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View Full Version : Race choice for Bardic Knack build


BowStreetRunner
2013-09-23, 09:46 PM
I am considering a straight Bard 20 with the Bardic Knack ACF from PH2. (For the purposes of this build, prestige classes that advance Bardic Knowledge are NOT considered to advance Bardic Knack. So any multi-class dips would have to be worth reducing my bonus from Bardic Knack.) What racial choices would the playground recommend? Right now, I am considering Hellbred [Spirt Aspect] and Spellscale for the CHA bonus, Gnome and Half-Elf for the substitution levels, and Illumian for the skill bonuses.

Any comments on the above races, or suggestions of other good racial choices would be appreciated.
Eonir
2013-09-23, 10:06 PM
Unseelie Fey, Magic-Blooded Lesser Aasimar.

That nets you -2 str, +2 dex, -2 con, +6 charisma.
Red Fel
2013-09-23, 10:08 PM
Unseelie Fey, Magic-Blooded Lesser Aasimar.

That nets you -2 str, +2 dex, -2 con, +6 charisma.

And for +0 LA!

Disclaimer: Side effects may include being Always Evil.
Eonir
2013-09-23, 10:11 PM
Neutral Evil bard.

Fiddling while Rome burns.
Kuulvheysoon
2013-09-23, 10:18 PM
Might I recommend Rilkan (MoI) and 2/3 levels of Incarnate? The various +2/+4 (insight!) bonuses to skills should be more than worth the effective 1/1.5 ranks from Bardic Knack, and they get an additional bonus on Knowledge skills (in addition to counting them all as trained) for every 3 soulmelds shaped.
BowStreetRunner
2013-09-24, 08:32 AM
Unseelie Fey, Magic-Blooded Lesser Aasimar.

That nets you -2 str, +2 dex, -2 con, +6 charisma.

I'd like to take a look at this more closely. What are the sources for these?


Might I recommend Rilkan (MoI) and 2/3 levels of Incarnate? The various +2/+4 (insight!) bonuses to skills should be more than worth the effective 1/1.5 ranks from Bardic Knack, and they get an additional bonus on Knowledge skills (in addition to counting them all as trained) for every 3 soulmelds shaped.

I did look at Rilkan briefly, but hadn't considered the Incarnate angle. I'll have to take another look.

I was also weighing a 3-level dip in Factotum for the loss of bardic abilities versus the skill gains. Skill monkeys can be so hard to optimize sometimes.
SolioFebalas
2013-09-24, 08:47 AM
Unseelie fey template (Dragon magazine #304 or Dragon Compendium)
Magic-Blooded Template or Spark (Dragon magazine #306)
Lesser Aassimar (PGtF)