Morph Bark
2011-10-09, 05:46 AM
- - - - - - - - - - INTRODUCTION, NOT REALLY RELEVANT - - - - - - - - - -
For the first time in ages, I am no longer just DMing all the time. For the first time in ages, I am again able to call myself a player.
I was the fourth person to roll ability scores (two players not yet present) and asked the god Dorona1 to bless the dice I would roll with.
And I instantly roll 17, 16, 14, 17, 17, 13. In that order. One of the other players, who has always optimized the most in my campaigns, immediately suggested point-buy after my second roll was higher than his highest (a 15).
After the other players arrived and thought up their characters, the party make-up right now is this:
Aasimar Incarnate
Dark Sun Elf Shadowcaster (as in Sun Elf with the Dark Creature template, using the Shadowcaster fix)
Dragonborn Goliath Barbarian/Frenzied Berzerker
Me, a Dark Deepwyrm Half-Elf Bard
Half-Vampire Changeling Warlock
[unknown race] Psion, unstatted due to player arriving very late
The Half-Vampire template has had its DR toned down by 1 and the Fast Healing does not work in daylight. I'm basically a Deepwyrm Half-Drow, except not a Drow, because Drow don't exist in the setting (Half-Drow do due to magical-accident-induced mutations and are bottom-class citizens). I felt the need to be a Half-Elf so I could take the Half-Elf Bard first level substitution level, making me the only one capable of keeping the Frenzied Berzerker in check. The others all have flight or teleportation, I'm the only one without.
So yeah, I think it's pretty clear now that none of us really talked among one another to see what we wanted to do and build a competent synergetic party. We just picked whatever we liked.
- - - - - - - - - - RELEVANT PART STARTS HERE - - - - - - - - - -
Problem is now that the Frenzied Berzerker is also our only real melee and I doubt our Warlock would like to get in the thick of it with an Eldritch Glaive. Our Incarnate will probably also be more of a skillmonkey (plus he can gain trapfinding).
Due to all Tier 1 classes being banned (our DM is most used to playing 4E and simply used the ban list I used for my last campaign (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10612184), which means no Tier 1 or Sorcerers) I probably won't be allowed to take Sublime Chord, but I haven't asked yet. Fochlucan Lyrist is also out, which is a shame. That leaves Lyric Thaumaturge (CM), Virtuoso (CAd), War Chanter (CW) or Seeker of the Song (CAr).
Or I could become a Bardblade, kill the Frenzied Berzerker and become our party's primary melee (the guy playing the Berzerker is already thinking of making a Spellthief, which I am also not fond of due to being the only spellcaster in the party and not knowing how many casters we'll face). Preferably not, since then I'd be next to the Frenzied Berzerker and still mostly boosting myself. Handy perhaps if I'm the only melee and thus don't overshadow the rest too much, but it might not be appreciated.
My build so far is the following:
Mozart "Mozzie" Osbourne
Dark Deepwyrm Half-Elf Bard 3
Str ?, Dex ?, Con ?, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha ?
ACFs: Bardic Knack replacing Bardic Knowledge, Soothing Voice (H-E sub level) replacing countersong
Flaw: Quarter Elf
Flaw: Shaky (forgot if dragonfire inspiration works with ranged, otherwise I might change this)
F: Nymph's Kiss (might change)
F: Jack of All Trades
1: Dragonfire Inspiration
3: Song of the Heart
6: ?
We start at level 8, so I got 5 more levels to fill out (LA is negated). Any suggestions? I of course plan on taking Words of Creation at either level 6 or 9, whenever my base Will save is high enough. I've already put one ability increase in my Int.
If I go Bardblade I figure my best course of action would be to get TWF, twin kukris, Blood in the Water, a lot of boost maneuvers and pounce. I could be wrong though, especially since this will be my first PC Bard.
Are there any ways to boost the casters in the party?
1Dorona is a character from our second campaign, a few years back, a Paladin//Cleric who managed to do and survive almost anything, through both ability and sheer luck. Since then he's been occassionally referenced as a god of justice, dragons and good luck. His player is the upcoming Aasimar Incarnate.
For the first time in ages, I am no longer just DMing all the time. For the first time in ages, I am again able to call myself a player.
I was the fourth person to roll ability scores (two players not yet present) and asked the god Dorona1 to bless the dice I would roll with.
And I instantly roll 17, 16, 14, 17, 17, 13. In that order. One of the other players, who has always optimized the most in my campaigns, immediately suggested point-buy after my second roll was higher than his highest (a 15).
After the other players arrived and thought up their characters, the party make-up right now is this:
Aasimar Incarnate
Dark Sun Elf Shadowcaster (as in Sun Elf with the Dark Creature template, using the Shadowcaster fix)
Dragonborn Goliath Barbarian/Frenzied Berzerker
Me, a Dark Deepwyrm Half-Elf Bard
Half-Vampire Changeling Warlock
[unknown race] Psion, unstatted due to player arriving very late
The Half-Vampire template has had its DR toned down by 1 and the Fast Healing does not work in daylight. I'm basically a Deepwyrm Half-Drow, except not a Drow, because Drow don't exist in the setting (Half-Drow do due to magical-accident-induced mutations and are bottom-class citizens). I felt the need to be a Half-Elf so I could take the Half-Elf Bard first level substitution level, making me the only one capable of keeping the Frenzied Berzerker in check. The others all have flight or teleportation, I'm the only one without.
So yeah, I think it's pretty clear now that none of us really talked among one another to see what we wanted to do and build a competent synergetic party. We just picked whatever we liked.
- - - - - - - - - - RELEVANT PART STARTS HERE - - - - - - - - - -
Problem is now that the Frenzied Berzerker is also our only real melee and I doubt our Warlock would like to get in the thick of it with an Eldritch Glaive. Our Incarnate will probably also be more of a skillmonkey (plus he can gain trapfinding).
Due to all Tier 1 classes being banned (our DM is most used to playing 4E and simply used the ban list I used for my last campaign (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10612184), which means no Tier 1 or Sorcerers) I probably won't be allowed to take Sublime Chord, but I haven't asked yet. Fochlucan Lyrist is also out, which is a shame. That leaves Lyric Thaumaturge (CM), Virtuoso (CAd), War Chanter (CW) or Seeker of the Song (CAr).
Or I could become a Bardblade, kill the Frenzied Berzerker and become our party's primary melee (the guy playing the Berzerker is already thinking of making a Spellthief, which I am also not fond of due to being the only spellcaster in the party and not knowing how many casters we'll face). Preferably not, since then I'd be next to the Frenzied Berzerker and still mostly boosting myself. Handy perhaps if I'm the only melee and thus don't overshadow the rest too much, but it might not be appreciated.
My build so far is the following:
Mozart "Mozzie" Osbourne
Dark Deepwyrm Half-Elf Bard 3
Str ?, Dex ?, Con ?, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha ?
ACFs: Bardic Knack replacing Bardic Knowledge, Soothing Voice (H-E sub level) replacing countersong
Flaw: Quarter Elf
Flaw: Shaky (forgot if dragonfire inspiration works with ranged, otherwise I might change this)
F: Nymph's Kiss (might change)
F: Jack of All Trades
1: Dragonfire Inspiration
3: Song of the Heart
6: ?
We start at level 8, so I got 5 more levels to fill out (LA is negated). Any suggestions? I of course plan on taking Words of Creation at either level 6 or 9, whenever my base Will save is high enough. I've already put one ability increase in my Int.
If I go Bardblade I figure my best course of action would be to get TWF, twin kukris, Blood in the Water, a lot of boost maneuvers and pounce. I could be wrong though, especially since this will be my first PC Bard.
Are there any ways to boost the casters in the party?
1Dorona is a character from our second campaign, a few years back, a Paladin//Cleric who managed to do and survive almost anything, through both ability and sheer luck. Since then he's been occassionally referenced as a god of justice, dragons and good luck. His player is the upcoming Aasimar Incarnate.