Core only "Pirate" Bard - what to pick?

[Spore]

Guides cannot help me here. Group so far is Polearm Fighter and TWF Rogue, both likely unoptimized. I don't want to outshine them but push their capabilities. So Stuff like Standard Bearer or even exotic class dips are out of the picture. We are 6th level.

My question is mainly:
1) Should I focus on Strenght or Dexterity? The Array is 18/16/14/12/10/8. Currently with Human it's either
a) Human with Weapon Finesse on 1
10/20/14/12/8/16
b) Human with Exotic Weapon Proficiency Scimitar (Cutlass) on 1,
18/16/12/10/8/16

2) Any class combo viable enough to be a better support?
I am in the group as "the bard" so the majority of levels should still be bard. So cleric 5/bard 1 is out of the picture. Paladin 2/Bard comes to mind but that is honestly pretty hard to explain in this context (the character is supposed to be a bored actor not a runaway Paladin).

3) Treantmonk's "core only" guide claims there are three bard types. Tricksters (combat maneuvers), Strength builds and Archer bards. What would you suggest? Do you have other builds in mind? Which combat maneuvers would you focus on? Remember that things like the steal maneuver will likely be improvised. So we have trip, feint, bullrush, grapple and sunder, maybe disarm.

4) My Skill array is pretty finished. Stealth/Perception with Vers Performance Act/Oratory to be a face. Dips in all knowledge checks to get +7/+8 on everything, plus a bit of Intimidate.

[Psyren]

Archer - or even better, pistol or hand crossbow for the pirate theme - seems best here to avoid outshining them. They're both melee so you can be the ranged guy pinging problem targets (like casters) from the back row, and they can feel badass for leaping into the fray and flanking big targets.

I would go with Rapier over Cutlass - it's just as pirate-y (hell, even Jack Sparrow used one), but it's a lot easier to get Dex to damage on a rapier, bailing you out when things get up close and personal. (Fencing Grace being probably the easiest way.) This also gives you the option to wade into melee yourself if the situation requires it.

EDIT: My bad, I did miss the "core only." Yeah Str is your only option then for melee, although you can still go ranged with Inspire Courage as a source of bonus damage.

[Eldariel]

If you want to melee in Core, you need Strength. Range works though. There's no way to add Dex to melee damage and Sneak Attack is the only other really sufficiently large damage source, and it's horribly unreliable. Thus, all Str all the time. You could go 20 Str, 16 Cha, 14 Dex, 12 Con, 10 Int, 8 Wis. Sadly 12 Con is really low on a melee Bard but I guess it's the best you can do - melee Bard is one of those builds that really wants high stats across the board. And yeah, if you want to do this you need all your levels in Bard since that's the only way to get Inspire Courage to numbers you care about (it begins to be worth an action at +2 though it really comes to its own on +3).

Your spells are really good though - while with Cha that low your Save-or-X effects aren't all that, Grease, Glitterdust, Alter Self, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Silent Image and company still do their job impeccably. Starting song and ending it while casting afterwards is definitely a viable option.


As for best support classes, well, you can build Wizard or Cleric to those ends. And fluff as desired. But you probably already knew that.

[Spore]

I just remembered crafting talents are core only. so it's likely being ranged/weapon finesse going into Craft Wondrous Items/Magical Arms and Armor. And I got just the right background idea for that, too.

So, how about:
10/16/12/14/8/21 (+3)

Combat is rarer than usual as its PbP and combat there is clunky. When it comes to combat I can hold my own somewhat but need help.

Hu) Point Blank shot
1) Precise Shot
3) Craft Wondrous Items (the DM has built some ludicrously fun items for the other guys, me being a crafter just opens up the possibility for fun even more).
5) Deadly Aim
7) Craft Wondrous Arms and Armor (to start crafting +1 Bane Arrows for specific targets for me and epic weapons for my friends)

Although with the Bane Arrows I am unsure if Deadly Aim is needed. I am heavily looking into Skill Focus (Oratory) due to it basically pushing my role as face (Diplomacy and cha based Sense Motive).

[legomaster00156]

Never will I understand playing Core-only Pathfinder. The really good stuff comes in later books. :smallconfused:

[Geddy2112]

It is a shame it is core only, considering the sea singer or buccaneer archetypes are excellent pirate archetypes.

For a cutlass, you can always reskin a shortsword. I would stay out of melee, and focus on ranged first, just keeping a melee weapon for low levels when you need it, and to use to cut ropes or whatnot. Even without a pistol, a crossbow is a pirate ish weapon and a decent ranged thing. Shortbow is less thematic but works too. Most of the time your opening move is inspire courage, then a spell, then in the 3rd round you might fight. At higher levels your first round is still cast/inspire, so don't worry about melee as much.

Even without the feats, using a whip to steal and trip from range is safe because they won;'t be close enough to provoke an AoO. Another good weapon to have.

[Sapreaver]

Someway of getting an animal companion or familiar thats a parrot. Lol