Making a Buffer

[Death_Lord12]

A new player will be joining my group this weekend, and she would like to play a buffer. As she is new, she does not know how to make characters, so I will be doing this for her. However, I would like assistance as creating party buffers is not my specialty. So, what would be the best way to make a buffer? She will be starting at level 9, and the group will be going all the way to level 20.

Note: Counting the new player, we have 8 players in this group, so most of the party roles are filled. Therefore, this character just needs to be a buffer (not buffer/battlefield control/skill monkey/etc.), though it could be in combat or out of combat buffing, doesn't matter.

Any source is allowed, 3.0 (assuming no 3.5 update), 3.5, pathfinder, dragon magazine, any 3rd party, and if you know of any (balanced) homebrew that is allowed as well.

[denthor]

I tend not to like newbies to play spell casters.

If you are dead set them go sorcerer this limits spell list gives many casting of the same spell.

Remember buffers do not level up as fast since they are only supports may want thief or ranger to round out and give something to do when no fighting.

[Vizzerdrix]

Bard, if their isint one already. DFI bard would be a huge damage booster in such a large group.

[Eldariel]

Pure buffing isn't really a thing in 3.5; all the buffer classes inherently get other abilities too as they tend to be spellcasters. There's Tome of Battle with its White Raven school with some martial buffing abilities and the Marshal-class from Miniatures Handbook also qualifies, but even those tend to be martial/buffer hybrids. Ultimately, Bard is the most obvious buffer class in the game, though any caster works: Clerics and Wizards in particular both get some huge buffing abilities and can be built to maximize those. Bard's Bardic Music, particularly with Dragonfire Inspiration (but without it too) is really good though, if built for.

Just Bard 9 with feats Song of the Heart [Eberron Campaign Settings] and Words of Creation [Book of Exalted Deeds] and Inspirational Boost-spell [Spell Compendium] is incredible at this. Further, there are magic items that buff this and other uses of Bardic Music, and then you can give her Lyric Spell [Complete Adventurer] to enable casting while singing and fill the spell list with buff spells. You can also replace the other forms of Bardic Music with buffing variants, such as Healing Hymn [Complete Champion], Hymn of Fortification [Complete Champion], Mimicking Song [Dungeonscape], Repel Domination [Eberron Campaign Settings]. All useful stuff that's aimed at helping allies in various ways. For buff spells, there's at least:

1. Inspirational Boost [SC], Beastland Ferocity [SC], Combined Talent [Complete Mage], Improvisation [Spell Compendium]
2. Invisibility, Heroism, Sonic Weapon [SC]
3. Haste, Alter Fortune [PHBII], Invisibility Sphere
4. Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility, Protégé [SC], Greater Resistance [SC]
5. Greater Heroism
6. Heroes' Feast, Superior Resistance [SC]

Of course, debuffing enemies is functionally more or less the same as is social utility, personal buffing or the like. It's very hard to make a caster only do one thing in D&D; and even here we have 6+Int skill points per level so it's inevitably a skillmonkey too.

[Buufreak]

Remember buffers do not level up as fast since they are only supports may want thief or ranger to round out and give something to do when no fighting.

Wait, do what now? Contributing to encounters (combat or otherwise) nets EXP. No where have I ever seen it that says "you don't do damage, you don't get a fair share."

[ExLibrisMortis]

Bardblades/bardsaders are good if you want a little more personal melee ability. Bard 8/warblade 1 gets you third-level maneuvers.


War Weaver is a great PrC, always worth looking into when building a buffer. Heartfire Fanner, too - great for bards and nonbards alike.


Since you're allowing Pathfinder, have a look at the tactician, as well. You may need to increase the collective size a bit (I'm sure there's a feat/ability somewhere, but my PF knowledge is limited), but it's a great psionic buffing class.


Since you're also allowing third-party sources, the obvious place to look for martial buffers is Dreamscarred Press' Path of War.

[Particle_Man]

Pathfinder has some nice bard spells in the advanced players guide, including ones that let you retroactively add bonuses to missed attack rolls or skill checks after they failed (presumably you would only cast the spell if the failure was narrow enough that the spell would make a difference), or allow rerolls of saves.

[PaucaTerrorem]

Make a Core Bard with a handful of splat feats. Don't PrC until she seems to has a decent grasp of the system. Inspire courage, cast 1 or 2 spells in combat, and plink away with a crossbow.

As DM make sure she has a chance to see the non combat aspect of the game and how she can actually shine in these moments.

Whenever I play a bard I try to make someone else the face. Anytime we're in a diplomatic situation I don't talk and just play a riff on my lute. Somehow the face is a little better at talking to people at these times.

[CharonsHelper]

Pathfinder has some nice bard spells in the advanced players guide, including ones that let you retroactively add bonuses to missed attack rolls or skill checks after they failed (presumably you would only cast the spell if the failure was narrow enough that the spell would make a difference), or allow rerolls of saves.

Those are awesome - but the post-roll buffs are Competence bonuses, which don't stack with Inspire Courage. :smallfrown:

That's one advantage to a Skald vs Bard. (I still prefer Bard overall though.)

[noce]

So level 9, straight buffer, newbie friendly.

I'd say go pure Dragon Shaman, both out of combat and in combat minor buffs.
The class is below average, but it's really newbie friendly.
She will always feel useful because her buffing doesn't even prevent her from taking other actions, so she can move and breath weapon, then full attack, or whatever, all while buffing the party at the same time.
At level 12, Double Draconic Aura to buff twice as much.

As a plus, she would have lots of hp and good saves, so she does not risk to die by accident.

I know, many people don't even consider Dragon Shamans when talking about classes, but it is the easiest class to play that does something else other than smack people in the face.

[Anthrowhale]

Neither of these are newbie friendly so they would require some guidance in use. Nevertheless, with some initial guidance they could open up possibilities later.

(1) Long duration spells and/or persistent spells that affect the whole party are excellent buffs. Snowsight + Obscuring Snow = party scale improved invisibility lasting 9 hours. Ethereal mount = Phantom Steed for the party. Persistent Allegro = +30' to movement of the entire party. Persistent Mass Lesser Vigor = fast heal 1 for the party.

(2) Heartfire Fanner (Dragon 314) has the unique ability to grant arbitrary fighter feats with bardic music. Which feat to grant is situational, but this is a pretty powerful and interesting ability in general.

[Aleolus]

I will second the Dragon Shaman idea, but if you have your heart set on a spellcaster, how about an Archivist, from Heros of Horror? They cast divine spells the way a Wizard casts arcane, and while the spells they get each level have to be Cleric spells, they can add any divine spell to their book if they find a scroll of it

[Inevitability]

Wait, do what now? Contributing to encounters (combat or otherwise) nets EXP. No where have I ever seen it that says "you don't do damage, you don't get a fair share."

I have seen people talk about it in this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?514271-Who-was-the-worst-DM-you-ve-ever-had) thread.

[Lazymancer]

I will second the Dragon Shaman idea, but if you have your heart set on a spellcaster, how about an Archivist, from Heros of Horror? They cast divine spells the way a Wizard casts arcane, and while the spells they get each level have to be Cleric spells, they can add any divine spell to their book if they find a scroll of it
It would make more sense to go Spirit Shaman then. They don't have to choose spells for spellbook and can memorize different spells every day.

[Gildedragon]

Transmutation Specialist Wizard into War Weaver into Spellguard of Silverymoon.
Get some runestaves of select cleric/druid spells.

[Aleolus]

It would make more sense to go Spirit Shaman then. They don't have to choose spells for spellbook and can memorize different spells every day.

But Spirit Shamans only have access to Druid spells, while Archivists have access to Cleric, Druid, Shugenja, Ranger and Paladin spells, even without shenanigans

[Buufreak]

I have seen people talk about it in this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?514271-Who-was-the-worst-DM-you-ve-ever-had) thread.

Horrible DM stories aside, I've never seen any RAW on it.

Throwing in for Dragon Shaman. While a somewhat underwhelming chassis, can be enjoyable. One of my first 3.5 characters was one, and the healing to half health every encounter was much appreciated.

[Lazymancer]

But Spirit Shamans only have access to Druid spells, while Archivists have access to Cleric, Druid, Shugenja, Ranger and Paladin spells, even without shenanigans
Exactly. Archivist requires bookkeeping on a scale of 0.73 Artificers.

You don't front-load new player with requests to choose 50 from thousands of spells, nor do you put additional pressure on them by making this choice binding. You give them Barbarian or Beguiler.

But if you really want full-caster, you go for something beginner-friendly. And that's when having less spells to choose from is a bonus. Ability to change selected spells is another bonus. And third is spontaneous casting.

[Gildedragon]

Exactly. Archivist requires bookkeeping on a scale of 0.73 Artificers.

You don't front-load new player with requests to choose 50 from thousands of spells, nor do you put additional pressure on them by making this choice binding. You give them Barbarian or Beguiler.

But if you really want full-caster, you go for something beginner-friendly. And that's when having less spells to choose from is a bonus. Ability to change selected spells is another bonus. And third is spontaneous casting.

One could use spellpoints as wizard/cleric for the archivist.
It is a happy medium between sorcerer-style casting and "OMG so many spells to pick from" that the cleric or archivist suffer from.

[Blu]

Why not just go with good old cleric? He has acess to all his spell list so it's good for new players to learn wich spells are good or not by try and error and if everything goes bad he can double has a healer. Pick cloistered and you can be face or skillmonkey.

Just having acess to all the list and not having to worry about spells known makes the class that much more friendly towards new players.

Put some DMM[Persist] on top of it and it can be golden.

As a sidenote, is this player new to D&D? If yes, it seems that your group is kind of OP, putting a new player on the group maybe will make him feel a little behind.

[ATHATH]

Could you post some of the character builds for us? Not only will knowing the composition of the party help us, but the builds should allow us to determine the optimization level(s) of the group with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

[Florian]

Either a PF Skald or a PF Cavalier (Tactician) VMC Bard into Battle Herold PrC. That´s a pretty solid all-round buffer and teamwork feat provider w/o the hassle of spells.