How do I keep my Inspire Courage increasing on a Bard/Sublime Chord?

[AzazelSephiroth]

Wow my second post in one day! A new personal best :smallcool:

I am working on rebuilding a Warblade1/Bard9/Sublime Chord2 and was wondering how do I keep my inspire courage etc increasing while I level in Sublime Chord? Is it possible? I would love to continue to be an amazing IC/DFI bard that can now use some higher level spells!

I also know there are some awesome Sublime Chord builds out there but my search-Fu is very weak, would anyone be able to point me in the right direction? Thanks Bunches you guys rock!

[eggs]

Other prestige classes to simultaneously advance music and casting.

Bard X/Virtuoso 1-2/Sublime Chord 2/Virtuoso X is standard.
Some Fochlucan Lyrist Builds are kind of nifty.

That said, class levels really aren't all that big of a deal in IC builds. The opportunity cost for each +1 is pretty steep.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Standard Sublime Cord builds have you ditch Sublime Cord like a Hand of Vecna as soon as possible. For most, thats 2 levels. After that, as long as you take a PrC that advances your Bard/Psuedo-Sorc casting fully, your doing fine. Virtouso is a good suggestion, in my opinion, since you still want to be a Bard instead of Sorcerer with Bard flavoring. I'd generally avoid taking more Warblade levels once you reach Sublime Cord (or anyting that doesn't continue casting for that matter) as it will make you lose a whole spell level, which is bad. But if your ok with just 8ths, you can take a high level Warblade re-dip to get mid/high level maneuvers.

[Jeff the Green]

That said, class levels really aren't all that big of a deal in IC builds. The opportunity cost for each +1 is pretty steep.

This, basically. You're much better off putting resources into equipment (vest of legend, badge of valor, a masterwork trumpet a la Song and Silence) to boost your IC/DFI than class levels. Virtuoso is good, even better if you take the first level before level ten so you get full Sublime Chord casting. Depending on what else you're up to, other casting classes can be good too. I'm fond of Dread Witch to take advantage of the 4-9 level fear spells SC can pick up.

[AzazelSephiroth]

Thanks for the replys so soon!
Okay so Virtuoso will allow me to continue my bardy-ness and it still increases my spell casting? So for examples after the 2 sublime chord levels it will allow me to still get 4-9 level spells?

[Jeff the Green]

Thanks for the replys so soon!
Okay so Virtuoso will allow me to continue my bardy-ness and it still increases my spell casting? So for examples after the 2 sublime chord levels it will allow me to still get 4-9 level spells?

Yep. A Warblade 1/Bard 6/Virtuoso1/Bard2/Sublime Chord 2/Virtuoso 8 Will cast as a level 8 bard, a level 10 sublime chord, and have the inspire courage of a level 17 bard (plus 1 use and Song of Arcane Power from SC).