Bardy Goodness? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bardy Goodness? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Oregwath
01-25-07, 11:07 PM Okay, I admit it, I am going to play a bard. I know, I know, I have turned to evil and forsaken my gamer heritage. It is the only core class I have never played, however, and the group has a little bit of everything else, so I figured I would give it a try.

I will be starting as a fourth level bard, of the forest gnome persuasion. She was saved from a roving band of gnolls by a Seeker of the Song, and since then has become a bard and is aiming for that PrC.

Any advice on stratigies, spells, items, or feats would be greatly appreciated. I am not looking to be the best at anything, but rather at playing up the rest of the party, the proverbial background music if you will.
Epilepticemu
01-26-07, 12:05 AM The bards class is good at filling a large number of roles, but you should never delude yourself into thinking that they should fill every one. First you need to figure out what your party needs and go from there. The biggest decision is whether or not they need a healer. Oh, and I hate to say it, but I really only like human rogues. The extra feat, skill points, and multiclassing is really useful.

But anyway, if you need to be the healer, you need to know that upfront. Bards do a very good job as an only healer, but if you already have one they certainly shouldn't be. And if you are going to be the healer, go straight bard. And if you're gona be a skill monkey, you might want to take a level or two of rogue.

Otherwise, I find they make decent light melee types if multiclassed a bit. I've been playing with a bard/warblade (white raven style). There is HUGE room for synergy here.

Oh, and whichever you do, you might want to look at Song of the Heart form the Eberron campaign setting; very quality bard feat.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is figure out what role you need to fill. You'll still be able to fill most othe roles in a pinch, but you should have one you focus on.
MarrowMage
01-26-07, 12:12 AM ps....the OP wants to be a seeker of the song

anywho...seeker of the song is very fun and if that's what you're aspiring to be, then you'll have to wait til after lvl 10....the best choices are either go bard 10 for the spells and whatnot....bard 5/ virtuoso 5, and then maybe finish virtuoso after seeker(assuming you get that far) for more song related stuff..although not combat related...or, my personal favorite, bard 5/dirgesinger 5...dirgesinger has some really neat song abilities that deal with sorrow and death instead of being all happy
Jaxgaret
01-26-07, 01:22 AM Look here for more help:

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?threadid=99884
Ventifax
01-26-07, 01:29 AM Can you even get into virtuoso at level 6? I thought you had to have more ranks in perfom than that.

Anyway, bards at low levels: Support who can fight. I discovered that since bards start proficient with longspear & whip, & both of those can only be used as reach, I could hide behind the line & poke at the enemy. (Also, I'm pretty sure that the Extra Bardic Music feat makes a 1st-level bard 5x as good.)

At high levels: Well, you know, enchantment/illusion/summoning casters with diplomacy. Also some healing if you want it. I haven't played one of these yet, but you could tell all the NPC's you're their secret invisible friend.

And for the diplomunchkin, add one level of marshal, taking the motivate charisma aura, & using it on yourself while performing. :D
chafenooda
01-26-07, 01:38 AM PHBII has a varient ability for the bard that I really like. Bardic Knack, it replaces Bardic Knowledge. Coupled with the feat "Jack of all Trades," your Bard will be able to attempt every skill with ranks equal to half your Bard Lvl rounded up! Down side you ask? You can't take 20 or even 10 unless you actually have ranks in that skill.
CaoSlayer
01-26-07, 04:27 AM gnomes arent the most suitable race on melee and usually bards are not neither.

Seeker of the song is a song focused prc that gets a ton of extra bardic music uses, so my recomendation is trying a singer build.

Are you goody-two-shoes?
If you are, you are lucky, book of exalted deeds have a couple of outstanding feats, worlds of creation will double the effects of all your bardic music and vow of peace/non-violence will boost your spells/sing DC by +4, note that with seeker of the song can be a bad idea since you have damaging songs.

if not, the eberron song of the heart feat will provide a +1 to all bardic music effects and complete adventurer spell inspiracional boost will provide for another +1, at level 4 with inspiracional boost and song of the heart your inspire courage will give to the party +3 to hit and damage, once everybody buffed ever you can cause havock with a spear.

Another feats to take into acount are those found in complete adventurer that gives you special songs, ironchant song is damage reduction 5/- as an inmediate action, lyric spell will allow you to have extra spells to use if needed and complete mage have a must have feat that allow you to keep bardic music while you cast spells AND allow you to use perform in place of concentration, that feat is natural spell for bards MUST HAVE (only with the second effect you are saving 23 skill ranks since you know dont need any rank in concentration).

About spells, at level 4 hideous laught is a save-or-die spell since it will take away an enemy for the whole battle and then you can pack against it. silent imagen is a multi-use spell and you get a racial +1 to the DC, it have so many uses that always is a good spell, you can use it ever for geting cover creating an illusionary wall of stone or a tree, grease is a great spell, specially with a rogue in the party since everyone without 5 ranks of balance will lose his bonus to dex.
Dont take cure light wounds, is a good spell but you have few know spells and cure light works is very eficient in form of a wand, buy a wand of it.

About level 2 spells, invisibility work wonders with a buffer/singer since you can buff staying invisible, invisibility + venquilo spell allows you to sing apearing to be in another place, a great mislead. Glitterdust is a mass save or be blind, great spell ever on a single target.

Finally about equipment, you will be fine with a good masterwork instrument, a shortbow or crossbow depending your str and a spear if you have to melee, spears are nice since will allow you to attack without being at frontline. Gnomes being small cant use whips well, still, while being inspired couraged if you use a whip two handed (+4 to disarm) you can disarm someone with a good chance, if your master like enemies with power attack, disarm them.

For armor, you should invest in mithril chain shirt, the best armor for you without being expensible you will be not penalized at all, carry maybe a shield since doning it is just a move equivalent and can save your ass.
Oregwath
01-26-07, 07:51 AM Thank you all very much. I must say I like that invisibility and ventriloquism ploy. As for the role that I will be filling, it is mostly a buffer. We have a knight, a cleric, a wizard, a swashbuckler and a rogue. So all the core roles are filled, which is why I decided to try the bard.

I am a little leary about doing anything from the BoED because the DM said all noncore feats had to be run by him, and I know that he will throw in BoVD. It just seems like a bad idea to throw in that whole book for just a feat or two.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Oregwath 01-25-07, 11:07 PM	Okay, I admit it, I am going to play a bard. I know, I know, I have turned to evil and forsaken my gamer heritage. It is the only core class I have never played, however, and the group has a little bit of everything else, so I figured I would give it a try. I will be starting as a fourth level bard, of the forest gnome persuasion. She was saved from a roving band of gnolls by a Seeker of the Song, and since then has become a bard and is aiming for that PrC. Any advice on stratigies, spells, items, or feats would be greatly appreciated. I am not looking to be the best at anything, but rather at playing up the rest of the party, the proverbial background music if you will.
Epilepticemu 01-26-07, 12:05 AM	The bards class is good at filling a large number of roles, but you should never delude yourself into thinking that they should fill every one. First you need to figure out what your party needs and go from there. The biggest decision is whether or not they need a healer. Oh, and I hate to say it, but I really only like human rogues. The extra feat, skill points, and multiclassing is really useful. But anyway, if you need to be the healer, you need to know that upfront. Bards do a very good job as an only healer, but if you already have one they certainly shouldn't be. And if you are going to be the healer, go straight bard. And if you're gona be a skill monkey, you might want to take a level or two of rogue. Otherwise, I find they make decent light melee types if multiclassed a bit. I've been playing with a bard/warblade (white raven style). There is HUGE room for synergy here. Oh, and whichever you do, you might want to look at Song of the Heart form the Eberron campaign setting; very quality bard feat. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is figure out what role you need to fill. You'll still be able to fill most othe roles in a pinch, but you should have one you focus on.
MarrowMage 01-26-07, 12:12 AM	ps....the OP wants to be a seeker of the song anywho...seeker of the song is very fun and if that's what you're aspiring to be, then you'll have to wait til after lvl 10....the best choices are either go bard 10 for the spells and whatnot....bard 5/ virtuoso 5, and then maybe finish virtuoso after seeker(assuming you get that far) for more song related stuff..although not combat related...or, my personal favorite, bard 5/dirgesinger 5...dirgesinger has some really neat song abilities that deal with sorrow and death instead of being all happy
Jaxgaret 01-26-07, 01:22 AM	Look here for more help: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?threadid=99884
Ventifax 01-26-07, 01:29 AM	Can you even get into virtuoso at level 6? I thought you had to have more ranks in perfom than that. Anyway, bards at low levels: Support who can fight. I discovered that since bards start proficient with longspear & whip, & both of those can only be used as reach, I could hide behind the line & poke at the enemy. (Also, I'm pretty sure that the Extra Bardic Music feat makes a 1st-level bard 5x as good.) At high levels: Well, you know, enchantment/illusion/summoning casters with diplomacy. Also some healing if you want it. I haven't played one of these yet, but you could tell all the NPC's you're their secret invisible friend. And for the diplomunchkin, add one level of marshal, taking the motivate charisma aura, & using it on yourself while performing. :D
chafenooda 01-26-07, 01:38 AM	PHBII has a varient ability for the bard that I really like. Bardic Knack, it replaces Bardic Knowledge. Coupled with the feat "Jack of all Trades," your Bard will be able to attempt every skill with ranks equal to half your Bard Lvl rounded up! Down side you ask? You can't take 20 or even 10 unless you actually have ranks in that skill.
CaoSlayer 01-26-07, 04:27 AM	gnomes arent the most suitable race on melee and usually bards are not neither. Seeker of the song is a song focused prc that gets a ton of extra bardic music uses, so my recomendation is trying a singer build. Are you goody-two-shoes? If you are, you are lucky, book of exalted deeds have a couple of outstanding feats, worlds of creation will double the effects of all your bardic music and vow of peace/non-violence will boost your spells/sing DC by +4, note that with seeker of the song can be a bad idea since you have damaging songs. if not, the eberron song of the heart feat will provide a +1 to all bardic music effects and complete adventurer spell inspiracional boost will provide for another +1, at level 4 with inspiracional boost and song of the heart your inspire courage will give to the party +3 to hit and damage, once everybody buffed ever you can cause havock with a spear. Another feats to take into acount are those found in complete adventurer that gives you special songs, ironchant song is damage reduction 5/- as an inmediate action, lyric spell will allow you to have extra spells to use if needed and complete mage have a must have feat that allow you to keep bardic music while you cast spells AND allow you to use perform in place of concentration, that feat is natural spell for bards MUST HAVE (only with the second effect you are saving 23 skill ranks since you know dont need any rank in concentration). About spells, at level 4 hideous laught is a save-or-die spell since it will take away an enemy for the whole battle and then you can pack against it. silent imagen is a multi-use spell and you get a racial +1 to the DC, it have so many uses that always is a good spell, you can use it ever for geting cover creating an illusionary wall of stone or a tree, grease is a great spell, specially with a rogue in the party since everyone without 5 ranks of balance will lose his bonus to dex. Dont take cure light wounds, is a good spell but you have few know spells and cure light works is very eficient in form of a wand, buy a wand of it. About level 2 spells, invisibility work wonders with a buffer/singer since you can buff staying invisible, invisibility + venquilo spell allows you to sing apearing to be in another place, a great mislead. Glitterdust is a mass save or be blind, great spell ever on a single target. Finally about equipment, you will be fine with a good masterwork instrument, a shortbow or crossbow depending your str and a spear if you have to melee, spears are nice since will allow you to attack without being at frontline. Gnomes being small cant use whips well, still, while being inspired couraged if you use a whip two handed (+4 to disarm) you can disarm someone with a good chance, if your master like enemies with power attack, disarm them. For armor, you should invest in mithril chain shirt, the best armor for you without being expensible you will be not penalized at all, carry maybe a shield since doning it is just a move equivalent and can save your ass.
Oregwath 01-26-07, 07:51 AM	Thank you all very much. I must say I like that invisibility and ventriloquism ploy. As for the role that I will be filling, it is mostly a buffer. We have a knight, a cleric, a wizard, a swashbuckler and a rogue. So all the core roles are filled, which is why I decided to try the bard. I am a little leary about doing anything from the BoED because the DM said all noncore feats had to be run by him, and I know that he will throw in BoVD. It just seems like a bad idea to throw in that whole book for just a feat or two.