Is there a viable (tier 4/3+) class based around dancing?

[Con_Brio1993]

I'm looking to play a dancer in an upcoming campaign, and was wondering if there are any viable classes with that gimmick. I don't care if it is mundane or magical, though I'd prefer magic. The party is most likely going to be tier 4-3, though the DM has not forbidden higher tier classes.

If there is no such class, is there any class that can be reflavored easily as a dancer?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you. :smallsmile:

[hydraa]

don't know the tier but kingdom of kalamar stealth and style has the basarian dancer.
gets spontaneous arcane spell casting to 6th level spells

[Sgt. Cookie]

Bard?

Gonna require some refluffing, but it could work.

[Con_Brio1993]

Bard?

Gonna require some refluffing, but it could work.

I was actually thinking about Bard as a backup.

[danzibr]

I was actually thinking about Bard as a backup.
Well you can do Perform (dance). I personally am a big fan Bards. What kind of role are you looking to fill?

[Ernir]

Bard. Tie bells to your ankles or something to make it audible. Or tap-dance.

There is the Battle Dancer class in the Dragon Compendium, but it's... not very good. Possibly a bit better than a PHB Monk, but it's somewhere on the Tier 4/5 border, I'd say.

[Elfinor]

The Battle Dancer (Dragon Compendium) is a base class that I would say is roughly Tier 4.

Dervish (CW), Shadowdancer (DMG), Cloaked Dancer (CS) and Spelldancer (Magic of Faerun, 3.0) are dance themed Prestige Classes.

[Eldariel]

Perform: Dance is a legal Perform-skill for Bards. There's no need for any trickery; Bard is precisely what you want straight out of Core. If you want more Dance-specific ability, there's Snowflake War Dance in Frostburn, but pure plain Bard does precisely what you want and happens to be a magical tier 3 class.

[Telonius]

One big problem is that it's kind of hard to find a decent class chassis with Perform on the skill list. Bard (good), Factotum (good), Rogue (decent), Monk (:smallyuk:), Marshal (:smallsigh:), OA Samurai (3.0 material...), Aristocrat (ugh NPC), Expert (ugh NPC), and Truenamer (ugh worse than NPC) are the only ones that get it straight out. There are a few classes that get it through racial substitution levels or class variants, but they're usually either for classes that typically dump charisma (Cleric, Druid) or are for Monk. If you want dancing to be anything more than background fluff, you'll have to take one of those classes to be at all decent at the skill.

Bard (especially with Snowflake Wardance), Dervish, and the Exemplar PrC are the only builds I'm aware of where high ranks in Perform will actually give you some class benefit.

Bard->Dirgesinger (Libris Mortis) is good for Thriller-style zombie fighting.

Unarmed Swordsage could be refluffed as a capoeira-style "dancer." That particular fighting style was originally a way to surreptitiously train people while seeming like a dance. Really, quite a lot of melee styles could be refluffed to incorporate dance, especially lightly-armored things like Rogues or Swashbucklers.

For a non-standard idea ... how about Wu Jen? One of the Taboos could be, must practice dancing for some amount of time per day, or must make a Perform (dance) check before casting any spell in combat.

[Pilo]

About Kingdoms of Klamath, the dancer is in fact very close to the sorcerer except the following:

The spells you cast have no verbal component.
The spells you cast can't be affected by static metamagic (you should dance to cast).
You can cast one spell less by day of all level.
(ex: First level: 4 0-level spells and 2 1-level spells per day;
Fifth level : 5 0-level spells, 5 1-level spells and 3 2-level spells per day)

You add perform(Dance) to your class skill.
You don't get a familiar, i think you get something instead but without the book I can't remember.

So Kingdom of Klamath Dancer is a tier 2 class.

[Feralventas]

Dawnflower Dervish (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/dawnflower-dervish)

Dervish Dancer (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/dervish-dancer)

Both of which are Pathfinder though, so not sure if that'll work for you.

A mix of Battle-Dancer, Bard, and Dervish would net you some spellcasting, lots of skill points, mobility as a combatant and a fair amount of use out of your charisma.

[Con_Brio1993]

About Kingdoms of Klamath, the dancer is in fact very close to the sorcerer except the following:

The spells you cast have no verbal component.
The spells you cast can't be affected by static metamagic (you should dance to cast).
You can cast one spell less by day of all level.
(ex: First level: 4 0-level spells and 2 1-level spells per day;
Fifth level : 5 0-level spells, 5 1-level spells and 3 2-level spells per day)

You add perform(Dance) to your class skill.
You don't get a familiar, i think you get something instead but without the book I can't remember.

So Kingdom of Klamath Dancer is a tier 2 class.

Yeah, this seems exactly like what I want.

Either this or the Bard, depending on party needs.

[limejuicepowder]

dervish PrC with early levels of bard and/or scout is pretty awesome - though very feat intensive. Can easily bang out a couple hundred damage per round, with great mobility.

[Bard for Kicks]

I'm not so sure a dervish would be tier 3/4...it isn't as good as it seems.
Why not the bard? Slippers of Battledancing spec bards are so fun to play.

[Averis Vol]

theres a fighter variant in Champions of valor that gets dance as a class skill and can feint off of its perform dance rather then its bluff, so, thats an option.

my 2 cents.

[Psyren]

Dawnflower Dervish (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/dawnflower-dervish)

Dervish Dancer (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/dervish-dancer)

Both of which are Pathfinder though, so not sure if that'll work for you.

A mix of Battle-Dancer, Bard, and Dervish would net you some spellcasting, lots of skill points, mobility as a combatant and a fair amount of use out of your charisma.

This; port the dancing bards back to 3.5 and you easily get a T3 dancing character.

If T4 is your aim Battle Dancer can get you there.

[togapika]

Basiran Dancer, Kingdoms of Kalamar Stealth and Style is exactly what you want.

[Man in Black]

I suppose it depends on how you wish to dance, and how creative you can be with describing your character actions. Be a little less Meta than OOTS, and you can get these examples:

An Elven dancer, graceful on the battlefield, twirling her rapier around her wrist and deftly avoiding any strike that comes near her as though leading those around her, even her opponents, in a dance at the Prom. - Fighter with high Dex, Dodge, and related feats.
A seductive dancer, able to cloud the minds of those around her, drawing attention away from what they're looking at or even putting them to sleep with the beauty of her movements - Sorcerer or Wizard.
A being who moves with the grace of a dance, allowing him to gracefully avoid traps and move his hands so casually that he can search anything without leaving a trace - Thief.

[Dagian]

I will share with you that I am playing a dancer and having MUCH fun with it :)

Not min/maxed, but created for flavor and advanced per story line versus optimization:
5 levels of Rogue, 3 of Human Paragon, 1 of fighter, and some levels in a homebrew prestige class that gives some feats. The abilities and feats go well together and give her a fighting style that fits with a dancer, as well as a decent AC (providing I'm not grappled... ) GM did not like the Battle Dancer class. Too "Crouching Tiger"....

STR 15, DEX 20, CON 16, INT 16, WIS 10, CHA 18 (rolled, added +2 to Dex from Human Paragon, +1 each to STR, CON, INT from leveling)

Feats:
Improved Unarmed Strike, Combat Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Deadly Defense, Improved Feint, Dodge, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike) Weapon Specialization (unarmed strike), Versatile Unarmed Strike, Melee Weapon Mastery (slashing)

Skills (highlights only):
Bluff 21 (13 ranks, 4 mod, +4 from Prestige class); Tumble 22 (15 ranks, +2 synergy from Jump, +5 mod); Jump 14; Perform (dance) 14; Hide 13; Move Silently 12; Sense Motive 15

Items:
Amulet of Mighty Fists, bracers +3, Ring of Protection +2, dimension stride anklet (modded from boots; same body slot but fit the character better), shiftweave (magically shifts between 5 outfits), handy haversack (keep the load light, so no encumbrance penalty), War Fan +1, +2 composite shortbow; +2 STR. GM has decreed that magic armor is not common in this world (homebrew), but has agreed that the augmentation crystals for armor can be used on bracers, so I have a greater crystal of glancing blows to help me avoid being grappled.

Maxing Bluff helps me feint in combat (move action due to Improved Feint), thus denying them Dex to AC and applying Sneak Attack damage. Sense Motive helps that not happen to me :)
Tumble gives extra dodge bonus when fighting defensvely - it's in the PH, but more written in Oriental Adventures.

BAB at level 13: only a 9, but my attack bonus to hit someone with unarmed strike (slashing) is an 18 without CE. The other 'flavor' weapon I have is the war fan (+15; 1d6+5, x3) and a shortbow for ranged.

my damage with unarmed strike (slashing):
1d3+7 unarmed (crit 2d3+14) +1d6 from Deadly Defense (I fight as a standard with CE 2), and potentially 3d6 sneak attack (I typically feint in combat to deny them their dex - and the descriptions of how it's done lend a lot of 'dancer' flavor)
normal damage range with DD and SA: 12-34

Adding an item or a spellcasting class that can give you Blade of Blood (PH2) adds 1d6, or 3d6 if you are willing to take some damage. 1d3+7+7d6 = not friendly.

With no spells on me, I have AC 26; 27 vs my designated dodge opponent.

Future: Thinking about Dervish; thought about cloaked dancer, but the story arc is taking me in an interesting direction, so she may well just advance in one of the homebrew prestige classes my DM has come up with. Time will tell :)

[Chanteur]

I can't comment on power level, but you might consider Bladesinger from Complete Warrior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070403).

[Arbitrarity]

Snowflake Wardance.

Bards are MADE for this.

[Person_Man]

Honest question from someone who loves dancing: Do you intend to play a character that inspires people to fight through his dancing, or are you just playing this for laughs?

If it's the former, then do you expect the other players in your group to take you seriously? If it's the latter, is it really relevant what class you use, since you can always invest in Perform (Dance) cross class and just say that you're dancing in combat?

[Con_Brio1993]

Honest question from someone who loves dancing: Do you intend to play a character that inspires people to fight through his dancing, or are you just playing this for laughs?

If it's the former, then do you expect the other players in your group to take you seriously? If it's the latter, is it really relevant what class you use, since you can always invest in Perform (Dance) cross class and just say that you're dancing in combat?

1. Playing it for laughs. I mentioned to my friends that I wanted to play a ballerina that killed demons by dancing at them.

2. I don't expect it to be taken too seriously.

[Mystral]

Don't forget those battledance slippers for the bard.

[Eldebryn]

I'm looking to play a dancer in an upcoming campaign, and was wondering if there are any viable classes with that gimmick. I don't care if it is mundane or magical, though I'd prefer magic. The party is most likely going to be tier 4-3, though the DM has not forbidden higher tier classes.

If there is no such class, is there any class that can be reflavored easily as a dancer?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you. :smallsmile:

You can always try going cleric of Eilistraee + Sword Dancer PrC from Faiths & Pantheons. All the power of a cleric + a rather nice character concept ;)

[Bloodgruve]

1. Playing it for laughs. I mentioned to my friends that I wanted to play a ballerina that killed demons by dancing at them.

2. I don't expect it to be taken too seriously.

I am seeing a Minotaur or Dwarf Paladin with a 1 level Battle Dancer dip. High Charisma for AC and the ability to Smite those demons... This build will accommodate both points for you.

There was a ballerina cow that comes to mind, from Animaniacs or something like that IIRC.

GL
Blood

[ericgrau]

Shadowdancer :smalltongue:. It's hard to pull off but there are some iron chef builds around here somewhere. My own idea is bard entry, haste the shadow, darkness for teleport beacons to transport the party, invisibility for scouting, UMD a wand of empowered ray of enfeeblement so you and the shadow can str drain everything. UMD a wand of inflict light wounds for healing. The shadow is also a party scout that can walk through walls and drain unprepared foes while being hard to touch, before the party even arrives. Later get him spring attack and use it from a wall to make him even harder to touch. Consider getting him a little ghost touch shadow armor too.