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TheThan
2008-10-15, 12:27 AM
Or how to make bards rock your party’s world.


Many dnd players believe that the bard is a weak class, because the bard does not focus on any one aspect of the game, they are not the best fighters, or the best spell casters or the best skill monkeys. However the bard can be very good in any of these roles, in addition to filling a role the other classes do not fill.

I’m going to stick with the core rulebooks for the purposes of this essay. Feel free to experiment with different build ideas as you see fit (and that your dm will allow), as you move away from core. So with that out of the way, lets get this show on the road.


Advantages.
The bard’s advantages is that he can easily fill in for nearly any class. He has medium base attack bonus, two good saving throws, arcane magic with healing, lots of skills and skill points and a bunch of nifty special abilities. Another aspect that most people don’t realize they have is a very good selection of weapons. Bards get proficiency with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Not to mention they get light armor and all shields (excluding tower shields), and can cast magic in it without incurring arcane spell failure.


Disadvantages
The bard’s disadvantages is that he can easily fill in for nearly any class, and doesn’t fit into any of the basic four party roles. He doesn’t have the feats, nor the bab to out fight the fighter, he also doesn’t have the high level spells to out cast the wizard. He doesn’t have the overpowered spells or abilities of a druid or cleric, and he doesn’t have the sneak attack damage or the trap disabling ability of a rogue. Does that make him bad in those roles? No, it simply doesn’t make him as good as the others.



The bard’s niche
The bard holds an interesting place in the typical adventuring party. That place is that of the 5th wheel or a support class. The bard can take the pressure off of any other class, it can help out with healing, smack heads, pick a lock or occasionally unleash a magical barrage (not necessarily damage mind you). In addition to all this, the bard holds the title of diplomat, or the party face. With his high charisma and charming skills and spells a bard finds it easy to get what he wants out of people. Utilizing his bardic music and magic spells, he is capable to enhance the capabilities of his entire party.


Filling in for the others:
The bard cannot replace the other members of your party, instead the bard can temporary “fill in” for other classes. With his selection of battlefield control spells, the bard can double as a wizard for a short time. His medium BAB and variety of buff spells, means he is no slouch in melee. His healing and buffing ability makes him as good a cleric as the cleric class. His selection of roguish skills makes him a natural sneak (though he can’t disable traps). The one major thing bards to not do are take hits, meaning they are not natural tanks. In fact tanking is the worst role for a bard to try to fill in. keep in mind the bard cannot fill any of these spots for an extended period of time. Think of yourself as a back up, should the need arises, you are there to step up to the plate.




Abilities
The bard suffers greatly from MAD (multiple ability disorder). To be good at everything you need high stats in everything. However things are not as bad as they seem. Because you don’t need to be good at everything, with a few key abilities you will be able to do amazing things and surprise the heck out of the rest of your party.

The foremost ability you need is the classic dump stat, charisma. Your spells, skills and almost all of your special abilities run off of it, so for you its anything but a dump stat. You also need good dex, since you rely on light armor; the dex will help out your AC and power some other useful skills. Constitution is obvious, (life mostly). Wisdom and intelligence improve your perception skills (listen and sense motive) and grant you more skill points. Which brings us to strength. Most people assume that because bards are proficient in rapiers and whips, that they have to use them. Yet the bard is also proficient in simple weapons and long swords. Most of these you will want good strength for so you can hit harder. Remember you don’t get sneak attack dice, so your damage is coming from your weapon. However its likely you don’t have high enough stats to pump up each. So I suggest you focus on charisma, dex and constitution (a living bard is a happy bard).




Skills
Because you are a partial skill monkey, you have a lot of valuable and very powerful such as Diplomacy. However since bards suffer from MAD, there is a possibility that your intelligence is not a at a premium, so I’m just going to stick with six basic skills you will need.
Concentration, spellcraft, hide, move silently, perform (sing, or at least one instrument), and use magic devise. These six skills will improve your spell casting, your stealth skills, and your special abilities.
Other useful skills, such as diplomacy, slight of hand, tumble, and


Feats
While I don’t believe in “must have” feats, I will admit that there are a number of feats that you are best off taking. Remember you only get 7-8 feats, so you have to choose wisely.

Skill focus: taking skill focus( perform) and Skill focus (concentration) are the best use of this feat. With an 18 charisma you can get a +11 in perform at 1st level (4 ranks+4 from charisma, +3 from skill focus). That will help you greatly in making perform checks, which you will need to take into account when you start using your bardic music ability.

Spell focus: The spell focus feat makes your spells that much harder to resist. Its best to focus on the school you are going to be using the most, which depends greatly on what you want to do with your bard.

Improved initiative: this feat allows you to go first, which means you can start your bardic music right off the bat, or start casting buff spells and other destructive spells before you enemy gets to act.

Weapon finesse: excellent for bards that can’t spare the stat points for strength. This feat allows you to be successful in combat without sacrificing your spell casting. However it doesn’t increase damage, just your ability to hit things.


Races:
With the exception of dwarves and half orcs, just about any class will work just fine for a bard. Though if you want to play a dwarf or half orc, go ahead, but you’re going to need to work on improving your charisma.

Humans: With a bonus feat, 4 extra skill points at character creation, and 1 extra skill at every level, its hard to not pick a human.

Elves: the free bow prophecies mean you have another effective weapon at your disposal.

Gnomes: gnomes make great bards because they add +1 to the DC to resist illusion spell and have a natural resistance to them. They also get a slew of spell like abilities meaning you don’t have to spend your spell slots on speak with animals, dancing lights, ghost sound and prestidigitation. However these are only 1/day abilities so use cautiously.

Halfings: Halfings are a good all around race for just about anything. So you really can’t go wrong with them. They gain a +1 attack to thrown weapons and slings (darts, javelins, daggers for you), which means now you’ll essentially will have the same BAB as a fighter or barbarian (without the extra attacks though). You won’t be dealing that much damage, so I suggest you throw javelins since they are the highest damage weapon you can throw currently.

Half orcs: probably the worst race to choose as a bard. The half orc suffers from –2 intelligence and charisma. So not only is your bardic music suffering, your other skills are as well since you’re down on int. However, the half orc really doesn’t offer you anything in return for such a handicap. But there are tremendous RP possibilities, and can prove to be quite a challenge (if your looking for one).

Dwarves: dwarves fair much better than half-orcs. Since they have seemingly random bonuses to attack and defense you may find yourself wanting to wade into melee. They still suffer from the –2 charisma, making your bardic music weaker than it should be.

Half-elves: while they are by far the weakest race, with their still bonuses and their lack of negative stats, they make good bards. But they are weaker so play with caution.



Meat and potatoes
(aka spells)

Take a close look at the bard’s spell list. Notice anything? You don’t really have that much in the way of firepower, but that’s ok. Nowadays, being a strong caster isn’t about blowing up your enemies. It’s about making your enemies regret fighting you.

You have a lot of spells that do just that. At first level your stuck with a solid list of 0 level spells, but its nothing to write home about but as soon as you hit 2nd level, you gain access to such gems as grease, sleep, and cause fear not to mention the disgustingly good hideous Laughter spell. These spells are some of the stable spells low level Batman wizards use. As such, you can easily hinder your enemies and aid your allies.

Like a sorcerer, you must select your spells from the list and you’re mostly stuck with them. Here’s a list of spells you should be picking, and a list of spells you should be avoiding.

0 level spells:

Lullaby
Detect magic
Ghost sound
Light
Resistance
Prestidigitation


1st level bard spells

Grease
Hideous laughter
Sleep
Cure light wounds


2nd level bard spells
Cat’s grace
Cure moderate wounds
Eagle’s splendor
Glitterdust
Suggestion
[/list]

3rd level bard spells

Blink
Crushing despair
Cure serious wounds
Deep slumber
Haste/slow


4th level spells

Cure critical wounds
Dominate person
Freedom of movement
Dimension door
Hold monster


5th level spells

Cure light wounds mass
Dispel magic, greater
Mind fog
Song of discord


6th level spells

Irresistible dance
Cats grace, mass
Cure moderate wounds, mass
Heroes feast



The above spell lists does three main things. It enhances your party’s capabilities with spells like resistance, cat’s grace etc. it hampers your enemies with spells like grease, hideous laughter, and sleep, and it heals your allies.

This spell selection will allow you to temporarily fill in for both the wizard and the cleric. However its true purpose is to take the strain off of them and free up their spell lists. This makes for a very effective bard that’s easy to play.

Some players may wish to experiment with the other spells on the bard spell list. That’s fine but most of them require you to use tactics and put yourself in situations that most other PCs don’t consider.

For example, you could use Ventriloquism to lure a guard away from a door, but your party is
more than likely to just charge the guard and kill
him. Ultimately these spells depend upon how your party handles any given situation.

Now after saying that there are some spells that I strongly suggest you avoid at all costs, these are junk spells that you will regret picking.

Summon Instrument- You should always have a musical instrument handy. Unless you get captured/locked up, which is the only exception. However if you take perform (sing), you won’t ever have that problem.

Comprehend languages: chances are, your party covers enough languages to get by in most situations. And given the lack of complexity in the DnD language system, its not really worth taking.

Detect secret doors- if you have an elf or a rogue in the party, you won’t need this spell ever. As elves get a free search check to find them, and rogues tend to be search every corner of every room anyway.

Identify: The other spell casters should have this spell, so I doubt you’ll ever need to cast it, its not that it’s a bad spell, its that you probably won’t be using it.

Tongues: the only use of this spell is to diplomate with someone that doesn’t understand your language. You can use wands so you’re best off with a wand of it.

Scrying- like Identify, you should have an ally that will cover the use of this spell. And like Identify its not a bad spell, just not a spell that you should be using. Besides you cast spontaneously, and won’t need to prepare ahead of time.

Legend lore: you have bardic knowledge, so you shouldn’t need this spell ever.

Now that should be it for magic.



Cake and ice-cream (aka Special abilities)

Bardic music

Ahh the main reasons to play a bard. With bardic music you can buff the party, counterspell magic (very limited), and force others to do you bidding.

Bardic music is pretty self-explanatory. In most of the fights you get involved in, your going to want to start with inspire courage/greatness/heroics. That will grant a morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. It lasts for as long as you sing, and for 5 rounds thereafter. So first round you should start with the song, second round you should stop singing and move to either a buff spell or an offensive spell. The fight should be over soon, as most fights in 3.5 don’t last many rounds (barring bad rolls). If somehow the battle lasts longer than six rounds, then start singing again. there is nothing that prevents you from using this as much as necessary.

Fascinate, suggestion and greater suggestion are great when you need to either distract enemies for someone, or you wish to make others do your bidding, granted this isn’t as powerful as the dominate spells. It very useful for getting out of sticky situations, such as getting someone to open up a door, lower their weapons or give you information/money/goods.

Countersong is weakest ability you have; it allows you to counter a spell that depends on sound. Which mainly are spells that you have to hear in order to be subject to it (most compulsion effects). The main problem here is that most spells don’t rely on sound, so you are going to be hard up finding a spell to use it on.
Song of freedom is not as strong as it could be, its main use is to free your (weak willed) fighter buddy from the effects of enchantments, transmutations, and curses. Best used if you fail to countersong their spell.


Equipment

Non magical gear:
If you have a decent strength score, I recommend a long sword. If not, go with a ranged weapon, and something you can weapon finesse as a back up should you get in the thick of it. Stick with chain shirts it’s the best armor you can wear, so there’s no point in not wearing it. Oh and don’t forget an instrument, it’s vital to your success as a bard (unless you took perform( sing)). Aside from that, typical adventuring gear will always come in handy.

Magic gear:
For magic gear, I suggest you go with gear that improves your defenses, dex and ac boosting items, charisma-boosting items, saving throw boosting items, the works. I also suggest you invest in wands, as that will greatly increase your access to magic spells. Magic gear is highly dependent on the Dm, so I can’t just spell out exactly what to get, instead I will just say, that any gear you can get that will improve upon your strengths will benefit you in your adventuring career.

Summing up
The Bard is an incredibly fun and very versatile class. With a little bit of forethought and knowledge they can be very powerful. They are not “just for RP”, though they do provide a nice place to RP from, they are by no means a useless class. In fact bards are only as useless as the player wants his character to be. I hope this little essay will help people realize the true power

Chronos
2008-10-15, 11:29 AM
I'm surprised you spent so little time on the face role, because that's the one thing bards can do better than anyone else. You've got all the relevant skills on your list and the points to spend on them, you've got Cha synergy in your spellcasting, you've got a spell list which is particularly good for face-work, and your bardic music abilities can complement your negotiations (for instance, using Perform: Oratory to Fascinate, while laying out your case with the Diplomacy skill).

Hal
2008-10-15, 11:42 AM
Not a bad guide, though still missing some elements, as Chronos pointed out.

I dream of an all-Bard party. I think their versatility could make for a fun group, especially since it would lead to non-standard choices for a Bard, who usually picks feats and spells to fill out their "5th man" role.

That said, perhaps some more analysis of how a bard can maximally fit into each role would be helpful. If you're making a battle Bard or a healer, what are your choices?

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-10-15, 12:39 PM
Good guide, but not nearly enough info on Inspire Courage. That almost deserves it's own guide. At least mention Inspirational Boost, Badge of Valor, Dragonfire Inspiration, Song of the Heart, and Words of Creation.

TheThan
2008-10-15, 01:12 PM
I specifically left out non-core books because I can’t possibly cover all possibilities, and what I would suggest won’t be available in every game. I’m leaving that up to people to find out. If other people that are more knowledgeable than me wish to add to the guide, then that’s great, I’d be happy for the help.

As far as being the party face, much of that falls squarely into the confines of “role playing” so I didn’t feel it’s appropriate for such a guide. But since it is an important part of the bard’s arsenal, I can find a place for it in the guide, just give me a while to write something out.

Stupendous_Man
2008-10-15, 02:38 PM
How would you analyze this bard? http://www.thetangledweb.net/forums/profiler/view_char.php?cid=13474

Temp.
2008-10-15, 04:56 PM
How would you analyze this bard? Is that character part of a real campaign or is it a build where you got to choose your own equipment? If the latter, I can't help but wonder why you aren't using a weapon that can deliver Power Attacks.

I would ditch both Countersong and Inspire Competence in a second. For the prior, Dungeonscape's Mimicking Song is handy for moments when stealth is important. For the latter, Hymn of Fortification acts like Protection from Evil without the AC boost. Neither of these subs is great, but the base abilities aren't either. Eberron Campaign setting lets you sub Inspire Competence out for Song of the Heart, which would free up one of your feats.

Beyond that, I'd say it looks good.

TheThan
2008-10-15, 05:42 PM
How would you analyze this bard? http://www.thetangledweb.net/forums/profiler/view_char.php?cid=13474

Unless I’m missing a combo, Snowflake Wardance is sort of at odds with the Whirling Blade spell.

Whirling blade is a direct damage spell. These usually aren’t that great, even with your +5 charisma mod, its just charisma + strength. You’re better off just buffing yourself with rage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/rage.htm) and then going into a snowflake wardance, since the bonuses you get stacks with bonuses already on you, it should work out well. Rage states that you can use any feat save Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. So now in your case you’ll be getting +10 to hit (charisma and strength), on top of your bab, plus you’re gaining some extra damage from the higher strength, (you ought to be power attacking with this, for a heck of a lot more damage).

If you’re power attacking its going to look something like this:
Attack +11
Damage: weapon damage +11(+5 str, +6 power attack).

You can do this full on for 7 rounds before rage ends and you become fatigued. Assuming you hit with everything its going to be a minimum of 84 damage.
sorry forgot full attacks heh, its going to average a little more, since you get two attacks per turn
So yeah, rage can make you pretty scary in a pinch.

WhiteShark
2008-10-15, 06:07 PM
I had an idea for a build something like this:

Bard 6/Lyric Thaumaturge 4/Sublime Chord 2/Virtuoso 8

Basically almost full casting with a lot of neat abilities. Haven't really settled on feats yet, other than the obvious (melodic casting).

Any suggestions?

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-10-15, 06:17 PM
I had an idea for a build something like this:

Bard 6/Lyric Thaumaturge 4/Sublime Chord 2/Virtuoso 8

Basically almost full casting with a lot of neat abilities. Haven't really settled on feats yet, other than the obvious (melodic casting).

Any suggestions?Go with a level of Virtuoso before taking Sublime Chord. The lost level is traditional Bard casting, the rest of the levels advance Sublime Chord.

Stupendous_Man
2008-10-15, 06:23 PM
Is that character part of a real campaign or is it a build where you got to choose your own equipment? If the latter, I can't help but wonder why you aren't using a weapon that can deliver Power Attacks.



It's a build for a game I'm in.
Actually, it's a proto-build. The real build uses a longsword. I just never updated the sheet.

On the topic of weapons, the actual character will try to use, if acquirable, a Crystal Echoblade (+1 Longsword that deals half bard level in sonic damage on top of everything). Good stuff for bards.


Unless I’m missing a combo, Snowflake Wardance is sort of at odds with the Whirling Blade spell.

Heard good things about Whirling Blade on the WotC forums, so I included it.

Entice Gift might be better though.

WhiteShark
2008-10-15, 06:28 PM
Thanks for the suggestion. What about feats?

ocato
2008-10-15, 07:00 PM
Whirling Blade is good. I believe there's a misunderstanding of why. The value of the spell is twofold. One, you can hit enemies in a line (thus, as many as you can find a situation where they line up). Two, you can do so at range. So yes, you're doing the same thing with Snowflake Wardance, but not to the flying enemy. While it is not particularly efficient to blow spell slots chucking your sword at flying enemies round after round, it does give you the option of a "big hit" (since Whirling Blade specifically states you gain all bonuses you would get on a melee attack from abilities and feats, ie Power Attack) before switching to your crossbow. Also, should you encounter a fleeing enemy (and let's face it, every Bard has seen a pack of enemies turn tail and run like little sissy girls upon realizing his true power), whirling blade makes a lovely way to seal the deal.

TheThan
2008-10-15, 07:09 PM
Whirling Blade is good. I believe there's a misunderstanding of why. The value of the spell is twofold. One, you can hit enemies in a line (thus, as many as you can find a situation where they line up). Two, you can do so at range. So yes, you're doing the same thing with Snowflake Wardance, but not to the flying enemy. While it is not particularly efficient to blow spell slots chucking your sword at flying enemies round after round, it does give you the option of a "big hit" (since Whirling Blade specifically states you gain all bonuses you would get on a melee attack from abilities and feats, ie Power Attack) before switching to your crossbow. Also, should you encounter a fleeing enemy (and let's face it, every Bard has seen a pack of enemies turn tail and run like little sissy girls upon realizing his true power), whirling blade makes a lovely way to seal the deal.

ahh, didn't see it hits in a line. nice.

Keld Denar
2008-10-15, 07:22 PM
Whirling Blade is most effective when used with a 2handed weapon. For your standard bard, this means a longsword 2handed, but for a Bardadin, Bardblade, or Bardsader, the option to use Greatswords and Glaives opens up. Combine with standard Inspire Courage and you can literally convert your +x/+x to hit into +3x to damage.

Also, Whirling Blade is a great spell combined with a Sudden Stunning (DMGII) weapon, as it allows you to deliver a reflex based save or suck at a range of 60'. Since Whirling Blade only "attacks" targets in the area you choose, you can also launch it into a crowd the surgically sap that one guy you just nabbed your belt pouch and is trying hard to disappear in the throng.

If you are gonna stick with the 1handed Whirling Blade, I'd highly suggest tossing on some Dragonfire Inspiration, as this would give you the greatest source of bonus damage. Basically gives Bards an Extrordinary Spell Aimed [Fire] type lightning bolt as a 2nd level spell. Lots of d6s to toss about, especially if you can line up multiple foes.

TheThan, your miniguide is ok, since its core-only. You forgot the roll of Bards as archers, which with their alternate source of bonus damage, and the typically higher rate of fire of archery, makes Bards better archers than Rangers, not that that really means a whole lot. Best not to mix it up in melee when you can rain death from afar.

Over on the boards formally known as Gleemax, there is a truely great handbook dedicated to Bard that includes a good many of the alt class features and feats and spells that come in from outside of core, like the completes, the expanded core, and the various settings guides. Its outside of core that the Bard truely becomes a bardic badass. The guide is even color coded for your convenience.

WitchSlayer
2008-10-15, 07:31 PM
It's my dream to make a party of 4 bards called the Beat-Alls.

monty
2008-10-15, 07:35 PM
Consider a party of warforged bards, playing Iron Man.

TheThan
2008-10-15, 07:36 PM
Consider a party of warforged bards, playing Iron Man.

That just came on the radio funny enough

holywhippet
2008-10-15, 08:02 PM
In my current game I'm playing with a halfling bard - as well as the bonus on thrown attacks, they also get a size bonus to attack. Given both point blank shot and precise shot and you can score a fair number of hits while standing behind the front line. Given a good dex and you will score a lot of ranged hits while you boost your party with your bard song.

As for the cure light wound spell - don't take it. It chews up a spell selection slot which you could use one something else. Instead, buy scrolls of cure light wound and, if possible, a wand of cure light wound. No UMD needed since it's on your spell list. My DM lets me just use CLW scrolls bought from a temple even though they are technically divine spells rather than arcane.

Chronos
2008-10-16, 12:08 AM
You might pick up Cure Minor Wounds, though, if only for stabilizing dying friends. What else are you going to use your cantrips for?

Eclipse
2008-10-16, 12:41 AM
Let's not forget an awesome spell on the bard spell list: glibness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glibness.htm)! Seems innocuous enough at first, but it's a +30 to bluff for 10 min/lvl. With a charisma mod of +4, 10 ranks, and skill focus, you'd have a bluff modifier of +44 for over an hour using this spell at 7th level. Even if you start the game with a lower charisma, you can still gain this spell relatively soon after and have a very high bluff result for a long time and lie your way through absolutely anything not using magic to detect falsehoods. Maybe it would be a good replacement for deep slumber, which does cap at 10 hd and will likely lose a lot of it's value at higher levels.

Also, some of the spells countersong can prevent might surprise you. You get it for free anyway (unless the prestige classes I'm unfamiliar with let you give it up for something else), so you might as well use it when it's useful. A favorite of a friend of mine is that it can counter wail of the banshee, as wail relies on sound to work. Of course, wizards have all sorts of other options open, but it might buy the party a round or two.

All in all though, I found your guide has a lot of good advice. :smallsmile:

monty
2008-10-16, 12:45 AM
Even if you start the game with a lower charisma, you can still gain this spell relatively soon after and have a very high bluff result for a long time and lie your way through absolutely anything not using magic to detect falsehoods.

And stuff with magic, since Glibness provides some protection from lie-detecting spells.

Temp.
2008-10-16, 01:58 AM
I don't like thread-jacking, but I ran this by TheThan first. So I don't feel like an ass posting all of it. Basically, it's a draft for a Bard Handbook I started before Dictum over on gleemax posted the beginnings of his. Once his went up, I bagged it. Since I don't think he ever finished the guide (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=952766), this might still have some relevance:

Obligatory Inspire Courage Link (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=14082576&postcount=45).
Spoilered to save the trouble of annoying link-chasing:

Inspire Courage (Su)
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.

Feats

Direct Improvements to Inspire Courage

Song of the Heart (ECS, pg. 60): Bonus granted by your music increases by +1.

Dragonfire Inspiration (Dragon Magic). Convert inspire courage bonuses to elemental damage depending on dragon type.

Words of Creation (BoED, pg. 48). Get DM approval. Doubles bonus from bardic music effects, but you take subdual damage.

Other feats for bardic music

Music of Growth (ECS): Kind of like Augment Summoning but with singing.

Melodic Casting (CM, pg. 44): Replace Concentration with Perform. Cast spells/use items while maintaining bardic music.

Song of the White Raven (ToB) Activate Bardic Music as a swift action. (Doesn't work well with the spell Inspirational Boost).

Lingering Song (CA, pg. 111): Bardic Music lasts 1 minute after you stop playing.

Snowflake Wardance (Frostburn): Expend Bardic music to get Charisma to damage.

Spells

Inspirational Boost (Spell Compendium, pg. 124): +1 to inspire courage. Can be used during the start of bardic music for longer lasting effect.

Equipment

Vest of Legends (DMG II, pg. 272). Bonus to Diplomacy and Perform. Treated as a bard of higher level for bardic music bonuses.

Badge of Valor (MIC, pg. 208). Bonus on Charm or Fear saves. Or +1 to inspire courage. Either 3/day.

Crystal Echoblade (MIC). Bonus Sonic Damage while using bardic music.

Harmonizing Weapon (MIC). Bonus on Perform checks and the weapon maintains the bardic music, allowing you to cast spells or activate items.

Gaulents of Heartfelt Blows (Dragon#314, p20) Fire Damage bonus to your weapon equal to charisma bonus.

Prestige Classes
Dread Pirate (CA)- Improves Inspire Courage faster than standard bard.

Battle Howler of Gruumsh (Dragon#311) stacks with bard for bardic music uses per day and affects, bardic spells and the 4th lvl ability increases the bonus of inspire courage by 1 as well as make the radius 60 feet.

Heartfire Fanner (Dragon#314) grants bonus feats, free metamagic up to +2 and increase the duration of spells and ex abilities by your Cha Modifier in rounds. Gives full spellcasting, bardic music per day, and teachers the bard all the bardic music affects of a normal bard, but inspire courage is not advanced.

Tips

1) If you have both inspirational boost and a badge of valor, activate them in this order inspirational boost->inspire courage->badge of valor. This uses your swift/immediate actions for the first 2 rounds of the inspire courage, but gives you the full benefit for the duration of the song.

2) A harmonizing weapon helps negate the need for the melodic casting feat, but melodic casting does have additional benefit of freeing up some skill points.

...Moving Along...


Dungeons and Dragons rewards specialization. The only classes that can competently fill their roles as "generalists" are the Big 5 (possibly including the Erudite). Other classes, with set spell lists, feat progressions and class abilities are left to find one or two areas of specialization.

This section is devoted to breaking the Bard class into its several distinct roles, illustrating how to improve each independantly. Successful Bards will generally pick one field as their specialty and support it with the others. This might mean finding uses for skill points in melee combat or uses for Bardic Music while casting. In each case there will be a focus and the other abilities of the Bard class will usually need to be augmented to support it.

And with that I should probably begin; there's certainly been enogh of an introduction already.

The Combat Bard
The Bard class has quite a bit to offer melee combatants. Bardic Music, as well as the Bard's spell list, improved BAB and armored casting, allows a unique sort of melee combatant--one who buffs the party almost as much as himself, while still being a genuine threat on the battlefield.

All Inspire Courage boosters (spoilered above) will be beneficial for the melee Bard.

Variants:

The Savage Bard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) replaces the Bard's "good" reflex save progression with a "good" Fortitude save. It also modifies the Bard's spell list, tweaking it slightly more toward melee combat.

Feats:

Snowflake Wardance (Frost): This feat allows the Bard to add his Charisma bonus to attack rolls with any slashing weapon held in one hand for about an entire encounter at the cost of one Bardic Music use. For any Bard fighting with 1-handed weapons (especially Dragonfire Inspiration-using Two-Weapon Fighters), this is a must.

Knowledge Devotion (CChamp): This feat allows the Knowledge skill to be converted into attack and damage bonuses. Given the Bard's lack of BAB, slight MAD (Charisma is obvious; Constitution is more important than in other melee classes; Strength is necessary for damage output; Dexterity might be boosted to compensate for light armor) and use of all Knowledge skills, this is a winner.

Combat Panache (PHB2): A Charisma-based Tactical feat, providing additional combat use for Intimidate and Bluff skills.

Power Attack: Required for Two-Handed Fighters. Power Attack Feat chains (Improved Bull Rush=>Shock Trooper; Improved Sunder=>Combat Brute) are as good of ways to increase your damage output for Bards as they are for anyone else.

Two-Weapon Fighting For Bards advancing Dragonfire Inspiration or other sources of bonus damage, this feat chain is actually useful. Without those damage bonuses, this is worthless. You make the call.

Arcane Strike (CW): Sacrifice Spell slots for bonuses to attack rolls and damage. This feat may be a good option at higher levels if you maintain spellcasting progression and regularly find yourself at the end of the day with spell slots to spare.

Improved Toughness (CW): If you don't multiclass or enter a prestige class, you'll find yourself standing on the front lines with d6 HD--a surefire recipe for a shortened lifespan.

Devoted Performer (CAd): For any Bard wanting to multiclass into Paladin, this feat makes it both legal and somewhat playable. Paladin can be useful for its Smite, Divine Grace and Turning (which allows access to Divine Might, Divine Shield and extra daily uses of Domain feats).

Song of the White Raven (ToB): This feat allows you to initiate Inspire Courage as a Swift action, which isn't bad on its own, and it also allows you to stack Bard, Warblade and Crusader levels for the purposes of Inspire Courage. There is a definite appeal of high HP, full BAB and ToB maneuver access for most Combat Bards.

Improved Trip: Because you're in the front lines of most combats, you might be expected to play the role of the Tank--providing battlefield control for the Wizard and Rogue. This is the feat for it, if you have the Strength to back it up. It's also essential for second-line Whip-users.

Combat Reflexes: If you're playing the role of party Tank, you'll want to be able to control more than one opponent per round.

Battlecaster (CAr): Allows casting in Mithral Fullplate. Whether this is worth a feat or not is up to you.

Other Classes:

Marshal (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20030906b)(Minis) A dip may be worthwhile for the Art of War aura, which adds your Charisma bonus to your party's bull rushes, disarms, trips, and sunders. The weapon proficiencies and Skill Focus don't hurt either.

Paladin: With Devoted Performer, the Paladin becomes available. It might be worth 2-4 levels for Charisma bonuses and Divine feat access. Complete Champion's spell-less Paladin trades dead-end Wisdom-based casting for bonus Divine Feats--a winning option for high-charisma Bards.

Crusader/Warblade (ToB): With either of these, you'll want to focus on boosting Inspire Courage as high as possible. Both are powerful options for a melee combatant, especially while advancing IC/Dragonfire Inspiration.

Prestige Classes:

Dread Pirate (CAd): As noted above, Good Dread Pirates advance Inspire Courage slightly more quickly than straight-classed Bard. The crappy prerequisites and loss of Spellcasting make it a questionable tradeoff at best. At level 7, the class basically ends.

Warchanter (CW): Full Base Attack bonus, Inspire Recklessness and Combine Songs are the main draws here. Without Dragonfire Inspiration, don't give it a second glance. With Dragonfire Inspiration, Inspire Recklessness essentially grants Shock Trooper to all your allies (including Wizards and archers, who likely won't put as much value in AC), even outside of charges.

Jade Phoenix Mage (ToB): For a gish build this is an excellent class, advancing both martial maneuvers and Bard spells. Unfortunately it doesn't advance Bardic music, so there is some trade-off. Combine with Sublime Chord if possible for improved casting abilities.

Sublime Chord (CAr) High-level spells are great for all gishes. Bard gishes are no exception.

Dawn Caller (RoS) is a Goliath-specific prestige class. It sacrifices spellcasting for full BAB and a different song list (Exhaustion-removal, a long-duration Antipathy effect, Barbarian Rage and a Strength/DR/Bull Rush resistance song). It's not a bad melee class, but its most defining abilities depend on you having several allies also engaging in melee combat. If your party's built out of front-line non-casters, I guess it might be alright...

Swiftblade (web (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327)) Full BAB, 50% chances of attacks and spells missing you, extra land speed, extra damage, extra initiative and extra actions each round make this a very attractive class. It doesn't advance Bardic music, though. And its spellcasting is seriously nerfed. Combine with Sublime Chord if possible for improved casting.

Abjurant Champion (CM): AC actually isn't that great for Bards. It doesn't advance music, it loses skills, it requires a crummy feat and its Abjuration augmentations are lost on the Bard's Illusion and Enchantment-heavy spell list. It does still provide the usual BAB and Hitpoint boosts, though.

Spells

1st level:

Improvisation (SpC): Gain a scaling Luck bonus that applies to attacks, skills and ability checks. Even without the flexibility, it would be clear this spell is worth it.
Swift Invisibility (SpC): Useful for battlefield maneuvering as well as catching enemies flat-footed.


2nd level:

Alter Self is abuseable to access all sorts of unintended abilities: Natural Armor, Flight and Size modifications, as well as the intended use as a disguise.
Bladeweave (SpC): Swift cast, daze the targets of your attacks at the end of the round for a few rounds. It can be nice at low levels.
Blur provides easy moveable concealment. Useful when low-level Bards get the jump on enemies, useful when higher-level Bards can use it for several consecutive encounters.
Mindless Rage (SpC): One of the first "aggro" drawers--force enemies to attack you and you alone.
Mirror Image provides effective protection for several rounds, especially for Bards able to generate high touch ACs.
Whirling Blade (SpC): Direct damage; attack a line of enemies using your Charisma bonus to determine attack and damage values.


3rd level:

Blink a 50% miss chance that affects spells targeting you as well as attacks. I believe it stacks with concealment effects. Its one downside is a 20% miss chance on your own attacks.
Displacement effectively doubles your HP for 1 round/level.
Dolorous Blow (SpC): Like keen and Bless Weapon tied into one. Maybe not the greatest spell, but it will dramatically increase the number of critical hits you generate.
Haste is a beautiful Combat spell--extra attacks, attack and defense bonuses and speed enhancements for the entire party.
Sonic Shield (PHB2): +4 Deflection bonus to AC, sonic damage and knock-back effect activate against enemies who attack you.


4th level:

Dimension Door allows for easy battlefield maneuverability.
Freedom of Movement gets you out of the mouths of nasty grapplers. Definitely a good thing with the Bard's reduced BAB and Charisma ability priority.
Greater Invisibility: You're invisible and you can still attack. It's pretty straightforward.
Greater Mirror Image (PHB2): Like the original, but better (Immediate casting, regenerating images)
Ruin Delver's Fortune (SpC): All sorts of Immediate, Charisma-based defenses. All sorts of handy when something goes wrong.


5th level:

Dimension Jumper (CM): Useful for ToB-users--short teleport once per round as a move action.
Greater Blink (SpC):Like Blink, but you aren't ever going to screw up with this one.


6th level:

Irresistible Dance: The only problem with this spell is that you need to be close enough to enemies to cast it. That's about the distance you need to be to hit things with a sword, so it works out handily.
Superior Resistance (SpC): Long duration resistance bonus larger than anything you're likely to buy on a cloak.

Temp.
2008-10-16, 01:59 AM
The Skillful Bard
The Bard has a lot of skill points and a great skill list. It isn't hard to make use of this. Typically this will involve building social skills to become the party's face or cranking Perform checks to make the most of Fascinate. The Bard isn't limited to these options, though. With only a little effort, the class can generate some of the best skillmonkeys around.


Class Variants

Bardic Knack (PHB2) gives the Bard a scaling set of artificial skill ranks. They don't open the use of "trained only" skills, but they advance everything. This means a Bard can concentrate skill points in only a few skills and still improve at everything else. This replaces Bardic Knowledge.

Mimicking Song (DS) trades Countersong for Move Silently bonuses. It doesn't hurt. (Who seriously uses Countersong?)

Savage Bard (UA) adds Survival to the skill list at the cost of Decipher Script and Speak Language


Feats

Jack of All Trades (CAd) lets you use all skills as if you were trained. Bardic Knack now applies to all skills in the game.

Able Learner (RoD) reduces the cost of all skills to one point. This is great for multiclassers, but a lot worse for straight-class Bards than it is for other skillmonkeys.

Nymph's Kiss (BoED) both provides more skill ranks and bonuses to Charisma-based skills. Bards are all about skill ranks and Charisma-based skills. If you're playing an Exalted Character, take this.

Obtain Familiar (CAr): Familiars get your skill ranks, meaning they have a good chance of succeeding when you fail at something. They also can use Aid Another to boost any of your skill checks by 2. Too bad Bardic Knack doesn't work with them.

Melodic Casting (CM): On top of its spellcasting ability, MC lets you use Perform in place of Concentration. This means you have a bunch of free skill points.

Versatile Performer (CAd): If you want to be good at more than one Perform skill, this will save you the ranks as well as provide you with a useful Perform bonus.

Item Familiar (UA): Even without its absolutely broken Experience Acceleration thing, Item Familiar effectively doubles your skill ranks in a number of skills. It's a keeper if it's available.

Track: Sometimes someone needs to take it. If you're the skill guy, it's probably you.

Shape Soulmeld/Open Least Chakra (MoI): If you want Trapfinding but don't want to multiclass to get it, this is the option that's left.

Darkstalker (LoM): Because stealth is often the role of the skillmonkey and stealth doesn't work when you can't hide.

Other Classes

Factotum (DS) adds all skills to the Bard's class list. This is useful when a player wants to maximize skills outside the Bard's list. It also provides Trapfinding--a requirement for any dedicated skillmonkey.

Trapfinding Classes: This means Rogues, Rangers (DS), Spellthieves (CAd), Ninjas (CAd), Beguilers (PHB2), Scouts (CAd) and Factotums (DS). Because Trapfinding is expected of most skillmonkeys.

Marshal (Minis): A 1-level dip gets you Skill Focus (Diplomacy) and adds your Charisma bonus to skills based on the ability of your choice.

Incarnum (MoI): All Incarnum classes provide a slew of variable skill bonuses. Incarnates have the best bonuses (Insight Bonuses can be somewhat difficult to come by), but Totemists have the most skill points. And nobody loves the Soulborn.


Prestige Classes
There aren't many PrCs specializing in general skill uses and there are a hell of a lot focusing on weird specialty skill niches. As such, I'm going to cut this section really ridiculously short.

Exemplar (CAd) is about the best example of a skill-based Prestige class that you're going to find. One level gets you a +4 competence bonus to a skill of your choice. After that, the class sort of collapses due to combat ineptitude.


Spells

1st level:

Accelerated Movement (SpC): For both the scout and the Bard in a hurry.
Amplify (SpC): For when you know you need to hear things.
Appraising Touch (SpC): For when you need to know what something's worth.
Catsfeet (CM): A failsafe on movement skills.
Combined Talent (CM): Steal someone else's skill ranks when you need them, loan someone your own.
Comprehend Languages is nice because you'll probably be expected to take the role of party translator.
Detect Secret Doors lets you do the Rogue thing, but without the skill investment.
Disguise Self makes Disguise checks easy. That might be a good thing, it might not--your call.
Immediate Assistance (CM): You (or someone else) get to try again when you botch a skill.
Improvisation (SpC): The Luck bonuses from this spell are great for everything. Seriously, what can't this spell do?
Serene Visage (SpC): Gain a scaling Bluff bonus. Good for liars, sleazewads and thieves.
Share Talents (PHB2): Gain and give benefits on skill checks based on your allies' ranks.
Sticky Fingers (SpC): For you Sleight-of-Hand needs.


2nd level:

Alter Self: Like Disguise self, but you actually are someone else, instead of just pretending to be. Also has combat and utility uses.
Crown of Veils (PHB2): Minor Disguise and Hide bonuses with long duration, discharge for increases skill boost.
Detect Thoughts acts as a failsafe for a bad sense motive modifier. Generally useful for diplomats and socializers.
Invisibility takes the pressure off Hide checks. Most monsters will eventually be able to see you, but it has great low-level utility.
Iron Silence (SpC): Stop Obligatory Inspire Courage Linkthis (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0024.html) from ever happening again.
Magic Savant (CM): UMD just got easier.
Mask of the Ideal (CM): A useful Competence bonus on social skills for low levels. Swap it out once Competence bonuses become more common.
Master's Touch (PHB2): You or an ally gain immediate skill bonuses
Reflective Disguise (SpC): This would just be a more flexable versiaon of Disguise Self, but no DM will be able to resist its siren song of hilarity.
Shatter: Who needs Disable Device?
Tongues makes the "party face" thing easier when facing language barriers.


3rd level:

Charm Monster: Manages to cover for Diplomacy and Handle Animal skills.
Gaseous Form can take the place of Escape Artist; it can make the whole "infiltration" gig trivial.
Glibness: because they can't handle the truth.
Speak With Animals: Like Tongues, but with extremely limited use.


4th level:

Legend Lore: If you have time on your hands, this gets you the information you need.
Voice of the Dragon (SpC): Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate bonuses and a use of Suggestion.
Zone of Silence: Long-term area of silence that doesn't interfere with your casting. Can replace Move Silently in most situations.


6th level:

Find the Path saves you time solving problems.
Mass Charm Monster saves time in skill checks and works as a back-up for Diplomacy.

Temp.
2008-10-16, 02:00 AM
The Caster Bard
Believe it or not, the Bard is a full spellcasting class. Spellcasting may not be most Bards' primary focus, but they have some options here--especially when bringing Sublime Chord into the mix.

The primary goal for most Bards thrown into the primary casting role is going to be adding spells to the character's spell list. The Bard can almost work with its stock list, but that isn't the goal. The goal is to cast as effectively as other primary casting classes.


Class Variants

Gnomish Substitution levels (RoS): The 1st and 11th level subs add new spells to your spell list. Of course, the 1st level ones are already pretty weak and you should be spending 11th level in Sublime Chord. If you're sticking with straight Bard, though, this can be nice.


Feats

Melodic Casting (CM): Cast spells while Performing. Also use Perform in place of Concentration.

Versatile Spellcaster (RotD): Turn you low-level spell slots into high-level spells. Everyone wins this way.

Lyric Spell (CAd): Extra Spells are a beautiful thing. For a Bard who seldom uses Bardic Music on its own, this gives it all sorts of new use.

Metamagic Song (RoS): Cast metamagic-ed spells without raising spell levels. It's not like DMM in that it doesn't let you cast spell levels that are unavailable to you, but it does let you get more out of your limited spell slots.

Rapid Metamagic (CM)/Arcane Preparation (CAr): For Bards who want to apply metamagic. Arcane Preparation is available sooner, but Rapid Metamagic is more flexible.

Arcane Disciple (CD): Adds Domain spells to your class list. Requires high Wisdom and only allows each spell to be cast once daily.

Extra Spell (CAr): There's no common consensus on the interpretation of this feat's actual effects. I buy into the belief that it is similar to the near-identical feats that followed it (Expanded Knowledge, Martial Study) in that it allows its bonus spell to be drawn from any spell list. Still, I would normally skip it... unless you're just really desperate to put Dragonic Polymorph or something on your list.

Spell Focus: In a limited-source game when you need to land your low-level save-or-sucks, these will help. SF (Illusion) and SF (Enchantment) will probably get the most mileage.

Extraordinary Concentration (CAd): It seems like half of all Bard spells require Concentration checks. I hate maintaining concentration. Let this feat do it for you.

Extend Spell: You don't get many spell slots. You might as well make the most of them.

Heighten Spell: Bard spells don't scale to the same high levels as other casters' spells do and most Bard spells require saving throws. This might be necessary to land a Slow or Glitterdust at higher levels.

Shape Spell: Many Bard spells affect areas and give Will saves. The party Fighter is often standing next to the baddies and he often has a weak will save. It's no fun to be Confused by the people you thought were your buddies.


Prestige Classes

Sublime Chord (CAr): Accessible at level 11, Sublime Chord transforms the Bard into a spellcaster more focused than the Sorcerer, with extra skills, BAB and class abilities to boot. Any serious Bard spellcaster should shoot for entrance in SC as soon as possible.

Lyric Thaumaturge (CM): "The poor man's Sublime Chord"; LT gives access to Sorcerer spells while progressing the Bard's standard spellcasting. If Sublime Chord isn't an option (due to level or campaign restrictions) and you're serious about casting, this is one of the better ways to improve.

Recaster (MoE): A Changeling-specific prestige class. Provides a pile of Sudden Metamagic effects as well as access to two spells from other class lists. Loses one caster level early--be sure to lose it before entering Sublime Chord.

War Weaver (HoB): This class improves party buffing. Since that's what a large portion of the Bard's spell list is aimed for, WW tends to work well. If levels are arranged to enter War Weaver, enter Sublime Chord and re-enter War Weaver, a Bard can make use of its benefits without delaying spellcasting progression.

Fiend-Blooded (HoH) slowly adds spells to your spells known list. Fire, Enchantment, Illusion and Necromancy spells work from any class list. It has full casting until level 10.

Sand Shaper (Sand): The first level doesn't advance casting, but adds a slew of Desert-based spells to your "Spells Known" list. Some are pretty useful, some aren't. Be sure to lose the caster level before Sublime Chord.

Wyrm Wizard (DM) Adds a spell to your class list (not spells known) every even-numbered level. It's accessible at level 7 for Bards with Arcane Preparation and loses three caster levels early. Even combining it with Sublime Chord, you'll be a level behind the Sorcerer. On the plus side, WW has more skill points than most other caster classes.

Spells

Even though you should be trying hard to gain access to other classes' spells, the Bard list will let you fake it as the primary spellcaster for a while. A quick summary of the makeshift Arcanist's spell list:

Battlefield Control:
These are for arranging combat so the party can win. The usual plan is to split enemies into manageable groups rather than dangerous masses. Putting the party in a position of concealment is another part of the path to victory.

1st level:

Grease: It's not much, but the 10 ft. of flat-footed slipperiness can slow down and drop enemies, as well as opening them up for Sneak Attacks.
Silent Image: The difference between a Wall of Stone and the image of a wall of stone is not obvious. You might be able to use this.


2nd level:

Cloud of Bewilderment (SpC): Sickening Cloud Lite (tm).
Darkness: Grant concealment to everyone in an area. The party can shoot things out, enemies won't have quite the same luck shooting things back in.
Minor Image: A big scary roaring thing probably isn't going to be something your average baddie will charge into.
Summon Swarm: A big mass of vermin should be discouraging for enemies to enter.


3rd level:

Major Image: Same principle as other illusions: create an undesirable area, hope the bad guys stay out of it.
Phantom Battle (PHB2): Area effect flanks creatures and blocks opportunity attacks--both good things if you're outnumbered.
Tiny Hut: Provide Total Concealment for everyone within 20 ft. Beat things up inside the hut and shoot things at enemies outside. Unless they engage in close combat, they are left with 50% miss chances.


4th level:

Hallucinatory Terrain: If the bad guys think the battlefield has changed, it may as well have actually have happened.
Secure Shelter: Conjure a big chunk of cabin. The possibilities are endless.


5th level:

Mind Fog: A Fog of Wisdom Penalties. If enemies are smart enough to avoid it, you successfully control the battlefield. If not, you zap them with Dominate, Slow or Glitterdust.
Mirage Arcana: Area Illusion. Move along.


Save-or-Lose:
These are spells allowing saves that affect groups of creatures. I know there are Save-or-Suck spells affecting single targets and I know they can make short work of single-enemy encounters, but I don't care. I care about dealing with all the enemies.

1st level:

Sleep: The standard 1st- and 2nd-level "win" spell. This knocks out groups of low-HD opponents by targeting their Will saves.


2nd level:

Cloud of Bewilderment (SpC): 10 ft cube of pure chemical nausea.
Glitterdust: Your standard save-or-blind Invisibility-killer. Too good not to pick up, even when you get to pick and choose from the Wizard spell list.
Pyrotechnics: Long-ranged spell, affects quite a few creatures for a short time. Choose between a blindness effect and a Str/Dex penalty.


3rd level:

Confusion: If enemies fail a will save, they have an 80% chance of wasting their actions standing around, running away or attacking the nearest creature. Good for screwing with groups.
Slow: On a failed will save, targets are reduced to a single action per round.


4th level:

Celebration (SpC): A series of Will saves leaves enemies' ability scores penalized, leaves them nauseated and knocks them unconscious.
Fugue (SpC): On failed will saves, enemies take all sorts of nasty effects, based on your Perform check.
Rainbow Pattern: On failed Will saves, you Fascinate 24HD worth of enemies, control their movement for the duration of your concentration.


5th level:

Song of Discord: On a failed will save, targets have a 50% chance of atacking each other to the best of their abilities.
Wail of Doom (SpC): On a failed will save, targets take sonic damage and become panicked. On successful saves, they take less damage and become shaken.


6th level:

Mass Charm Monster: All those guys trying to kill you with their axes? They're your buddies now.


Buffs:
These spells make your party kill things harder. it's a pretty nice gig for them and you.

1st level:

Inspirational Boost (SpC) isn't much of a buff on its own, but it makes your Inspire Courage better (and with Melodic Casting you're always inspiring courage, right?)


2nd level:

Blur grants an ally Concealment
Harmonic Chorus (SpC): Increase ally's CL and spell DCs as long as you concentrate. If you get something else to concentrate for you (Extraordinary Concentration, Sonorous Hum, that one skill trick...), this can be pretty worthwhile.
Rage grants Morale bonuses to Str and Con with all the penalties associated with a Barbarian's Rage. It's not a great buff, but it's an easy buff.
Tactical Precision (SpC): Increase flanking bonuses and sneak attack. Useful in groups that often make use of flanking.


3rd level:

Blink lets your Rogue Sneak Attack and dodge spells and attacks. It also makes him more likely to miss. It's a trade-off.
Displacement grants an ally Total Concealment
Haste gives Attack, AC and speed bonuses to the entire party as well as an extra attack. It's a winner at any level.


4th level:

Freedom of Movement keeps the feebler party members from worrying about pythons. (Because that's usually what the weak guys worry about, right? Pythons?)
Greater Invisibility lets your party beat stuff up without being seen. Great for sneak attackers.


5th level:

Greater Blink: It's like Blink, but that 20% chance won't screw you this time.
Protégé allows someone else (probably a familiar) to Inspire Courage while you use Dragonfire Inspiration or some other buff. It's a weird sort of buff, but it works... sorta.

Temp.
2008-10-16, 02:01 AM
Bard Songs
There are a few songs tied in with the Bard class. There are a good number of alternatives available in the forms of alternate class features, feats and Prestige classes. Here's a quick summary of those:

Class Variants

Healing Hymn (CC): Trade Fascinate for Healing bonuses. I like Fascinate more than healing bonuses, but you have enough Enchantment spells that it might not matter much.

Mimicking Song (DS): Trade Countersong (ew) for Move Silently bonuses. (yay?)

Spellbreaker Song (CM): Trade Countersong for the ability to give spellcasters a 20% failure chance.

Music of Creation (ECS): Substitute Inspire Competence, Suggestion, Inspire Greatness, Song of Freedom, Inspire Heroics or Mass Suggestion with Haunting Melody, Music of Growth, Music of Making, Song of the Heart and Soothe the Beast

Planar Bard 1 (PlH): Trade Inspire Competence for bonuses against planar effects. (yay?)
Planar Bard 6 (PlH): Trade Suggestion for the ability to redirect portals... whatever that's worth in your game. (boo?)
Planar Bard 12 (PlH): Trade Song of Freedom for the ability to create a planar breach. (eh?)

Gnome Bard 1 (RoS): Replace Countersong with something worthwhile! Counter Fear replaces allies' saves against fear with the Bard's Perform check (which should be really ridiculously high).
Gnome Bard 3 (RoS): Replace Inspire Competence with something worthwhile! Inspire Defiance gives a circumstance bonus against Mind Effects.
Gnome Bard 6 (RoS): Replace Suggestion with Phantasmal Song--a save-or-be-shaken ability that Frightens enemies who stick around long enough. I'd rather just cast Confusion or Slow and be done with it than wait for the fear effect to kick in.

Half-Elf Bard 1 (RoD): Trade Countersong (still crap) for a high-DC Calm Emotions effect (situationally not crap).
Half-Elf Bard 3 (RoD): Trade Suggestion for Command. You keep Suggestion as a spell, so to me it's sort of a toss-up.

Feats

Dragonfire Inspiration (DM): Requires the Dragonblooded subtype, turns Inspire Courage into d6s of energy damage. It can be pretty groovy, but Power Attackers and Wizards tend to benefit from IC more. Which you use should depend on your party composition.

Requiem (LM): If you're in a party that uses undead often, take it. If not, skip it--even if you fight undead often, it's probably a waste of a feat.

Green Ear (CAd): I know you want to be able to affect everything with your Fascinate, but really--plants?

Extra Music (CAd/ECS): You'll regret this once you have a few Bard levels under your belt. If you plan on multiclassing, it may be useful.

Lingering Song (CAd): Five extra rounds of Bardic Music. Not many combats in my experience go that long (and when they do, the outcome's already resolved by then). Other people say this is a necessity, so I don't want to label it as rubbish. It's an option.

Subsonics (CAd): Useful for stealth-fascinations, but you already have that one skill trick to cover that niche. It might have a place in heavy-intrigue games, but in most cases I would say that it's not worth it.

Captivating Melody (CM): Use Bardic Music to improve Illusion and Enchantment DCs by 2. Not bad, considering half the Bard's spell list is made up of Enchantments and illusions that allow saving throws.

Haunting Melody (ECS): Fear effects are fun. Using Bardic Music for them just makes your Bard that much cooler.

Music of Growth (ECS): It's like a weaker Animal Growth. I would leave it for the Druids.

Music of Making (ECS): This isn't going to come up often for a Bard. Since this isn't going to be an option for you if you aren't a Bard, I would say "skip."

Song of the Heart (ECS): A must-have for Inspire Courage builds. Useful for most Bards.

Soothe the Beast (ECS): Use a BM use for a Wild Empathy check based on your perform. If you want to be the Pied Piper, this would be worthwhile. I don't see it coming up often.

Music of the Outer Spheres (LoM): I would love this if it weren't restricted to Aberrations.

Chant of Fortitude (CAd): Grant a turn's worth of the Diehard feat. The Diehard feat sucks. This feat sucks.

Chant of the Long Road (CS): Allies don't take penalties for Hustling for an hour. I'm not seeing any time this would be useful. Get a horse instead.

Chord of Distraction (CS): Three Music uses to make an enemy flatfooted is too many. Especially if they get to resist it. Especially if it's just for one attack.

Enchanting Song (RoS): It's like Spell Focus, but Enchantment-exclusive and it eats a Bardic Music use. I don't dig it. It's like Captivating Melody but worse and less flexable.

Epic of the Lost King (CS): Remove fatigue or exhaustion from three allies. I can see how it would be useful.

Inspire Spellpower (RoS): Improve one ally's CL by 1. It eats a standard action. I don't dig it.

Ironskin Chant (CAd): Eats a swift action, gives DR 5/-- for a round. Eh. Maybe worth a Bardic Music use once in a while, but not worth a feat too.

Lyric Spell (CAd): Use bardic music to fuel extra spells. This one's useful.

Metamagic Song (RoS): Use Bardic Music to fuel metamagic. This one can be a keeper too.

Misleading Song (RoS): Like Enchanting song, but for Illusions. Meh.

Sound of Silence (CS): Deafen a target (DC=Perform check). It uses two BM uses, but I can see some uses here... if you don't have anything better to take... and if you can't just learn the Blindness/Deafness spell.

Warning Shout (CS): Give an ally a Reflex bonus and Evasion. I can see this being useful, but I have better things to worry about with my feat slots than Reflex saves.

Windsinger (Storm): Use Bardic Music to alter the winds... maybe in an aquatic campaign. Maybe.



Prestige Classes

Virtuoso (CAd): All sorts of neat new songs, good skills and just one lost caster level. It provides songs that act as mass Diplomacy checks, provide Diehard, block spellcasting (Concentration DC=Virtuoso's Perform check), provide full Barbarian Rage, Dominate targets of Fascinate, and grant true seeing to allies.

Seeker of the Song (CAr): SotS's music mostly grants Energy Resistance and deals a few d6s of damage. It has a few others, though: at 4th level it grants some healing, at 6th it can block spellcasting and Dispel with BM, at 10th level a banishment effect. What really bothers me about this is that WotC presents the Seeker class--unique in that it can shoot fire and destructive magic with its music--then, on the next page prints the Sublime Chord, which has the same shtick. The difference? Sublime Chord has 9th level wizard spell access. I wonder which is the better option...

Sublime Chord (CAr): On top of its spellcasting, SC has a few unique songs--a CL booster, a target-isolater and a Blasting song.

War Chanter (CW): Provides songs granting Temporary HP, Shock Trooper, a weak fear effect, a weak strength enhancement and a slightly improved Base Attack. If you go this route, take up to "Combine Songs" and split.

Dragonsong Lyrist (Drac): This class has five crummy songs mimicking low-level spells and a 20% failure chance for each of them.

Stormsinger (Frost): It's a neat class, but it neither advances the Bard's songs nor provides anything compelling of its own. Stormsingers can replicate a few weather spells and call lightning (Electric damage equal to a Perform check). Flavorful and full-casting, but... meh.

Dawn Caller (RoS): It doesn't get anything that can't be replicated by a straight Bard with Epic of the Lost King. Eventually it gets a +untyped Str/DR/Bull Rush resistance song, but that's after 9 levels of nothing.


Spells

1st level:
Inspirational Boost (SpC): Improve Inspire Courage by 1. It's pretty simple, really.



...I'll run through and clean it up in the morning. If you have any suggestions for any of these (especially items, which I didn't get around to tracking down), please let me know.

tumble check
2008-10-16, 08:07 AM
Great post, OP. Bards FTW.

Stupendous_Man
2008-10-16, 08:38 AM
Jack of All Trades (CAd) lets you use all skills as if you were trained. Bardic Knack now applies to all skills in the game.

Doesn't work. Bardic Knack specifically says 1 rank. JoAT specifically says treated as if you had 1/2 a rank..

Return of Lanky
2008-10-16, 10:20 AM
Speaking of bard variants... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93980)

I've found that the best weapon selection for the bard is usually a Short bow (or Longbow if you're an elf), backed up by a short sword (aka the d6 dagger).

Temp.
2008-10-16, 12:42 PM
Doesn't work. Bardic Knack specifically says 1 rank.That clause is a summary of the "trained only" skill mechanic--it's there to state that Bardic Knack doesn't allow the checks to be made (it says nothing about applying the BK bonus).

Jack of All Trades allows you to use Trained-Only skills even without the ranks. Since BK only addresses the fact that it does not allows untrained skill checks in its own right, not that its bonus wouldn't apply to the skill checks if they were to be made, I have no reason to believe this doesn't work.

Ranis
2008-10-16, 02:02 PM
I would like to point out how great a couple of things are about the bard that I'm playing.

I play a Bard 10/Seeker of the Song 6 in a game that's been going on for almost 2 years now, and as I only get 1 4th level spell per day, I picked the one that helps me stay alive in melee as much as possible-Sirine Grace. +8 Perform, +4 Charisma and Dexterity, Charisma bonus to AC and swim speed 60? Yes please.

Seeker of the Song isn't as bad as it's made out to be; in fact, it's probably the most fun character I've ever played, because if I couldn't do almost everything as a bard, I sure can now. I can blast, heal, cure, blast some more, banish, and I can still use wands and scrolls with UMD in addition to all of the other nifty magic items I have on my person. The trick to using Seeker of the Song is to take Skill Focus: Perform for the prestige class, and then nothing else but Extra Music. Right now, my Bard can use bardic music 40something times per day; coupled with my subharmonizing rapier and the Seeker ability to subvocalize and sing two songs at once, I can juggle 3 bardic songs at the same time while spending uses as swift actions to change songs and expunge fire/lightning/acid from my being.

Stupendous_Man
2008-10-16, 05:01 PM
That clause is a summary of the "trained only" skill mechanic--it's there to state that Bardic Knack doesn't allow the checks to be made (it says nothing about applying the BK bonus).
It's not a bonus, it's a substitution.



Jack of All Trades allows you to use Trained-Only skills even without the ranks.
A trained only skill is still a trained only skill.


Since BK only addresses the fact that it does not allows untrained skill checks in its own right, not that its bonus wouldn't apply to the skill checks if they were to be made, I have no reason to believe this doesn't work.

One actual rank (BK req.) is not equal to one half rank (JoAT benefit). It doesn't work.

For the benefit of further discussion, I have provided the text of both abilities.


When making any skill check, you can use 1/2 your bard level (rounded up) in place of the number of ranks you have in the skill (even if that number is zero).
...
If the skill doesn't allow untrained checks, you must have at least one actual rank to attempt the check.


Jack Of All Trades [General]
Prerequisite

You must be at least 6th level.
Benefit

You can use any skill untrained, even those that normally require training.

The CAdv version states, iirc, that for the purpose of making skill checks, you are treated as having 0.5 rank.

Note, for the purpose of making skill checks. Bardic Knowledge substitution is not a skill check.

Emperor Tippy
2008-10-16, 09:20 PM
Here is the full text of Jack of all Trades
You can use any skill as if you had 1/2 rank in that skill. This benefit allows you to attempt checks with skills that normally don't allow untrained skill checks (such as Decipher Script and Knowledge). If a skill doesn't allow skill checks (such as Speak Language), this feat has no effect.

Bardic Knack is specific in that to use it with a trained only skill you must have at least 1 rank in the skill. JoAT gives half a rank.

Temp.
2008-10-16, 09:41 PM
Knack seems very clear in stating that to use any trained-only skill you must have at least one rank. It doesn't seem very clear in stating that its effective ranks wouldn't apply to that sort of skill check if you were to make one.

I believe Jack of All Trades is poorly-worded. I agree that the first sentence clearly contradicts its use with Bardic Knack, but I think its second sentence supports the combination--overruling Bardic Knack's limitation.

Because the first sentence makes the feat useless (the PHB states that a character isn't trained in a skill until the character has one full skill rank in that skill), I'm inclined to take the second ("This benefit allows you to attempt checks with skills that normally don't allow untrained skill checks") as the correct interpretation of the feat.

Stupendous_Man
2008-10-16, 09:45 PM
Conclusion: Someone didn't proof read. Again.

Dawizard.

EvilElitest
2008-10-17, 03:24 PM
i've always never got teh whole bard hate thign, they really aren't that bad as far as things go
from
EE

Keld Denar
2008-10-17, 03:42 PM
i've always never got teh whole bard hate thign, they really aren't that bad as far as things go
from
EE

This depends. In 3.0, Bards sucked. No questions. IC didn't scale, most of the rest of your abilities were pretty abysmal. If your facinate didn't work, you were rather worthless, or worse. Out of combat, your skills were decent, but worse than a rogues.

Core only 3.5 bard isn't much better. IC scales too slow to be worth the party slot, and again, if your Facinate or Diplomacy check doesn't completely stop combat, your contribution is little compared to what even a fighter can contribute in combat, much less one of the T1s.

Now, with a bit of the material that's out, like the various spells/abilities/items that make IC scale faster, decently enhanced spell list, and plentiful multiclass/PrC options, bards are able to compete on similar or better levels to the classes they wish to emulate. Wanna be a caster? Sublime Chord builds galore net you powerful spells. Wanna be a melee badass? Splash Paladin, Crusader, or Warblade to taste, if desired, or just go to town with your Crystal Echoblades and Dragonfire Inspiration.

Bards now have the potential to fulfil any role they choose, as long as you know where to look. Much better than the mediocre jack of all trades, and terrible at all of them role.