Doctor Despair
2015-12-14, 07:38 PM
There's a lot of bard hype on the forums, so I've taken my hand to building one myself! I have never played a bard before, so could I get some opinions or suggestions for improvement on this build? I was trying to make something that is subtly really powerful without flaunting it until some crucial point when a mass suggestion DC of over 100 swings the game.
In any event, in terms of flavor, I'm picturing a bard who realizes just how dangerous the world is in his travels and recalls stories of people seeking out and challenging famous adventurers. To avoid that end, he tries to be as subtle as possible and frequently makes disguise checks on himself to avoid attracting attention. While he managed to avoid most of the legions of commoners and low-level folks who would flock to someone of his stature, he was unable to ward off a cohort from pursuing him, so they travel together.
While in the party, he never assumes a true leadership role, but makes a large deal of casting divination spells to guide them and often bluffs to fudge the results a little to nudge them the way he wants to go. On the battlefield, he plays his music and produces spells and effects without drawing attention, possibly even from those with truesight; off the battlefield, if ever there is something his massive social skills couldn't accomplish, his suggestions surely could.
Character Details:
Race: Unseeley Fey, Magic-Blooded, Draconic, Phrenic Death-Touched (DM has allowed level buy-off), Major Fey Bloodline
Age: Middle Age
Class levels: 20 Bard, 1 Marshal
Starting Stats:
Str: 16
Dex: 11
Con: 13
Int: 15
Wis: 13
Cha: 17
After Racial Bonuses, age, 20 levels, and 5 wishes:
Str: 15
Dex: 13
Con: 8
Int: 18
Wis: 17
Cha: 43
Racial Traits
Medium Size
Speed: 30
Low-Light Vision
+2 Natural Armor
Powerful Build
Invisibility at will
+1 CL SLAs
2 Power Points
Iron/Steel Vulnerability (1 point of damage on touch, 1d6 on hit)
DR 15/Cold Iron
Moth Like Wings, Fly 60 (Average)
Winter's Chill (Su) -- living, nonfey adjacent suffer penalty to saves equal to bard cha bonus
Feats:
Arcane Mastery
Dragonsong
Leadership (Artificer cohort)
Disguise Spell
Subsonics
Lyric Song
Words of Creation
Music of the Gods (Temporary Hitdie Shenanigans)
Items:
Masterwork Lute of +30 (+65, ranks and item, 75 after taking 10, 123 with charisma and motivate charisma)
Wand of Devil's Ego
Wand of Righteous Aura
Wand of Truecast
Wand of Assay Spell Resistance
Various sundry and assorted wands of spells bards can't cast
Staff of Charisma (Maximized Transfusion (4 charge), Greater Visage of the Deity)
Command Shield
Item of Mindblank
An item to deal with nonlethal damage
Belt of Battle
4x Item of Charisma +6 Enhancement
Total Charisma Bonuses:
Base: 43
Competence +4 Command Item
Enhancement +8 Nixie's Grace
Morale +4 Snowsong
Profane +4 Wand (Devil's Ego)
Divine +4 Wand (Righteous Aura)
Untyped +5 from Staff of Transfusion (1d6 +5)
Untyped +4 from Staff of Greater Visage of the Deity
Circumstance +6 from Artificer Infusion
Alchemic +6 from Artificer Infusion
Luck +6 from Artificer Infusion
Insight +6 from Artificer Infusion
Passive Total: 53
Buffed Total: 106
Suggestion DC with Unseeley Fey Debuff: 131
After gaining 1 Divine Rank for Alter Reality:
Age: +1
Nixie's Grace, Devil's Ego, Visage of the Deity via Ability Enhancer: +6
New Passive Total: 113
New Suggestion DC: 138
In any event, in terms of flavor, I'm picturing a bard who realizes just how dangerous the world is in his travels and recalls stories of people seeking out and challenging famous adventurers. To avoid that end, he tries to be as subtle as possible and frequently makes disguise checks on himself to avoid attracting attention. While he managed to avoid most of the legions of commoners and low-level folks who would flock to someone of his stature, he was unable to ward off a cohort from pursuing him, so they travel together.
While in the party, he never assumes a true leadership role, but makes a large deal of casting divination spells to guide them and often bluffs to fudge the results a little to nudge them the way he wants to go. On the battlefield, he plays his music and produces spells and effects without drawing attention, possibly even from those with truesight; off the battlefield, if ever there is something his massive social skills couldn't accomplish, his suggestions surely could.
Character Details:
Race: Unseeley Fey, Magic-Blooded, Draconic, Phrenic Death-Touched (DM has allowed level buy-off), Major Fey Bloodline
Age: Middle Age
Class levels: 20 Bard, 1 Marshal
Starting Stats:
Str: 16
Dex: 11
Con: 13
Int: 15
Wis: 13
Cha: 17
After Racial Bonuses, age, 20 levels, and 5 wishes:
Str: 15
Dex: 13
Con: 8
Int: 18
Wis: 17
Cha: 43
Racial Traits
Medium Size
Speed: 30
Low-Light Vision
+2 Natural Armor
Powerful Build
Invisibility at will
+1 CL SLAs
2 Power Points
Iron/Steel Vulnerability (1 point of damage on touch, 1d6 on hit)
DR 15/Cold Iron
Moth Like Wings, Fly 60 (Average)
Winter's Chill (Su) -- living, nonfey adjacent suffer penalty to saves equal to bard cha bonus
Feats:
Arcane Mastery
Dragonsong
Leadership (Artificer cohort)
Disguise Spell
Subsonics
Lyric Song
Words of Creation
Music of the Gods (Temporary Hitdie Shenanigans)
Items:
Masterwork Lute of +30 (+65, ranks and item, 75 after taking 10, 123 with charisma and motivate charisma)
Wand of Devil's Ego
Wand of Righteous Aura
Wand of Truecast
Wand of Assay Spell Resistance
Various sundry and assorted wands of spells bards can't cast
Staff of Charisma (Maximized Transfusion (4 charge), Greater Visage of the Deity)
Command Shield
Item of Mindblank
An item to deal with nonlethal damage
Belt of Battle
4x Item of Charisma +6 Enhancement
Total Charisma Bonuses:
Base: 43
Competence +4 Command Item
Enhancement +8 Nixie's Grace
Morale +4 Snowsong
Profane +4 Wand (Devil's Ego)
Divine +4 Wand (Righteous Aura)
Untyped +5 from Staff of Transfusion (1d6 +5)
Untyped +4 from Staff of Greater Visage of the Deity
Circumstance +6 from Artificer Infusion
Alchemic +6 from Artificer Infusion
Luck +6 from Artificer Infusion
Insight +6 from Artificer Infusion
Passive Total: 53
Buffed Total: 106
Suggestion DC with Unseeley Fey Debuff: 131
After gaining 1 Divine Rank for Alter Reality:
Age: +1
Nixie's Grace, Devil's Ego, Visage of the Deity via Ability Enhancer: +6
New Passive Total: 113
New Suggestion DC: 138