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Obscurejones
2010-01-18, 01:03 AM
I've got an idea for a NG bard based on the idea of the bard as a wandering rake that I've been meaning to use. The problem is I have no idea what feats or PRC to give him.
The idea itself is simple. A bard who works hard to be charming without using the charm spell. And who only casts spells through music.

Temotei
2010-01-18, 01:52 AM
I've got an idea for a NG bard based on the idea of the bard as a wandering rake that I've been meaning to use. The problem is I have no idea what feats or PRC to give him.
The idea itself is simple. A bard who works hard to be charming without using the charm spell. And who only casts spells through music.

Sad. I was going to suggest sublime chord until I read the last two sentences.

ShneekeyTheLost
2010-01-18, 01:53 AM
Melodic Caster is a feat you want, uses Perform checks as the somatic component of his spells, and replaces Concentration checks with Perform checks.

Bards don't need the Charm spell to be charming... Facinate and Suggestion both come with the Bardic Music package. Simply keeping Diplomacy maxed will also do the same thing.

For the 'evil' side of this character, and you are free to steal some of the same tricks, look up the Joker Bard in my sig. Good stuff.

Signmaker
2010-01-18, 01:58 AM
Seeker of the Song? You're 1 level away from one of the best spelljamming abilities in the game. Also, lots of singing.

Draz74
2010-01-18, 02:11 AM
Yeah, the game all but says that all Bards cast through their music (example: cannot use their spells with Silent Spell or Silent Metamagic Rod). And with the excellent Melodic Casting feat, you have even more reason to justify all your spells as being song results.

But if you're wanting to give up your spell progression in order to obtain more (and flashier) magic results from your Bardic Music uses, that's pretty much a perfect description of the Seeker of the Song PrC.

Also, the number one splatbook thing that all Bards should take (whether they emphasize melee, skillmonkeying, singing, or casting) is the Improvisation spell from Spell Compendium. Followed closely by the Badge of Valor from Magic Item Compendium, a cheap item that makes their singing effects +1.

Obscurejones
2010-01-18, 02:18 AM
Addendum: Just realized this will probably change the advice I get. He doesn't have a party. He adventures solo.

ShneekeyTheLost
2010-01-18, 03:02 AM
Addendum: Just realized this will probably change the advice I get. He doesn't have a party. He adventures solo.

So you are wanting a Party of One in a Bard.

First off, you will need some Cure spells, or access to magic items for healing.

Second, you will need to be able to either handle or evade physical combat. There are options for each, depending on which you prefer.

Third, you will likely want to go Sublime Chord so you have access to nifty higher-end spells than you would normally get.

Fourth, you will need the Detect Traps spell, and a wand of Knock.

Mongoose87
2010-01-18, 03:11 AM
Actually, if you think about it, solo really nullifies any need for optimization. With a decent DM, the campaign will be balanced versus your character's abilities, so, there's no need to be super-amazing and force your DM to come up with more difficult encounters.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2010-01-18, 03:40 AM
At that level, a Bard could easily do everything. Definitely use Sublime Chord, probably grab Mindbender 1 for Mindsight, definitely dip Spellthief 1 for Trapfinding and maybe get Master Spellthief for caster level shenanigans. Take Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) and get a Fleshraker, get Obtain Familiar and Improved Familiar for an outsider that can be Polymorphed into a Kelvezu or Arrow Demon, and maybe even pick up Leadership if you can get something cool like a Dvati Crusader.

For the build itself I'd probably go something like (Savage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) ) Bard 7/ Spellthief 1/ Warblade 1/ Mindbender 1/ Sublime Chord 2/ Divine Oracle 4/ Abjurant Champion 4, and play it primarily as a buffer and crowd controller in combat. Definitely use Melodic Casting, and definitely use tricks like the Frog God's Fane for the Skill Focus prerequisite for Divine Oracle. Master Spellthief and Sublime Chord's methods of determining caster level are kind of tricky, but you should end up adding your spellthief level, twice your bard+mindbender level, and twice your sublime chord+other prcs level to determine your total caster level for all spells. At level 15 it should start at 27, and increase by two points every time you gain another level. Be sure to take Song of the White Raven to get 8th level Inspire Courage. Also consider using two flaws and/or the Chaos Shuffle since it is a bit feat intensive. Wild Elf will probably be the best race to use if you can Chaos Shuffle, otherwise I'd go with a small size race.

Soranar
2010-01-18, 03:57 AM
alright well you're alone so you should get all the protection you can get

so take armored caster (and get yourself a shield made of mithril ASAP)

now for a fun synergy (instead of taking a PrC)

1 level of cleric (Sun and Plant domain)

+ the sacred performer feat (your bard and cleric level stack for music and turning power, you need to have turn undead and bardic music first so you can't take it level 1)

sun= 1/day,creatures turned are destroyed instead
plant=turn plants, add nature knowledge to your skills

reasoning: plants and undead are immune to mind-affecting spells (nearly everything you do is mind-affecting)

since you solo, you'll be stronger than everything and you'll turn everything with your high charisma score + you get medium/heavy armor proficiency for free to work with armored caster

you can take additional feats to add domains that able you to turn elementals (1 for each type) but I don't recommend it (too expensive in feats)

besides undead and plants are really common

finally seeker of the song would work well for you (sing for fire and other pyrotechnic effects)

and the feat words of creation double any singing feat (you become fatigued but there are ways around that)