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View Full Version : How would you tweak this Level 20 Bard?



Corey
2010-02-26, 11:02 AM
Bertram the Bard (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=186620) is built with a nice spell progression I cribbed from elsewhere. And he has a Level 18 Druid cohort. I've tried to optimize him for diplomacy, buffing, and whatever else is useful in combat -- e.g., debuff, save or die, whatever.

But I'm not doing well at sorting out the Level 7-9 spells, and I may well have made other oversights as well.

Thoughts?

Pluto
2010-02-26, 12:29 PM
Why Sacred Vow?

You don't qualify for Words of Creation.

Jack of All Trades and Bardic Knack technically don't work together, (but JoAT technically doesn't do anything, so talk to your DM.)

Doesn't the Masterwork lute penalize the damage and will bonuses from IC? It looks like you're ignoring that.

For level 9 spells, I like Shapechange and Replicate Casting. New abilities are neat. Ice Assassin also has a lot of potential, even without outright abuse.

I'd swap True Strike for Nerveskitter in most cases. TS means eating a standard action to land an attack roll and you only have a handful of spells that will use attacks. Nerveskitter means just that much of an edge in acting before your opponents. High level D&D is rocket-launcher tag. It helps to go first.

Along the same principle, Moment of Prescience is probably required in a level 8 slot.

I'm not sure I see why you have Crushing Hand (9th level) instead of Grasping Hand (7th level and basically the same). 9th level spells can go to things like Timestop, Maw of Chaos, Shades and such.

Corey
2010-02-26, 12:40 PM
Oh, crumb. You're right about Words of Creation. Should be an easy tweak to the stats.

I don't agree about Jack of All Trades/Bardic Knack. One says you can use 10 in place of your number of ranks of the skill, whatever it is. The other says you can make checks as if trained. No conflict.

I don't understand your MW Lute question/comment.

TS is in there because I'm playing the Arcane Spellsurge game. Ranged Spell turns a couple of Level 7 touch attacks into Ranged Touch. And I'm a spontaneous caster. So TS and the ranged touch attack can hit the same turn.

Perhaps I can also put it in the spell matrix, admittedly at the cost of something else that could usefully be made into a swift action.

Otherwise it's an emergency fallback for when spells can't get through.

But yeah -- I may be underrating Nerveskitter.

Corey
2010-02-26, 12:42 PM
Good idea on Shapechange.

What's that creature that gets a free Limited Wish once in a while? :)

Corey
2010-02-26, 02:16 PM
Actually, moving True Strike to a wand plays at least as nicely with Arcane Spellsurge. It gives something else to do with the standard actions. :)

Corey
2010-02-26, 03:09 PM
Tweaks have been made.

Still looking to fill one 8th level spot.

I'll recheck the math on encumbrance, given that light load is down to 23 pounds and I have him carrying 15 pounds of armor/shield plus Haversack (2 pounds), longsword (4), bow, arrows, and magical clothing.

The sword is the least useful.

Edit: Oh crumb. The Haversack is really 5 pounds. Then that STR is just too low.

Corey
2010-02-28, 04:56 AM
I've tweaked a fair amount. :smallbiggrin:

Ranis
2010-02-28, 08:32 AM
How did you add +6 con and +5 natural armor to a periapt of proof vs. poison?

mostlyharmful
2010-02-28, 10:52 AM
you can add set mechanical bonuses to items with the rules from the Magic Item Compendium.

And it's the Zodar that gets you a supernatural Wish ability for shapechange, good luck getting a DM to eat that one though.

I'd through in some more save boosters, Ioun stones, etc... grab the MIC and trawl through for low cost bonuses from the random types (sacred, competence, luck, insight, etc..)

I also note that several of your item slots don't have anything in them, bracers of archery if you ever use that banishing bow are a good bet, Crystal Mask of Mind-armour on the face for +10 Will save, etc...)

Quirp
2010-02-28, 11:27 AM
For the 8th level spell I would recommend either Maze, Mind Blank or (my favorite) Sunburst (80ft. radius SoS/SoL (against vampires SoD) plus minor damage; I like it)

Corey
2010-02-28, 08:12 PM
And it's the Zodar that gets you a supernatural Wish ability for shapechange, good luck getting a DM to eat that one though.

I'd through in some more save boosters, Ioun stones, etc... grab the MIC and trawl through for low cost bonuses from the random types (sacred, competence, luck, insight, etc..)

I also note that several of your item slots don't have anything in them, bracers of archery if you ever use that banishing bow are a good bet, Crystal Mask of Mind-armour on the face for +10 Will save, etc...)

Thanks re the Zodar!

Good idea re the Ioun Stones; there are some sweet ones. But how do you think they'd work with Disguise Self kinds of magic, in windy environments, etc.?

Crystal Masks. I need to recheck those.

Edit: Actually only +4 to Will. Still, that's not chopped liver.