On Elan, Does Elan Have a Bard Variant Class, and TOOTS Average Level

[SowZ]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html

Since when do Bards suffer arcane failure from light armor? (We know he isn't already wearing armor by his, 'Good think I'm not wearing armor' statement earlier and his outfit was the same.)

And how many levels of Dashing Swordsman does Elan have? He has 14 levels in Bard alone right after the 'V goes crazy' story arc and that was a while ago. Elans level would be 14+Dashing swordsman levels+levels gained since the IFCC arc. Roy was the highest level party member at that time of his death, but he lost one due to rezzing and didn't gain levels during that time. Still, based on this knowledge, I'm thinking this party is almost at Epic range.

[Snails]

Most likely Roy gained levels, too.

If the DM bothers to do substantial role-playing in the afterlife, it would be perfectly sensible to earn XP in the afterlife.

That is not quite within the standard RAW, but neither is learning a feat from your long dead grandpa or doing a little adventuring around while dead.

[Morty]

I read it that armor interferes with the abilities of the Dashing Swordsman class, not the Bard class. He was wearing a chain shirt for a long time, after all.

[ORione]

I thought light armor does affect bardic spells. Did they change that in 3.5?

Now I understand why the change to 3.5 got Elan a chain shirt.

[Occasional Sage]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html

Since when do Bards suffer arcane failure from light armor? (We know he isn't already wearing armor by his, 'Good think I'm not wearing armor' statement earlier and his outfit was the same.)

And how many levels of Dashing Swordsman does Elan have? He has 14 levels in Bard alone right after the 'V goes crazy' story arc and that was a while ago. Elans level would be 14+Dashing swordsman levels+levels gained since the IFCC arc. Roy was the highest level party member at that time of his death, but he lost one due to rezzing and didn't gain levels during that time. Still, based on this knowledge, I'm thinking this party is almost at Epic range.

Clearly, you want the thread where people figure out character stats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131219).


I thought light armor does affect bardic spells. Did they change that in 3.5?

Now I understand why the change to 3.5 got Elan a chain shirt.

Bards may wear light armor without a chance of spell failure. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#arcaneSpellFailure)

[SowZ]

Clearly, you want the thread where people figure out character stats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131219).



Bards may wear light armor without a chance of spell failure. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#arcaneSpellFailure)

Yesh, the part about levels was mostly an aside. Did Elan's dashing swordsman trainer wear armor? A martial class that can't even wear light armor... That would make me sad.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Based on my own experiences with running in kevlar, I just assumed Elan was happy to avoid any movement penalties... Dont have my books handy, so I dont know if that would be a problem here though.

[SowZ]

Based on my own experiences with running in kevlar, I just assumed Elan was happy to avoid any movement penalties... Dont have my books handy, so I dont know if that would be a problem here though.

Elan likes being as close to naked as possible, but he specifically states armor restricts class abilities. ?

[Whiffet]

I just assumed he was talking about his Dashing Swordsman class. It makes sense. They would be less agile wearing armor, so they wouldn't be able to put on quite as impressive a show while fighting.

[Zevox]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html

Since when do Bards suffer arcane failure from light armor?
They don't. I'm pretty sure the class features he's referring to are his Dashing Swordsman abilities - I think there was mention of armor interfering with those, though I'm having trouble locating it.


And how many levels of Dashing Swordsman does Elan have? He has 14 levels in Bard alone right after the 'V goes crazy' story arc and that was a while ago.
Actually, he had 13 levels in Bard at that point (Bards get their first 5th-level spells and a new 4th-level spell at 13, and can only swap spells at even levels, hence his reference to doing that next level). As for Dashing Swordsman, probably just one, but we don't have specific evidence one way or the other.


Still, based on this knowledge, I'm thinking this party is almost at Epic range.
Level 14-15 is hardly "almost epic." That would be more 18+, at least.

Zevox

[Esprit15]

Yesh, the part about levels was mostly an aside. Did Elan's dashing swordsman trainer wear armor? A martial class that can't even wear light armor... That would make me sad.
He didn't appear to be wearing any armor. I guess it makes sense if it is for dashing swordsman. The class doesn't seem like one that would wear armor. It's dashing swordsman, not knight in shining armor.

EDIT: Alternatively, he could have been offered medium or heavier armor.

[VanBuren]

Perhaps Dashing Swordsman gets some kind of CHA bonus to AC to compensate.

[SowZ]

He didn't appear to be wearing any armor. I guess it makes sense if it is for dashing swordsman. The class doesn't seem like one that would wear armor. It's dashing swordsman, not knight in shining armor.

EDIT: Alternatively, he could have been offered medium or heavier armor.

The line was, 'Armor interferes' but it could have been a contexual thing, sure. I just doubt it. Especially since the shopkeeper had just sold light armor to Haley and didn't have any armor in his hands but asked a general question to Elan.

[Dr.Epic]

Since when do Bards suffer arcane failure from light armor? (We know he isn't already wearing armor by his, 'Good think I'm not wearing armor' statement earlier and his outfit was the same.)

I think what Elan meant was most armor interferes with his class features since it's only light armor, and medium and heavy hurt him.

[Steward]

Isn't this a guy who thought that he was invisible as long as he was naked? I'm not sure we should be taking his advice as Gospel when it comes to the way armor rules work.

[Esprit15]

Isn't this a guy who thought that he was invisible as long as he was naked? I'm not sure we should be taking his advice as Gospel when it comes to the way armor rules work.

A very valid point though his sudden spike in intelligence seems to imply that he seems to know his stuff to some degree.

[Steward]

A very valid point though his sudden spike in intelligence seems to imply that he seems to know his stuff to some degree.

I agree he's a lot smarter, but he can still make some mistakes and -- more likely -- speak in generalities. Armor in general does interfere with arcane spellcasting and can limit his dexterity. There are some kinds of armor that wouldn't but those don't make up the majority of what might be offered in an armory.

[Treblain]

He did wear a chain shirt earlier in the comic. He wasn't wearing armor at the time because Nale took his armor in Cliffport, and evidently never bothered to change back into it later, because he went through a costume switch. Elan's dramatic instincts told him that costume changes are more important than protection.

[Mutant Sheep]

He did wear a chain shirt earlier in the comic. He wasn't wearing armor at the time because Nale took his armor in Cliffport, and evidently never bothered to change back into it later, because he went through a costume switch. Elan's dramatic instincts told him that costume changes are more important than protection.

That's basic plot armor that is. Same way anyone who wears a HELMET in WAR is gonna get shot in the face, whereas the helmetless people charge machine gun nests without a scratch.:smallbiggrin:

[King of Nowhere]

I suppose armor would interfere with the dashing swordsman skills because it's more badass to figth unarmored. It looks cool. Stuff like that. The dashing swordsman is mostly about posturing.

[Occasional Sage]

Yesh, the part about levels was mostly an aside. Did Elan's dashing swordsman trainer wear armor? A martial class that can't even wear light armor... That would make me sad.

You mean like the Duelist (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/duelist.htm)?

[Ryzorrin]

Duelist class makes me sad. It's kind of like Swashbuckler, which also makes me sad.

[SowZ]

You mean like the Duelist (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/duelist.htm)?

Duelist is good for a dip with certain builds unless you don't care about optimizing.

[137beth]

Meh, no one said that dashing swordsmen had to be the best class in the game (or even vary good.) Just that it is better at fighting than a bard.

[Occasional Sage]

Duelist is good for a dip with certain builds unless you don't care about optimizing.

Not advocating it. Just pointing it out as a melee PrC without armor.

[Rougn]

I see it as its because he is a Dashing Swordsmen. It is his job to be a sexy male swordsmen who does dramatic entries. If he was loaded down with platemail he might not be able to do his cool rolls and flips and tricks. It would be too heavy.

So instead he dresses to impress. Dashing Swordsmen most likely gives a parrying and evasion buff to counter the armor.