[3.5] Improving this Bard...

[Mnemnosyne]

I'm making a bard/sublime chord for a new campaign, and I'd like a little a good deal of advice on improving her. Campaign starts at 8th level.

My build is: Bard 10/Sublime Chord 10. The DM requires any base class to be taken for at least 3 levels, making dips really hurt, and any prestige class must be taken for all of its levels; no dropping out at any point.

Stats: 15 15 14 14 14 13. These were rolled; my current thought is to put 15s in Strength and Charisma (strength because an odd number is actually helpful there if only for a little extra carry weight) and use my two stat bumps from level on Charisma, obviously. The 13 in Wisdom, and the others all 14.

I'm not highly experienced with bards, so I feel like I might be spreading myself thin and taking terrible feats, therefore I'd like a little advice on that. Note: Can't take Song of the Heart, I already asked. And Words of Creation is right out because of alignment issues. Not to mention if the DM thought Song of the Heart was powerful, haha at Words of Creation.

I've already taken Silverbrow Human as my race, qualifying me for Dragonfire Inspiration, which will be one of my first level feats. I'm also taking Versatile Spellcaster. Those two I know are good solid feats I should definitely have. I know I want Jack of all Trades. I've already taken the Bardic Knack ACF, and with Jack of all Trades that gives me the ability to use all skills at a reasonable, if not awesome level I'm less certain about what level to take it at. As for others...

I'm actually considering Able Learner as my bonus human feat, because the Sublime Chord loses access to a lot of bard skills, including Bluff(!) and Use Magic Device. Not to mention, a lot of my skill points in bard levels are tied up qualifying for Sublime Chord, so I can't just max out all the good skills and leave them at 13 ranks. Even so, I'm thinking Able Learner might still be a mistake, and I'd like advice on whether to go ahead with it or not.

Melodic Casting seems super-important to prevent me from having to dump points into concentration. Skills are already stretched thin as it is, using Perform for Concentration checks seems pretty vital, and being able to cast while singing might be important.

Feats currently look like this:
L1: Dragonfire Inspiration, Able Learner.
L3: Versatile Spellcaster.
L6: Melodic Casting.
L9: Jack of all Trades.
L12: ?
L15: ?
L18: ?

I really feel like I aught to get more spellcasting feats in there somewhere, but I'm not sure what to take. Some metamagic, maybe. Extend seems logical.

The character is meant to have a strong social focus at the start; she's a con-artist, basically, using her high Bluff in this task, and combining it with the Profession (Astrologer) that's required for Sublime Chord, because hey, that makes sense. I'd like to maintain the bluff focus, which is why I'm considering Able Learner so she can carry that right on into Sublime Chord levels.

Also, any critique on my currently planned spell list?

0th Level Spells:
Prestidigitation
Message
Minor Disguise
Detect Magic
Silvered Weapon
Summon Instrument

1st Level Spells:
Improvisation
Inspirational Boost
Hideous Laughter
Amplify

2nd Level Spells:
Alter Self
Song of Festering Death - (Bonefiddle, if BoVD spell not allowed).
Glitterdust
Minor Image

3rd Level Spells:
Ray of Dizziness
Glibness
Haste
Slow

4th Level Bard Spells:
Celerity
Greater Mirror Image

4th Level Sublime Chord Spells:
Sirine's Grace
Ruin Delver's Fortune
Friendly Fire - (Ray Deflection, if not allowed).
Shadow Conjuration

5th Level Spells:
Freezing Fog
Greater Dispel Magic
Draconic Polymorph
Wall of Force

6th Level Spells:
Snowsong
Otto's Irresistible Dance
Freezing Glance
Disintegrate

7th Level Spells:
Limited Wish
Glass Strike
Greater Shadow Conjuration
Antimagic Ray

8th Level Spells:
Avascular Mass
Greater Shadow Evocation
Blackfire

9th Level Spells:
Shapechange

One thing I definitely want to look into is swapping 4th level spells around. The two spells I get as a bard should definitely be ones I rarely need to cast, because casting those more than once a day is going to require burning 3rd level slots with Versatile Spellcaster. So, already thinking about that.

I'm also considering whether to swap out Glass Strike for something else - it's a nice save or die, especially since it specifically leaves equipment intact, but I might prefer something else.


Finally, holy **** equipment. I'm generally terrible at picking equipment for any character, moreso for a bard. The badge of valor is an obvious choice, for that +1 to inspire courage/dragonfire inspiration. Beyond that...less certain. The vest of legends would be nice, but 16000 is too expensive at 8th level. I suppose dumping 16000 into a +4 charisma item might be wise.

[Gwendol]

You need to decide on you 0-level spells too. Songbird and summon instrument are favorites of mine.
At what level do you begin play?

As for equipment you want a slashing weapon with a wand chamber and stick a wand of whirling blade in there. The harmonizing weapon enchantment is nice. Slippers of battledancing perhaps?

[Mnemnosyne]

Starting at 8th.

And I'd forgotten to include the list of 0-level spells there, heh. I did have Summon Instrument, but Songbird seems a little specialized. It came down to between it and Minor Disguise, and I thought Minor Disguise fit the character a little better. Neither seems all that likely to be tremendously useful.

Interesting suggestion on the wand. Harmonizing does seem useful if I want to go into melee, and with average stats like that I suppose I may as well. Slippers are definitely something I thought about, but cost more than my current wealth. Will definitely want to get a pair when possible, but somewhat out of price range for the moment.

[Gwendol]

Really? A hat of disguises already does that, and you got alter self. I've used songbird before fascination to increase the DC.

[Gwendol]

Also, DFI. IMO the attack bonus of regular IC is typically better, since that can be converted to PA bonus (which multiplies on crits and whatnot). If you are feat starved that is one I suggest to drop.

[HalfQuart]

I'd say stick the 13 in Strength... hopefully you'll be buffing or casting pretty much all the time, and won't be making too many melee attacks. And having an extra point on Will and the perception/insight skills is always handy.

For items it depends a bit on your overall party makeup. The Dove's Harp (MIC 156, 12,100gp), for example, is great if you have a shortage of healing capability, but is way too expensive to be worthwhile if that's already covered.

Vest of Legends (DMG2 272, 16,000gp) is still too expensive for your.. but keep that on your radar. CAdv has some masterwork instruments that are pretty neat, depending on your schtick.

And of course once your UMD is pretty reliable, stock up on useful wands and scrolls... at level 8 you're just starting to be reasonably viable, so it wouldn't hurt to have a few things on hand that fill voids in your party... like maybe an Eternal Wand of Lay of the Land (if your DM can swallow using the 1st level Ranger spell).

[Socratov]

Ok, first what is the powerlevel of your party? Becuase your DM might have ****-ish tendencies. Why? A bard benefits form dipping and multiclassing more then any other caster.

SC does not advance IC, nor DFI (and with no SotH and/or WoC it's lame to use anyway). Instead, become a part-time healer with Healing Hymn (great anyway) and focus on some bonus whip fighting (take improved trip). If you take [insert forgotten featname here] you can burn bardic music for metamagic feats or spells. Now use a whip for anybody coming too close for your taste and for the rest cast your heart out. Also make sure you have all the correct skills to use for social interactions.

Now you can (in total) boost fellow spellcasters (as well as yourself) in casterlevel, cast spells off the wizard list, trip with a whip, heal a bit and be the perfect gentleman. Congratulations, you are now Indiana Jones and Jeeves rolled up into one.

Oh, and don't forget about the Jack of trades ACF hwere you switch Bardic knowledge for skillranks into all skills

[Shaynythyryas]

I'd suggest :

Feats :
- Versatile Performer (CAdv) : lets you have as many Perform as your Int mod, at your top Perform rank, without spending any skill points. (depending on your DM, wether he considers Perform to be a one all-instruments skill or not).
- Chaos Music (Dragon #326) : gives you up to +4 bard music levels, which come in handy to compensate the Sublime Chord levels. (depending on wether your DM accepts Dragon Mag content).

Spells :
- Harmonize, lv2, and/or Harmonize, Greater, lv4 (RoS) : lets you use your bards mucis as move actions, which is basically awesome as it lets you play AND cast spells in a same round. The Greater one even lets you concentrating on a music as a move action.
- Harmonic Chorus, lv3 (CAdv) : requires to keep concentrating but gives +2 CL and +2 on the DC of allies spells. Can be really useful.