Help newbie with bardblade build

[rmccarver]

I need a backup character. My character is about to become unplayable. I REALLY want to try the bardblade with bard4/warblade X. However I don't know how to effectively build the character.

Can someone give me a level by level breakdown of the build, what feats to take at what level, and how the inspire courage bonus will add up. Also what maneuvers to take once in warblade. The last, what items to buy in the order of importance.

I have been researching this for days. I can not find someone who has built a full breakdown, but I have dozens of pages saved for resources. I have all the books available. At this point my head is spinning. Thanks for your help guys.

If there is a link to this that I have somehow missed in my searching, please post. I only want the Bard4/Warblade X build for simplicity, more than 2 classes will just confuse me more.:smallredface:

[Flickerdart]

The main feat you will want is Song of the White Raven. To that end, you are going to take levels in this order: Bard 2/Warblade 1/Bard 2/Warblade from here on out. Take Song of the White Raven at 3rd level. Song of the Heart should be your 6th level feat, to add to your bonus. Your 1st level feat will be Dragonfire Inspiration, and your race should be Silverbrow Human for minimum fuss. Take your Perform skill in something that doesn't need hands - Acting, Singing and so forth are good, Dancing will let you take the Snowflake Wardance feat whenever you can fit it in (if you have a good Charisma, which you might not).

For bonus points, take the spell Undersong from Champions of Ruin. Combine it with Perform (Weapon Drill) and the Concentration-instead-of-saves maneuvers to create a character capable of the following:

Using a Concentration check in place of a saving throw (with the maneuver)
Using a Perform check in place of a Concentration check (Undersong)
Using a weapon drill for the performance

Congrats, you just saved against a spell by hitting it with your sword.

[JonRG]

I'm doing some research now, but I'll answer the couple questions I have figured out.

Song of the White Raven is a feat which requires Bardic Music (Inspire Courage) and one White Raven maneuver. When you are in a White Raven Stance, you can activate Inspire Courage as a swift action. All the time, your bard levels stack with your warblade levels for the purpose of Inspire Courage. So Bard Level + Warblade Level = X, and you check d20srd to see how high the IC bonus is for an Xth level bard.

What level are you building this character to? Also, have you seen this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221363)? It seems to have a lot of good ideas.

[eggs]

That's probably because there isn't much to it. :smalltongue:

Bog-standard build, assuming melee (archery is also possible, but has more specific requirements):

[Dragonblooded something] Bard 4/Warblade X
Feats:
1-Dragonfire Inspiration
3-Song of the Heart
9-Words of Creation (optional)
12 or 15-Song of the White Raven

IC/DFI breakdown without WoC:
Level 1: +2/+2d6 from Base +Masterwork Instrument (3.0 squire's trumpet from Song and Silence or whichever Complete Adventurer stringed instrument adds to attack)
Level 2: +3/+3d6 from previous, plus Inspirational Boost
Level 3: +5/+5d6 from previous, plus Song of the Heart/Badge of Valor
(with SotWR:)
Level 12: +6/+6d6 from base increase
Level 14: +7/+7d6 from base increase
Level 20: +8/+8d6 from base increase

On top of the obvious items, a Harmonizing weapon with a wand chamber and a wand of Inspirational Boost will be valuable as soon as possible. Vests of Legend is also often useful, but I'm not a fan, due to the expense and their occasional (1 in 6 levels) metagamey uselessness. If you want that extra +1, add it at level 11 and drop the level-based increases by 5 levels.

Words of Creation's qualifications (Mental Stats, Alignment, damage) often make it limiting. Especially because all mental stats are otherwise low priority (they do have benefits for stats/Battle X, but physical stats are more valuable). If you are amenable to them, the bonuses double (a deliberately conservative reading only doubles the base numbers; this is not an unreasonable implementation). But WoC is not necessary for a viable build.

With as much bonus damage as IC+DFI adds, you will want to use the remaining feat slots to maximize attacks per round. This typically either means Combat Reflexes + Spiked Chain Proficiency + Robilar's Gambit or the Two-Weapon Fighting Feat line (if you can use flaws and go human or otherwise generate extra feats, the 3.0 Chain allows these approaches to be combined). If going TWF, the Dexterity stat needs a bit of prioritization. This can be assisted by picking up light Feycraft (DMG2) weapons, to spare a feat on Weapon Finesse. A pair should be affordable around level 4.

As far as maneuvers, Tiger Claw is especially friendly to IC bards, due to its frequent extra attacks (which effectively multiply damage). The Xing Mongoose, Sudden Leap and Pouncing Charge maneuvers are very valuable. Wolf Fang Strike is also useful, but only at low levels. Beyond that, things are basically standard for a Warblade (Iron Heart/White Raven/Diamond Mind good; Stone Dragon Bad), but White Raven will often deserve a bit of extra prioritization due to the DFI bard's support role (and White Raven Tactics is as broken as ever).

In terms of making 4 Bardic music uses last all day, the key is to perform as long as possible. Note that Inspire Courage does not either have a set duration or require concentration to perform. Beginning an Inspirational Boosted+Badge of Valored DFI at the beginning of a dungeon or otherwise dangerous situation allows the effect to be maintained indefinitely (though you'll often have to stop for the sake of communication; but improving communicative lines into songs is both economical and hilarious). If a fight is especially difficult, you can stop performing DFI and activate Inspire Courage to overlap its effects. Note that by RAW, you can't do this in the reverse order, because DFI cancels the morale bonuses on activation (this is another case where RAW are stupid; houserules make sense, just be sure everyone's on the same page).

And as far as Bard spells other than Inspirational Boost that are worth picking up, Alter Self has a decent duration (even on a level 4 Bard) and has incredible versatility (note that it, unlike Polymorph, allows you to retain the Dragonblooded subtype, so DFI can be maintained). Harmonize can help with the builds' strict action economy by allowing multiple to be activated as a action.

Edit:
And note that Song of the White Raven's swift activation competes with Inspirational Boost and Badge of Valor activation in the action economy. If you're starting songs in combat, Swift IC is often worth more than IB, dropping the IC benefits by 1/1d6.

[rmccarver]

The main feat you will want is Song of the White Raven. To that end, you are going to take levels in this order: Bard 2/Warblade 1/Bard 2/Warblade from here on out. Take Song of the White Raven at 3rd level. Song of the Heart should be your 6th level feat, to add to your bonus. Your 1st level feat will be Dragonfire Inspiration, and your race should be Silverbrow Human for minimum fuss. Take your Perform skill in something that doesn't need hands - Acting, Singing and so forth are good, Dancing will let you take the Snowflake Wardance feat whenever you can fit it in (if you have a good Charisma, which you might not).

For bonus points, take the spell Undersong from Champions of Ruin. Combine it with Perform (Weapon Drill) and the Concentration-instead-of-saves maneuvers to create a character capable of the following:

Using a Concentration check in place of a saving throw (with the maneuver)
Using a Perform check in place of a Concentration check (Undersong)
Using a weapon drill for the performance

Congrats, you just saved against a spell by hitting it with your sword.

This is neat and note something I have seen anywhere else on the net. You just taught me something new.

[rmccarver]

EGGS.

THNX. That was everything I wanted and more because of your great explanations. From this I can get this build going and be able to map out my level progression. I can fit any extra errata in as it comes up.

I keep seeing Silver Brow Humans. Are there any Eberron specific races that are dragonblooded?

Plus to answer your question. We are allowed to take 2 flaws for bonus feats.

[Flickerdart]

This is neat and note something I have seen anywhere else on the net. You just taught me something new.
It's not my idea, someone else on these forums came up with it.

[danzibr]

The mandolin is the one that adds to attack.

In any case, you might want to take Lingering Song. Eggs already said this, but just to emphasize, they stack. On turn 1 you can use your regular IC and on turn 2 do your DFI IC (or, as eggs suggested, keep the DFI IC up most of the dungeon, then turn it off to start the regular). With WoC you can get (depending on how your DM rules WoC) +10d6 fire damage (or another type if you blow another feat (or two, can't recall)) and +9 to attack and damage on every single hit. That's pretty ridonc.

[gorfnab]

Just a quick note. Since you're only taking at most 4 levels of Bard for this build save yourself a feat slot and trade out Inspire Competence for Song of the Heart (Eberron Companion Setting page 34).

[Keld Denar]

You can't do that. Songs of the Heart requires Inspire Competance. As much as it sucks, you can't drop it.

Also, there is no reason to take Song of the White Raven before 6, and almost no reason to take it before 9. A bard doesn't get their +2 song until level 8, so taking it before 6 gives no additional benefit. If you wait to take it till 9, you are only down +1 for one extra level, not a huge loss if you can get more mileage out of your 6th level feat.

I'd actually suggest starting with Bard4/Warblade16, rather than Bard2/Warblade1/Bard2/Warblade15. Doing that delays Songs of the Heart by 3 levels, and keeps you limited on spells/day for using IC. Getting your IC damped up to +4 by level 4 is about the best thing you can do, more important than adding Warblade stuff.

[GhostwheelZ]

Thar (http://www.dndwiki.com/wiki/Bladesinger_(3.5e_Optimized_Character_Build)) you go.

[Flickerdart]

You can't do that. Songs of the Heart requires Inspire Competance. As much as it sucks, you can't drop it.

Also, there is no reason to take Song of the White Raven before 6, and almost no reason to take it before 9. A bard doesn't get their +2 song until level 8, so taking it before 6 gives no additional benefit. If you wait to take it till 9, you are only down +1 for one extra level, not a huge loss if you can get more mileage out of your 6th level feat.

I'd actually suggest starting with Bard4/Warblade16, rather than Bard2/Warblade1/Bard2/Warblade15. Doing that delays Songs of the Heart by 3 levels, and keeps you limited on spells/day for using IC. Getting your IC damped up to +4 by level 4 is about the best thing you can do, more important than adding Warblade stuff.
Taking Song of the White Raven before 9th level lets you do more useful things with your high level slots, once you actually start to qualify for feats that people would want. Putting it into an early feat slot makes sense because there is far less competition for them.
Also, the ability to start playing as a swift action is quite nice anyway.

[Keld Denar]

Unless you want to use Inspirational Boost, which prevents you from doing it as a swift action. Plus, you have to be in a WR stance to use IC as a swift action, and 9/10 WR stances suck.