Low level Core/Splat Bard Concept

[Shadowdagger213]

Hello to the Playground!!

Here's a challenge....

for the last 15 years that I've been playing, I've averaged at level 11-16 to start. Come in to a campaign at mid to high levels and go to Epic or at least the quest to become so.

I've been invited to join a beginner/novice group at level FIVE... and I'm stumped....

2 spell levels? 3 feats (IF I play a human!)? Can't qualify for Leadership? This is my own personal hell! LOL

I've decided to bring a Bard into a group that's probably never seen one in action; the only problem is I've never played one either!

I think they rock, I know at higher levels (even as low as 6) I can make this work, but any guidance would help.

Is it worth multi-classing this early? (Is a whip any good?) I haven't sat down with the DM yet, but I work with her, lots of house rules as to not overwhelm the newbies, core at least and she even mentioned some Pathfinder.

5th level Bard straight up, Swashbuckler 3/Bard 2 for some consistent extra damage or what?

There will be an Aasimar Cleric, a Tiefling Rogue, a Half Elf Ranger, Dwarf Fighter, Dwarf Barbarian (Cool) and a human Wizard, who I was asked to "coach" or "help" by bringing a little more arcane magic to the group; hence the bard.

If skill tricks aren't part of the group, I'm introducing EVERYBODY to them, especially the rogue. I am gimped... and I can't be shown up by a fledgling group half my age! LOL


Suggestions? My role is not to take over the party, it's to kinda gel them together with balance.

So, how do you make a 5th level Bard so he doesn't die from being blindsided by a coyote or something?


...Help :elan:


.....and go! :nale:


P.S. - I haven't rolled any numbers yet.....

[eggynack]

Specific optimization depends a lot on the specific book access you have, because you weren't really clear on that, as well as on the specific house rules in effect. Out of core, you gain access to a pile of very effective feats, as well as potentially a prestige class or three, and some spells, while in core most of your optimization is about spell and skill selection. An in between game would fall somewhere in between those two optimization points, though in neither case is multiclassing particularly viable.

So, the question becomes what spells you should pick, and in the absence of more information, I'm going to just construct from core. For 0th's, the best spells are detect magic, prestidigitation, mage hand, summon instrument, mending, and ghost sound. For 1st's, you're going to want some mix of grease, silent image, maybe charm person, possibly unseen servant, and other things are largely down to particular goals. Notably, this level also offers inspirational boost if you have access to the spell compendium. For 2nd's, you're probably going to want alter self and glitterdust, because they're both thoroughly ridiculous, and other options include invisibility, mirror image, pyrotechnics, and maybe silence.

Beyond that, you have the skill list, which has a lot of great options. There's UMD, diplomacy, spellcraft, concentration, bluff, all them knowledges, lots of good ways to go. Really, as long as you avoid the crap skills, you should be fine. For non-core stuff, I'd advise looking at the inspire courage handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9830), which is one of the better lines to pursue in straight bard optimization, and if you want a more casterish approach, you might eventually want to look into sublime chord.

[Troacctid]

5th level Bard straight up, Swashbuckler 3/Bard 2 for some consistent extra damage or what?

Definitely not that, since Swashbuckler is pitifully underpowered.

Your group is kind of oversized--seven players, eight characters if you include the Ranger's animal companion, nine if you include the Wizard's familiar. That makes Bard a much stronger choice than usual, because Inspire Courage applies to every single one of them. If I were you, I'd just run with it. Go Bard 5 and Inspire Courage up the wazoo. Use the Inspirational Boost spell (from Spell Compendium), a masterwork instrument (see Complete Adventurer), and the Song of the Heart feat (from Eberron) to pump up the bonus. You could take the Dragonfire Inspiration feat (from Dragon Magic) to switch from +X attack and damage to just +Xd6 damage, but rolling that many dice isn't exactly subtle--it might be over the top for a group of newbies.