Bard Multi-Classing

[Shin Okada]

Well, maybe you should just ask your DM about availability of magic items, mood, theme and style of his campaign, then discuss your future build with the DM himself. It is always worth doing so. This kind of discussion is profitable both to the players and the DM

 

[Darklone]

Look at the feat Melodic Casting (or something like that) from Complete Mage. It allows a bard to continue providing Bardic Music while casting spells or activating magic items. It also allows you to use your Perform in place of Concentration to avoid AoOs for spellcasting and the like.

I'd use Lingering Spell... one feat and your bards song effect will last some minutes after you stopped to sing.

 

[evermind]

some hints on upping your bard's whoomph

Pick "Lingering Song" (makes your effects last 10 rounds after stopping, easily enough for most combats) complete adventurer IIRC) and "Music from the Heart" (increases Songs of courage's effects by +1; Eberron CS) both boost your music/performance significantly.

Combine with "Inspirational Boost" (SC).. for another +1 to all Song of Courage effects...

+3 to attack and damage for you and all your allies at 3rd level ? And what combat actually takes longer than 10 rounds - which would be the temporal limit for the Feat's effect ?

Too bad, "Power Attack" is inaccessible for you due to your low STR score - it does make for a wicked combiantion with the above, especially if picked with a two-handed weapon.

As for multiclassing, Rogue would probably not really be a useful choice, unless you plan to invest into Weapon Finesse to actually hit something.

PrC wise, take a look at the "Lyric Thaumaturge" in 'Complete Mage', which will upgrade your spellcasting prowess some and add additional spells known, from the entire sorcerer's/wizard's list no less. This also requires Melodic Casting mentioned above to qualify, though I would not pick it up before level 7 (to gain access to the "suggestion" song at bardic level 6).

Excellent mid-level feats are "Subsonics" (complete scoundrel, methinks) and "Doomspeaker" (FR- Champions of Ruin ) at 9th level (if you care to plan ahead that far )

 

[blargney the second]

I just restatted Rowyn Kellani, an NPC from Savage Tide, as a bard 6/swordsage 2. She just got a heck of a lot more interesting.

 

[Mistwell]

You may find this thread helpful:

Inspire Courage Optimization

Pick up a Badge of Valor (fairly inexpensive) and the Song of the Heart feat, and your inspire courage will be doing some serious damage every combat. Add in Inspirational Boost and you're even better. +4 attack / +4 damage to the entire party is a serious boost!

I happen to think the Marshall class multi-classes well with bards as well.

 

[Dross]

If you like buffing, try Dragonsong Lyrist from Dragonomicon, a 5 level PrC.
you loose 3 caster levels bardic lore gains and some skill choices,
but gain buffing: STR +4. flight, large area fear, mass healing, suggestion. Seperate from Bardic Music
one of the pre-req feats gives +2 for mind affecting abilities and spells.

The more people you affect with each use, the greater the effect is.

The party my DL is in has a 2-weapon and a 2-handed fighter that gain a lot out of STR. Flight can counter a large number of terrain obstacles. I've Suggested to a green dragon that we were able to hurt it too much for the gains.

But you do need to know what path you want to take your bard down.

 

[Jhulae]

I'm still going to suggest Melodic Casting (Complete Mage, pg 44). While it's true that lingering song allows Bardic Music to last longer than normal, with Melodic Casting, there's no need to even stop performing, and that means you can keep the music going without needing to waste another performance.

Plus, using perform in place of concentration frees up skill points.

In all honesty, it's a better use of a feat than Lingering Song.

 

[blargney the second]

Melodic Casting is a fantastic feat. I gave it to my bard/swordsage NPC, and cheated a little so she can use Perform for the Diamond Mind maneuvers just to modify the flavour.

 

[Darklone]

"... stunning performance... "

 

[brehobit]

There is a PrC I think in Complete arcane that gives you very good casting progression once you hit 11th.

I'd suggest something like bard 7, crusader 2, marshal 1 then that class with the good progression, possibly mixing in Jade P. Mage from Bo9S.

But frankly, a bard is quite good all by himself. There isn't a huge reason to multi-class. Just need inspire courage and the swift and ideally the feat in Eberron that gives you the extra +1 on inspire courage...

Mark