Fochlucan Lyrist

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Hey Playground! I'm joining a Forgotten Realms game, and I want to make a Fochlucan Lyrist. I'm trying to find a build that gets double nines, Druid and Sorc/Wiz (via Sublime Chord). The party isn't terribly optimized (we've got a Half-Dragon Sword and Board Fighter, a Goliath Archer Ranger, a Halfling Rogue, and a Dwarf Paladin) so I think I can get away with going Bard/Druid. I'm planning on going Human, with the Divine Minion and Shadow Creature Templates (which grants me Evasion)

My DM has decided that Fochlucan Lyrist also progresses Druid abilities (in addition to Bard abilities), and he's reduced all of Sublime Chord's skill requirements by one, so I can get in at level 10. I can probably convince him to allow Green Whisperer to advance Druid abilities as well, though I'd rather not have to if I can get away with it. I also want to get at least one level of Arcane Hierophant.

In addition to help figuring out my build, I could use some help deciding what region my character is from and all of that.

So, playgrounders, can you help me?

[Akal Saris]

Here's a build to start you off without using divine minion or dark creature. I'm sure somebody can do better than this.

Human Bard 4/Druid 3/Arcane Hierophant 3/Sublime Chord 1/Fochluran Lyricist 9

Bardic Music 13/day, Druid CL 15, Bard CL 7, Sublime Chord CL 20 (10/10), Wildshape as a 6th level druid

Feats:
1: Able Learner - just to help with skills!
1: Shape Soulmeld - Impulse Boots
3: Obtain Familiar
6: Natural Spell
9: Open Least Chakra - Impulse Boots [Grants Evasion]
12: Practiced Spellcaster (Sublime Chord)
15: Open
18: Open

Edit: Alternatively, if you can use Precocious Apprentice, this might work:
Human Bard 1/Druid 6/Arcane Hierophant 3/Sublime Chord 1/Fochluran Lyricist 9

Bardic Music 10/day, Druid CL 18, Bard CL 8 (ACL 4), Sublime Chord CL 20 (10/10), Wildshape as a 6th level druid

Feats:
1: Able Learner - just to help with skills!
1: Precocious Apprentice
3: Shape Soulmeld - Impulse Boots
6: Natural Spell
9: Open Least Chakra - Impulse Boots [Grants Evasion]
12: Practiced Spellcaster (Sublime Chord)
15: Practiced Spellcaster (Bard, which then raises Sublime Chord)
18: Open

[GoatBoy]

There's a guide for the class. From what I remember, the biggest obstacle to your casting it getting evasion. How effective the class is relies a great deal on what your DM will allow you to get away with.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Akal Seris: I'm going to be a Shadow Creature for flavor reasons anyway, so I don't need to avoid the LA (which is basically being ignored in any case). I'd rather avoid introducing Incarnum to this build, not because I don't think it's awesome, but because it can be very confusing initially.

Also, I can use the Green Whisperer from Dragon 311, which advances Bard and Druid casting (it requires Knowledge (Nature) 8, Perform 8, and Survival 5) along with Bardic Music and granting a couple of abilities of its own.

With the house rules, I can fit 1 level of SC and 10 of FL in the same build, by the way.

GoatBoy: thanks for pointing me to that, I'll give it a look.

Edit: I'm thinking I might go with Bard 2/Druid 3/Green Whisperer 3/Arcane Hierophant 1/Sublime Chord 1/Fochlucan Lyrist 10. Any pointers on improving this build?

[Akal Saris]

Akal Seris: I'm going to be a Shadow Creature for flavor reasons anyway, so I don't need to avoid the LA (which is basically being ignored in any case). I'd rather avoid introducing Incarnum to this build, not because I don't think it's awesome, but because it can be very confusing initially.

Also, I can use the Green Whisperer from Dragon 311, which advances Bard and Druid casting (it requires Knowledge (Nature) 8, Perform 8, and Survival 5) along with Bardic Music and granting a couple of abilities of its own.

With the house rules, I can fit 1 level of SC and 10 of FL in the same build, by the way.

GoatBoy: thanks for pointing me to that, I'll give it a look.

Edit: I'm thinking I might go with Bard 2/Druid 3/Green Whisperer 3/Arcane Hierophant 1/Sublime Chord 1/Fochlucan Lyrist 10. Any pointers on improving this build?

Your modified build looks perfectly fine to me. Did you have any idea on what you want to focus on besides double 9s? Summoning, buffing/music, blasting, ...?

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Buffing/Music and Melee Combat. I intend to get a pair of Slippers of Battledancing and take Snowflake Wardance to that end. I can also wildshape for combat purposes. I might go the Dragonfire Inspiration route as well. The only problem I see with that is survivability, with my predominantly d6 hit dice.

[gbprime]

My DM has decided that Fochlucan Lyrist also progresses Druid abilities (in addition to Bard abilities)

Mighty generous of him. Of course, if he didn't do this, the class takes so long to get going it's actually pretty worthless. Great fluff though, so salvaging it like this is cool.

Buffing/Music and Melee Combat. ... I can also wildshape for combat purposes.

One question... how are you going to mix up music and wildshape? Lingering Song feat?

The only problem I see with that is survivability, with my predominantly d6 hit dice.

May I recommend Heart of Earth? Lasts hours, temporary HP, and stoneskin in a pinch with no component costs.

[HunterOfJello]

One question... how are you going to mix up music and wildshape? Lingering Song feat?

Perform (Dancing)!


Everyone loves a dancing bear.

[gorfnab]

Edit: I'm thinking I might go with Bard 2/Druid 3/Green Whisperer 3/Arcane Hierophant 1/Sublime Chord 1/Fochlucan Lyrist 10. Any pointers on improving this build?

Edit: Just noticed in the OP that the skill prereq on Sublime Chord was reduced.

Other feats to consider:
Natural Bond - to boost you Animal Companion to probably full if your DM is being as generous as you say

Green Ear + Greenbound Summoning + Dragonfire Inspiration = Flaming Uber-Plant Summon Nature Allies.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

I'd rather avoid using summoning as a primary tactic (sub-optimal, I know) because it slows down the game.

As to mixing up Music and Wildshaping, I'm thinking Lingering Song is a must, and yes, I'll be something of a dancing bear (via Snowflake Wardance and Slippers of Battle Dancing). Though I don't really plan to Wildshape for combat all that often (really just when we need another BSF, or I feel that it would be appropriate). But the image of a dancing fleshraker dinosaur is pretty awesome.

[gbprime]

But the image of a dancing fleshraker dinosaur is pretty awesome.

Depends on the image.

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[Kalaska'Agathas]

Depends on the image.

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Awwww...I walked right into that one didn't I?

[Cirrhosis]

how are you meeting the evasion requirement? neither druid nor bard gives it, nor do any of their related prestige classes to my knowledge. barbarians and rogues get it, as do some other prestige classes. when i made a lyrist, i used shadowdancer from the DMG, and a few levels of bard are great for getting the requirements for it.

[Amphetryon]

how are you meeting the evasion requirement? neither druid nor bard gives it, nor do any of their related prestige classes to my knowledge. barbarians and rogues get it, as do some other prestige classes. when i made a lyrist, i used shadowdancer from the DMG, and a few levels of bard are great for getting the requirements for it.

As indicated in the OP, the Shadow template grants evasion.

[Hazzardevil]

If it's not too late for me to make a suggestion.
For better all roudn melee capability you can tka eth wildshape variant ranger instead of druid and still be able to turn into a dragon although nothing big.
If your aloud to go mystic ranger and take sword of te arcane order you will have lots of spells, wildshape, good melee ability outside of wildshape and maybe if your DM is nice, (Which I expect he is) He will let you learn drudiric through RP.