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Tyger
2009-12-21, 08:47 PM
Level 5, Dragonfire Inspiration bard, heading toward Snowflake Wardance at 6th level. Current toys include:

Healing Belt
Badge of Valour
Handy Haversack
Mithril Chain Shirt and Buckler

I am going to be getting a Crystal Echoblade shortly. Any other thoughts, other than the obligatory "Increase your CHA as soon as you can"?

Rasman
2009-12-21, 08:52 PM
what is your preform type?

is it a musical insturment or is it more of an oratory style?

if it's an intsturment, then I would look at getting one with some nice abilities...

...there's one in particular I remeber from the MIC that basically helps you build ANYTHING building wise. I think it was a Lyre of some sort, but don't quote me on that.

Cape of the Monteblank (wrong spelling, but close enough) is every RP bard's best friend. Make a dramatic speech or put on an amazing preformace...or a really bad one...and use it to pull a Siegfried and Roy and vanish before your auidence for an excellent finale.

There's also a handful of things in ToB that you might like, I can't remember them off hand because I'm at work and I blew up the computer that had all my PDFs on it, but I know I researched a lot for a bard before I decided on Monk for my Pathfinder Campaign. I think you MIGHT get some use of out Crown of the White Raven.

d13
2009-12-21, 09:02 PM
AFB at the moment, but I *think* the ToB thing, being something around some levels in Warblade and the feat(?) Song of the White Raven.

Xzeno
2009-12-21, 09:08 PM
...there's one in particular I remeber from the MIC that basically helps you build ANYTHING building wise. I think it was a Lyre of some sort, but don't quote me on that.

Lyre of [construction? Building? Dunno.] is in the DMG. Great item.

BenTheJester
2009-12-21, 09:31 PM
I wouldn't worry about Snowflake Wardance actually.

Dragonfire Inspiration works better with TWF which requires really high dex, so you're better off with just Weapon Finesse, unless you really want that +2-3 to damage.

Ormur
2009-12-21, 11:17 PM
Slippers of Battledancing for Cha to attack rolls and damage, plus 10ft movement and 5 in tumble. It's probably too expensive for level 5 at 33,75k but start saving up and investing in perform: dance.

It's lyre of building by the way, fun but I can't imagine using it much in normal combat since it still take half an hour to build something.

Tyger
2009-12-22, 07:49 AM
I wouldn't worry about Snowflake Wardance actually.

Dragonfire Inspiration works better with TWF which requires really high dex, so you're better off with just Weapon Finesse, unless you really want that +2-3 to damage.


Snowflake Wardance works just fine with TWF too. :smallsmile: And yes, that is the plan. Dragonfire Inspiration for an additional 4d6 damage, then Dex and Cha to my to hit rolls, while wielding paired Crystal Echoblades, so half bard level to damage. The Wardance basically takes away my penalties from TWFing, and adds a little bit on top of it.

When the time comes, add in Slippers of Battledancing as Ormur pointed out, to add CHA to hit again and to damage as well. :)

EDIT: And yes, the Lyre of Building is interesting, and certainly a great RP device for a certain type of bard, but I can't see my particular bard going that route.

Thrice Dead Cat
2009-12-22, 07:51 AM
Grab a wand of creaking cacophony (Bard Spell, doubles sonic damage to everyone not immune to it in the area) and sub out the damage type from Dragonfire Inspiration.

Tyger
2009-12-22, 10:28 AM
Grab a wand of creaking cacophony (Bard Spell, doubles sonic damage to everyone not immune to it in the area) and sub out the damage type from Dragonfire Inspiration.

Now that is interesting. What book is Creaking Cacophony in? I don't recall seeing it before.

Though my feats are pretty much spoken for until level 12, so subbing out the damage type from fire, while eminently a great idea, is not easily obtainable just yet.

Signmaker
2009-12-22, 10:33 AM
Vest of Legends. Expensive at 12(?)000 gp, but you're treated as a good 4-5 bard levels higher for the purposes of inspiration. Consider it for your 'to-do' list, not necessarily for now.

As for cheaper gear, depending on your party setup, Spellsight Spectacles. But that's only if you're lacking a proficient divine caster. Otherwise, a wand of Benign Transposition, because the best thing a bard can do when they're not superbuffing the party is getting the party where they need to be.

@Tyger Isn't there a 5000 gp ritual where you change your base dragon for all dragon-related effects? Some useful possibilities arise from that.

Tyger
2009-12-22, 11:01 AM
Vest of Legends. Expensive at 12(?)000 gp, but you're treated as a good 4-5 bard levels higher for the purposes of inspiration. Consider it for your 'to-do' list, not necessarily for now.

As for cheaper gear, depending on your party setup, Spellsight Spectacles. But that's only if you're lacking a proficient divine caster. Otherwise, a wand of Benign Transposition, because the best thing a bard can do when they're not superbuffing the party is getting the party where they need to be.

@Tyger Isn't there a 5000 gp ritual where you change your base dragon for all dragon-related effects? Some useful possibilities arise from that.

Good call on the Vest of Legends. Yes, its way out of my range at the moment, but something to plan for! :) +5 to Perform and Diplomacy is great, but +5 to Bard levels for a bunch of things, including Inspire Courage? Check!

And yes on the ritual, I forgot about that. Gold is always easier to get than feats! I'll have to re-read my Dragon Magic when I get home. Good tip!

Lysander
2009-12-22, 11:21 AM
A mundane disguise kit! You have the Cha for it.

El Dorado
2009-12-22, 11:26 AM
Hat of disguise. Always be perfectly attired!

Zom B
2009-12-22, 11:32 AM
Hat of disguise. Always be perfectly attired!

It's amazing that an item so cheap can be so darn useful.

Tyger
2009-12-22, 11:35 AM
It's amazing that an item so cheap can be so darn useful.

And so often overlooked. I completely forgot about this item. Hmmm... now if I get it, that'll mean holding off on the Crystal Echoblade. But this fits so darned well its not even funny. Might need to pick it up and say the hell with the sword.

Darcand
2009-12-22, 11:41 AM
How about a Headband of the Lorebinder. 1600gp nets you +4 on all knowledge checks and read magic 3/day. It's the entry right before Healing Belt in the MIC.

Thrice Dead Cat
2009-12-22, 12:29 PM
Now that is interesting. What book is Creaking Cacophony in? I don't recall seeing it before.

Though my feats are pretty much spoken for until level 12, so subbing out the damage type from fire, while eminently a great idea, is not easily obtainable just yet.

Creaking Cacophony is in Spell Compendium. It may have been originally printed in Complete Adventurer, but I am unable to verify that, so just crack the good ole SpC.

Luckily, if you do decide to go the Sonic boom route of Draconic Inspiration, most enemies you face shouldn't be immune to fire until around that level anyhow, so you'll just have to deal with the lesser, yet still practical, damage output until that point.

Although, if the primary arcane caster in your party is using Combust (also from SpC) and subing out the damage to sonic somehow, you could justify buying the wand early and just use it on their behalf till you get your own sonic boom online.

Tyger
2009-12-22, 12:51 PM
Well, I'm AFB at the moment, but if Creaking Cacophany works as you suggest, it'll have double value. The Crystal Echoblade does sonic damage equal to half one's bardic level. As this is a very low optimization game, I'll likely be straight bard until 10 at least. So that's 5 damage, per sword, per hit, doubled. If my Dragonfire doubles as well, that's an obsene amount of damage for a bard to dish out, and the party will literally steamroll everything we meet. :) Our DM will have to ramp it up some, which, based on our last encounter, he is more than prepared to do, and with decent tactics too!

This just sounds better and better.