Bardguard Hybrid Talent

[Tegu8788]

So, as it's known, I'm a lover of hybrids and charismatic fifth-man builds. This has led me to Bardguard. Slap the striker features of the Blackguard to the DS Paladin powers, and the Bard healing and sliding powers. Using a Tiefling for the Cha boost and feat support, choosing to boost Con over Int. A Songblade covers weapliment issues quick and easy.

My question being, what should I use hybrid talent for? The Plate and Heavy Shield are tempting, but without it he's still in Chainmail with a Light Shield, which isn't that bad. In the opinion of my wisers, are any of the other hybrids options better than an AC and Rflex boost?

[Firebug]

Chainmail + light shield isn't bad... but its only better then chainmail without the light shield which is probably the worst you could do. (Unless light armor, without a stat to AC). So its the second worst AC you can get. Compared to (almost) the best AC you can get.

The couple Bard|Blackguards I have build always took Paladin Armor Proficiency.
I have been messing around with Blackguard|Cleric lately, a lot of the same idea, but with Battle Clerics Lore for Scale + 2 for free. Then you are able to spend your Hybrid talent on... well, Shroud of Shadow I suppose. The level 7 bump on Fury is pretty nice though I suppose if you manage to find some multi-attacks.
Half-elf or Corellon's Boon of Arcane Might for one of the Skald At-wills, MC Skald for the aura. I've been going CHA with Str a few points lower to take Str cleric powers and the occasional paladin one. Notably Weapon of Astral Flame level 1 daily.

[Alan_Pehnereas]

My first thought after reading your post was "how can we abuse this?" I probably shouldn't think too hard on this one. I would recommend playtesting a few builds. What is your stealth? If you took the Shroud of Shadows, you better get the most out of it. I don't need to tell you that Hybrid Talent is considered one of the most powerful feats to exist.

If your stealth is good, try a Shroud of Shadows playtest, a full Plate-wearing playtest, and maybe try some of the Bard options for the HT if you find any that would fit your party well.

Also, what is your character concept? What fits best? What does your team need the most?

Please keep me updated. I'm both a lover of hybrids and the Blackguard, so this sounds interesting to me.

[Tegu8788]

The only playtests I have access to right now are PvP games, which skew things, and I've got several builds I want to try first.

This (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=422661) is the current build idea, lvl 3, no magic items yet, using the shroud of shadows hybrid. Bardic virtue is also looking promising, or power riders. He will need a songblade for weapon/implement powers, and endurance training would be preferable for the concept, but not on the list.

Basic fluff, think warlord that is the target of so many training spells his desires begin to become infused with magic, who then makes a deal with the devil for the power to defend children. Officially banished, but secretly on a mission to hunt out other threats.

[Alan_Pehnereas]

Tegu;

Is there ANY reason you wouldn't go for the Blackguard's Hybrid Talent for its armor proficiency?

[Tegu8788]

That's what I'm trying to investigate, is there any other option worth taking? Do the powers/features granted compare to the AC and reflex boost?

[Alan_Pehnereas]

I just looked at all the HT options, and I'm pretty sure that your best bet is definitely the Blackguard Armor Proficiency.

I don't see anything else being that worth it.

[allonym]

The first thing I would warn is not to attempt to be a defender or an off-defender. With that said, it depends on your party and level. If your party has no frontline fighters other than your defender, the armour could come in useful for survivability's sake. Given that a Bard|blackguard is obviously going for Con secondary, your other choice, and the one I would recommend, is Bardic Virtue: Valour. So it also depends on whether your allies have any use for THP, or if that's already been covered, say, by a battlerager fighter.

If you're going to go into paragon tier, it would be a travesty not to take Virtue of Valour and War Chanter. When I played my Blackguard|Bard, the incredibly easy THP generation from War Chanter ensured that I could use my Vice of Domination every single round. I did pretty hefty damage on my MBA (1[W]+3x cha mod + whatever power I tacked on to it) and was able to cover a few of the many things which leaders can do - THP, buffs to allied attacks, and basic attack granting (and a heal or two, of course) - alongside being an effective striker.

[Tegu8788]

Yea, losing plate and heavy shield really hurts the defendery nature. If I moved stats around I could get Scale armor I think. Taking paladin armor then retraining to valor could work, but would be expensive to replace the magic armor and shield.

Right now, this is just a theoretical build, no party to build around, but assumptions being the party is balanced in all regards, and this character being a literal 5th-man type. Party-faces the only real specialty I'm going for, but with that much Charisma how can you not? More melee than not, and I went to level three, because I felt like it.

Just wanna say, thanks for the input everybody. Hybrids are a challenge, and this is a pretty wide open one at that.