Bard Multi-Classing

[Brudewollen]

I'm in a new campaign and we're about to hit 3rd level (we might have already, depending on how much XP the DM gives us for last night's session). I plan to take at least this level in Bard as well, but I'm starting to realize how limited they can be once they blow their few spells and Bard Songs, at least at this level. This is the first time I've played a Bard, so maybe I just need a bit of patience before finding how useful they will become, but others in my group have had experience in the class and report that even in higher levels they sometimes feel a bit useless when combat rolls around, or goes on too long.

He's damn useful for interacting in the city we're campaigning in and at times I seem to be the one doing most of the "heavy lifting" in that respect - it has been an urban set game so far, though I think we're due to go out into the wilderness in a few levels, considering what my DM has designed about his world.

So I've been thinking about multi-classing now, either taking some levels in another class to make him more useful or working towards a good prestige class that gives him some other options.

The Prestige class that seem like it might work best are Assassin (we have started getting involved with some assassin types, and possibly might be allowed to...or forced to work with them on something). Alignment won't be a problem as a) I'm Neutral but could easily switch to an Evil alignment, especially they way I've been playing him, b) my DM isn't a big fan of alignments anyway, so as long as I'm in character and it makes sense he'll probably allow the class. In 2 levels I can have all the required skills I need for the class and so take it by 6th level. Question, does Assassin mix well with the Bard class and why or why not?

Duelist is an eventual a possibility, though it will take longer and I'd likely have to go with several levels of Fighter first, to get there as fast as possible. If not, it will take an extra level or two. It might be kind of silly, though, since I have a bad strength. I was planning to take Weapon Finesse next level, anyway, so working towards this is already sort of in the works if I want it to be.

What classes/prestige classes do you guys recommend? His stats are as follows:

STR: 9 (will be 10 at 4th lvl), DEX: 16, CON: 11, INT: 12, WIS: 13, CHA: 16

I unfortunately didn't plan on multi-classing from the beginning so my abilities/feats/skills don't always match up well for doing this sort of thing. There are a few skills that haven't come into play yet, so my DM might be nice and let me adjust stuff towards this end, we'll see. Since I haven't used them in the past, the fact that I change them won't affect what has gone before in the campaign is my thinking (I let him do this when I ran a game a few years back...he owes me ).

 

[blargney the second]

If you go for crusader or warblade, you can pick up Song of the White Raven to start inspire courage as a swift action. You'll also do some extra damage with maneuvers without needing to raise your Str.

 

[Brudewollen]

What supplement book(s) are those classes in? We've only just gone back to the game after several years lay-off, so I'm not entirely familiar with all the major supplemental books and prestige classes. I know it's something I don't have, though, cause I've been going through those.

 

[blargney the second]

Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords. It's awesomely fun.

 

[Brudewollen]

double post

 

[Arkhandus]

Yup, I second Blargney's opinion.

Crusader, from the Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords, would probably be your best multiclass option for now. It's a 20-level class, very loosely paladin-ish but for any alignment (except true neutral; you have to dedicate yourself to at least some kind of ideal beyond 'neutrality/indifference/balance' in order to be a Crusader). You could be a chaotic neutral Crusader of Olidammara, for example. Or just a chaotic neutral Crusader of, well, chaos, or freedom, or whatever.

Crusaders are kind of like a cross between Fighters and Paladins; they are more dedicated to combat skills than a Paladin, but have hardly anything in the way of divine powers (and they have no special restrictions, unlike a Paladin). Their combat ability is mostly from a handful of special maneuvers and stances, like Crusader's Strike, Bonecrusher, Foehammer, Martial Spirit, Tactical Strike, Tactics of the Wolf, and Shield Block. Crusaders can learn maneuvers and stances from the disciplines/schools of White Raven, Devoted Spirit, and Stone Dragon (the first is tactics-and-teamwork based, the second is divine-energy-channeling based, and the third is brute-force-and-sheer-toughness based).

And as Blargney said, there's a feat in the book called Song of the White Raven, which is specially made for multiclass Bard/Crusaders or Bard/Warblades (Warblades are the other class from Tome of Battle that have access to the White Raven discipline). Take some levels in Crusader and mix in some more levels of Bard over time, and you can maintain some good social skills as well as very decent combat skills.



BESIDES CRUSADER, assuming no one in your group has the Tome of Battle or if the DM has not approved it for use, then you're probably second-best off heading into Rogue for a few levels followed by Assassin, maybe with a few Fighter levels mixed in if you still have difficulty in combat before entering the Assassin prestige class.

 

[Patlin]

I dropped in to say pretty much the same thing.

Crusader or Warblade, most definitely.

 

[Shin Okada]

Hmm, that ability score distribution is not my cup of tea, even for a pure bard. Low strength removes various possibilities. ,Your PC has low str and it is difficult to be a strength based warrior type, so forget about the way of usual warrior types.

Rogue or Assassin may work. But you may suffer from low BAB and you need to bump up your Int a little bit to utilize Assassin spells fully.

Becoming an archer is another option. In this case, you may multiclass into either Fighter or Ranger.

Bard/Ranger combination tend to be ignored but works well actually. If your campaign will likely to include much city adventures, taking Human as a favored enemy is nice.

And if your PC is happen to be an Elf or Half-Elf, aiming for Arcane Archer is not bad. In this case, you can actually be Bard/Ranger/Arcane Archer or Bard/Fighter Arcane Archer.

Or, if you are patient enough, you can aim for a much better caster, Sublime Chord. This option only works when the campaign lasts long enough. But eventually, your PC can cast 9th level Sorcerer/Wizard spells.

 

[Brudewollen]

triple post (what's happening here? heh)

 

[Shin Okada]

What supplement book(s) are those classes in?

In case of my post Sublime Chord is in Complete Arcane. Other options in my post are all from core rules,