Minstrel Knight

[Blackhawk748]

just sitting here bored, listening to music, and a song called The Maiden and The Minstrel Knight came up (points if you know whose song it is without looking it up lol) and i just started thinking of how one would go about making a minstrel knight? I figured a bard would be the base but i have absolutely no idea where to go from there.

[Waker]

I would go with something like this (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/29110689/Weekly_Optimization_Showcase:_A-Game_Paladin) or Bard mixed with Crusader or Warblade using Song of the White Raven.

[Blackhawk748]

well thats an interesting paladin build, its.... quirky and kinda awesome

Edit: ok i definitely want this build to be bard based, and no ToB, mainly because im not particularly fluent in ToB lol

[Blackhawk748]

Right now im thinking something like Bard 3/Fighter 2/Warchanter 10/Bladesinger 5 and id prbly be a Half Elf, mainly because i like half elves

[gorfnab]

Bard 1/ Paladin X - with the feats Devoted Performer and Initiate of Milil.

[Averis Vol]

If you go through with this character I highly suggest you recant his tales of being lost in the twilight hall, and serving the Eldar. Yes, a minstrel knight has many stories, he speaks of skalds and shadows and the epic duel where for a moment time stood still at the iron hills. And as every good minstrel should, always keep a script for your requiem; it makes the occasion that much more glorious.

Okay, the blind guardian love out of the way, I would try something like a lockdown build, make all cower in awe of your musical prowess. Start with human Marshal 1/Bard 4/fighter 3 (using zhentarim fighter variant)/warchanter 5/Avenging executioner 4/something 3.

Marshal gives you 2x cha to cha based skills, the bard levels are for inspire courage, which with a little work you could get up to 5 or 6 d6 extra damage on your attacks, along with a flat attack and damage bonus of the same amount due to combine song. zhent fighter is pure gain and another bonus to intimidate, which is all pulled together in the combination of avenging executioner and dreadful wrath if you can't muster the feats for imperious command. If you can manage it at level six, then the last seven levels can be whatever you want.

[Zonugal]

Harmonious Knight?

[Andezzar]

The song is by Blind Guardian. I don't particularly like that album though.

Now what do I do with the points?

Sorry, I cannot contribute anything meaningful.

Good one, Averis Vol. Another band did something similar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bkPyfzgIpg).

[Averis Vol]

The song is by Blind Guardian. I don't particularly like that album though.

Now what do I do with the points?

Sorry, I cannot contribute anything meaningful.

Good one, Averis Vol. Another band did something similar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bkPyfzgIpg).

Hahaha! It's been ages since I've heard Manowar! ah, good memories.

[Blackhawk748]

Vol, i am intrigued by that build, Marshal is in the Miniatures Handbook right? and great use of blind guardian references lol

And Andezzar you get to add the points to your point buy to when you do a Blind Guardian based character

[Diovid]

I theory you could make something like this without spellcasting at all if you'd want.

For example: Marshal 1 / Fighter 5 / Warrior Skald 1 / War Chanter 10 / x 3*
*Probably either more Warrior Skald levels or Dawncaller levels (Dawncaller's adaptation section mentions non-Goliath dawncallers).

Marshal is from the Miniatures Handbook, Warrior Skald is from Races of Faerun, War Chanter is from Complete Warrior and Dawncaller is from Races of Stone.

The problem with the above build is that Warrior Skald is 3.0 and thus uses the 3.0 version of Bardic Music so you'd have to discuss with your DM how it would function in a 3.5 environment.

A second option is plain Paladin (possibly with a Marshal dip) and some alternative class features, namely: Holy Warrior (Complete Champion), Harmonious Knight substitution levels (Champions of Valor Web enhancement), optionally Paladin of Freedom (UA / SRD) and either Divine Spirit (Dungeonscape) or Stand Fast (Cityscape Web Enhancement).

Some even argue that the Harmonious Knight substitution levels qualify the Paladin for feats and prestige classes which require bardic music although this is not RAW since the substitution levels do not actually give the bardic music ability. The Initiate of Milil feat (Champions of Valor) could give you the bardic music ability without needing Bard levels (depending on how you intepret it) but it doesn't give you any bardic music uses, you'd need the Extra Music feat (Complete Adventurer) for that.

[Averis Vol]

Vol, i am intrigued by that build, Marshal is in the Miniatures Handbook right? and great use of blind guardian references lol

And Andezzar you get to add the points to your point buy to when you do a Blind Guardian based character

yes, marshal is in the miniatures handbook. Something I also forgot is, if you can snag imperious command, you could replace avenging executioner with rogue 2 before going into scarlet corsair for a 30 ft emanation when you make an intimidate check to demoralise.
(scarlet corsair is in stormwracked)