Equip my Bard!

[undeaddan]

In our monthly campaign we have just gotten some downtime to shop for/commission items.

Having never played a bard before I'm not sure what I should be looking at for magical gear.

Here's some basic character info...

Dwarven 5th Level Bard
I am the only arcane caster in the group.
We have a Paladin who is the only divine caster.
We are all dwarves.

I have put a lot of resources into use magical device ( Natural Mystic from Book of Roguish Luck and 8 ranks). So using items shouldn't be a problem.

Feats
Fortune's Child (BoRL)
Spellcasting Prodigy (FRCG)
Jack of All Trades (CA)
Versitile Performer (CA)
Natural Mystic (BoRL)

(I know it's too many feats, my DM likes a high powered game)

Current Magical gear

Mithral Breastplate +1
Short sword +1
wand of magic missile
scroll: Protection from Evil
scroll: Lesser Restoration
scroll: Prot from normal missiles
scroll: Change (Disguise) Self
scroll: Shield
scroll: Reduce
scroll: Knock
scroll: Slow Poison

Role:
Support/Utility - I am there to make the other characters lives easier by filling in the cracks.

The party:
Paladin
Fighter
Rogue ( who is focusing on black powder weapons)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Gold Roger]

Only if you say "Thanks, gold roger, for pimpin my bard" afterwards.

Errr, nevermind that.

Seriously, I don't know your budget, but a cloak of charisma +2 (4000gp) sounds natural and in a high power game it might be available at your level.

It's always nice to have an extra wand of cure light wounds. As the parties only arcane caster a wand/scrolls of fireburst and some soundlance and fireball scrolls might come in handy in a pinch, as well as scrolls of fly and see invisibility.

Bards are frail (especially in the frontline, where yours seems to be most often), so some extra protection might come in handy. Sadly saving throw boni come in cloak form as well.

Hope that helps for a starting point.

 

[Shadowdancer]

Heward's Handy Haversack.

Gloves of Dexterity always come in handy along with the Cloak of Charisma. Also there is a Choker of Eloquence or something like that which is good for Bards.

 

[blargney the second]

I'll echo Gold Roger's cloak of charisma idea, and mention that you can get a vest of restistance +1. Have your cake and eat it too! Oh yeah, a circlet of persuasion hardly ever makes a bard worse.

 

[Zimbel16]

Dwarven 5th Level Bard
I am the only arcane caster in the group.
We have a Paladin who is the only divine caster.
We are all dwarves.

I have put a lot of resources into use magical device ( Natural Mystic from Book of Roguish Luck and 8 ranks). So using items shouldn't be a problem.

Current Magical gear

Mithral Breastplate +1
Short sword +1
wand of magic missile
scroll: Protection from Evil
scroll: Lesser Restoration
scroll: Prot from normal missiles
scroll: Change (Disguise) Self
scroll: Shield
scroll: Reduce
scroll: Knock
scroll: Slow Poison

Frankly, more detail on your character and your character's availble wealth would make this easier, but here's an attempt:

As the only moderate spellcaster in the party, you should increase your spellcasting ability. The most plausible way to do this at LV 5 is a Cloak of Charisma +2.

Everyone always needs better saving throws (unless you're certain that you never need above a 1). Get the highest Vest of Resistance you can afford, unless you can get a consistant Resistance bonus in some other manner.

If you like missile combat as a backup to your spellcasting, I'd try to go for a +1 bow with an assortment of special materials arrows.

If you're more of a melee backup, consider increasing your melee ability. Assuming that the short sword is your primary weapon, the most obvious pump would be to your strength (via Gauntlets of Ogre Power).

AC's often useful to increase. An Amulet of Natural Armor +1 or a Ring of Deflection +1 may be very useful. Even better would be a mithral buckler (+1) or mithral small shield (+1), depending on if your DM allows spellcasting with small shields or bucklers. Note that neither has an effective penalty.

If you're in a skill-heavy game, I'd consider a Circlet of Persuation
Finally, as you appear to have already started, I'd try to obtain magic items to help make up for the lack of a major spellcaster. Wands are wonderful for this (I highly recommend a wand of Cure Light Wounds), as are scrolls. If you can convince other party members to chip in, all the better (for your PC).