Bards: do they even use feats?

[EricNoah]

Btw the same applies for 1st level spells. (lvlxclx25 = 1x2x25 =) 50 gp to scribe a first level spell, wheras he could have bought the spell (and thus keeping his xp) for 25 gp.

Unless I am mistaken, this is the way it works...

I think you might be getting it backward. It costs you, the creator, half as much to create a scroll as to buy the same scroll. Take a look at the formula in the Scribe Scroll feat description.

 

[Sullaf]

You mean to tell me my bard should pretend his skill with a rapier? Hmmz... That does fit my PC just fine Like I said before, he really dislikes to get combat, but bluffing he is the greatest swordsman ever to have walked the planet, is by all accounts exactly what my character would do.

I really like this idea! Thanks

(this does mess things a bit up, as I received a masterwork rapier from my DM but oh well...)

 

[Sullaf]

I just looked it up in the DMG. You are absolutely right... I am absolutely wrong...

*emberrassed* (first search than post DOH!)

This does open another option. I am kind of fond of scrolls (my last 9th level wizard carried about 200 scrolls with him... what else is a bag of holding good for?)

btw. the replies are really fast...

 

[EricNoah]

Hey, I have no life.

Ok, you might also want to take a look at the bard spells per day table -- it shows me, for instance, that a bard only needs to be 4th level minimum to cast a 2nd level spell. So you could create a 2nd level scroll for 1/2 x (4x2x25) gp = 100 gp. Still, you're right, it might not be the optimal choice for a bard...

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Scribe scroll... Isn't that REAL expensive. Say you want to scribe a second level spell. You have to be a 7th level character. Using the formula lvlxcLx25 a second level spell would cost your bard 2x7x25=350gp to create. He could buy the same spell for 150 gp...

Does it? Crap! I'm a 3rd level bard. I want to scribe a scroll of CLW @ 3rd level, so I follow the instructions in the DMG and this is what I get:

Base Price = 1st level spell * 3rd level caster * 25 gp = 75 gp
Cost in gold = Base Price/2 = 37 gp, 5 sp
XP Cost = Base Price/25 = 3 xp

So at my max caster level, it's costing me no more than 37.5 gp and 3 xp per scroll of 1st level spell. I think we're on the same page up to here.

Here's the thing — what I'm not understanding is why my bard would need to be 7th level to scribe a 2nd level scroll. I can't find it in the feat description and I don't see it in the DMG either.

I mean, it's expensive in that most of my gold ends up going into this, but I figure if I can survive, then it's worth the expenditure.

Edit — Y'all beat me to it and answered my question. I'd erase this, but that'd be odd. So I'll just leave it up.

Best,
tKL

 

[tarchon]

My bard has Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Dodge, and Leadership. I'm somewhat regretting the Dodge though. I got it originally as a prereq but by the time I had enough levels to use it for that, my character had changed so much that the Mobility I was going to take wouldn't be very useful.
Spell Focus (Enchantment) might be reasonable if you have a lot of Enchantment spells.
If you can't think of anything else, Extra Spell is always nice too.

 

[Spatula]

Scribe Scroll is probably a poor choice for a bard. The classes that can't cast spontaneously (wiz, druid, and cleric) get more use out of the feat because they know many more spells than they can cast in a day. But bards only know a handful, so making scrolls doesn't increase your versatility at all. And once you get past the first few levels, you probably won't have to worry too much about running out of spells. If you are running out of spells at higher levels, you're better off making wands instead of scrolls.

Since you're limited to PHB only and aren't interested in fighting, I'd go for feats that enhance your spellcasting. Spell Focus is a good start. Metamagic feats are nice since you can apply them on the fly, although you can't use Silent Spell as a bard which is unfortunate. Craft Wonderous Item and Craft Wand might be good choices, depending on your spell selection.

 

[Wormwood]

In my game, Bards tend to stick to the following feats:

Improved Dying

Unsuccessful Strike

Skill Focus: Suck

Minimize Spell

Craft: New Character

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Originally posted by Spatula
But bards only know a handful, so making scrolls doesn't increase your versatility at all. And once you get past the first few levels, you probably won't have to worry too much about running out of spells. If you are running out of spells at higher levels, you're better off making wands instead of scrolls.

This is an interesting point. It doesn't increase versatility, I agree, but it does allow me some more flexibility in what I cast right now. I've only got 3 first level spells and I can only cast 3 of them a day. For my bard, this is a good bit of backup just in case I need that extra CLW or Mage Armor. I maintain my opinion on the feat, but I'll concede that at higher levels making wands is probably more useful.

Best,
tKL

 

[Old Fezziwig]

In my game, Bards tend to stick to the following feats:

Improved Dying

Unsuccessful Strike

Skill Focus: Suck

Minimize Spell

Craft: New Character

Dude! I've got a threshold, Wormwood, I've got a threshold for the abuse that I'll take and right now I'm a racecar, man, and you got me in the red. I'm just saying, I'm just SAYING it's dangerous to have a racecar in the red, that's all. I might blow.

Best,
tKL