Bard Pheonix Mage help

[Gigas Breaker]

So, I'm working on a Bard gish as a backup character. So far I have silverbrow human Bard 6/Crusader 1/Abjurant Champion 2/Jade Phoenix Mage 1/Sublime Chord 1/Jade Phoenix Mage +9. I have able learner and dfi at one and combat casting at six. I may get weapon finesse at three. 32 point buy. It's a party of mercenaries with with a couple of evil characters so I'm loking at chaotic neutral and I won't be meeting any good requirements. I was thinking maybe extend spell and extra granted maneuver. I've never played a bard or a gish so any advice is appreciated.

[Fouredged Sword]

Well, song of the white raven seems something to consider.

[Jeff the Green]

Well, song of the white raven seems something to consider.

Unfortunately that only applies to warblade and crusader levels, and not JPM levels. If you can convince your DM to let it, you should pick it up, though. Also consider asking replacing Devoted Spirit with White Raven, as it and Desert Wind fit a DFI bard much better than Devoted Spirit and Desert Wind.

[GreenETC]

The main problem with being a Bard gish is that no gish PrCs advance Inspire Courage, meaning you lose out on a lot of potential power, which is why builds with Bards usually choose to either focus on casting or buffing. Bards in themselves already get good spells, skills, and 3/4th BaB, meaning they make great gishes on their own.

[Jeff the Green]

The main problem with being a Bard gish is that no gish PrCs advance Inspire Courage, meaning you lose out on a lot of potential power, which is why builds with Bards usually choose to either focus on casting or buffing. Bards in themselves already get good spells, skills, and 3/4th BaB, meaning they make great gishes on their own.

That's solvable if you allow JPM levels to work with Song of the White Raven too.