Need help making a gestalt character- bard + army maker

[Jabberwocky12]

Hi guys,

So I have to make a level 7 gestalt character for my DM's campaign. I was thinking of running something that makes a bunch of minions/allies/mooks and then running a class that buffs them such as a bard.

I can multiclass on one side of the gestalt and everything just fine.

What are some of the options I have available to make such a class that is one-side army-maker and party-buffer on the other side?

I was thinking maybe necromancer and bard or warblade. Make a bunch of undead and then buff them with bard shenanigans with inspire abilities.

Thoughts? Does anyone have a decent build on this, or have any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[Madara]

Hi guys,

So I have to make a level 7 gestalt character for my DM's campaign. I was thinking of running something that makes a bunch of minions/allies/mooks and then running a class that buffs them such as a bard.

I can multiclass on one side of the gestalt and everything just fine.

What are some of the options I have available to make such a class that is one-side army-maker and party-buffer on the other side?

I was thinking maybe necromancer and bard or warblade. Make a bunch of undead and then buff them with bard shenanigans with inspire abilities.

Thoughts? Does anyone have a decent build on this, or have any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Well, thrallherd would probably be your best choice for getting mooks. If you do go necromancer, make sure to PrC your Bard into Diresinger so your music will affect them.

[karkus]

I would say that you should be a Cleric/Bard, having hordes of undead in addition to your minions (maybe take some domains that are domination-related, I think that you can find some in Complete Divine, in order to get some more mortal-manipulating powers), and then use bagpipes. The only reason that I could think of for anyone to play the bagpipes is the fact that you can hear its noise on the entire battlefield. I once read that that was the #1 reason for its usage, and I'm pretty sure that the Bardic Music rules just say that whoever can hear your music gets the bonuses, so direct your armies and cast off some spells and what not, and then play the bagpipes to increase your army's chances.

[docnessuno]

Seconding the undead suggestion, but i'd go for Bard // Dread necromancer or, even better, Barblade // Dread necromancer.

Bardblade, in the case that you don't know what i'm talking about, means a bard dip (usually 2 levels to fix Warblade stance progression) followed by a straight warblade build, taking advantage of the amazing "Song of the White Raven" feat to progress your inspire courage.

[Amnestic]

Bardblade, in the case that you don't know what i'm talking about, means a bard dip (usually 2 levels to fix Warblade stance progression) followed by a straight warblade build, taking advantage of the amazing "Song of the White Raven" feat to progress your inspire courage.

I'd want Bard 3 (at least) to get Inspire Competence for Song of the Heart.

[AdamT]

If playing PF or pf allowed you might also consider a 2, 8, or 20 level dip in warlord (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/adamant-entertainment/tos---warlord). At 2nd level you have 4 nice class abilities that would really help out the mooks and a free feat. At 8 leadership is free. And there is some very nice cha synergy for ya.

[Snowbluff]

Seconding the undead suggestion, but i'd go for Bard // Dread necromancer or, even better, Barblade // Dread necromancer.

Bardblade, in the case that you don't know what i'm talking about, means a bard dip (usually 2 levels to fix Warblade stance progression) followed by a straight warblade build, taking advantage of the amazing "Song of the White Raven" feat to progress your inspire courage.

Seconding this. Also, get Dirgesinger. That should help you get your Undead shuffling to your buffling. And by Buffling I mean Buffing.

[Slipperychicken]

Bard Diplomancer (or Performomancer, since Perform can be used in place of Diplomacy to shift attitudes). You are a rockstar.


12 Second Army
Find a crowd. Full Round action DC 60 Diplomacy/Perform check raises all listeners to Helpful. Pull out the Harmonica you got from Song and Silence, then use its Bardic Music ability to bump everyone up one step to Fanatic. They all remain Fanatics for CHA days.

[Malroth]

Silverbrow,Human Middle aged (+1 all mental stats -1 all physical stats)
Flaws : Innatentive -4 on spot Listen and Search checks (easy to sneak up on or escape from on their low level encounters)
Flaws : Weak Will -3 to will saves.

Lv 1: Focused Specalist Necromancer 1// Bard 1
Skeletal Minion Necromancer Variant and Bardic Sage Bard Variant
For Banned Schools pick Illusion, Enchantment and Abjuration since you'll get the best in those schools from bard anyway.
Stats: 19 INT, Decent Dex and CHA
Feats: (normal)Able Learner, (flaw)Melodic Casting, (flaw)Heighten spell(bonus), Toumb Tainted Soul(human)
Skills. Max ranks in Spellcraft, Perform(oratory) , Hide, Move Silently,Bluff, Disguise Knowledge (religion) and Concentration, Other skills to taste.

Lv 2 Necromancer 2// Bard 2
Grab the bard spell Inspiration Boost.

LV 3 Necromancer 3// Bard 3
Feat: Corpse Crafter

LV 4 Necromancer 4// Bard 4
Stats +INT

LV 5 Necromancer 5// Bard 5
Feat: Fell Animate

Lv 6: Necromancer6// Bard 6
Feat: Dragonfire Inspiration

Lv 7: Necromancer 7// Bard 7
Notes: Finally can create basic undead and is an awesome buffer from bard but can't augment Undead with music yet.

Lv 8: Necromancer 8// Bard 8
Stats +Con if odd otherwise + INT

LV 9: Necromancer 8/Ultimate Magus1// Bard 8/Crusader 1
Feat: Requiem Bard boosts now affect Undead!!!!
Crusader: You're a 5th level Initiator so grab Leading the attack, Lions Roar and Tactics of the Wolf, Also you can use Devoted Spirit attacks vs your own undead allies for self healing in mass combat.
Skills: Keep Perform and concentrate maxed others to taste

Lv10: Necromancer 8/Ultimate Magus 2//Bard8/crusader 1/Dirgesinger 1
DC 10+Perform modifier Save or suck for all enemies in auditory range

Lv 11: Necromancer 8Ultimate Magus 3//Bard8/Crusader 1/Dirgesinger 2
+10 turn resistance for all your undead "friends"
You also get "Animate Dread warrior" so you can use Magic Jar to swap bodies with some Undead Monstrisity you create yourself.

Lv 12: Necromancer 8Ultimate Magus 4//Bard8/Crusader 2/Dirgesinger 2
Feat: Song of the White raven

[Snowbluff]

Malroth, why so much Bard?

[Malroth]

don't know....

[Amnestic]

Malroth, why so much Bard?

Because Bards are awesome.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

So you have to be Single-Class//Can-Multiclass, and you want to use Bard + army.

For the Can-Multiclass side go Savage Bard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) 8/ Nightmare Spinner 1/ Dread Witch 1/ Sublime Chord 2/ Dread Witch 4/ Nightmare Spinner 4 (DW 1 and NS 1 asap, later take them in whichever order is preferred). On the single-classed side take Dread Necromancer 20, from Heroes of Horror.

Use Desert Half-Orc (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/environmentalRacialVariants.htm#desertHalfOrcs) with the Half-Humans variant in RoD, and start with Dreadful Wrath (PGtF). Replace Inspire Courage with Inspire Awe from Dragon Magic. Consider replacing Fascinate with Healing Hymn in Complete Champion (since it works with Cure Minor Wounds and is typically more useful). Replace Bardic Knowledge with Bardic Knack in PH2.

Feats should include Melodic Casting, Doomspeak, Imperious Command, Fell Frighten Spell, Dragontouched for Practical Metamagic: Fell Frighten, Versatile Spellcaster, Tomb-Tainted Soul, Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) for a custom Runestaff, etc. Say you visited the Otyugh Hole (CS) to gain Menacing Demeanor for 3,000 gp instead of spending a feat on it.

Skill Tricks based on Tumble and Balance are pretty good, and definitely get Never Outnumbered. Max UMD and try to get a +19 bonus (helped by Item Familiar) so you can always succeed on a DC 20 check. Put any spells you want on your Runestaff, regardless of what class list they're from, you can UMD it every day to attune yourself to it and cast those spells it contains as though they were spells known.

Get a Ghostly Visage for your familiar and always have it possessing you. It can manifest over your face in combat to use its paralyzing gaze on opponents. Also keep in mind that it can spend a standard action to affect a target with the gaze even if they aren't looking, and even if they already saved that round. You should gain access to Desecrate, Awaken Undead, Aura of Terror, Animate Dread Warrior, etc., preferably via your Runestaff + UMD and/or Advanced Learning, but Arcane Disciple also works.

[Snowbluff]

Because Bards are awesome.

No... it's useless. It's Music/day one you have spellcasting on one side and maneuvers to fill in the rest of the levels on this side.

I never go more than 4 bard in a Bardblade.

[Jabberwocky12]

Wow, so many responses!

It doesn't necessarily have to be undead though it fits into the theme of the campaign.

We're starting off at level 7 and Biff's build is actually kinda intimidating, though I will definitely look into it.

I was thinking of being a human or halfing, I don't think we can move outside of the standard starting classes unless the DM approves it. Otherwise, all 3.5 books are open. If it's an absolute MUST then let me know.

I don't know what the rest of the party is going to be right now. I totally forgot about the diresinger aspect, I'll need to remember that.

[dspeyer]

I'd suggest crusader. Both White Raven and Devoted Spirit have a bunch of "all your allies gain" powers. The free refresh helps make two active classes viable. And cha synergy is always nice.

Dragon Shaman and Marshall are also worth considering.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I'd third Dread Necromancer for all your army creation needs, but with the caveat that all you need is the feat Requiem to affect undead with your Inspire Courage.

Don't neglect your Corpsecrafter feats either, they are like a free buff to everything undead you create with a spell or SLA.

Go Necropolitian for unlimited self-healing. Now get yourself SpellStitched with something useful like Animate Dread Warrior or Animate Skeletal Champion. Have fun, go mad.

[Malroth]

OHHHH you were refering to the build i posted.... I went 8 bard for stronger inspire courage/dragonfire inspiration and to qualify for 3rd lv manuvers at the first crusader level. Plus it was pretty much a requirement for both song of the white raven and requiem