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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zaruthustran" data-source="post: 1252224" data-attributes="member: 1457">How important to you are the Bard class abilities?If you just want a warrior-poet and, as you say, homebrew is open to you, then just swap out a Barbarian skill for Perform. How about Craft?Now you have a singing Barbarian.Or, better yet, take 2 or more levels in the Marshal base class (from the Miniatures Handbook. They get Perform as a class skill, as well as Bluff, Diplomacy, Speak Language, Sense Motive, "Knowledge" (unspecified), Intimidate, Survival, and more. Perfect skill list for a skald. You'll also get cool auras (bonuses equal to your Cha mod) that affect yourself and all your allies, the effects of the aura last as long as your allies can hear you, and you can adjust the auras as the situation demands: start with an aura that gives a bonus to Dex checks (including Init), then switch to the aura that gives a bonus to Charge damage after init is rolled, then switch to the aura that gives a bonus to attack rolls once battle is joined. Take ranks in Perform and you can say your Marshal abilities come from inspiring poetics.After level 4 Take the prestige class Warchief (also from the Miniatures Handbook). The only requirements are +3 BAB and "must have led a tribe in battle." The first level Warchief ability is "Frenzy (Str +2)" which gives everyone in your trive +2 Str as a free action--at a cost of 1 hp per hd to each frenzied warrior. The second level ability is +2 to your Charisma. This will boost your Marshal auras. The ability increases go up as you gain levels.The only reason to take Bard is for Bardic Knowledge and spells. If you want that type of skald then yeah, go Bard/Barbarian. But if you want an inspiring, intimidating war-leader then go Marshal 9/Warchief 10/Barb 1 <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Str 19, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15I'd play these stats as an old (thus the Dex) but very tough and wily (the other stats) badass half orc. You need the Wisdom so you can be tough-minded and so your perception skills are decent (spot, listen, sense motive, survival). Feats:1. Improved Initiative3. Daunting Presence6. Leadership9. Danger Sense12. Battlefield Inspiration15. Goad18. Power AttackTake "Motivate Dexterity" as your 1st level aura.At first level with these stats, aura, and feat you'll have:10 hit points, +3 initiative (+5 with aura up, which it will be every waking moment), Fort +4, Ref -1, Will +3, AC 15 (scale mail and heavy shield). Use a battle axe or longsword at first level, then switch to greatsword or longspear once you've got more hit points. At 20th level you charisma will be 26, not counting items. That's a +8 modifer to any of your 5 minor auras (such as Determined Caster, which gives a bonus to to rolls to overcome Spell Resistance, or Master of Tactics, which gives a bonus on damage rolls when flanking, or Art of War, which gives a bonus to disarm, bull rush, trip, and sunder attempts). The +8 bonus will likely be increased since you'll have Cha-boosting items. You'll also have three Major auras at +2 (such as Hardy Soldiers, which gives DR 2/-, or Motivate Ardor, for +2 to all damage rolls). When you inspire frenzy your allies will gain +10 to Str at the cost of 1 hp per hd per round. 1st level skill rank allocation:Perform (battle chants) 4Intimidate 4Bluff 4Diplomacy 2Knowledge (History) 2Survival 1Sense Motive 1Spot 1Listen 1Languages: Orc, CommonIf leading a tribe of half-orcs isn't your thing then go marshal/barbarian. You'll be a killing machine.-z</blockquote>

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