Maximising dragonfire inspiration and general advice for a gestalt bard.

[shadowseve]

I'm taking the dm chair for a new campaign. One is a half vampire bard. I'm allowing gestalt since it's a small party. We've agreed on Bard 8/ Virtuoso 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Virtuoso 8 for the first part of the build but I'm trying to figure out the second half. We already have a sorcerer so that's kind of out. I thought about factotum as it would really mesh well with the bard. I'm looking for any suggestions that might be better.

Also I'm trying to find a way for her to qualify for dragonfire inspiration. Draconic heritage would qualify but needs a level of sorcerer in order to do it. Is there another way to gain the dragon blood subtype remain a half vampire so she can qualify for dragonfire inspiration? Dragon touched or Silverbrow human solves that. Still what is the best way to maximize dragonfire inspiration?

[eternal]

For maximizing dragonfire inspiration I recommend

Spell- Inspiration Boost +1 inspire
Feat- Song of the Heart +1 inspire
Feat-Words of Creation DOUBLE inspire bonus
item- Badge of Valor 3/day +1 inspire
Item- Vest of Legends +5 effective bard level for bardic music effects
This gives a VERY nice boost to the parties damage.

for the full build I would go.
Bard 8/ Virtuoso 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Virtuoso 8//factotum 10/chameleon 10


This would give you an extreme amount of versatility.

Edit:

I'm also curious on others opinions since I'm still new to dnd I'm always interested in learning new classes. :smallbiggrin:

[Jestyen]

My question is would the casting from virtuoso stack with the spell casting from chameleon.

[thedmring]

I'm taking the dm chair for a new campaign. One is a half vampire bard. I'm allowing gestalt since it's a small party. We've agreed on Bard 8/ Virtuoso 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Virtuoso 8 for the first part of the build but I'm trying to figure out the second half. We already have a sorcerer so that's kind of out. I thought about factotum as it would really mesh well with the bard. I'm looking for any suggestions that might be better.

Also I'm trying to find a way for her to qualify for dragonfire inspiration. Draconic heritage would qualify but needs a level of sorcerer in order to do it. Is there another way to gain the dragon blood subtype remain a half vampire so she can qualify for dragonfire inspiration? Dragon touched or Silverbrow human solves that. Still what is the best way to maximize dragonfire inspiration?

Please don't DM. I feel for your players. You don't need to be playing yet alone dming.
I'm sure everyone else agrees.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

Surely it depends on what the group is doing? DMPCs are dangerous but an IC bard/something would be ho-hum in my group.

Anyway... the most important feat a vampire IC-pumping bard can take is Requiem from Libris Mortis. It allows your Mind-Affecting ability to provide energy damage/plusses to apply to undead, at half duration. Lingering Song is useful here as well.

[shadowseve]

Surely it depends on what the group is doing? DMPCs are dangerous but an IC bard/something would be ho-hum in my group.

Anyway... the most important feat a vampire IC-pumping bard can take is Requiem from Libris Mortis. It allows your Mind-Affecting ability to provide energy damage/plusses to apply to undead, at half duration. Lingering Song is useful here as well.

It's a pc. I'm not adding any dm pc's into the party. yeah she's planning on taking requiem.

I'm mainly trying to help her find a good class for her other side of the gestalt.


Please don't DM. I feel for your players. You don't need to be playing yet alone dming.
I'm sure everyone else agrees.
I should seriously report you one day.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

For the other half of the gestalt, just Dread Necromancer 20 could work pretty well. Pick up Requiem from LM so his undead minions will benefit from Inspire Courage. Keep in mind however that this will exclude the use of Words of Creation, though it's extremely fitting for a half-vampire character. Take Tomb-Tainted Soul so he can use his negative energy touch to heal himself.

If you're going to make the +2 LA for half-vampire take up only one half of the gestalt, a lot of dips for Cha synergy would be beneficial. For example, include one Sorcerer level with the Dragonblood Sorcerer 1 substitution level to gain Draconic Heritage and switch Dragonfire Inspiration to Sonic. Get three levels of Human Paragon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm#humanParagon) if Silverbrow Human to get +2 Cha. Pick up one level of Dragon Devotee in Races of the Dragon to gain +2 Cha. I would really like to recommend Arcane Duelist (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20030224a) 2 but you cannot take multiple prestige class levels at a single gestalt character level. If Chaos Monk is available then the Cobra Strike (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#monkVariantFightingSty les) variant helps qualify for Arcane Duelist and Ascetic Mage switches the AC bonus from Wis to Cha. Paladin of Freedom or Slaughter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#paladinVariantsFreedom SlaughterAndTyranny) 2 adds your Cha bonus to saves, Hexblade 2 adds your Cha bonus to saves vs spells, and Blackguard 2 adds your Cha bonus to saves as well. Three levels of Blackguard with Wis 14 gets the spellcasting to qualify for Mystic Wanderer in Magic of Faerun, which adds your Cha bonus to your AC again. Marshal is also a good dip for this. Here's the X stat to Y bonus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?125732-3-x-X-stat-to-Y-bonus) thread. Basically just look at this build (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?342828-Damnable-PC-s-need-a-Blackguard-built-that-ll-teach-them-a-lesson!&p=17324416&viewfull=1#post17324416) for adding your Cha bonus to everything multiple times.

[shadowseve]

For the other half of the gestalt, just Dread Necromancer 20 could work pretty well. Pick up Requiem from LM so his undead minions will benefit from Inspire Courage. Keep in mind however that this will exclude the use of Words of Creation, though it's extremely fitting for a half-vampire character. Take Tomb-Tainted Soul so he can use his negative energy touch to heal himself.

If you're going to make the +2 LA for half-vampire take up only one half of the gestalt, a lot of dips for Cha synergy would be beneficial. For example, include one Sorcerer level with the Dragonblood Sorcerer 1 substitution level to gain Draconic Heritage and switch Dragonfire Inspiration to Sonic. Get three levels of Human Paragon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm#humanParagon) if Silverbrow Human to get +2 Cha. Pick up one level of Dragon Devotee in Races of the Dragon to gain +2 Cha. I would really like to recommend Arcane Duelist (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20030224a) 2 but you cannot take multiple prestige class levels at a single gestalt character level. If Chaos Monk is available then the Cobra Strike (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#monkVariantFightingSty les) variant helps qualify for Arcane Duelist and Ascetic Mage switches the AC bonus from Wis to Cha. Paladin of Freedom or Slaughter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#paladinVariantsFreedom SlaughterAndTyranny) 2 adds your Cha bonus to saves, Hexblade 2 adds your Cha bonus to saves vs spells, and Blackguard 2 adds your Cha bonus to saves as well. Three levels of Blackguard with Wis 14 gets the spellcasting to qualify for Mystic Wanderer in Magic of Faerun, which adds your Cha bonus to your AC again. Marshal is also a good dip for this. Here's the X stat to Y bonus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?125732-3-x-X-stat-to-Y-bonus) thread. Basically just look at this build (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?342828-Damnable-PC-s-need-a-Blackguard-built-that-ll-teach-them-a-lesson!&p=17324416&viewfull=1#post17324416) for adding your Cha bonus to everything multiple times.

I'm wanting to talk her into silverbrow human, I also like the idea of dragon heritage for the sonic damage as not too many things are resistant against that. since most of the party is holy I'm not sure dread necro would work(though I like idea of that combo)

The groups composition is as follows.

elf rogue 3/swordsage17//cleric20 (holy assassin type)

dwarf cleric//warblade

human sorcerer//artificer

the half vampire we're working on and the last has yet to decide.

edit:

the la+ 2 is going to be bought off.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

In that case...

Bard 20// Paladin of Freedom 2/ Dragonblood Sorcerer 1/ Cobra-Strike Chaos Monk 2/ Dragon Devotee 1/ Arcane Duelist 2/ Virtuoso 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Virtuoso 8. That adds its Cha bonus to saves once and to AC twice with Ascetic Mage, and gets Sorcerer 2, Sublime Chord 10, and Bard 20 spellcasting.

[shadowseve]

In that case...

Bard 20// Paladin of Freedom 2/ Dragonblood Sorcerer 1/ Cobra-Strike Chaos Monk 2/ Dragon Devotee 1/ Arcane Duelist 2/ Virtuoso 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Virtuoso 8. That adds its Cha bonus to saves once and to AC twice with Ascetic Mage, and gets Sorcerer 2, Sublime Chord 10, and Bard 20 spellcasting. I like some of these ideas thanks. I'll definitely let her see them.

[shadowseve]

For maximizing dragonfire inspiration I recommend

Spell- Inspiration Boost +1 inspire
Feat- Song of the Heart +1 inspire
Feat-Words of Creation DOUBLE inspire bonus
item- Badge of Valor 3/day +1 inspire
Item- Vest of Legends +5 effective bard level for bardic music effects
This gives a VERY nice boost to the parties damage.

for the full build I would go.
Bard 8/ Virtuoso 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Virtuoso 8//factotum 10/chameleon 10


This would give you an extreme amount of versatility.

Edit:

I'm also curious on others opinions since I'm still new to dnd I'm always interested in learning new classes. :smallbiggrin:

I don't really think chameleon works here since the group had everything covered. But thanks for the tips for maximizing dragonfire

[Giddonihah]

You dont take Chameleon to fill in role gaps, you take it for its access to every single spell list in the game including those really short ones that let you stick haste in a level 1 spell slot, its floating bonus feat, its high skill bonuses and Saves and its increase to whatever stat you need. Huh, Chameleon seems to Gestalt really well now that I think about it.

[eternal]

You dont take Chameleon to fill in role gaps, you take it for its access to every single spell list in the game including those really short ones that let you stick haste in a level 1 spell slot, its floating bonus feat, its high skill bonuses and Saves and its increase to whatever stat you need. Huh, Chameleon seems to Gestalt really well now that I think about it.


This pretty much. I really think the build I gave would be a great build to go with. :smallbiggrin:

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Chameleon doesn't work because "a gestalt character can’t combine two prestige classes at any level (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/gestaltCharacters.htm)." He would have to give up Sublime Chord and Virtuoso to be able to take Chameleon, and that leaves you with a build that doesn't get 9th level spells.