Maxing perform

[Maglor_Grubb]

Strange question maybe, but what are the ways to get a perform skill as high as possible? Are there other feats than skill focus(perform) I could take to get teh über perform check? It's for 1 check/day, so 1/day abilities to up any check would be cool too.

[JellyPooga]

There's a feat in Complete Adventurer that gives you a bonus for doing combined Perform checks (like dancing whilst playing the fiddle, or singing to a lute melody, for example).

edit: Ah, here it is...'Versatile Performer' it's called.

you could also try Elven Harps (RotW) which are like Masterwork+ Harps or any of the various Magical Instruments. I pretty sure there must be a spell or two as well (if not, make one...I mean Glibness gives you a Bluff bonus, what's to say you can't cast a spell that boosts Perform?)

[marjan]

You have feat in Races of Destinythat allows you to add d6 to d20 roll 1/day but it is human only. I think it is called Heroic Spirit or something like that.

[JellyPooga]

Is there a particular reason for wanting a particularly high Perform? Just curious.

[Who]

I think it may just be a theroetical exercise

[Amiria]

Feats:

Skill Focus (Perform)
Versatile Performer (CAd)
Artist (regional, 1st level only; PFGtF)

Mundane Items:

Masterwork Elven Harp (+3 circumstance bonus to Perform (String Instruments) checks if you have 5 or more ranks; RoW)

Magic Items:

Circlet of Persuasion (+3 competence bonus to all Charisma-based checks)
(Greater) Choker of Eloquence (+5 (+10) competence bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform (Singing); CAd)

Maxing Perfom has also practical purposes. It sets the DC for the bard's Fascinate ability. There is also the Fugue spell (SC) whose effects are dependent on a Perform check => the higher the check result the better the effect.

[Maglor_Grubb]

Well, actually I'm thinking of changing the spirit shaman somewhat and had the wild idea of not using wisdom for bonus spells, but a perform(shamanistic ritual) check costing an hour, minus 2x highest spell level he can retrieve 2 spells from(for balance and because the spirit shaman tries to get higher level spells). Makes sense to me. I checked and I think it might be feasable, since a 3rd lvl Spirit Shaman with charisma 18 would have an effective wisdom (for bonus spells only) between 9 and 28 (avarage 18,5). 12th lvl with 24 charisma would be between 15 and 34 (avarage 24,5). I don't know if it's really balanced, but I wanted to check if it was a good idea to try and work this out or if I can throw it away allready since you can double your bonus spells with 2 feats this way.

[Thomas]

So are you looking for existing ways, or just rules-legal ways?

Because, you know, an item for +30 competence bonus on a skill is just 90,000 gp. Add half again if it doesn't take up a slot, I guess.

[Isomenes]

Is there a particular reason for wanting a particularly high Perform? Just curious.

From a practical stance, almost-guaranteed bardic fascinate, even amidst combat. Once your checks are up in the 30s, the +5 for that is just a pittance.

[brian c]

Artist (regional, 1st level only; PFGtF)

That's too many letters; what book is that, something in Forgotten Realms? All I can think of for that to stand for is "Players Forgotten Guide to Forgotten" and that probably isn't right.

[TheOOB]

I'd imagine the book in question is "Player's Guide to Faerun" which does have that feat if I am correct, and that the extra F is simply a typo.

[Amiria]

Yeah, me and my clumsy fingers ...

[goat]

So are you looking for existing ways, or just rules-legal ways?

Because, you know, an item for +30 competence bonus on a skill is just 90,000 gp. Add half again if it doesn't take up a slot, I guess.

That's a what, most of the money for a 13th level WBL'd character? The 135k version would probably be too much for them.

It's a lot of money to be spent, especially just for fascinate.

I suppose if you're using it for swaying people in your favour, it might be more useful once you're around level 20.

[Maglor_Grubb]

From a practical stance, almost-guaranteed bardic fascinate, even amidst combat. Once your checks are up in the 30s, the +5 for that is just a pittance.

Isn't it impossible to use fascinate in combat?

[Amiria]

Yes, it is.

[Isomenes]

Isn't it impossible to use fascinate in combat?

You caught me smoking crack again. I don't even know where I got a +5 from, much less the whole using in combat thing.

[Maryring]

There is also the "Nymph's kiss" feat (+2 on any Cha related check), and the loyalty feats (+1 luck bonus on any one check once per day) from BoED. They are only for exalted characters though.

[AtomicKitKat]

Mainly because skill checks > Spell DC.

Spell DCs go up every three to four levels(ie, you attain a new Spell Level, so your highest possible DC is raised by 1)

Perform checks go up every level(adding another rank). Both use Charisma modifier, so that is a bit of a wash. You can take (Greater)Spell Focus: Enchantment, but that will only raise it by 1(2 total after you get GSF), and only for one school. I don't know of anything that gives synergy bonuses to Perform, but you can probably find and take some feats that give +2 to Perform and another skill, as well as Skill Focus: Perform itself. That's not even forgetting that you can add 1-20(roll d20 for the check, duh), which you can't really do with a Spell.

On the other hand, there isn't really very much beyond Countersong and Fascinate that use the Perform Check for opposed rolls. :/