The greatest bard of all time...

[slexlollar89]

Hello fellow Forum-filiacs! I have recently started a campaign where the world is based off of classic rock (like the countries are named after bands like pink floydd and the gods of these countries are the members of their respective bands). The PCs are required to have at least 5 levels of bard, and play a different instrument, and finally they have to hare one name (preferably last) with a famous rocker.

Thats where I come in: I am known as Tiberius Mercury, the greatest bass lutest of all time.

We are allowed to be tenth level, I am a dark (template) changeling with the bardic knack variant and the leadership feat. But what can I do to max my perform bass lute skill and be a generally awesome rocker?

Also, does Bardic Knack work with the Jack of All Trades feat?

[Darrin]

But what can I do to max my perform bass lute skill and be a generally awesome rocker?

Who had the Bard build with the Dragonfire Inspiration thing that did... was it 6d6 fire damage to every attack, including all allies? Hmm. Apparently there's a flaming chicken variant...

Also, does Bardic Knack work with the Jack of All Trades feat?

I believe it does.

[Person_Man]

Jack of All Trades essentially gives you 1/2 a rank in every Skill, allowing you to use "trained only" Skills. Bardic Knack is far superior, as it lets you use 1/2 your Bard level as in any skill. There is no reason to have both.

[Telonius]

Almost all (if not all) Bard spells have a vocal component. So, an important part of this is to figure out which songs you're singing when you cast spells. For example, for Confusion, you are probably singing, "I'm going slightly mad." Magic aura: "Some Kind of Magic." Heroism: "We are the Champions." I'm sure there are threads devoted to that kind of thing.

[cupkeyk]

Who had the Bard build with the Dragonfire Inspiration thing that did... was it 6d6 fire damage to every attack, including all allies? Hmm. Apparently there's a flaming chicken variant...

This is the Bardic Badass build... http://forums.gleemax.com/archive/in.../t-795369.html

Basically: human or dragonborn bard 4 warblade/crusader 16

1Dragontouched
1Dragonfire Inspiration
3Song of the Heart
6Song of the White Raven
9Words of Creation
12Two-Weapon Fighting
15Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
18Greater Two-Weapon Fighting

Or you could go blaster with Bard6 Lyric Thaumaturge5 Sublime Chord1 Mindbender1 PRCX7

[BardicDuelist]

Jack of All Trades essentially gives you 1/2 a rank in every Skill, allowing you to use "trained only" Skills. Bardic Knack is far superior, as it lets you use 1/2 your Bard level as in any skill. There is no reason to have both.

You must be able to use the skill, and so you must be trained with a skill. Personally, putting one rank in the handful of TOnly skills that you don't have isn't expensive, so I'd go with that instead burning a feat.

Versitile Performer is you friend. It will let you sing or recite poetry (which means you can keep your Bass Lute flavor, but also use your primary class feature in combat).

As far as perform being awesome: Virtuoso is good (dominate with DC=perform check, please), Seeker of Song is sub-optimal, but fun.

There is a bardic music feat in Champions of Ruin called Doomspeak. If you search in in these forums, you should come up with a description if you don't have the book.

I'm not a fan of Dragonfire Inspiration, as you loose the attack bonus (which fighters use to their advantage with PA) for bonus Fire damage, which most things are resistant to.

If you want a melee build, Bard 7/Warblade 2/Jade Phoenix Mage 1/Sublime Chord 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 4/Sublime Chord 5 is great. You will want Able Learner for this.

If you want a caster build Bard 7/Lyric Thaumaturge 2/Virtuoso 1/Sublime Chord 1/Virtuoso 9 is awesome, and has a certain "I am the most amazing musician ever" feel to it.

The problem with both bardic knowledge and more so with bardic knack is that if you PrC out, you don't increase it. Some PrCs will increase the former, so see if your DM will let those increase the latter.

[Darrin]

I'm not a fan of Dragonfire Inspiration, as you loose the attack bonus (which fighters use to their advantage with PA) for bonus Fire damage, which most things are resistant to.

Actually, it looks like 12d6 sonic damage. For everyone in the party, including those without PA. Hmmm... if you lose the TWF feats, there might be room for 12d6 Sonic Death Chickens...

[cupkeyk]

Actually, it looks like 12d6 sonic damage. For everyone in the party, including those without PA. Hmmm... if you lose the TWF feats, there might be room for 12d6 Sonic Death Chickens...

If you dump the twf you can opt for that horn that gives +2 to inspire courage. netting you 14d6 of sonic damage for everyone.

[nargbop]

The greatest bard is, of course, WonderBoy . Carries nought but a greatsword , and kills yaks with mind bullets !