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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spenser" data-source="post: 368450" data-attributes="member: 5311">Alrighty folks.  I'm looking to create a reasonably combat-effective bard.  Obviously this is in some sense a hopeless cause, but we can at least try to keep pace with our more combat-oriented brethren.  Plus you never know when you're going to run into one of those sissy DMs who is into "roleplaying" and other such nonsense... if that happens, it's good to have a bard on your team.The following restrictions apply:1. 32 point buy.2. Standard equipment GP value for the bard's level.3. Keep INT high in order to take advantage of of  the truly excellent bard skill list.  Also keep some noncombat and utility considerations in mind when selecting spells.4. Suggestions from the core rules highly preferred.  I'm willing to see suggestions from the splatbooks, but A) I don't own very many of them, and B) my group is pretty conservative when it comes to them, anyway.5. No heavy multiclassing.  We're supposed to be a bard, here.  (Well, I suppose one or two levels of another class wouldn't hurt, in theory.)Thus I present you with... Diana.  She's kind of a hybrid:  she's focuses on archery, but she's got some enchantment spells with reasonably high DCs that provide an alternative route of attack.   At low levels, Diana levitates and uses expeditious retreat to stay out of melee. If she has trouble hitting with her bow, she throws alchemist's fire and tanglefoot bags. She also has a few enchantment spells to use in a pinch. At higher level, Diana does reasonable damage with her archery, especially at close range against evil opponents.  She uses GMW to ensure that her quiver of +5 arrows is well stocked, and she makes liberal use of haste and improved invisibility.  Her base DC for enchantment spells is 19+ spell level, and when casting spells she gains the benefit of her buckler.Suggestions for improving her?  Go all archery?  Focus more on enchantment?  Make her more of a meleer?  I'm open to ideas both large and small.Diana, female human Brd5HD 4d6+16; hp 30; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 18 (+6 chain shirt, +2 Dex); Range: composite longbow +8 or +6/+6 (1d8+3/crit x3); SQ bardic music; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +5; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16.Skills and Feats: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Hide +10, Listen +8, Move Silently +10, Perform +11, Tumble +10; Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot.Bard Spells Known (cast 3/4/2): 0–daze, detect magic, ghost sound, light, prestidigitation, read magic; 1–charm person, cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, protection from evil; 2–glitterdust, hold person, levitate, mirror image.Equipment: +2 mithril chain shirt, +1 mighty composite longbow (+1 Str), halfspear, +1 cloak of resistance, quiver of masterwork arrows(20), misc. potions, alchemist's fire, tanglefoot bags.Diana, female human Brd15HD 14d6+36; hp 85; Init +4; Spd 30 ft; AC 28 (+9 chain shirt, +2 ring of protection, +2 natural armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge); Range: composite longbow +27/+22/+17 or +25/+25/+20/+15 (1d8+2D6+14/crit x3); SQ bardic music; SV Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +9; Str 16, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 24.Skills and Feats: Bluff +25, Diplomacy +25, Hide +22, Listen +18, Move Silently +22, Perform +25, Tumble +22; Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Great Fortitude, Spell Focus: Enchantment, WF: composite longbow, DodgeBard Spells Known (cast 4/6/5/4/4/3): 0–daze, detect magic, ghost sound, light, prestidigitation, read magic; 1–charm person, cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, protection from evil; 2–glitterdust, hold person, levitate, mirror image; 3-cure serious wounds, emotion, greater magic weapon, haste; 4-break enchantment, hold monster, improved invisibility, modify memory; 5-contact other plane, greater dispelling, mirage arcanaEquipment: +4 holy mighty composite longbow (+3Str) (73k), +5 mithril chain shirt (26k), +3 mithril buckler (10k), +4 belt of giant strength (16k), +4 gloves of dexterity(16k), +6 cloak of charisma (36k), bracers of archery (5k), +2 ring of protection (8k), +2 amulet of natural armor (8k)</blockquote>

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