Help Me, Please: design a bard
- Thread starter djrdjmsqrd
- Start date
Ideas...
1. If you want to be an archer-bard (a sound choice imo), you may as well take Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot from the beginning. Then at 6th level, you can decide if you really need Lingering Song or something else would be better.
2. Later feat choices: Rapid Shot (if you find that you have an easy time hitting your targets), Spell Focus Enchantment (your offensive spells will probably mostly be Enchantments, and I believe it works with Bardic Song effects as well), ...
3. Spells: This depends on the rest of the party, especially on which other casters there are; if there's a cleric, he may as well be the one casting Bull's Strength, right? Similarly, most wizards need Mage Armor where you may get by with wearing actual armor until Bracers of Armor becomes available. That being said, I think you probably should plan to get a couple of Cure spells, Cure Light and a higher-level one. Other than that, look at what you can do that the others cannot and at what fits your character (I'd expect Charm Person to be a given). But it really depends on the rest of the party what is best.
4. Skills: If there's no rogue, take some rogue skills (but take some even if there is one; Listen, Tumble, etc.). If there's no Paladin, take Diplomacy (but take some even if there is one). If there's no Wisard, take some knowledge ranks. Take at least a little in the Trained-Only skills so that you can at least have a shot. Be able to do stuff others cannot and to back up what others can.
1. If you want to be an archer-bard (a sound choice imo), you may as well take Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot from the beginning. Then at 6th level, you can decide if you really need Lingering Song or something else would be better.
2. Later feat choices: Rapid Shot (if you find that you have an easy time hitting your targets), Spell Focus Enchantment (your offensive spells will probably mostly be Enchantments, and I believe it works with Bardic Song effects as well), ...
3. Spells: This depends on the rest of the party, especially on which other casters there are; if there's a cleric, he may as well be the one casting Bull's Strength, right? Similarly, most wizards need Mage Armor where you may get by with wearing actual armor until Bracers of Armor becomes available. That being said, I think you probably should plan to get a couple of Cure spells, Cure Light and a higher-level one. Other than that, look at what you can do that the others cannot and at what fits your character (I'd expect Charm Person to be a given). But it really depends on the rest of the party what is best.
4. Skills: If there's no rogue, take some rogue skills (but take some even if there is one; Listen, Tumble, etc.). If there's no Paladin, take Diplomacy (but take some even if there is one). If there's no Wisard, take some knowledge ranks. Take at least a little in the Trained-Only skills so that you can at least have a shot. Be able to do stuff others cannot and to back up what others can.
Mustrum_Ridcully
Legend
The Archer Route seems to be a good idea. Precise Shot is a must for this, because you will always be forced to fire into melee. Rapid Shot gives you the Extra Attack you need to increase your overall hit chance per round 
For Skills:
Diplomacy, Bluff and Sense Motive will make you the great "Diplomancer"...
Use Magic Device is a must for every Bard and Rogue - even in low levels it might help you (failure has often no dangerous consequences).
For Healing spells, I suggest taking only one, preferably the higher level ones. The low level should be cast from Wands (Wand of Cure Light Wounds) and are especially useful outside of a combat situations ("regenerate group"). Spells like Cure Moderate or Cure Serious do help during combat...
For cantrips, do not forget to take Detect Magic, Read Magic (don`t waste skill points on Deciper Script) and Prestidignation.
For Skills:
Diplomacy, Bluff and Sense Motive will make you the great "Diplomancer"...
Use Magic Device is a must for every Bard and Rogue - even in low levels it might help you (failure has often no dangerous consequences).
For Healing spells, I suggest taking only one, preferably the higher level ones. The low level should be cast from Wands (Wand of Cure Light Wounds) and are especially useful outside of a combat situations ("regenerate group"). Spells like Cure Moderate or Cure Serious do help during combat...
For cantrips, do not forget to take Detect Magic, Read Magic (don`t waste skill points on Deciper Script) and Prestidignation.
Apok
First Post
Berk said:
The PHB Bard is hardly worthless. In fact, it has a few advantages over the MC Bard especially in the area of spell versatility.
While I love the way Monte designed his alt.Bard, it is dependant upon it's own specialized form of spellcasting (the spellnote/chord/melody system) from which there is only one book (the BoEMII) to draw from. Noone else to this date that I know of has made any more spellsongs to round out the MC Bard.
The spellsongs present in BoEMII tend to focus in on charm-like spells, healing, some utility, and even offense. The PHB Bard has a much more diversified spell list. If Monte ever came out with an expansion to the BoEMII with more spellsongs, then I could concieve of the MC Bard being far superior to the PHB Bard in every way.
However, I must say that in terms of flavor, the PHB Bard can't touch Monte's.
