[3.5] Bard/Warblade build

[Frosty]

I've been ehh...Inspired *cough cough* to try a melee type who also is a leader and buffs his team. So I figured I'd want to do something with Song of the White Raven, boosting up my Inspire Courage as much as possible, and then whacking things with level 9 maneuvers. Rough outline looks like Bard4/Warblade16most likely in that order. I'm looking for suggestions on the rest of the build though. How would I work Dragonfire Inspiration into the build, if I choose to? It seems very feat intensive when I already need tons of other things, and I'm not going for TWF since I'll be using Strikes. What sort of equipment do I need besides Badge of Valor and Vest of Legend? Is Words of Creation worth it given the non-lethal damage?

I've never played a bard before so I don't really know what to do.

[Keld Denar]

Go Silverbrow Human (Dragon Magic). This gives you the Dragonblooded Subtype at the cost of your +1 skill point per level.

Bard4/Warblade16 (in that order)
1 Two Weapon Fighting
H Dragonfire Inspiration
3 Song of the Heart
6 Song of White Raven
9 Greater TWF
12 Improved TWF
15 Open
18 Open

For your Warblade maneuers, take some Tiger Claw, specfically the Xing Mongooses and Pouncing Charge and Sudden Leap. You can splash in a little White Raven for WRT and maybe WRHammer late game, and a little Diamond Mind since a Vest of Legends gives you a +5 bonus to Concentration, and using the rules in MIC, you could make it a Vest of Legends of Steady Concentration to essentially Take 15 on concentration checks to abuse [Gem] Nightmare Blade maneuvers.

For gear, I'd get a pair of Short Swords, which are Tiger Claw weapons, and chant em up with some neato stuff like Wounding to take advantage of your high number of attacks. Avoid the typical Keen trap, since DFI doesn't multiply on crits. Collision would be a pretty solid choice for your weapons as well.

Other than that, get some standard melee stuff. Boots of Speed, anything that increases Con and Dex and Cha, something to grant flight and/or teleportation, an IWIN stone that grants +1 attack rolls and all that jazz.

Notice I avoided Words of Creation and Snowflake Wardance. I personally don't like the RP restrictions of being Exalted. I like to play good, but I don't like to play THAT good. Also, the wisdom requirement is killer if you are playing with 28 PB. Its hard to get a decent cha, decent con, decent dex, and still pull off the wisdom needed. Also, you only have 4 BM uses per day with this build, so you can't afford to be burning them up to activate SFWD.

Its a solid build, but could probably benefit from Combat Expertese, which its notably lacking. Its also incredibly nerfed by fire resistant/immune creatures, but doesn't have the open feats/levels to take a different draconic heritage (Battle or Pyroclastic). Still, damage output is high, especially once you get Pouncing Charge and can boost Dancing Mongoose in the same round. That should pretty much toast anything in your way. You make up a bit for the loss against fire resistant foes using high level Nightmare Blade maneuvers, which are handy, and with Wounding weapons you'll still be viable against just about anything but Fire Elementals. White Dragons will FEAR YOU though.

EDIT: EEP, no TWF, more build to come! LOL! Maybe some kind of Dragonblooded Elf with a Courtblade and Power Attack, yet relying on high dex to Finesse it.

[Frosty]

Yep. I won't be TWF-ing...mostly because I won't have the money I'm thinking. Also, I won't be using a slashing weapon because I'll be mostly fighting undead. Maybe a Flail to do Bludgeoning and also have the option to disarm.

I'm also not sure if Silverbrow human will be allowed but if not, I can spend a feat on Dragontouched and then just get bonus Fire damage since Fire affects zombies, skeletons, and vampires just fine iirc.

[Keld Denar]

If you aren't using TWF, DFI becomes a lot less attractive. PA with a 2handed weapon and regular IC returns 3 damage per +x/+x. DFI returns 3.5 damage per +x/+x. Thus, you'll only break out 2-3 damage per hit MAX over DFI, unless you are PAing for your full BAB and still hitting easily. I'd skip being Silverbrow and skip DFI and skip Dragontouched. That frees up a lot of feats to be doing a lot more "fighteresque" stuff. I dunno what that would be...

So, without TWF, I'd go heavily into Diamond Mind, with a bit of WR and IH to round you out. You also gain a lot of feats back, which you could spend on a lot of different things. You probably wouldn't even have to be human, provided your DM doesn't impose Multiclass penalties. Actually, I'm thinking Dwarf...

Bard1 Power Attack
Bard2
Bard3 Song of the Heart
Bard4
Warblade1
Warblade2 Weapon Focus: Waraxe
Warblade3
Exotic Weapon Master1 Uncanny Blow
Warblade4 Song of the White Raven
Warblade5
ETC.

You don't really need SotWR until ECL9, because at that point you are a Bard4/Warblade4 which would only just give you your +2 bard song. Uncanny Blow is a nice boost to damage, giving you 2:1 str bonus to damage. Don't completely dump cha, but you shouldn't need more than a 12 after racials, because you are only casting 2nd level spells, tops, and you aren't using Perform to fascinate people. Focus more on Str and Con like any normal melee person, with a bit of Int thrown in for neato Warblade stuffs.

As far as maneuvers, I'll have to take a look at my ToB a little closer to get an exact progression down, and that might take me a bit. Can't go too wrong though, with Diamond Mind combined with the Vest I mentioned in my last post.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Be sure to cast Inspirational Boost from SC for another +1 to Inspire Courage. Note that it takes a Swift Action to cast, but Song of the White Raven also makes it a Swift Action to start Inspire Courage. You could start out with a buff/offense spell/wand and Inspirational Boost on the first round, and start Inspiring Courage and attack on the second round. Also observe that Song of the White Raven says you may activate Inspire Courage as a swift action, so you could just cast Inspirational Boost and spend the usual Standard Action to start inspiring.

Take flaws if you can, Shaky would be a decent choice since Warblade doesn't even grant proficiency in ranged weapons. Be sure to consider Melodic Casting (CM), Versatile Performer (CV), and I would definitely get Words of Creation as long as your DM lets you apply the multiplier after your bonuses. Extra Music may be good since otherwise your bardic music will be stuck at 4/day. Able Learner is another good choice if you can find room for it, all the more reason to use flaws.

Personally, I'd dump Str and use Weapon Finesse, and have your offhand free to use a wand or scroll if needed. Note that with Melodic Casting your inspire courage isn't interrupted by using scrolls or other spell completion items. One cheap scroll to consider stocking up on would be Whirling Blade, which will be just amazing for this character though it requires a slashing weapon. Purely for style I'd pick up Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Collapsing Crescent Fan from Sandstorm, set alight by Dragonfire Inspiration and thrown through several opponents with Whirling Blade.

If you don't want to spend a feat on EWP just use a Kukri or a Cutlass from Stormwrack, still with Weapon Finesse and Scrolls of Whirling Blade. Note that Skeletons have DR/Bludgeoning, and Zombies have DR/Slashing, and Zombies have twice the HD of Skeletons so you're best off with Slashing. Dragonfire Inspiration damage isn't reduced by DR anyway, and there are Stone Dragon maneuvers that automatically overcome DR.

[Keld Denar]

Be sure to cast Inspirational Boost from SC for another +1 to Inspire Courage. Note that it takes a Swift Action to cast, but Song of the White Raven also makes it a Swift Action to start Inspire Courage. You could start out with a buff/offense spell/wand and Inspirational Boost on the first round, and start Inspiring Courage and attack on the second round. Also observe that Song of the White Raven says you may activate Inspire Courage as a swift action, so you could just cast Inspirational Boost and spend the usual Standard Action to start inspiring.


Yea, the power up round is:
Swift - Cast Insp Boost
Standard - Inspire Courage
Move - Do whatever
Immediate - Activate Badge of Valor (consumes swift action for next round)


Be sure to consider Melodic Casting (CM), Versatile Performer (CV), and I would definitely get Words of Creation as long as your DM lets you apply the multiplier after your bonuses. Extra Music may be good since otherwise your bardic music will be stuck at 4/day. Able Learner is another good choice if you can find room for it, all the more reason to use flaws.


I've already posted why I don't like WoC and why I don't think its that good. Plus, it relies on a DM ruling that WoC multiples your IC bonus AFTER all the extras are added in. Then its almost silly stupid. As Person Man once told me, there is no point to dealing 1000 damage per round, or everything you face will just have 15,000 hp, just because. Melodic Casting is actually kind of a waste as well, since you don't really have any spells to cast other than Insp Boost, which you only cast before singing. Also, where in the hell are you getting that MC will allow you to use Spell Trigger and Spell Completion items? The feat allows CASTING, not activating magic items. Versatile Performer also seems like kind of a waste. It just doesn't lend much to the combat potential of this character, which is kind of the whole reason to make a Bardblade.

[Frosty]

I will definitely be casting Inspirational Boost, then start Bardic music as a standard action. After I end my turn, I will use an immediately action to activate Badge of Valor. I will also definitely have two flaws, although I'm not sure if my DM will allow Shaky given that I only use melee weapons. Note that I can't count on Whirling blade or anything like that because even with a 14 CHA I'll only have 1 2nd level spell per day. Words of creation sounds very good, but I'm not sure I wanna play an exalted character either. As for Extra music, sine I don't use Bardic Music for anything else, and I don't think there will be more than 4 encounters a day, do I really need more than 4 uses of music? My badge of Valor I can only use 3 times/day anyways. And I also only have so many 1st level spell slots for Inspirational Boost.

My character is also supposed to be a ladies man, so I'm not sure how well a dwarf would fit with his low charisma. Elf stats don't really fit what I'm going for it seems unless there's a type of elf that gives +charisma. In this campaign setting I'm limited to Drow, Gnomes, Dwarves, Elves, Aasimar, Tiefling, and Human. I suppose there are half-elves too but they suck.

Let's see, assuming I'm not human and I take 2 flaws, I'll have...9 feats to play with, plus a few bonus ones from Warblade. Not Combat Reflexes. AoOs will suck in this game because my DM houseruled that Reach weapons only threatened adjacent squares and that all reach weapons can now attack adjacent square like the spiked chain. Perhaps since I have extra feats I can do the whole Stormguard Warrior thing?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Re-read the feat, Keld Denar:
"In addition, you can cast spells and activate magic items
by command word or spell completion while using a bardic
music ability."
Scrolls are Spell Completion. I specifically said scrolls and other spell completion items, wands are activated by spell trigger and wouldn't be covered. I had suggested that he use a wand for a buff or offensive spell prior to starting Inspire Courage, which is worth mentioning for why he could/should keep his offhand free.

He specifically said he didn't want to use TWF, but wanted suggestions on what style of weapons to use, and that's what I gave. I suggested that he take Weapon Finesse and EWP: Collapsing Crescent Fan to use with Dragonfire Inspiration and Whirling Blade, leaving his offhand free to draw and use scrolls of whirling blade while inspiring courage thanks to Melodic Casting. I personally think that playing this as a dancing, fan-wielding warrior would make a really fun character. Perform: Dance can't be used for Inspire Courage, so Versatile Performer would be a decent choice to save on skill points. He wouldn't want to use whirling blade every round, but he can't really use a maneuver every round either, so it works out.

I'm wondering why you've decided to attack me for making suggestions pertinent to the original poster's requests. You're talking down to me for suggesting that Words of Creation is worth taking as long as your DM lets you apply the multiplier after your bonuses, yet you only consider how much damage your suggested build is capable of, resulting in a bland build that probably isn't very well equipped to be the party leader that he requested. DFI is fine with a non-TWF build because it helps the rest of the party, which is what he's interested in making this character do. Attacking other people for making suggestions that are just as valid as your own does not help the OP make a character, and he didn't request a troll.

[Keld Denar]

My character is also supposed to be a ladies man, so I'm not sure how well a dwarf would fit with his low charisma. Elf stats don't really fit what I'm going for it seems unless there's a type of elf that gives +charisma. In this campaign setting I'm limited to Drow, Gnomes, Dwarves, Elves, Aasimar, Tiefling, and Human. I suppose there are half-elves too but they suck.

Dwarves are about 4' tall, that puts all the goodies right at eye level. Plus, ladies like a guy with a huge...con modifier. Whats not to love?

I'd actually go Gnome. The bonus to con is very nice, and using a small weapon doesn't really penalize you since most of your damage will come from your strike and PA. I'd try to get your Str to at least 13 to take PA, and then use Weapon Finesse to get your attack bonus. Use a Gnome Hook Hammer in both hand, but only swing with one side or the other. That will let you take EWM the same as my build above, except that you'd take the Flurry of Strike feature. Actually, if you wanted to prioritize Str over Dex, you could also take Uncanny Blow. The -2 str hurts, but in the long run, you'll only end up a couple damage behind a human. Plus, gnomes rock! You might have to jump to get to the goodies though ;)


Let's see, assuming I'm not human and I take 2 flaws, I'll have...9 feats to play with, plus a few bonus ones from Warblade. Not Combat Reflexes. AoOs will suck in this game because my DM houseruled that Reach weapons only threatened adjacent squares and that all reach weapons can now attack adjacent square like the spiked chain. Perhaps since I have extra feats I can do the whole Stormguard Warrior thing?

I'm really not partial to Stormguard. Its really only effective in a couple of very specialized builds, which you won't have the feats to pull off. Most of the time, you are better off just straight attacking and dropping at least one foe, than building up energy to deliver what will probably amount to over kill against most foes. Most builds that really abuse SGW use Double Hit, Robilar's Gambit, and Combat Reflexes to charge up, but you won't really be able to power it, plus its rather hazardous to health to do (inviting all that extra damage) and only comes into play rather late, when you really DON'T want things like Dragons or big Outsiders full attacking you.

Maybe take a look at the Combat Forms feats from PHBII? Combat Focus is passing fair, and Combat Vigor is really good. That, IMO, would be a better investment than Stormguard.

EDIT:

Re-read the feat, Keld Denar:
"In addition, you can cast spells and activate magic items
by command word or spell completion while using a bardic
music ability."
My bad, I misremembered the feat. I guess I was thinking of Lyric Spell, though Melodic Casting is superior in every way. Forgive my error?


He specifically said he didn't want to use TWF, but wanted suggestions on what style of weapons to use, and that's what I gave. I suggested that he take Weapon Finesse and EWP: Collapsing Crescent Fan to use with Dragonfire Inspiration and Whirling Blade, leaving his offhand free to draw and use scrolls of whirling blade while inspiring courage thanks to Melodic Casting. I personally think that playing this as a dancing, fan-wielding warrior would make a really fun character. Perform: Dance can't be used for Inspire Courage, so Versatile Performer would be a decent choice to save on skill points. He wouldn't want to use whirling blade every round, but he can't really use a maneuver every round either, so it works out.

Yea, that does sound fun and interesting. And about TWF, I missed that part when I read through the post the first time. I didn't feel like erasing my first post though, because I put a lot of work into it, and maybe someone else would gain benefit from it. If you read the edit at the bottom, I mentioned that, and then posted a 2nd build a bit later. The 2nd build aligns a lot more with what the OP was looking for. Eventually, we'll hammer something out.


I'm wondering why you've decided to attack me for making suggestions pertinent to the original poster's requests. You're talking down to me for suggesting that Words of Creation is worth taking as long as your DM lets you apply the multiplier after your bonuses, yet you only consider how much damage your suggested build is capable of, resulting in a bland build that probably isn't very well equipped to be the party leader that he requested. DFI is fine with a non-TWF build because it helps the rest of the party, which is what he's interested in making this character do. Attacking other people for making suggestions that are just as valid as your own does not help the OP make a character, and he didn't request a troll.
I don't see it as attacking you. I posted what I feel would build a strong character, you posted what you feel would be a strong character. I happened to disagree with a couple of your points, and posted them. Thats called debate. I never said my points are absolute, and I appologized for the inaccurate recollection of Melodic Casting. As far as arguing that my build is bland, a build is only as flavorful as its player decides. A good player can take a Fighter20 with Toughness as every feat and make it an interesting character to play. Mechanics are divorced from RP.

And as far as DFI vs regular IC, that entirely depends on party make-up. If the party is mostly casters and PAing fighter types, then IC is better, since it adds to hit to (ranged) touch attacks and is while slightly behind DFI on damage, has the advantage of being weapon damage, which is not subject to Energy Resistance and probably isn't subject to DR as well, since the base hit + str and whatnot will probably overcome the DR of the opponent, leaving the PA damage aquired from IC to apply directly to the face.

Now, if your party is all TWFing Rogues and flurrying Monks, then DFI does come out quite a bit ahead, since these classes don't get 2:1 PA and thus DFI comes out +2.5 * x damage per hit ahead of IC. where x is the bonus from IC. With TWF, or Flurry of Blows, this can come out to be ~20-30 damage per round more, which is significantly better.

So, depending on party make up, DFI is better or worse. If it is better though, it should be quite a bit better though, since it still requires 1-3 feats to take, depending on racial choices and whatnot. A Rogue will still benefit from normal IC if you don't feel like expending those resources on DFI.

Don't get me wrong, I like DFI. I just feel that it is very situational depending on the nature of the party and the nature of the campaign. If I'm going planes hopping, I'd rather have normal IC regardless, since so many outsiders are resistant or immune to fire, and trying to squeak in Draconic Heritage on top of everything DFI requires is a bit much and the benefit isn't worth the expenditure anymore, IMO.

[Frosty]

Ok, no Stormguard then. Don't the combat form feats require lots of Wisdom? I'll probably be only working with a 32 or 36 pt buy, and I plan to leave my Wisdom at 10, and my Charisma at 14 so I can cast Inspirational Boost a 4th time. Well I guess my damage will come from my Strikes mostly, and if I use regular Inspire Courage my Strikes will almost always hit. Insightful Strike here I come?

Oh yeah, would an Archery route be good? I can be safe and deal decent damage. I can then really dumb strength. Hmm, which maneuvers work ranged, and will DFI work with ranged attacks?

[RTGoodman]

Oh yeah, would an Archery route be good? I can be safe and deal decent damage. I can then really dumb strength. Hmm, which maneuvers work ranged, and will DFI work with ranged attacks?

I don't think it'd be worth it - there are VERY few maneuvers in ToB that can be used with ranged weapons (well, unless you want to take Bloodstorm Blade levels, but I somehow doubt it). Now, if you're allowed homebrew, Fax's Falling Star homebrew discipline is entirely focuses on ranged combat, and there are a whole host of other homebrewed "Falling Star" disciplines floating around the internet that do the same with slightly different degrees of being good.

[Keld Denar]

Yea, in hindsight, Combat forms probably not a good idea. I dunno then.

Rereading DFI, yea, it would apply to ranged attacks. Nothing in the feat states otherwise. Unfortunately, almost no maneuvers work at range. The only ones that do from ToB are the Xing Mongoose boosts, and the 9th level Diamond Mind maneuver, Time Stands Still. Fax did homebrew up a whole sublime school of Archery though, called Falling Star. Take a looksie in that if you think you can get homebrew stuff approved.

Do note that MOST of the non-strike stuff in ToB works. You could, for example, Sudden Leap away from a foe so that you could full attack them with arrows, block mental intrusion with Moment of Prefect Clarity, inspire allies with White Raven Tactics, and shrug off gravity with Ironheart Surge. It would be kind of a waste of a Wablades awesomeness to be without strikes, but you would still have almost full BAB and all of the other goodies. Note, than unless you are an elf, your Archery-ing will be limited to a Shortbow unless to drop feats on proficiency or finagle Outsider status.

[Frosty]

Hmm...I probably won't go for archery after all. Bah. I want a good, inspirational leader type that doesn't suck, and Crusader is not available in this game. I guess I *could* go sorcerer and try a Counterspell build, but I just got finished playing a spontaneous spellcaster (a beguiler) and I wan something different and fun...with options.

Any CHA-centric melee builds around that aren't 1-trick ponies?

[RTGoodman]

Any CHA-centric melee builds around that aren't 1-trick ponies?

Well, it's not Cha-CENTRIC, but I think you could probably do up a decent Barbarian-based Intimidation build with Intimidating Rage, several skill tricks, and a handful of other things. The WotC CharOp boards have a project on Demoralization Optimization (http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-911167), and it might be worth it to take a look at that. You should be able to, with some flaws and probably Fighter levels, get access to a lot of the good Intimidate-based stuff plus Power Attack and other standard melee brute-type feats.

Oh, or if not that, how about a PHB2 Knight? They're relatively Cha-based and decent at melee, though they're really more defensive than offensive. I can't think of any builds off the top of my head though, except for ones that require Crusader dips (or, at least, some way to get Thicket of Blade) and basically just being a martial battle-field controller.

[Frosty]

I don't mind the Knight, but how useful is the Knight when Reach weapons are nerfed to all hell?

On the plus side, the GM has removed defensive casting, so everybody in effect has Mage Slayer for free. I guess I can still get *some* Bfield control since I get to make everything difficult terrain. Maybe I can dip one level into Marshal, get Improved Trip, and use a Heavy Flail for tripping. The problem is without maneuvers how do I deal damage? Be ab Uber-charger? Or maybe forget Trip and get Stand-Still...

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Don't write off Half-Elves, their Bard 1 racial substitution level in RoD is enough to totally redeem them. Spend a Bardic Music ability to Calm Emotions on everyone within 30', with your Diplomacy check result as the save DC. Plus it's a Supernatural effect so it ignores SR, and since it replaces Countersong it may as well be free. This would actually be a great choice for a party face, though I'd play it as more of a skills/support character rather than a melee combatant. Warblade doesn't get Perform as a class skill, but note that the sidebar on page 150 of Races of Destiny says half-human races could/should be counted as humans in addition to their nonhuman subtypes, thus qualifying or human-only feats and prestige classes like Able Learner.

Casting defensively probably won't be much of a problem. You said reach weapons were houseruled to not threaten their full reach, so you should be able to just 5' step out of reach and cast. You could also use effects like invisibility, concealment, and cover to avoid AoOs if you'll be doing a lot of casting. Making a support character who is a spellcaster/archer wouldn't be a bad idea if you'll be dropping Warblade, keeping in mind that IC and DFI would apply to every arrow on a Manyshot. Maybe see if you can get Prestige Bard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/prestigiousCharacterClasses.htm#prestigeBard) greenlit for more of a spellcaster.

[Prometheus]

Step 1: Kick butt as a Warblade
Step 2: Sing songs about it as a Bard
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit

[Frosty]

Unfortunately, Calm Emotions is Mind Affection and hence won't do anything against undead. I don't want a primary spellcaster most likely because I've just been playing one.

Hmm...if I can convince the DM to rule that I can take Song of the White Raven to have Knight and Bard levels stack, then I wonder what I can do with that...

[Keld Denar]

I don't see how being a Bardblade is any more one dimensional than being a plain Warblade. You get a similar amount of maneuvers, maybe slightly less at certain points, but not much. Plus, you get a really neato gimick in Inspire Courage which boosts your whole party. If you pick, say, White Raven Tactics, you can be a great boon to your party without detracting too much from your own role (kick butt with strikes). A bit of maneuverabilty from things like Sudden Leap or Quicksilver Motion make you a great flanker, even more maneuverable than a monk, and twice as deady being as you can kick butt with a full PA Emerald Razor, or an Insightful Strike to pound things with your concentration check.

And really, you don't need any ranks in perform after you qualify for IC. You won't make checks for Fascinate, since you won't have very many BM uses to spend on it, you won't use BM for Suggestion, since you plain old won't get that ability. You probably won't use Countersong, you'll be too busy making it stop singing by killing it to death, and besides, Countersong would require you to stop your IC AND stop attacking, which is not something you really want to do. You aren't a full Bard, you are a Bardblade. Thus, you really only need 3 ranks in Perform to get IC, freeing up a lot of skill points to sink into Concentration for Diamond Mind stuff, Tumble because its useful, and maybe some Knowledges so you are useful in and out of combat. Oh, and maybe Diplomacy and/or Intimidate, which are also useful out of combat.

See? While you have a gimmick, you aren't any more 1 dimensional than any other Warblade out there, and Warblades are pretty freakin sweet if you ask me. You aren't a trip monkey, an ubercharger, or any other 1 trick pony. You have style. Also, because ToB is pretty cool on its own, you don't have to optimize to the teeth. You can play a cool race like a Gnome (freakin sweet to be a 3 foot nuthin ladies man) and wield a cool weapon like a Hook Hammer (yea, ladies, looks a little somethin like that *wink*). You'll still be effective, unique, and fun, regardless of what you do. Have fun with it, you almost can't go wrong.

[Frosty]

Well, assuming that I don't go with DFI, I've got some feats freed up. What do you suggest I do with them?

[Keld Denar]

See my 2nd build. Works well with Gnome or Dwarf, or even 1/2 Orc, since you could use an Orc Double Axe and Flurry with it too. If you don't want to head into EWM (which I think is just fun) then stick to straight Warblade. You want PA, Song of the Heart, Song of the White Raven, and from there, you can take whatever you like. Take Skill Focus: Basket Weaving, and it won't make you and less effecive. I'd say you couldn't go wrong with something like Clarion Commander, which allows you to shout "PWNT" at someone, and make them flanked for 10 rounds. Your party rogue will love it, since it could be interpretted as a way around creatures that can't be flanked, like Elementals and whatnots. Um, Weapon Focus/Spec/MeleeWeapon Mastery would also be passing fair, since as a Warblade you can change your weapon daily on a whim, which is convenient if your DM throws random treasure at you. "What, a cutlass +1 with Wounding? Who would ever use such a thing...*shing*." +3 hit +4 damage on top of your excessive IC will pretty much allow you to full Power Attack with impuny. Take a look at some of the Tactical feat from Complete Warrior. Most of them are sub-optimal on their own, but could circumstantially be useful. Elusive Target is one I think of off the top of my head. Negate PA is VERY strong, but the other 2 are fun as well. Requires (Desert Wind) Dodge and Mobility, but you've got feats to burn. Might as well, would be useful starting around level 6.

[Frosty]

Given that I'll have pretty decent attack bonus, would Improved Disarm be a good idea?

[Bandededed]

Given that I'll have pretty decent attack bonus, would Improved Disarm be a good idea?

You did say you were playing an undead campaign, correct? Cutting their limbs off seems like a sound plan...

Wait... I...

Nevermind

[Frosty]

Hmm...I just received an update. Apparently we'll be using some Pathfinder rulesas well, and I don'tknow what changes that brings to to bard. However,this also means I get feats at every odd level instead of every 3 levels. I may not be able to get flaws, but I think I can now squeeze in TWF and do Tiger Claw now. This changes some things and simplifies my choices since I'll be spending 4 feats for the TWF chain now.