Optimization advice - PF Bard

[mucco]

Hey folks, my new DnD campaign is set in Pathfinder and I decided to roll up a bard.

Half-orc, currently level 2, 18 Str and 15 Cha are the relevant stats. I have the Arcane Duelist archetype. I will avoid the usual spells like Grease and Glitterdust, focus on being more of a support melee character - there are only two players and the other one is playing a Barbarian, so I'm trying to get some dual melee action.

I am struggling to find:
1) good ways to use the bardic music,
2) decent spells,
3) decent feats,
4) useful magic items for this type of playstyle.

My original idea was to go around with whip and shield tripping everything while the Barb chopped things down, but as of now, my greataxe is infinitely better.

If it helps, the idea behind my character is Mr. Lordi.

[mucco]

Aaaand bump. I expected a low amount of replies, but not THAT low. :smallbiggrin:

[Coidzor]

So how are you finding it difficult to use bardic music?

[mucco]

Well, for level 1 and 2, it has been entirely pointless... except for the one time my companion got frightened by a mob and I rallied him. When both characters average 10+ damage per hit, the +1/+1 at the cost of my first charge and attack is just not worth it. Stuff dies in at most two rounds, so bardic music is trading away half my combat for a +1/+1 for one round (the barb usually goes first). Other bardic music is irrelevant so far, Dirge of Doom looks nice but it's going to be a long time.

I used to think I had too few rounds per day, but most combat days I go to sleep without spending a single one.