Serafina
2023-10-11, 10:13 AM
This character build utilizes the fact that the Thespian Bard (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/thespian) archetype stacks with the Champion Bard (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/champion-bard) archetype.
This character can take Spheres of Power, Spheres of Might, and Sphere of Guile, so that opens up a lot of fun possibilities.
(and yes, this time I triple-checked that they actually do!)
Thespian trades out the Bardic Performance feature as we know it, and in exchange unsurprisingly focuses on the Performance-Sphere (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/performance).
We're going all-in on that Sphere - not using any actions to cast spells or attack beyond initial setup during combat.
To get more actions to use with the Performance-Sphere but still maintain mobility. we get a Mount via the Beastmastery-Sphere (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/beastmastery) - initially this can just be a trained mount, but later on there are enough talents to get an Animal Companion (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/beastmastery#toc7).
To further lean into providing passive effects rather than active attacking, we're taking the Dark-Sphere (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/dark) (personally with the Shadow Dependence drawback), grab Clearsight to keep allies safe from it, and take Black Lung twice to apply a poison to our darkness. Then we take the Alchemy Sphere (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/alchemy) (with the Narrow Toxicology and maybe Mana Chemistry drawback), and take Nerve Venom (and with a drawback maybe another venom).
This provides us with a 25 foot radius cloud of darkness that forces a fort save or sickens, and then force another and fatigues (and if that one is failed twice, nauseates).
Finally, we take the Darkrider (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/champion-feats#toc16) feat to have this poisonous Darkness follow our Mount around, and take the Step Through Darkness (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/dark#toc64) talent to have our mount teleport around with us on top of it.
From atop this nightmare mount clouded in a poisonous cloud of darkness, our character will now apply musical buffs and debuffs via the Performance-Sphere.
Thanks to Flowing Theatrics and Performance Mastery, all our Performance-Sphere stuff works a lot better, and we are going to use Act- Instrumental- and Lyric-abilities at the same time.
The nice thing about Thespian Bard is that they can change their Acts, Dances, Instrumentals, and Lyrics daily, so you do not have to pick a specific one. Nevertheless, below is an example of what you could do on your first turn:
start The Bonds Forged in War (act) to delay all unwanted Emotion-effects on allies for 3 rounds
use Assuring Anthem to allow any ability check, saving throw, or skill check that rolls a 1-4 to be re-rolled
use Cacaponous Screech to deal 5D6 sonic damage to one enemy (and give them sonic vulnerabilityl, already included).
Then on your second turn, you could:
use Optimistic View as a Swift action from The Fortunate Beggar to Aid Another one ally, which you can of course build around to provide a big bonus (+6 easily)
Start two Instrumental effects - Assuring Anthem (reroll 1s and 2s) and Cacaphounous Screech as a Standard Action
use two Lyrics again as a Move-Action
And on your third turn, you could:
Maintain both of your Instrumentals together as a Swift action
use one Lyric as a Standard Action (unlike before, like this it can be expended)
use Optimistic View as a Swift Action
But remember, this can easily use different Lyrics and Instrumentals, or different Acts.
A much nastier combo would be using Soporific Tune (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/performance#toc57), which exhausts anyone already fatigued (such as from your poisonous darkness) and then puts anyone exhausted to sleep. Call that an Erlking build - I could have easily made that the title of the thread, but it rests on a exceptional talent getting a specific interaction, so it may easily not be allowed. Then again, it's a triple save or lose, so it's hardly that borked.
To optimize Aid Another and do it at range, there is Masterful Coordination (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/warleader-sphere#toc41) (taken twice) from the Warleader Sphere, which not only allows doing this at range, but increases the bonus (it does not stack with other such increases, but hey that means not having to invest into other such increases either). With the Fight Choreography champion feat, the tactic can start and maintain it with the same action as an Act (such as Optimistic View).
Alternatively, we can of course Aid our Animal Companion.
This character can take Spheres of Power, Spheres of Might, and Sphere of Guile, so that opens up a lot of fun possibilities.
(and yes, this time I triple-checked that they actually do!)
Thespian trades out the Bardic Performance feature as we know it, and in exchange unsurprisingly focuses on the Performance-Sphere (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/performance).
We're going all-in on that Sphere - not using any actions to cast spells or attack beyond initial setup during combat.
To get more actions to use with the Performance-Sphere but still maintain mobility. we get a Mount via the Beastmastery-Sphere (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/beastmastery) - initially this can just be a trained mount, but later on there are enough talents to get an Animal Companion (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/beastmastery#toc7).
To further lean into providing passive effects rather than active attacking, we're taking the Dark-Sphere (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/dark) (personally with the Shadow Dependence drawback), grab Clearsight to keep allies safe from it, and take Black Lung twice to apply a poison to our darkness. Then we take the Alchemy Sphere (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/alchemy) (with the Narrow Toxicology and maybe Mana Chemistry drawback), and take Nerve Venom (and with a drawback maybe another venom).
This provides us with a 25 foot radius cloud of darkness that forces a fort save or sickens, and then force another and fatigues (and if that one is failed twice, nauseates).
Finally, we take the Darkrider (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/champion-feats#toc16) feat to have this poisonous Darkness follow our Mount around, and take the Step Through Darkness (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/dark#toc64) talent to have our mount teleport around with us on top of it.
From atop this nightmare mount clouded in a poisonous cloud of darkness, our character will now apply musical buffs and debuffs via the Performance-Sphere.
Thanks to Flowing Theatrics and Performance Mastery, all our Performance-Sphere stuff works a lot better, and we are going to use Act- Instrumental- and Lyric-abilities at the same time.
The nice thing about Thespian Bard is that they can change their Acts, Dances, Instrumentals, and Lyrics daily, so you do not have to pick a specific one. Nevertheless, below is an example of what you could do on your first turn:
start The Bonds Forged in War (act) to delay all unwanted Emotion-effects on allies for 3 rounds
use Assuring Anthem to allow any ability check, saving throw, or skill check that rolls a 1-4 to be re-rolled
use Cacaponous Screech to deal 5D6 sonic damage to one enemy (and give them sonic vulnerabilityl, already included).
Then on your second turn, you could:
use Optimistic View as a Swift action from The Fortunate Beggar to Aid Another one ally, which you can of course build around to provide a big bonus (+6 easily)
Start two Instrumental effects - Assuring Anthem (reroll 1s and 2s) and Cacaphounous Screech as a Standard Action
use two Lyrics again as a Move-Action
And on your third turn, you could:
Maintain both of your Instrumentals together as a Swift action
use one Lyric as a Standard Action (unlike before, like this it can be expended)
use Optimistic View as a Swift Action
But remember, this can easily use different Lyrics and Instrumentals, or different Acts.
A much nastier combo would be using Soporific Tune (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/performance#toc57), which exhausts anyone already fatigued (such as from your poisonous darkness) and then puts anyone exhausted to sleep. Call that an Erlking build - I could have easily made that the title of the thread, but it rests on a exceptional talent getting a specific interaction, so it may easily not be allowed. Then again, it's a triple save or lose, so it's hardly that borked.
To optimize Aid Another and do it at range, there is Masterful Coordination (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/warleader-sphere#toc41) (taken twice) from the Warleader Sphere, which not only allows doing this at range, but increases the bonus (it does not stack with other such increases, but hey that means not having to invest into other such increases either). With the Fight Choreography champion feat, the tactic can start and maintain it with the same action as an Act (such as Optimistic View).
Alternatively, we can of course Aid our Animal Companion.