[3.5 Campaign]Help me make performers.

[jcsw]

So in an adventure I'm planning, the PCs will have to compete in an annual competition for performers. The basic idea is that the entire party will have to make a combined perform check as high as possible by getting as many circumstance bonuses within 10(?) hours, be it by making cool special effects via Dancing Lights, actually having good perform checks, etc.

With this in mind, I need to make at least two or three other competing groups, and would like to do this by the rules. (At least as far as I can be when I'm assigning circumstance modifiers without any references.) Bearing in mind that there's one optimizer in the group (so for example, he'll know about obscure items which boost perform, etc that I haven't ever heard of) who happens to be a bard. I'm looking to get bonuses around +30 to perform at least. (Bards would have +12 on their own just by maxed ranks and 18 CHA) Depending on how well the players find ways to get bonuses.

So what kind of performers would you suggest? What builds would make for high perform checks, as well as being cool in concept. Example: One man ocherstra, who'd be a bard with a "conductor's rod" wand of animate instruments.

Some additional info:
The party has
Bard 5
Erudite4(Been learning spells left and right)
Druid5
Rogue3Scout2 ("Photographer")
Artificer5AlchemicalSavant1
DragonfireAdept5 with Draconic Template.

Performers can use skills like tumble ("acrobatics") etc as if they were perform checks. (I may even use the jumplomancer without exemplar, but watered down.)

This is a coastal campaign, with PCs travelling from island to island, this city is on one of those islands.

The optimizer is really really good at it. The erudite specializes in out of combat situations.

[Chronos]

At least one of the competitors should attempt to cheat, by bribing, charming, or blackmailing the judges. It's up to you (and perhaps the party) to determine whether they succeed. If you really want to play up the cheating angle, introduce someone with Perform (figure skating) and weapon proficiency (mace) who attempts to break the PC's legs before the competition.

[pasko77]

My bard has "perform - stringed instruments" (or what in english, i don't know the exact word), that means he can play all kinds of violin, viola, cello, etc. This is accurate, as in real life a violinist can actually play all similar instruments quite well.

Said that, when i want to do sometingh funny, i usually blow up all my zero level spells in "summon instrument" and extract ALL of them from my hat, in sequence, while playing.
It should be funny and reasonably give a +2 circumstance.

[Signmaker]

Take a look at some of the bardic PrCs, they might give you some nice ideas. Stormsingers have that whole "Wind and Lightning" thing going, which brings the visual appeal. Though, if you really want special effects, I highly suggest Seeker of the Song. They've got just about everything and anything.

As for optimizing Perform, your best bet would be to target Perform(Sing). Choker of Eloquence, Circlet of Persuasion, Cha-Boosters, etc. give you quite a powerful bonus to your check. There is also the line of string instruments in Complete Adventurer, that provide spells based on Perform ranks. Not a bad choice either.

[ColonelFuster]

BAD CHRONOS!!

Bahahahaha!!!!

[Signmaker]

At least one of the competitors should attempt to cheat, by bribing, charming, or blackmailing the judges. It's up to you (and perhaps the party) to determine whether they succeed. If you really want to play up the cheating angle, introduce someone with Perform (figure skating) and weapon proficiency (mace) who attempts to break the PC's legs before the competition.

I know that this can't happen, but:

Figure Eight Frenzy