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View Full Version : Creating an undead Bard!



Roeddin
2014-06-25, 12:14 AM
Hello everyone. I got the thumbs up to use necropolitan template (http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/necropolitan.shtml) and thought it would be fun to make a bard who's so obsessed with "living" to tell the tales that he underwent the ritual to be undead and "live" longer. For more flavor, I really would like to run a tibbit (http://dndtools.eu/races/dragon-compendium--109/tibbit--33/) as the race. Given that you can't cast spells with verbal components, he'd have perform(dance). So, what we have is an undead small tibbit that can turn into a fat undead kitty! Horray! I really love the flavor here.

For feats, I think the only MUST have is Requiem (http://dndtools.eu/feats/song-and-silence-a-guidebook-to-bards-and-rogues--48/requiem--2432/). Without it, my own music will not affect me. Next on the list is Words of Creation (http://dndtools.eu/feats/book-of-exalted-deeds--52/words-of-creation--3168/) for obvious reasons. As a bonus, the non-lethal damage it deals doesn't affect me(undead).

So from here, I'm not sure what else to do. This campaign is going to have a lot of undead, making my choice very interesting for the party. Our party also seems to be lacking melee damage. Having all d12 HD with this template and no Con will allow me to dump my Con stat and still have great HP. I'm reading that correctly, right? Once you acquire Necropolitan (http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/necropolitan.shtml), do your future HD on classes change to 12HD as well?

Having me as a source of melee damage would be nice, so I'm thinking of ways to have a decent melee damage output. I've already spent 2 of my feats. Snowflake Wardance (http://dndtools.eu/feats/frostburn--68/snowflake-wardance--2671/) with TWF seems like a solid choice. The other option I'm guessing is the power attack route. What do you guys think would be best considering my limited feats? What other options do I have?

No flaws allowed so far. No homebrew, all 3.5, some PF 3.0 allowed. Anything else would have to be at DM discretion.

We start at level 5, but I think I can convince my DM to give me the template built into the storyline and allow me to be level 5 with the group.

Appreciate your thoughts!

Flickerdart
2014-06-25, 12:19 AM
Perform (Dance) won't let you cast spells (not even with Melodic Casting or other ways to cast while performing). You will need Nonverbal Spell or Surrogate Spellcasting if you want to use verbal components as a cat. Surrogate Spellcasting is better because it would also allow you to perform somatic components without having hands.

Roeddin
2014-06-25, 12:25 AM
Perform (Dance) won't let you cast spells (not even with Melodic Casting or other ways to cast while performing). You will need Nonverbal Spell or Surrogate Spellcasting if you want to use verbal components as a cat. Surrogate Spellcasting is better because it would also allow you to perform somatic components without having hands.

Whoops. What I meant was being able to use perform for bardic music while a cat. However, surrogate spellcasting sounds like another good option for this character down the road. Thanks!

Sian
2014-06-25, 12:34 AM
by RAW, Bardic Music doesn't work with Perform (Dance)


[...]While these abilities fall under the category of bardic music and the descriptions discuss singing or playing instruments, they can all be activated by reciting poetry, chanting, singing lyrical songs, singing melodies (fa-la-la, and so forth), whistling, playing an instrument, or playing an instrument in combination with some spoken performance.

Roeddin
2014-06-25, 12:49 AM
by RAW, Bardic Music doesn't work with Perform (Dance)

Hmm, you're right. Perhaps I can work something out to where the cat can meow-chant to perform the songs.

Telonius
2014-06-25, 12:18 PM
You might be able to argue for dance as a percussion instrument, as long as it's tap-dance. :smallbiggrin: