Making link from zelda (bardblade help)

[maniacalmojo]

A friend is thinking of running a LOZ themed D&D game and i want to play link and while it does not seem to be a super optimized game i want to have a nifty and fun charecter. I was thinking of bard 4 warblade 16 with lingering song and perform (ocarina) in order to make use of the bard levels while still being thematically appropriate but as for the rest of the build i am at a loss, at least feat and equipment wise and if there are any PRC that would work for a link themed charecter.

Does the playground have any thoughts?

[Pyon]

Well first you should decide on WHAT Link. Every game has a different Link and all of them have different skills so you would build them differently. If you want an Ocarina I'm assuming you want the OOT/Majora's Mask one. So I guess to emulate Majora's Mask you could take a point in druid and get some weird wildshapes?... I don't even think bard spells can emulate any of Link's magic.

[maniacalmojo]

Spells i was planning on emulating with magic items as link is not actually a caster. All his abilities are granted to him through items. All of which is solved with a high UMD.

[maniacalmojo]

As for which link i was just going to go with the link archtype being a left handed swordsman who uses various manuvers and items. More intelligent then super powerful.

[Mato]

Iron heart copy's most of twilight princess, the rest is in the items.

[Elricaltovilla]

The Twilight Princess Link is probably the most combat oriented Link I'm aware of. In general, I'd recommend focusing on Iron Heart, Diamond Mind and White Raven Tactics maneuvers. These are all pretty good disciplines that don't have a lot of supernatural ability to them.

Obviously, you'll want Song of the White Raven so you can stack your Bard and Warblade levels for inspire courage. And you'll need to be able to sword and board, which means spending some feats on improved shield bash and probably the TWF line, although Link doesn't really do much shield bashing.

[Pyon]

The Twilight Princess Link is probably the most combat oriented Link I'm aware of. In general, I'd recommend focusing on Iron Heart, Diamond Mind and White Raven Tactics maneuvers. These are all pretty good disciplines that don't have a lot of supernatural ability to them.

Obviously, you'll want Song of the White Raven so you can stack your Bard and Warblade levels for inspire courage. And you'll need to be able to sword and board, which means spending some feats on improved shield bash and probably the TWF line, although Link doesn't really do much shield bashing.

Didn't he have shield bashing in Twilight Princess and in Skyward Sword? But I agree with this, this is probably the best way to emulate it.

Item based Link would be much harder to pull off honestly.

[Waddacku]

I don't really know where the Bard comes in, Link frequently makes use of magical music but not the type of effects the Bard gets. If anything, I'd think Factotum works better, with Warblade (or maybe Swordsage, depending) for more combat ability.

[Extra Anchovies]

Nobody's mentioned Eternal Blade? It's a class that actually gives you Navi. It is Link. I'd just parse the Ocarina as a magic item that lets him cast Knock (because most of what it does is open doors).

[Elricaltovilla]

Nobody's mentioned Eternal Blade? It's a class that actually gives you Navi. It is Link. I'd just parse the Ocarina as a magic item that lets him cast Knock (because most of what it does is open doors).

I was hoping to avoid suggesting Eternal Blade because otherwise the DM is given free reign to go "Hey! Listen!" eleven billion times per session.

[grarrrg]

a class that actually gives you Navi.

And this is the "upside" how exactly?

[Callin]

Set "Hey Listen" as your text tone and the DM can send you messages from Navi.

Over

And over

And over

And over...

[(Un)Inspired]

You guys didn't like Navi? I liked Navi...

[Mato]

I calculate a 99.9% probability you will have to stop adventuring and play hot or cold if you want to simulate skyward sword.

[Callin]

I loved Navi. She is my Notification tone

[Troacctid]

If you want to make Windwaker Link, you can take the Windsinger feat from Stormwrack to use bardic music to control the winds.


And this is the "upside" how exactly?

http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/comic/dont-know-what-you-got-til-its-gone

[maniacalmojo]

All of that is nice and great suggestions but i am still at a loss for feats.

[(Un)Inspired]

Take obtain familiar and celestial familiar to get a coure eladrin.

Boom now you have a little faerie partner who follows you around to help out.

[goto124]

Take obtain familiar and celestial familiar to get a coure eladrin.

Boom now you have a little faerie partner who follows you around to help out.

And have Silence spells on hand.

'Hey, lis-' 'Shut up!'

[Darrin]

I was hoping to avoid suggesting Eternal Blade because otherwise the DM is given free reign to go "Hey! Listen!" eleven billion times per session.

Well, that and Eternal Blade requires BAB +10, so if you take any Bard levels, you can't finish the PrC by ECL 20.

You can approximate Navi with Shape Soulmeld: Soulspark Familiar. (It's even pretty much useless... exactly like Navi.)

[malonkey1]

Well, that and Eternal Blade requires BAB +10, so if you take any Bard levels, you can't finish the PrC by ECL 20.

You can approximate Navi with Shape Soulmeld: Soulspark Familiar. (It's even pretty much useless... exactly like Navi.)

Free flanking buddy?

[Extra Anchovies]

Well, that and Eternal Blade requires BAB +10, so if you take any Bard levels, you can't finish the PrC by ECL 20.

I was implying a non-bard entry. Link doesn't ever use his Ocarina in-combat (or really ever do anything except to solve puzzles by opening doors/going back in time to when doors weren't there/other assorted means of door removal), and I think all of his magic comes from items.

[DMVerdandi]

I would suggest either Factotum or Artificer.

Factotum is the easier one to play, so that might be better. Link has a small amount of magic, so the SLA'S that he can get from factotum are perfect. You can choose that he can get from factotum is pretty good.

Unfortunately you cannot get the chameleon class with any elvish races. You COULD choose to not make him an elf and perhaps a half-fey, buy off the LA (and get all the sweet, sweet bonuses from it), and make him human.

If you do that, then you can get able learner, start off as a factotum, move on to Chameleon, and then do whatever you want for the last 5 levels.

Half fey-human/Factotum 5/Chameleon 10/xx 5


If you do artificer, you can just have his abilities come from items.

[Auron3991]

Just a quick rundown of feat ideas for you for a Twilight Princess Link(you'll need fighter lvs if you want them all):

Combat Expertise (all the dodging and rolling)
Combat Reflexes (nature of LoZ)
Power Attack (ending blow)
Shield Bash (shield attack)
Leap Attack (helm splitter)
Dodge (self-explanatory)
Mobility (same)
Spring Attack (back slice and qualify for next feat)
Whirlwind Attack (spin attack)

And if you see epic: Improved Whirlwind Attack

Also, don't forget to grab ranks in jump and tumble

It doesn't perfectly replicate, but it gives a close approximation

[goto124]

And if you see epic: Improved Whirlwind Attack

You might need to get belts first. (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/katietiedrich/comic271.png)

[Yael]

Nobody's mentioned Eternal Blade? It's a class that actually gives you Navi. It is Link. I'd just parse the Ocarina as a magic item that lets him cast Knock (because most of what it does is open doors).
It actually would have a kind of Word of Recall effect, more than only mimmicking the Song of Time, it actually would have 10 different effects, depending on which sound is played. Also, I seccond straight Warblade/Eternal Blade, and Perform as cross-class.


You guys didn't like Navi? I liked Navi...
I loved Navi. She is my Notification tone

Navi for the win.http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/129/1/3/keep_calm_and_hey_listen___print_size__by_j_m_k_u_ m-d4z6a09.png

[Darrin]

Free flanking buddy?

Unfortunately, no... tiny size means reach = 0. If you can figure out some way to increase the soulspark's size to medium (expansion or shrink collar) and give it a weapon to threaten with, then it might be able to flank.

[lytokk]

No real need for whirlwind attack, as the Mithral Tornado maneuver takes care of that. I definitely think you'll need improved shield bash and combat reflexes. I've always thought the master sword was too big to be considered a longsword, so EWP bastard sword, and maybe some of the WF line. Link's a pretty simple character when you get down to it, its just he's incredibly item focused.

Mounted combat also sounds like something he should have. Perhaps quickdraw as well.