Level 10 bard needs damage reduction

[aboyd]

Consider casting Mirror Image instead so you're not hit at all.

Uh:

I also have him set to do Mirror Image as a pre-combat buff, which should buy him 1 round (there are 6 PCs, so the action economy suggests that his Mirror Image spell will be defeated in a single round).

 

[aboyd]

And since it's a free action to activate, you could just spend two music uses to gain the benefit for both weapons.

By my reading of it, 1 activation covers any 1-handed weapons you wield. If you have Girlallion's Blessing and a one-handed slashing weapon in each of your 4 hands, activating this feat causes all four weapons to be affected. Just my reading, but I don't see anything in the text that contradicts that.

 

[aboyd]

I think I'm going to max his UMD and give him a wand of Stoneskin. I also think I'm going to give him Combat Reflexes and one of the retaliation feats, such as Robilar's Gambit. So he'll get surrounded by 6 level 6 PCs, and they'll probably each land 1 blow per round. The first round, this will wipe out his Mirror Image spell. The next round, 50 or 60 HP of damage will be absorbed by the Stoneskin spell, allowing him to live another round. He will use his feat to take some retaliatory swings. The third round will look much like the 2nd, but he'll probably be very hurt by now, as bards don't exactly have great AC & HP. If I can get him to last a 4th or 5th round, that'll be awesome. I was thinking of having him turn Gaseous Form, land on a rooftop, reform, and cast Pyrotechnics as his last-ditch effort to beat the PCs. He'll fail, but at least it'll be a fun BBEG.

I'm open to more suggestions. Keeping him alive until round 5 will be difficult, but I'd love tips.

 

[Dandu]

Alter Self into a Troglodyte for +6 NA. Become a Tren for +8 NA.

 

[Baveboi]

As a bard I always readied an action to cast invisibility any time I was threatened by a melee or ranged attack/spell. I realize it doesn't save you from fireball, but made wonders against things like Magic Missile, Acid Arrow and Barbarian Chargers.

If you are an Elf or a Half-Elf Spellsinger comes to mind. Both FR and CW variants.

As feats, maybe Einhander and defensive fighting optimization? I once got a gish up to 50+ AC whenever he was fighting defensively, put on some Crit Immunity, (Imp) Uncanny Dodge and some cover and TA-DÃAA you have an untouchable target.

 

[Dandu]

Do you mean Bladesinger? cause last I heard, it wasn't really that great.

 

[Baveboi]

Do you mean Bladesinger? cause last I heard, it wasn't really that great.

That's the one.
Well, it ain't full of cheese, but it can hold a fight.

 

[Dandu]

It actually makes you worse for having taken it.

Requires: Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Dodge, and Weapon Focus. Three poor feats.

You can be a Bard 7/Bladesinger 3 at most. Compared to a Bard 10, you gain +1 BaB and +1 to Ref and Will saves. 2 more hp, on average.

You loose 12 skill points, access to many skills, Inspire Courage +2, Inspire Greatness, and one caster level.

That last one's kinda bad, as it cuts you out of 4th level spells. Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility...

Ok, but maybe the abilities make up for it. Let's see... you gain a dodge bonus to AC of your class level, limited by your Int bonus. Unfortunately, you have to have a longsword or rapier in one hand and nothing in your other hand. This locks you into a weak fighting style and really cuts down your melee damage output in favor of a bit more survivability

It sucked when it was on the Duelist prestige class and it sucks here.

The other thing you get is the ability to take 10 on Concentration checks to cast defensively. This is not necessary. The skill check to succeed on casting lower level spells is trivial to make at level 10. 13 ranks and a +4 Con bonus mean that your result is a 18 if you roll a 1. This is enough to automatically pass the check to cast level 3 spells.

Basically, the return on your investment is horrible.

 

[Cavall]

Sounds like what you really want to do is panic them. there are feats for that, sending foes fleeing from you. Spells too. In fact, I think one stacks upon the other, making it a one two combo. I can't recall the feat though, nor its limitations. Hell it could be limited to scaring undead for all I know. I play my bards to support.

In addition, you could cast Blink. No amount of damage reduction beats 50% miss chance.

Quick thoughts, blink then mirror image means they are blinking too right? That should buy you a lot of rounds.

Using a simple cantrip like ghost sound when they are knocking down mirror image also makes them think you are invisible when in fact you aren't, and have them hitting nothing.

And lastly theres always everybodys friend sound burst. AoE stun.

 

[Dandu]

There's a bardic music feat called Haunting Melody that will make people shaken for a number of rounds.