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ZeroNumerous
2009-06-25, 02:25 AM
I know. You clicked this thread and you thought "Man this guy is crazy. He can't possibly imagine making a bard into a blaster, can he?" Yes, yes I can. And yes, yes I will.

My Build:
Classes: Human Bard 6/Lyric Thaumaturge 5/Sublime Chord 9
Base Stats:
STR- 10
DEX- 12
CON- 10
INT- 10
WIS- 10
CHA- 18 (+5 from levels, +6 item, +5 tome. End Result: 34)

HD: 11d6+9d4(59)
Base Saves:
Fort +7; Ref +12; Will +15

Feats:
Draconic Heritage(Battle Dragon) [1st] (Requires DM meddling, otherwise, take something else)
Melodic Casting [Human]
Dragonfire Inspiration [3rd]
Arcane Preparation [6th]
Captivating Melody
Energy Sub(Sonic) [9th]
Extra Spell(Sonic Weapon) for Sublime Chord [12th]
Easy Metamagic(Energy Sub) [15th]
Heighten Spell [18th]

Relevant Bard Spells:
Inspirational Boost

Relevant Sublime Chord Spells:
Polar Ray
Tenser's Transformation(You never know)
Greater Shadow Evocation

Relevant Items:
Metamagic Rod of Quicken, Lesser
Metamagic Rod of Empower, Greater
Harmonizing Crystal Echoblade
Several Badges of Valor
Vest of Legends
Cloak of Cha +6
Book of Cha +5
Any +CL items you can afford

Relevant Skills:
Perform: +33

Relevant Class Abilities:
[b]Sonic Might: +1d6/Spell Level on [Sonic] spells.
Song of Arcane Might: +4 CL on all spells as a move action.

Inspire Courage:
+2 Base(11th level Bard due to Vest of Legends), +1 Song of the Heart, +1 Badge of Valor and +1 Inspirational Boost.

Test Fire
Energy Sub(Sonic) Greater Evocation: Scorching Ray. A mere 4d6/ray, but with Sonic Might that's a total of 36d6 and no reflex mitigation.

Energy Sub(Sonic) Heightened to 9th Polar Ray: Merely 24d6 with Song of Arcane Power. +9d6 from Sonic Might for a total of 33d6. No Reflex save mitigation. Not as useful.

Heightened to 9th Greater Shout: A meager 10d6+9d6 damage, but now with Fortitude Save mitigation and a stun chance.

Heightened Sonic Weapon: +1d6 on a weapon. Ho-hum. Oh wait, it's [Sonic]. +10d6 on a weapon? And it's not even personal.. The rogue will love this.

Gralamin
2009-06-25, 02:36 AM
I'm not so sure it counts as a Blaster Bard when its based around Wizard spells. But, The build at least looks Competent.

ZeroNumerous
2009-06-25, 02:48 AM
I'm not so sure it counts as a Blaster Bard when its based around Wizard spells. But, The build at least looks Competent.

Screw the rules, I have music!

Still, even pure Bard 6/LT 10/Bard+4 can pull off a 16d6 Greater Shout.

Plus, Sublime Chord gives access to the wonderful 9th Level Sonic Weapon buff, which lets you give 2 weapons +10d6 sonic damage(+5d6 extra sonic damage from your Dragonfire Inspiration). IE: Tiger Claw Warblades with Time Stands Still will love you. Tiger Claw Eternal Blades even more so.

EDIT: I just remembered. A pure Bard 10/LT 10 can also whip out the wonderful Dirge spell. What does Dirge do? I'm glad you asked. It's a spell that affects a 50ft area and lasts 1 round/CL per enemy. It deals 2 STR/DEX damage on a failed Fort Save every round. Big deal, right? It's [Sonic]. Sonic Might makes it 6d6 damage/round. It only allows SR. No saves. You just eat 6d6 a round and cry.

Myrmex
2009-06-25, 03:14 AM
Do you have to be level 20 to emo dirge people to death?

ZeroNumerous
2009-06-25, 03:15 AM
Do you have to be level 20 to emo dirge people to death?

Just level 16 since it's a 6th level spell.

Myrmex
2009-06-25, 03:17 AM
Is there a way to get access to dirge earlier, maybe with divine bard & archivist shenanigans? Cause having to wait until level 16 to break face with your sweet guitar riffs is a long wait, you know?

Emy
2009-06-25, 03:20 AM
(sonic isn't a valid choice for energy substitution)

Myrmex
2009-06-25, 03:22 AM
(sonic isn't a valid choice for energy substitution)

1 level of archmage, then. The problem is finding the feats.

ZeroNumerous
2009-06-25, 03:36 AM
(sonic isn't a valid choice for energy substitution)

Oh really now (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#energySubstitution)?


You choose one type of energy: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. When employing a spell with the acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic designator, you can modify the spell to use your chosen type of energy instead. The altered spell uses a spell slot of the spell’s normal level.

The altered spell works normally in all respects except the type of damage dealt.

Bolding mine. I used to think the same thing. Ironically, the SRD version doesn't even need Easy Metamagic but I added that for when DM say "That's ridiculous".


Is there a way to get access to dirge earlier, maybe with divine bard & archivist shenanigans? Cause having to wait until level 16 to break face with your sweet guitar riffs is a long wait, you know?

Creaking Cacophony is a 3rd level Bard spell that deals 3d6 with Sonic Might and adds Vulnerability to Sonic damage to everything in it's AoE. 40ft radius.

EDIT: For 4th level, we have Fugue. [Sonic] spell that with a DC 30 Perform check makes everyone in 30ft radius Nauseous. DC 35 and they're Stunned. Just make sure your allies don't start their turn in the AoE. So that's 4d6 damage/round, and you can't even escape it.

Starsinger
2009-06-25, 03:53 AM
{Scrubbed}

Emy
2009-06-25, 03:57 AM
That's the Deities and Demigods version, which is older than the Complete Arcane version. Complete Arcane takes precedence.

ZeroNumerous
2009-06-25, 04:06 AM
That's the Deities and Demigods version, which is older than the Complete Arcane version. Complete Arcane takes precedence.

Really? I didn't know Deities and Demigods was OGL. Learn something new everyday. Oh well.

Then I suppose it requires flaws to be useful. Though I could drop off Dragonfire Inspiration and it's associated feats along with Easy Metamagic(Energy Sub) and just eat the -1d6 penalty.

RagnaroksChosen
2009-06-25, 06:40 AM
Im a little disappointed expected some sort of early entry into one of the PRC's that allow you to blast with bardic music.

or a ton of bardic sonic dmg spells.

Gaiyamato
2009-06-25, 06:56 AM
Just so you know I have played that almost exact build and it is very solid.

I took Melodic Casting and used sing as my musical instrument.
I also used a "she" and called her Angry Enya. :P

Use some of the bard class options and alternate bardic music.
A blaster rarely bothers spending his time with inspire. lol.

But your build is very solid. It works amazingly well in practice.

Frosty
2009-06-25, 11:13 AM
Why not just grab a bow and max out Inspire Courage? +xd6 damage to each shot is great, and of course your rogue will love that +xd6 damage per hit too, where x is anywhere from 7 to 14 depending on if you can use Words of Creation or not.

No save, but you have to get past AC. Switch to normal inspiration against high AC enemies. If worried about BAB, go Bard/Warblade or Bard/Crusader.

Ratflail
2009-06-25, 11:18 AM
A true blaster bard is one who uses a Pipe Organ and vocals combo with Stormsinger and Seeker of the Song. This is a Bard based blaster.

Keld Denar
2009-06-25, 11:59 AM
Needs more Cowbell Alphorn....

Catch
2009-06-25, 12:41 PM
Why not just grab a bow and max out Inspire Courage? +xd6 damage to each shot is great, and of course your rogue will love that +xd6 damage per hit too, where x is anywhere from 7 to 14 depending on if you can use Words of Creation or not.

No save, but you have to get past AC. Switch to normal inspiration against high AC enemies. If worried about BAB, go Bard/Warblade or Bard/Crusader.

Because with Harmonizing weapon, you can let the blade concentrate on Inspire Courage for up to 10 rounds while you ear-bleed any foes with the amplified sonic damage spells. Even with only 6 bard levels, your IC will be at +5 / +5d6 which is good enough, especially since the build enables you to add 10d6 sonic to up to four weapons with Heightened Sonic Weapon.

Talya
2009-06-25, 01:00 PM
(sonic isn't a valid choice for energy substitution)

As a technicality, it could be argued that it is. It existed in 3.0, and 3.5 did not expressly disallow it. I can also see the argument that the feat was reprinted in 3.5 and did not include it, but omissions do not really override things that already existed.

ZeroNumerous
2009-06-25, 01:20 PM
A true blaster bard is one who uses a Pipe Organ and vocals combo with Stormsinger and Seeker of the Song. This is a Bard based blaster.

So ineffective versus useful. Nevermind the fact that I have 6 levels of Bard, every PrC is Bard-centric and advances Bardic Music and that the difference between a Blaster Bard and Bard-based Blaster is semantic.


Im a little disappointed expected some sort of early entry into one of the PRC's that allow you to blast with bardic music.

or a ton of bardic sonic dmg spells.

None of the bardic music damage PrCs are as useful as spells, which many of them delay or just stop using period. And yes, it's entirely possible to use only Bard 10/Lyric Thaumaturge 10 and still do a Bard Blaster. You won't get as much damage, but you'll still be effective.


Use some of the bard class options and alternate bardic music.
A blaster rarely bothers spending his time with inspire. lol.

I nicked Dragonfire Inspiration. All my allies in 30ft deal +5d6 sonic damage instead of +5 to hit/damage. It's a very important distinction. Add on to that my Harmonizing weapon(which keeps Dragonfire Inspiration going when I want to do something else) and you have a free buff that you have absolutely zero reason not to utilize.


No save, but you have to get past AC. Switch to normal inspiration against high AC enemies. If worried about BAB, go Bard/Warblade or Bard/Crusader.

Because I can do the same thing with Scorching Ray, and only have to hit Touch AC. Really though, the main reason is that arrows are so easily negated it isn't funny. Heck, a Monk 2 is immune to arrows until I hit 8th level. As such, I'd rather my only strategy not be negated by a spell or a 2nd level monk even if it is negated by a high Ref Save and a Ring of Evasion.

Ratflail
2009-06-25, 02:02 PM
So ineffective versus useful. Nevermind the fact that I have 6 levels of Bard, every PrC is Bard-centric and advances Bardic Music and that the difference between a Blaster Bard and Bard-based Blaster is semantic.
I never said it was powerful. But your build relies on using things that aren't Bardly, regardless of what PrCs you took. Hence, a Bard-based Blaster. I gave more or less the only possible Bardic blaster that stayed true to Bardliness; it focuses on using the Bard's music, not another classes spells. And mark my words, someone out there will be able to optimize what I described to be deadly. Unfortunately, that person is not me, so I cannot give you anything to prove it. I am not a very skilled optimizer, I am afraid. But free cookies to any who can do it.

Keld Denar
2009-06-25, 02:12 PM
What exactly is up with the DM shananigans you mentioned after Draconic Heritage? Is it the selecting of Battle Dragon? Or the complete and utter ignoring of the Sorcerer1 prereq?

Also, still needs more Alphorn.

Catch
2009-06-25, 02:32 PM
Is it the selecting of Battle Dragon? Or the complete and utter ignoring of the Sorcerer1 prereq?

This. Races of the Dragon lets you pick almost any dragon for the feat.

Eldariel
2009-06-25, 05:53 PM
Why not use the one thing Bards are good at as far as blasting goes; cheap Metamagic? With Metamagic Song, you can easily Metamagic lowlevel booms into Big Boomity Boom Booms. Sure, it's limited by your spell level, but thanks to Sublime Chord, that's 9 soon enough.

Then you can yell SONIC BOOM on top your lungs every time you launch a ball. Hell, toss in Born of Three Thunders, Quick Recovery and go to town with Electricity/Sonic spells. You can even further Energy Admixture them into a third element, all the while gaining Sonic Might-benefits.

Keld Denar
2009-06-25, 05:55 PM
Big Boomity Boom Booms

This...do this. Early and often!

Thurbane
2009-06-25, 06:07 PM
Actually, is there a list anywhere of dirtect-damage dealing Bard spells? Sonic Blast, Shout, Bone Fiddle etc.

Catch
2009-06-25, 07:04 PM
Actually, is there a list anywhere of dirtect-damage dealing Bard spells? Sonic Blast, Shout, Bone Fiddle etc.

With Sonic Might from Lyric Thaumaturge 5, any spell with the [Sonic] descriptor does 1d6/spell level sonic damage. So spells like Dirge deal damage in addition to Str/Dex damage and Greater Shout becomes a lot better.

Irreverent Fool
2009-06-25, 07:55 PM
The validity of sonic energy substitution has been argued many times on these boards. Given that it becomes a point of contention, I would introduce your DM to the sources available and point out Talya's statement and simply ask if it's allowed. Me, I'd probably allow it for a bard at least.

Because of this, the basic build has an issue. But otherwise it looks like fun.

obnoxious
sig

Darrin
2009-06-25, 11:20 PM
The validity of sonic energy substitution has been argued many times on these boards. Given that it becomes a point of contention, I would introduce your DM to the sources available and point out Talya's statement and simply ask if it's allowed. Me, I'd probably allow it for a bard at least.

Because of this, the basic build has an issue. But otherwise it looks like fun.


I've been noodling around a similar build... you can get around the Energy Substitution [sonic] with Born of Three Thunders. And you've got a decent chance to avoid the dazing with Quick Recovery (Lords of Madness).

Does your DM allow retraining feats? If so, then consider taking Favored/Primary Contact to get into Lyric Thaumaturge early. If your DM doesn't allow retraining, then the Dark Chaos Shuffle or Psychic Reformation can also be used to replace those two feats.

A good spell for Sonic Might is Sonic Snap with some metamagic to boost the spell level up, such as Maximize and/or Twin Spell. It does 1 hp automatically (Will save to avoid deafness, but damage is unavoidable... unfortunately SR=Yes). Add Sonic Might + Maximize and every spell level you can bump it up to does 6 hp.

If you're going the Born of Three Thunders route, another great spell for Sonic Might is a maximized energy-substituted Flame Dagger (the sorcerer/wizard version of Flame Blade). It lasts minutes/level, uses melee touch attacks, and even if you get dazed the next round, you get all that Sonic Might damage on every attack after that.

Otherwise, metamagic orbs are good.