Assistance please! Bard (Archaeologist) Build

[TyDie]

Hey there. So I've been reading up extensively on bards lately, specifically the Archaeologist archetype, because it perfectly fits the character idea I have. I've always turned my nose away from bards because, well, I hate the performance aspect. Then I heard about this archetype and I was immediately sold, because you're basically a rogue with spells and knowledge. It fits perfectly with this character's goals and story, because I basically want to create an organized black market information system that spans most of the known world.

Here's the problem; I want to stay useful in combat, and i'm having a really hard time figuring out how to divvy my feats and rogue talents up. My DM has a hard on for rolling for stats to my dismay, so here's what i'm working with right now:

lvl 3 bard
Sylph Race with Alternate racial traits (Like the Wind, Breeze Kissed, Whispering Wind)
Str: 9
Dex: 16
Con: 9
Int: 19
Wis: 11
Cha: 15

Traits: Fate's Favored and Natural Born Leader
Feats: Lingering Performance, Point Blank Shot

Im using a Shortbow mainly for my main weapon, going full ranged support. Buffs, Debuffs, and Out of combat spell choices. The 9 strength isn't too much of an issue because my DM has allowed me to take Dead Eye, which is a 3.5 feat that lets me add my dex to my damage for my shortbow. Unfortunately, that requires me to take weapon focus (shortbow), which is yet another feat down the drain.

And for my whole "web of spies" thing, I was planning on taking the Leadership feat and essentially creating a thieve's guild that specializes in the acquisition of sensitive information. My primary thing for this character is to have all kinds of info in the back of his head; blackmail on government officials or law enforcement, the whereabouts of enemy bases, long lost myths and legends and the resting places of ancient artifacts... etc etc.

So with Lingering Performance and Leadership not being part of the "-Shot" line of feats, I find myself lacking a decent bit of damage output. Of course, I don't expect to outdo the fighter or battle cleric in our party, but I also don't want to leave them a man down in combat.

My current layout for feats and rogue talents, up to level 11, is as follows:

1: Lingering Performance
3: PBS
Rogue Talent: Weapon Focus Shortbow
5: Dead Eye
7: Leadership
8: Ki Pool (Story reasons)
9: Rapid Shot
11: Many Shot

After that i'm unsure of what advanced tricks I would want to take, and i'm also unsure of what other feats to take. I'm considering Arcane strike, but idk if it's worth it that late into the progression. So yeah, any and all tips on this build would be greatly appreciated, and i'm happy to answer any questions on things I may have left out. Thanks!

EDIT: I also have about 2k gold to play around with. I was considering a Handy Haversack, but i'm unsure. I was also considering a mithril chain shirt, or perhaps a +1 bow.

[Geddy2112]

Those are not that bad as far as ability scores. I get wanting to be smart and having a lot of skills, but 19 INT is really high for a bard. You can get by comfortably with 14-that gives you all the face skills, 2 knowledge choices, and 2 more flavor skills to max out. You can go with 10-11 INT or even dump it, but I get that you want a smarter character. As an aside, I feel your pain on die rolls and my first bard looked similar in rolls.

With fate's favored and archeologist's luck, you should have no problem staying relevant in combat. Most of your shots will be within PBS range, and boosted from luck for a decent bonus. You are no pounce barbarian, but that is not your job. In a lot of combats, you will be opening combat with a spell which is FAR more important than shooting a bow. You will pull far more weight in combat with your strong buff/debuff/support spells than shooting a bow. In some combats, your first two or even three rounds will be magic, and combat averages 4 rounds, so you won't be using your bow all that often.
Arcane strike is normally a decent bard feat, but since you are using your swift action to power your luck, it is not as strong. It shines early game pre magic weapons, but grows old well and stacks with every other damage bonus. With lingering performance you can still pop arcane strike on every 2 and 3rd round of combat, only needing to re up luck the next round.

I assume you want to do something with increased movement speeds, considering like the wind and the ki pool? Consider boots of striding and springing. Are you planning on moving every turn? If so, rapid shot and manyshot are not the best choices. Since you have ki, consider looking at some of the ninja tricks and advanced ninja tricks for advanced talents. You can always get improved evasion, or a feat. You also probably want precise shot in your build as well, that -4 penalty for shooting into combat hurts. For an alternate combat style, have you considered a whip? I know you would have to make it deadly to have it deal damage but you could trip with it. Or convince your DM if you could get a scorpion whip. All can be given dex to damage from slashing grace, and while feat intensive it is not as bad as a ranged build.

For this level, a handy haversack is nice but you can have somebody else in the party carry your crap. Eventually you will have mooks carry your armor and shields. If you want armor, you almost need mithral chain with such poor strength. A +1 bow is nice but not required. A darkwood buckler is a cheap and light buckler option with no ACP. I am pretty sure you have them, but concealable thieves tools are light masterwork thieves tools that are easy to conceal.

[TyDie]

I could switch Dex and Int around. 19 dex is quite a bit, but with dead eye it would give me more damage. Plus then my level 4 point could go towards charisma, putting me at 16 cha and int and 19 dex. It would hurt my knowledge thing a bit but honestly the knowledge thing isn't as important. I mainly just wanted one point in each knowledge for the +3 for class skills thing.

As for the Ki pool and like the wind stuff, it's more of a story thing. Basically, the character was supposed to be a ninja but his clan was massacred before he was able to learn any sort of ninja stuff. So instead of proper ninja training, he learned what he knows from an illegal criminal org. the Ki stuff is supposed to be him recovering his lost heritage basically, although ultimately I may drop it because in the end it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense... ICly it works, but i'm having a hard time telling myself to choose options for IC reasons, because systematically they seem weak or they don't fit the build.

And yeah the swift action bit is why I was conflicted about Arcane strike. I'm only using it for 2/3rds of my combat rounds, doesn't seem nearly as beneficial, but at the same time magical ammunition is pricey, and this would negate the need for it. Although I don't remember, does a magical bow make it's ammunition magical when fired? because if so I don't have much reason to take arcane strike, i'll just take the +1 bow so my ammo penetrates magic DR.

I wasn't intending on moving around too much, the idea was to use Vanish or Invis in dire circumstances to get out of bad situations. Staying within the 30 foot range as much as possible for PBS bonuses, but also willing to go to 60 feet if the enemy is particularly scary, or focused on me specifically. If any enemy starts gunning for me, cast vanish and roll stealth, relocate, repeat as necessary. I've come to terms with the whole "I'm not gonna be a top damage dealer" aspect, so I don't expect to be dealing 30-40 damage a round, but I'm just trying to figure out how to provide the most benefit after my spell casting is done. Once I cast Haste and heroism and glitter dust and such, what then? Should I really just be worrying about maybe one to two arrows around, 1d6+5 or so per hit? That feels rather lackluster, but i'm a bard... so idk.

[Geddy2112]

I could switch Dex and Int around. 19 dex is quite a bit, but with dead eye it would give me more damage. Plus then my level 4 point could go towards charisma, putting me at 16 cha and int and 19 dex. It would hurt my knowledge thing a bit but honestly the knowledge thing isn't as important. I mainly just wanted one point in each knowledge for the +3 for class skills thing.
Even with 16 INT you can still max the 4 social skills, perception, 1-2 knowledges and have plenty to throw around. Figure out what the rest of the party can cover, and max one of the big 4 they don't have. You also probably want local and nobility for your concept. That still leave enough for 1-2 extra skill ranks per level, which you will put into knowledges first, then every other class skill. Having high dex is high AC, and with your lower HP you need all you can get. Plus decent damage and attacks, initiative, and reflex saves(even with bards having good reflex saves). It helps more overall than intelligence.


As for the Ki pool and like the wind stuff, it's more of a story thing. Basically, the character was supposed to be a ninja but his clan was massacred before he was able to learn any sort of ninja stuff. So instead of proper ninja training, he learned what he knows from an illegal criminal org. the Ki stuff is supposed to be him recovering his lost heritage basically, although ultimately I may drop it because in the end it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense... ICly it works, but i'm having a hard time telling myself to choose options for IC reasons, because systematically they seem weak or they don't fit the build. If you can find a decent ki powered ninja trick, it would probably be worth keeping for higher levels. You are strong enough as is unless your table is really high OP.


And yeah the swift action bit is why I was conflicted about Arcane strike. I'm only using it for 2/3rds of my combat rounds, doesn't seem nearly as beneficial, but at the same time magical ammunition is pricey, and this would negate the need for it. Although I don't remember, does a magical bow make it's ammunition magical when fired? because if so I don't have much reason to take arcane strike, i'll just take the +1 bow so my ammo penetrates magic DR
A magical bow makes any arrows it fires magical, so you don't need arcane strike to make your arrows beat magic DR, it is more for damage at higher levels. At higher levels, high DR will eat your arrows up so you probably want clustered shots for those rare rounds you need to full attack.



I wasn't intending on moving around too much, the idea was to use Vanish or Invis in dire circumstances to get out of bad situations. Staying within the 30 foot range as much as possible for PBS bonuses, but also willing to go to 60 feet if the enemy is particularly scary, or focused on me specifically. If any enemy starts gunning for me, cast vanish and roll stealth, relocate, repeat as necessary. I've come to terms with the whole "I'm not gonna be a top damage dealer" aspect, so I don't expect to be dealing 30-40 damage a round, but I'm just trying to figure out how to provide the most benefit after my spell casting is done. Once I cast Haste and heroism and glitter dust and such, what then? Should I really just be worrying about maybe one to two arrows around, 1d6+5 or so per hit? That feels rather lackluster, but i'm a bard... so idk. Casting haste, heroism, and glitterdust does a lot for the party. Haste in particular puts out far more damage than arrows will, and 1d6+5(more with your luck) is not nothing-you can focus on the mooks so the heavy hitters don't waste their attacks, and if something is looking pretty beat up you can finish it off. Just boost your bow enchantment when you don't have more pressing gold needs and use it as a backup. The party and players should know you swing hard with your theives guild, face skills, and magic, and the bow is your sidearm that makes you not useless when you need to fight.

[TyDie]

Right, so I made the Dex and Int switch, im now looking at Arcana, Local, Nobility, History and Planes. The fighter has dungeoneering and engineering, the cleric has religion, and idk what the brawler has but truthfully im not counting on him for much more than to hit things :D idk the RPer personally, he's a friend of a friend. I think this is a fair trade. later on i'll pick up the other knowledges, plus with my information brokering going on it would make sense that I need to consult my contacts on things that don't fall within my field of expertise.

And I completely forgot about Precise shot... that's pretty important. idk where i'm gonna fit that in to the build. So many important feats man XD

As for my party, I think they know full well that my main draw is the out of combat benefits such as my guild and my skills, but i'm having a hard time coming to terms with that myself I guess. I've never made a character before where combat was their secondary function. My favored classes are paladin, wizard and rogue, so to play a total face is a step outside the norm.

EDIT: For the sake of reference, i'm looking at 1d6+2 damage per shot with my luck active and within 30 feet. Also looking at a +9 to hit with those buffs active. I have 20 HP and 19 AC with a mithril chain shirt, D.wood buckler and 19 dex. I also have 8 in my 5 chosen knowledges, 4 in the ones I didn't choose, 8 in each face skill, 11 Disable Device, 12 stealth, 8 Appraise, 8 acrobatics, 9 sleight of hand.

[Castilonium]

Pageant of the Peacock (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/bardic-masterpieces/masterpieces/pageant-of-the-peacock) allows you to dump intelligence completely and still be the best character in the game at all knowledge (and other intelligence-based) skills.

[TyDie]

Can I still use that if I don't have a performance though? I understand that Arch. Luck counts as performance for the purpose of feats and such, but would I still be able to benefit from a masterpiece without an actual bardic performance?

EDIT: Yeah it turns out I can, but on second thought that kind of thing doesn't really fit my character. He's calm and calculated, whereas that feat lends itself towards a more flamboyant character. It also has a "fake it till you make it" vibe to it that doesn't jive with me. Great for future reference though :D