feats for bard

[Saeviomagy]

Skill Focus Perform ain't bad. Since perform is so much of what the bard does, that +3 is very nice, and helps your fascinate rolls. Never underestimate the power of fascinate.

If you're not in a fight, there's a good chance the bad guy will just stand there looking dumb.

Lingering song is best applied to fascinate - you can hit up a creature and have him staring dumbly for those two round that you run away during...

 

[ForceUser]

This will be my first time playing a bard. It is probably going to be a gnome. Starting level 7. Question is simple: good feats please and why?

Thanx

I like the following:

• Extra Music. 4 extra uses of bardic music per day. Great at very low levels, gets less useful as you go.
• Point Blank Shot [Precise Shot]. This feat chain is handy for a bard who wants to avoid melee (which is any sensible single-classed bard. Light armor and d6 HD don't mix well with melee), yet still contribute some personal damage while maintaining inspire courage. Don't kid yourself, though, you're really just using these feats to give yourself something fun to do on your turn while maintaining your bardsong. Unless you're in a really high-powered campaign or multiclassed with a melee class, your bard will always do squat for personal damage compared to every other class. On the other hand, while inspiring courage you will increase your party's damage dealt over time tremendously.
• Run. The run feat is not to be overlooked in 3.5. Not only does it increase your run multiplier, but it allows you to retain your Dex modifier while running. Pretty handy for a bard.
• Still spell. Bards should get this one as a bonus feat. Since when should a bard have to do anything but verbalize to cast a spell?
• Requiem. I love this feat for a bard in an undead-heavy campaign. It allows the bard to use his mind-affecting bardic music on undead!
• Improved Inititative. Because acting first is better than acting last. Also, if the bard can beat out his melee friends on initiative, he can have inspire courage ready for their very first attacks.

 

[kpdezend]

I think it extremeley unlikely that you will need more "extra bard songs" per day... once you are over bard level 4-5, that's really enough. At lower levels, usually your party can't handle more than 1-2 battles a day so it's a wash.

How many "battles" or "suggestions" can you possibly pull off? More than 5 (at 5th level)? If so it's a very very unusual event (no campaign I've been in ever saw a bard run out, even at low levels), and generally spending a feat to ward off a very very rare event is not worthwhile.

I believe one of the dragons in the last year had suggestions on making more powerful bard songs that used up additional song slots. It would be worth investigating.

- Kent -

 

[bensei]

Rapid Shot is definately worth a thought. Point Blank Shot is a must. With a good magical bow (e.g. shock) the 7th level bard with a good dex can knock out two first level foes (in mass combat) per round.

Nagotiator if the adventure has lots of talking to people and solving puzzles, and the bard is the accepted spokesman.

Weapon Finesse, but only if your dex ist higher than str, and you definately do want to get into melee.