Easiest way for new Bard 9th (3.5 all but 3rd party) to escape grapple/hold monster?

[Rerednaw]

Last session we had an ambush by 6 advanced plus (max hp, high stats, etc) cloakers which nixed a character (helpless CDG) and an Animal Companion. The survivors dinged 9th but the player who died is looking for a way his new character not get stuck that way or have an escape.

I immediately thought of Cleric with Travel Domain. But he's going to go bard.

As Rings of Freedom are a bit too spendy (unless we go Leadership Artificer crafting cheese which I'd like to avoid) is there another way to get out of grapples / hold monster without specializing your build? Is there an auto/free/swift cast 'get me out here' spell or item or effect for bards?

Thanks!

add: he's gone through 3 characters already and while I know FoM is on his list for 10th he'd kind of like to live long enough to get there. Plus trying to cast while helpless is kind of hard.

[Inevitability]

Wait one level, learn FoM normally?

[Madwand99]

Anklets of Translocation are amazingly useful, and cheap. Won't help you if you are paralyzed, though.

[sleepyphoenixx]

You can get the Travel domain power with the Planar Touchstone (PlH) feat for the Catalogues of Enlightenment.
Alternatively Hidden Talent(Dimension Hop) gives you a mentally activated swift-action teleport, but it won't cure paralysis.
Third Eye:Freedom (MIC, 2600gp) gives FoM for 1 round as an immediate action 1/day.
Vest of Free Movement (MIC, 12000gp) gives FoM for 3 rounds, 3/day as a swift action.


Anklets of Translocation are amazingly useful, and cheap. Won't help you if you are paralyzed, though.

Get the Shadow Cloak (DoTU) instead. It's activated as an immediate action, so you can teleport out of melee range before the attack hits.

[Madwand99]

Get the Shadow Cloak (DoTU) instead. It's activated as an immediate action, so you can teleport out of melee range before the attack hits.

The Cloak is good and has some cases where it will be better, but I still prefer the Anklets. The Cloak can only be activated when you are attacked (so no helping out when unusual movement modes are needed), is more expensive, and comes from a more obscure source. The Anklets are cheaper per use (so it's easier to carry multiple), and each use is only needed if the attack hits. They can also be used for some really cool tricks, like redirecting the line of a charge (my Cavalier got one for himself and his horse).

[Rerednaw]

Thanks all folks! :)
Also I forgot...since Hold Monster = Paralysis...be a warforged :0 won't work on all stuff (like tentacles, etc.) but it does reduce some of the more nastier effects from stinging.
I'll see if he's okay being a robot.

[sleepyphoenixx]

In the case of the Cloaker boosting your saves can also help a lot. Not to mention that they help you against a lot of things instead of trying to get immune to every specific effect.
A Ring of the Diamond Mind for Mind over Body (ToB, 3000gp) replaces a fort save with a concentration check 1/encounter.
The Headband of Conscious Effort (MIC, 2000gp) does the same 1/day.

There's of course the standard Cloak of Resistance, but it's pretty expensive. You can get a bigger bonus if you shop around a little.
You can also get a resistance bonus from the spell Greater/Superior Resistance (+3/+6), so it's better to spend your gold somewhere else if your party has someone who can cast it.

The Crystal of Mind Cloaking (MIC, 10000gp) for a +5 competence bonus to will saves against mind-affecting and a reroll 1/day (needs a +3 armor/shield).
The Amulet of Fortune Prevailing (MIC, 5000gp) for a save reroll 1/day as an immediate action.
The Mindarmor property (MIC, 3000gp) for a +5 untyped bonus to will saves against mind affecting for 1 turn as an immediate action 3/day.
The Tabard of the Great Crusade (MIC, 5500gp) for a +1 morale bonus to saves for you and your allies.
The Robe of the Vagabond (CC, 6000gp) for a +1 luck bonus to saves (and AC).
The Crystal Mask of Mindarmor (MIC, 10000gp) for a +4 insight bonus to will saves

There's of course a lot more ways to boost your saves, but those are the relatively affordable ones. The Mindarmor property especially is extremely good for its price.


The Cloak is good and has some cases where it will be better, but I still prefer the Anklets. The Cloak can only be activated when you are attacked (so no helping out when unusual movement modes are needed), is more expensive, and comes from a more obscure source. The Anklets are cheaper per use (so it's easier to carry multiple), and each use is only needed if the attack hits. They can also be used for some really cool tricks, like redirecting the line of a charge (my Cavalier got one for himself and his horse).

You don't have to choose just one. The anklets are cheap enough.
But for the situation in question the Shadow Cloak is usually better, because by the time your turn hits and you can use the anklets you're already paralyzed if you're unlucky, which the OP wants to avoid.

Not to mention that the Shadow Cloak also lets you break full attacks or LoS on ranged attacks/spells if you have a corner to hide behind.
Shadow Hand Gloves for the Shadow Stride/Jaunt/Blink maneuver are also a contender, since they function once/encounter, and the Shadow Stride one costs only 3000gp and is useable at level 6 for a non-initiator.