Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="MerricB" data-source="post: 6705476" data-attributes="member: 3586">Original source: <a href="http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/2402306" target="_blank">http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/2402306</a>Originally posted by Litigation:Cruel Lullabies: The Bard Handbook <img src="http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a117/elbriga/Forum%20link%20stuff/pied1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> So, you want to be a Bard, huh? Think it's all about charming the ladies, prancing around, or earning lots and lots of coin? Think again. You're here to lead people into battle, and I don't mean going all Pied Piper and marching kids into a war zone (although some of you might think that's fun). In fact, you might want to make sure you're as good with that blade as you are with your lute. Celts and Vikings are more our model here.So why play a Bard?Clerics close wounds fast and Warlords make things die fast, so what is special about you besides the fact you can sing? Well, quite a bit:* You are the master of positioning. You have a knack for making sure your allies are in the right place at the right time. After all, it doesn't matter how good your party's nova potential is if they're not in a position to unleash it, and you can get a party into position more consistently and expediently than any other Leader can. And not only do you get your allies into the right place, but you also tend to force enemies there.* You tend to cripple the enemy as much as you help your allies. With your natural secondary role as Controller, this isn't really a surprise. You like to jinx the enemies' attacks, strip their defenses, inflict status effects, and generally do a lot of nasty things to their survival chances. You're still a team player, but you can't help but get some satisfaction yourself as your powers have more of a direct effect than those of other Leaders. There's something about dominating a foe and making him do your bidding that just sounds really cool.* You are extremely versatile. Want to lead from the front with a shiny blade in hand? You got it. From the back? You got it. With a conductor's baton? You got it. With a bow? You got it. Strumming a lute? You got it. And it doesn't stop there. You are free to dabble in as many other classes' abilities as you'd like to tailor your arsenal as you see fit. Want more healing? You got it. Want things to die faster? You got it. Need more control? You got it.* You are a master of skills. In fact, only three of the skills in the entire game aren't on your class skill list. Moreover, you start with the second-most number of trained skills after the Rogue. Because you're charismatic, you excel in conversational skill challenges involving skills like Diplomacy and Bluff. And to top it all off, you have the ability to make the skills you didn't train almost as good as the ones you did train.Ratings system:Red: AHHHH! My ears! A trap, or just plain garbage.Purple: A rather sour note. Situational at best.Black: Tolerable, an acquired taste even.Blue: A fine selection, indeed.Sky Blue: Bravissimo! Meaning, you definitely want this.Gold: Mandatory. Not just the best. Mandatory. A very rare rating.This Handbook covers the following sources:PHB - Player's HandbookPHB2 - Player's Handbook 2PHB3 - Player's Handbook 3AP - Arcane PowerHotF - Heroes of the FeywildE:HFL - Essentials: Heroes of the Fallen LandsE:HFK - Essentials: Heroes of the Forgotten KingdomsFRPG - Forgotten Realms Player's GuideMM - Monster ManualMM2 - Monster Manual 2MME - Mordenkainen's Magnificent EmporiumAV - Adventurer's VaultAV2 - Adventurer's Vault 2D XXX - Dragon Magazine, issue XXXDA XX - Dragon Annual, year XXMOTP - Manual of the PlanesNWCS - Neverwinter Campaign SettingDSCS - Dark Sun Campaign SettingPHBH - Player's Handbook HeroesMP - Martial PowerDP - Divine PowerPP - Primal PowerEPG - Eberron Player's GuidePHR:T - Player's Handbook Races: TieflingsHoS - Heroes of Shadow[sblock]AEDU - At-will, Encounter, Daily, Utility. Used to denote the power structure of all classes in 4e before PHB3 and (especially) Essentials. Both the original Bard and the Skald conform to this power structure.AoE - Area of effect, often denotes a burst or blast attack.AP - Action PointBard Taxi - A build concept written up by Thaldryn here(x), which involves the Bard's teleport feats Bardic Wayfarer and Walk Among the Fey and a multiclass to Warlock to take the paragon path Evermeet Warlock. The result is a hyper-teleport-focused build of Bard that exerts impressive control over ally and enemy positioning on any battlefield.BBEG - Big Bad Evil Guy (typically a Solo or an Elite)Charmer - A character who takes a preponderance of powers with the Charm keyword and optimizes their use. Bards are well predisposed toward being this type of character.DPR - Damage per roundED - Epic destinyFake Skald (or F-Skald) - An original Bard (typically melee-inclined) that takes the feat Skald Training and picks up a CHA- or INT-based MBA to emulate the defining characteristics of the Skald subclass while keeping the original Bard's features. Can be a powerful build, but it is also rather feat-intensive.Feywalker - A Paragon Tier Bard who took the feat Walk Among the Fey to change all his sliding powers into 2D teleportation powers. Bard Taxis are an extreme example of this type.MAD - Multiple-attribute dependency. Otherwise known as stretching your ability scores too thin. Typically a designator for a build needing three or more ability scores to function.MBA - Melee basic attackMID - Multiple-item dependency. Having to use both a weapon and an implement is a cause of this, eating up more of your allocation of finances, feats and other resources.NAD - Non-AC Defense (Fortitude, Reflex or Will).OA - Opportunity attackO-Bard - The original Bard class from the PHB2, used when it is necessary to distinguish it from its subclass, the Skald. PP - Paragon pathRBA - Ranged basic attackTHP - Temporary hit points.Wayfarer - A Bard who took the feat Bardic Wayfarer, generally with the intent to optimize around teleporting. Bard Taxis are an extreme example of this type.[/sblock][sblock]Oh! Blame not the bard(x) by JWT (The original Bard handbook)The Bard Taxi - The Little Red Corvette(x) by Thaldryn[/sblock]Thanks to:Everyone who posts and helps out.Authors of other classes' handbooks, some of which REALLY helped for the multiclassing section.*** NOTE: This handbook will cover both the original Bard from PHB2 and the Skald from HotF. Since both variants use the same AEDU power structure and have access to all the same powers one way or another and only differ in the class features, the Skald could conveniently be folded into this handbook.Originally posted by Litigation:Our Profession's Details: Power Source and RoleYour power source is Arcane, and your role is Leader. You use your talents in the performing arts as a conduit for spells, and you use those spells to spur your allies into action, and to heal or bolster them when the chips are down. The Arcane power source seems to favor the Controller role, and sure enough, you do have a strong Controller element.If you're a Skald, you are also Martial, in addition to Arcane. The biggest draw of the Skald's Martial designation is the feats that boost your basic attacks, which you'll be using a lot of if you're a Skald.Buffing - Generally defined as the ability to affect your allies' rolls in a positive way. Generally, you'll be pretty good at this, as a fair number of your powers do confer strong benefits to attack or damage rolls, and a few of them even allow your allies to roll attacks twice. Prescient Bards are amazing at this, as are Valorous Bards once they take a certain PP.Debuffing - The ability to disrupt the opponent, whether through attack penalties, defense penalties, status effects, or forced movement. This is definitely your realm of expertise; in fact, this is your modus operandi. Many of your powers do one or more of the above, in quite a few cases to multiple enemies. Out of all Leaders, only the Pacifist Cleric challenges you in this category.Enabling - The ability to let your allies do what they normally couldn't do. This includes positioning, of which your class is the master among Leaders. Many of your powers and features excel at getting your allies into optimal attack position in very short order (and in some cases, forcing your enemies there). The reason you're only "good" at enabling overall, rather than great, is because, on the whole, you're not quite as good at generating extra attacks as the Warlord. (But who is?) That said, you have enough attack-enabling powers to take a respectable second place. And with the right party composition, certain builds, particularly Cunning Bards, can actually be flat-out great at it.Healing - You're capable at it, but it's not your strong point. Depending on what phase of supplemental material support the Warlord is in compared to you, you're either second-to-last or dead-last among Leaders in this category.Survivability - You're arguably the most important part of the party, so you want to be able to stay upright. Cunning and Valorous Bards will be decent at this; Cunning because of a good AC potential and Valorous because of the high number of healing surges they'll get. Prescient Bards are the worst in this category, but since they'll stay at range almost exclusively, it won't matter too much.[sblock]Controller - Some argue that you could fill in for a full-time Controller completely. While I wouldn't go quite that far (not without at least some light multiclassing), you definitely excel here. Indeed, many of your powers and abilities seem to serve both Leader and Controller roles simultaneously. Much of what you do lies in the vicious status effects, forced movement and penalties you inflict, in some cases to multiple enemies at once. At later levels, you might start laying down serious saving throw penalties with your powers for even more effective battlefield control, both for yourself and even perhaps for a more "dedicated" Controller in the party.Defender - Valorous Bards, with their high CON and number of healing surges, could fill in this role somewhat, particularly if they actually take a multiclass feat for a Defender class that gives some sort of marking mechanic to them. Cunning Bards and Prescient Bards aren't likely to step in this role, though.Striker - With the advent of the Skald material and the powers that work off basic attacks (which means charging, a Striker's favorite at-will tactic), you're marginally better at this than you were before, but still not great at it unless you do some radical multiclassing. Your class still doesn't have enough self-damage boosts to be considered anything beyond mediocre here.[/sblock] Self-Styled: The Foundations of All Bards[sblock]All Bards, Skalds included, start with the following statistics and proficiencies: Hit Points: 12 + CON score at 1st level, 5 gained per level. Standard figures for a Leader, which is adequate.Healing Surges: 7 + CON mod. About average.Proficiencies: Aside from all simple weapons, you're trained in the longsword, scimitar and shortsword. Decent, if a bit disappointing that the rapier isn't on that list. Also of note is training in all military ranged weapons; that's important for some of you. You're trained in all light armors as well as chainmail; that's just fine for some of you, while others of you might have wanted more. You're also proficient in light shields. Your implement proficiency is wands, which can be good, but isn't the best (i.e. weapon).Defense Bonuses: +1 to Reflex and Will. Solid.[/sblock]Bard Class Features[sblock]Regardless of whether you're playing the original 4e Bard from the PHB2 or the Skald from HotF, you can count on having the following features:Skill Versatility (PHB2): +1 to all untrained skills. Nice.Song of Rest (PHB2): Charisma-mod healing bonus at the end of a short rest for healing surge use, giving your party more efficient use of resources.Words of Friendship (PHB2): Per-encounter boost of a Diplomacy check. With your high Charisma, you're likely to be a party face (if not THE face), so this one's always good in skill challenges.[/sblock] [sblock] Bardic Training (PHB2): Ritual Caster for free and a book of rituals. Some of those Bard-specific rituals are pretty damn good. Moreover, you even get to cast a Bard ritual or two (or three) per day without any components.Bardic Virtue: Basically your main build decision within the O-Bard chassis, and it can be a key advantage vis a vis the Skald.[sblock]Virtue of Cunning (PHB2): Once per round, slide an ally who got missed by an attack a square as a free action. The distance at which this works is based on your Intelligence. This one can help set up flanks, or just get an ally out of immediate danger. The trigger is likely to happen every single round in combat, especially if you inflict hit penalties on your enemies, easily making it the virtue that gets the most action in a fight. In Paragon Tier, this one can get even better for melee allies who took Agile Opportunist, granting them some immediate action attacks. While this Virtue does seem to be biased toward implement usage (and indeed, an implement-only Bard is almost always of this Virtue), there are also some predominantly weapon-attacking Bards who can rock this Virtue as well (Eladrin, in particular). A Cunning Bard will also make the best use of Bard rituals thanks to his/her Intelligence.Virtue of Valor (PHB2): When an ally within 5 squares bloodies or kills an enemy, you can give him a decent amount of temporary hit points (1/3/5 + CON mod). The value of this varies from battle to battle; it's good in fights with several standard enemies or minions, but not so great in fights against Elites and Solos. You also can't really control who gets the benefit. Still, at least having Constitution as a secondary stat helps you live longer, and you do get access to an incredible PP. A Valorous Bard is most likely to mix it up in melee and is a prime candidate for a Fake Skald build.Virtue of Prescience (AP): This Virtue works once per encounter, unlike the others that can happen every round. As an immediate interrupt, if an enemy hits your ally, you boost your ally's targeted defense by your Wisdom modifier, which can make the enemy miss that attack. Pretty solid benefit, and it does get good feat support, including a lovely offensive use of it in Paragon. Unfortunately, this virtue has the indirect shortcoming of requiring Wisdom to fully benefit. Since your main attack stat is Charisma, which also happens to govern Will defense, this means you're only going to have one good non-AC defense (NAD). A Prescient Bard is most likely to use a ranged weapon.[/sblock]Majestic Word (PHB2): Your version of the per-encounter healing ability that all Leaders get, and it's easily among the best of its kind. Aside from the healing figures, it slides the target (you or your ally) a square, helping setting up flanks easier, getting a vulnerable member of the party out of an enemy's melee range, getting allies out of grabs, and even triggering Agile Opportunist from a melee ally who took that. If you want, you also have an option (via a feat) to turn the slide from this into a teleport, which opens up its own avenue of optimization.Multiclass Versatility (PHB2): You can multiclass with as many different classes as you want. Pretty obvious what the possibilities are here, and another big plus point when comparing to the Skald.[/sblock] [sblock]Deceptive Duelist (HotF): Fully Charisma-based MBAs (this means attack AND damage) when you're using a one-handed weapon (typically a shortsword, longsword or, if you spend a feat, rapier). Very convenient, and it saves you the need to splurge a feat on getting an MBA.Master of Story and Song (HotF): Essentially, this works out to an extra Lv. 1 daily power that you get to keep for the rest of your career. And you don't have to switch daily powers out of your arsenal when you reach the levels that other characters have to (e.g. Lv. 15 and above). Pretty tame feature, if you ask me, but I imagine there might be a few cases where this can be convenient.Skald's Aura (HotF): The signature feature of the Skald. This encounter aura 5, which you should pop at the start of every combat, works as the Skald's healing mechanic in place of Majestic Word, and it's one that is quite distinct from other Leader classes in 4e. Namely, it lets your allies (and you) heal themselves with their own minor actions if they're in your aura, freeing up your minor actions for other things over the course of a combat. It also lets your allies heal themselves if you are incapacitated (e.g. dazed, stunned, dominated, etc.). The tactical advantages of this are quite apparent. However, the key downside of this is that the aura is forever at 5; the range on this does not increase as the heals of other Leaders do. In addition to being the healing mechanic, Skald's Aura serves as the conduit for certain at-will and daily powers (originating with the Skald) that provide allies offensive boosts. NOTE: A feat called Skald Training (HotF) allows an O-Bard to trade in Majestic Word for this. The implications of this will be discussed below. [/sblock]Skald: Real or Fake? When perusing the Skald's features above, you were tipped off to the fact that the Skald's two key features, the Charisma-based MBA and Skald's Aura, are indeed poachable by the O-Bard with a couple of feats. And indeed, combining the Skald's key features with the advantages of the O-Bard seems like having your cake and eating it, too, and it seems quite powerful. However, there are several other factors to consider before rushing to the conclusion that the Fake Skald is hands-down superior all the time. This sub-section will go over the plusses and minuses of the O-Bard "Fake Skald" and an actual Skald in detail for a convenient comparison.[sblock](+) Rituals, including the Bard-specific ones, all for free.(+) Multiclass Versatility, allowing you to multiclass with as many classes as you want.(+) Bardic Virtue, including Cunning's many tricks and Valor's War Chanter PP.(-) Down two feats in your build when comparing to the real Skald (Skald Training, an MBA feat).(-) Related to above, only a couple of races can get full CHA-modifier on damage for their MBAs. Others are either stuck with Melee Training, which only grants half CHA-modifier to damage, or have to pump INT and get Swordmage MC and Intelligent Blademaster.(-) Your secondary stat is locked into the one that corresponds with your Virtue.(-) Related to above, your only option for a ranged Fake Skald is INT along with CHA, and using a Farbond Spellblade for RBAs. Not knocking the Farbond Spellblade, but I'm sure some of you would rather have had a Frost Dagger.(-) Want MBA-boosting feats such as Deft Blade? You need to multiclass Martial, which isn't necessarily restrictive for you thanks to Multiclass Versatility, but it still costs yet another extra feat the real Skald doesn't have to pay.[/sblock][sblock](+) Up at least two feats on a Fake Skald (and in many cases, even more).(+) Since you're Martial already, you have instant access to MBA-boosting feats like Deft Blade.(+) Your MBA will always do full CHA-modifier damage.(+) Your secondary stat can be pretty much whatever you want it to be. This is of particular importance to ranged Skalds (who want a high DEX). And in addition, it's possible to just not care about a true secondary stat, making a starting CHA 20 very much a viable option for a melee Skald (O-Bards, Fake Skalds included, need a strong secondary).(-) No rituals without a feat, and even if you spend the feat on them, you won't ever be as good at them as the Fake Skald.(-) No Virtues, no Cunning's tricks, no War Chanter.(-) Can only multiclass with one other class.[/sblock][sblock]- If you're looking for ranged-weapon Skald action, you (probably) want to be a real Skald.- If you want to start with a natural 20 CHA for maximum attack rating, you're better off as a real Skald. - Half-Elves (via Versatile Master and Dilletante) and Tieflings (via Paladin MC and Wrath of the Crimson Legion) make the best Fake Skalds thanks to fully powered CHA-based MBAs.- Despite its feat-intensiveness, a Half-Elf or Tiefling Valorous Fake Skald/War Chanter looks pretty damn sexy.- A Cunning Fake Skald taking Swordmage MC and Intelligent Blademaster is also quite alluring, but even more feat-intensive than the Valorous build, since Virtue of Cunning has more must-take feats. Intelligent Blademaster works with RBAs from a Farbond Spellblade, so if you want a viable ranged Fake Skald, there you go.[/sblock] Natural Talents: Ability ScoresBards may have the wackiest ability score configurations in all of 4e. The value of their stats -- other than Charisma, of course -- are heavily build-dependent. One build's dump stat is another's secondary, or at the very least one that will qualify them for a multiclass feat that they'll want. You'll see that this list reflects the diversity among Bard builds in this respect. The arrival of the Skald has thrown this into even more chaos, since Skalds can literally pick any secondary stat they want, and several of their choices for such are very much viable.Strength: Prescient and Valorous Bards may actually want to put a decent score in this to wear better heavy armor than chain (13 qualifies for scale). Most Cunning Bards, on the other hand, will rely on their wits for their armor class and can get away just fine with being girly men, multiclassing considerations notwithstanding.(Recommended start: 8-13, before racial adjustments)Constitution: The unquestioned secondary for a Valorous Bard. However, none of you want to ignore it completely. If you want an expanded crit range with implements in Epic Tier, you'll need to make sure you hit 15 in this by then. Even that aside, no one wants to take a penalty to starting hit points and healing surges, and many of you will want to be on the positive side of the ledger here if at all possible.(Recommended start: 10-16, before racial adjustments)Dexterity: This stat is LITERALLY all over the place. It ranges from a co-primary for some Skalds, namely those who want to use their powers with a ranged weapon, to about as close to a universal dump stat as an O-Bard can have. But even O-Bards may have a reason to have a decent score here for multiclass purposes, and even if that's not the case, an O-Bard should find another, more suitable dump stat if at all possible, as a penalty to initiative is just not fun.(Recommended start: 8-13, before racial adjustments. Ranged weapon Skalds want this at 16 before racial adjustments.) Intelligence: The unquestioned secondary for a Cunning Bard (and for some builds, notably Resourceful Magicians and Cunning Fake Skalds, this might even be a co-primary). Even if you're not Cunning, you don't want to dump this completely. Many of your rituals use an Arcana check, which is governed by how learned you are. Ironically for Skalds, while their class description in HotF nominally lists Intelligence as their secondary stat, they have easily the least use for it and can actually get away with dumping this if it suits their build, since they won't be using rituals.(Recommended start: 10-16, before racial adjustments. Skalds, however, can actually dump this at 8 if that suits them.)Wisdom: The secondary stat for a Prescient Bard. For everyone else, this is typically a safe dump stat (again, multiclassing notwithstanding).(Recommended start: 8-16, before racial adjustments). Charisma: This one is non-negotiable. Period. Quite simply, all of you, whether O-Bard or Skald, will make your living off of your good looks and olive oil voice. And by living, I mean all attack rolls most of you will ever make, as well as being the backbone of some of your class features and utility powers. (OK, some Skalds can technically use another main attack stat instead of Charisma, but such builds deprive themselves of many of the Bard's top-flight powers by doing so, so I don't recommend it.)(Recommended start: 16-18, before racial adjustments). Modes of Development: Ability Score Arrays16, 14, 14, 13, 10, 8: Known as the most well-rounded stat line. Charisma is your highest stat, and you have both a solid secondary and tertiary stat. Even your quaternary can help you qualify for a multiclass feat or other things at Heroic Tier. Like with all other classes, you can't go wrong with this array.16, 16, 12, 12, 10, 8 (or 16, 16, 13, 11, 10, 8): Charisma and your relevant secondary stat get equal, intensive focus. A third and fourth stat may be good enough to qualify for some feats if you need to. The best array if you place a premium on your Virtue benefit and the riders on your powers. Also the array of choice for ranged Skalds (CHA/DEX).18, 13, 13, 10, 10, 8: For those either going for the starting natural 20 in Charisma, or for those races with bonuses to a secondary and a tertiary stat. Either way, it's the array used for maximum attack bonus potential, so you can hit more often. This choice tends to be better for pure melee Skalds than for O-Bards, since such Skalds don't have any use for a real secondary stat.18, 12, 12, 12, 10, 8: Variant of above. To make this one work, you'll want to be a race who either has bonuses to Charisma and your chosen secondary stat, or to your designated secondary and tertiary stats. Racial bonuses will help soften the blows to those stats, and you'll get an appreciable quaternary stat while still going for maximum attack bonus.</blockquote>

Verification