][I]Vicious Mockery[/I] is the bardic at-will MVP. Attack vs Will is usually very good, and the -2 attack penalty is nasty - especially against elites and solos. [*]Encounter powers I found very useful: [I]shout[/I] [I]of triumph[/I] (close blast, good damage, push enemies, shift allies), [I]theft of life[/I] (good damage, and guaranteed healing for an ally), [I]song of the new dawn[/I] (good damage, and saving throws for allies) [*]Daily powers I found useful: [I]stirring shout[/I] (insane against solo targets - healing every time an ally hits them), [I]song of discord[/I] (Dominate, at 5th level!), [I]wail of anguish [/I](absolutely brutal against large groups of enemies) [*]Invest in Wand Expertise to ignore cover, go for the best wand that money can buy. Defensive items were less important to me, because I was usually attacking from range, had good HP, and decent AC from Scale/Shield. [*]The bard could dish out reliable damage, and provide decent healing. The 1-square slide effect from [I]majestic word [/I]is not to be ignored. Use it to better position allies (e.g. flanking) or to break grabs. [*]Other healing/buffing tricks included granting regular temp HPs from Virtue of Valor, granting saves or additional healing from the power selection above, and cheesing out with the dailies (all three of which are generally acknowledged as the "best" bardic dailies at their appropriate levels). [*]Summary: Very tough leader (excellent AC, HP), good damage with ranged attacks, plenty of support options. Retired "undefeated" at 10th level. [/LIST] [B]Virtue of Cunning[/B] [LIST] [*]I went a bit strange with this bard, going with a ranged weapon (longbow). That's normally the purview of the Prescient Bard, and you normally go a Cha/Wis build with that. However, I never like going with a "defense pair" (i.e. buffing two stats that contribute to the same defense, in this case Will). It would have left me with low-ish Con, and weak Fort/Ref defenses. Instead, I went Cha/Dex. [*]I went with [I]jinx shot[/I] (which is a good long range option: 20+ squares with a bow), but I almost always preferred using [I]staggering note[/I]. As noted by a previous poster, this has the downside of requiring two attack rolls. However, if you're in a party with one or more Essentials strikers, it's pretty nuts for an at-will. If you (the bard) hit with your first attack roll, the target take Cha damage (including static bonuses from magic bow, weapon focus, etc) and is pushed. That is often worth the price of entry, as it allows good tactical repositioning of enemies, or knocking them off cliffs, into pits, etc. However, a buddy can also make a free melee basic attack at any time during the push. In a typical round, my bardic at-will was inflicting 20+ damage (6 from me, 14 from my allied striker), even at 1st level. My best [I]staggering note[/I] inflicted 50+ damage at 4th level; my bard hit, a slayer ally critted on his basic attack and dropped [I]power strike [/I]into it, and the target got pushed over the edge of a 20' drop. [*]I also went for interrupts. If you're going a ranged weapon bard, it's very hard to go past [I]arrow of warning[/I] (daily 1) and [I]rhyme of the bloodseeking blade[/I] (encounter 3). Both give you some respectable damage even when it's not your turn, and they have spectacular synergies if you're in a party with a decent melee striker - especially if that melee striker thrives on basic attacks, such as an Essentials slayer, assassin, rogue, vampire, etc. [*]Summary: Less durable than the Virtue of Valor build, but could dish out more damage (especially with the human racial power that allows you to add +4 to a missed attack, 1/encounter). Made it to 9th level before succumbing to a massive gnoll onslaught that TPK'ed his party (18 gnolls, 5 hyenas - no minions, no blast or burst powers in the entire party). Ouch. [/LIST] Other things that are cool about bards: free bardic ritual 1/day. [I]Lullaby [/I]is an excellent option here, lowering enemy Perception to help get PC scouts or rogues into good positions, or assisting in Skill Challenges. Words of Friendship is also invaluable in Skill Challenges - your Diplomacy skill is likely formidable already; this class ability usually makes it an auto-succeed (+5 on the roll). [/QUOTE]
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