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View Full Version : A new game, a new PC: Help Optimizing a Gestalt Bard



The Professor
2007-10-03, 01:20 AM
A game is going to begin at the table of my humble abode, and I will be a player. I'm overjoyed with this, and of my 923875987 characters, I had trouble deciding.

It's based in the Forgotten Realms, and I've decided I'd like to try a Bard. I'm not sure if I feel quite like optimizing a ton, so I was originally planning to do a Bard//Sorcerer. Simple, good skills, and a full caster. I was thinking of going Sun Elf, in an attempt at showing one of my fellows (who plays bards a lot) just how it's done. A bloke who loves music, it being the purest form of expression, and he travels about looking for the absolute best forms. This all done to culture him to the point of composing the best music that not only the Realms- but even the Gods would have to acknowledge as the best.

An unrealistic goal to be sure. :smallwink:

The problem: I've never really given the Bard a whirl. I'm unfamiliar with everything from what feats to take, to what PrCs would be the best. We're beginning at ECL 5, and I have nearly all books to be used. The big 'un not being used is ToB, purely because we don't own it.

So, what shall I start with? I would be overjoyed to find anything increasing the Inspire Courage buffs. For the most part, I want his role to be that of a face, buffer, and enchanter. In that order. Help?

Edit: Oh snap. Rolled stats are as follows: 18, 17, 15, 14, 16, 13.

Jannex
2007-10-03, 01:49 AM
For increasing Inspire Courage buffs, I think there's a feat called "Song of the Heart," which I'm pretty sure originally appeared in the Eberron campaign setting (but it's completely generic, so there's no real reason for it not to exist in any other setting) that increases your Inspire Courage bonus. There's Extra Music in one of the Completes (I forget which)...

There are a bunch of bard PrCs, which other people can tell you far more about than I can. I know there's one that gives you up to 9th level spells, but since you've already got Sorcerer up your other gestalt column, that may be less of a priority for you.

Dr. Weasel
2007-10-03, 08:29 AM
Almost all focused Inspire Courage builds use the Exalted Feat "Words of Creation" which doubles your IC bonus. They usually also use Draconic Inspiration (I'm not sure on the title and I don't own the book) from Dragon Magic to turn the bonus from Inspire Courage into d6s of energy damage. Without the former at least, your songs won't have much use beyod Fascinate and Lyric Spell (which could be useful to a Bard//Sorcerer).

Eldritch_Ent
2007-10-03, 08:31 AM
Eh, if it was me, I'd go Bard/Marshall (For the AOE Buffs), or Bard/Divine Chord (for the spellcasting). But that's just me.

CASTLEMIKE
2007-10-03, 03:31 PM
Consider adding the +0 LA Planetouched template from Player's Guide to Faerun.

Instead of Sorcerer Favored Soul might be a better Gestalt with your Bard D8 all best saves, Divine spells (Nice with the Spell Compendium) and unusual specials.

Base 18 for Charisma and 17 for Wisdom attribute scores if going the Favored Sout route since both could be raised by 2 points with the Planetouched template.

P.S. If you have access to Races of Faerun you might not want to go Bard since you could take at least a single level dip into the Spellsinger PRC for Bardic Music, Compelling Song and Spellsong.

You could do this by using the UA/SRD Spellcaster variant for Arcana and Perform prerequites for Spellsinger since the Favored Soul isn't a PHB class as per text of page 76 of UA.

Dullyanna
2007-10-03, 03:35 PM
I'll second that. You get more healing spells, more buffs, and light armor without the spell failure. And you can fly at level 17 (Not much of an advantage, at that point).

Shas aia Toriia
2007-10-03, 03:42 PM
*Seconds the bard//favoured soul idea*

Also, there was a PrC called the Sublime Chord, or Seeker of the Song (can't remember which) that's pretty good.

Ramza00
2007-10-03, 04:13 PM
For the optimization of Inspire Courage look here
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=816095

remember you can always cast a Dragonfire Inspiration first on your party, followed by a normal Inspire Courage. Xd6+X to damage, and X to attack when X is several high (due to Words of Creation, Song of Heart eberron feat need to get your DM to okay you can find it at crystalkeep, Vest of Legends, Inspirational Boost, Badge of Valor, etc) and suddenly you are doing lots of damage.

May I recommend instead of favored soul doing Spirit Shaman and focusing on summons. Green Ear (complete adventurer, song and silence)+Greenbound Summoning (Lost Empires of Faerun)+Music of Growth (eberron also)+Dragonfire Inspiration+Normal Bardic Music equals Str +10, Dex +2, Con +8, Cha+4+an additional 4 grapple bonus+gain slam+Xd6 sonic damage+X bonus to attack and damage.

Also see if you can get your DM to allow you Dynamic Priest (from a Dragonlance book called the Legends of the Twins). It is a 1st lvl feat that makes your bonus spells and highest ability score to cast divine spells be based off charisma instead of wisdom. (thus making Spirit Shaman single attribute dependent)

Spirit Shaman Handbook
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=611506

So many feats so little time...