Bard Advice [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bard Advice [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ningauble
10-14-06, 03:09 AM My gaming buddies and I just started an new campaign and all the characters are at level 1. The game is set to have plenty of old fashioned "meat and potato" gaming, but will later get into some heavy politics. So far, we have:

A Barbarian human.

A rogue (the player is very crafty and clever when it comes to rogues)

A gnome wizard who is going to go for magic crafting,

A sword and shield fighter elf (Link), who is going for Dodge, Mobility, and the whole Whirlwind Attack route.

And finally me...a Bard. I wanted to try something new, and having never played a Bard before I would appreciate some pointers that would help me be effective in the group and keep me alive. I don't have access to any of the supplement books (Complete Adventurer, for example), so I would also appreciate some suggestions as to which Prestige classes would be good for a Bard (my friends have a lot of the supplement books, so I could look at them then). Right now, I'm just looking for some basic pointers that will help me and the group.

My stats at level 1
(NG human male - think Pete White from the Venture Brothers).

Str 10
Dex 15
Con 13
Int 14
Wis 13
Cha 16

Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2

AC 14 (dex + leather armor)
HP 7
Initiative +3

Feats: Dodge and Negotiator

Skills: Bluff +7, Concentration +5, Diplomacy +9, Gather Info + 7, Know. (Local) +6, Perform (Dancing, Stringed Instruments, and Singing) +7, Sense Motive +3

Weapon: Shortsword; 1d6+1 damage.

Note: Sorry if there was already a post about Bards, but after looking through 20 pages, I gave up and wrote this.
PhoenixInferno
10-14-06, 03:18 AM http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=99884

Old-ish thread, but classic information rarely goes out of style.
X-Codes
10-14-06, 04:48 AM A sword and shield fighter elf (Link), who is going for Dodge, Mobility, and the whole Whirlwind Attack route.
:twitch: Dude, Link is SO Warblade. Possibly a level or two of Rogue as well. He wouldn't dare waste a feat on Whirlwind Attack.

And finally me...a Bard. I wanted to try something new, and having never played a Bard before I would appreciate some pointers that would help me be effective in the group and keep me alive. I don't have access to any of the supplement books (Complete Adventurer, for example), so I would also appreciate some suggestions as to which Prestige classes would be good for a Bard (my friends have a lot of the supplement books, so I could look at them then). Right now, I'm just looking for some basic pointers that will help me and the group.

My stats at level 1
(NG human male - think Pete White from the Venture Brothers).

Str 10
Dex 15
Con 13
Int 14
Wis 13
Cha 16

Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2

AC 14 (dex + leather armor)
HP 7
Initiative +3

Feats: Dodge and Negotiator

Skills: Bluff +7, Concentration +5, Diplomacy +9, Gather Info + 7, Know. (Local) +6, Perform (Dancing, Stringed Instruments, and Singing) +7, Sense Motive +3

Weapon: Shortsword; 1d6+1 damage.

Note: Sorry if there was already a post about Bards, but after looking through 20 pages, I gave up and wrote this.
Considering the party makeup, I think taking a lot of War Chanter levels is a good idea. By a lot, I mean 6. Start with Bard 7 (I know thats one more level than needed, but this lets you cast Haste early), then War Chanter 6, then finish with Bard to keep decent BAB and high Inspire Courage.

Negotiator: Bad feat. Take Combat Expertise here, it's a pre-req. Later take Weapon Focus. Power Attack is also nice, and so is Lingering Song. Picking up Spring Attack and probably Bounding Assault will keep you out of the middle of the fray while still giving good support and damage.

Stats: Switch Strength and Dex, then Dex and Wis. I know, Bards cast better in light armor... so what? You can still eventually get Gloves of Dex +6 and a Manual of Quickness +1 to fill out the best Light Armor in the game: Mithral Breastplate. Pick up a Mithral Buckler as soon as you can, it doesn't interfere with spellcasting and serves as a target for Magic Vestment. The rest is overkill. Obviously, your weapon should be a trusty Longsword.

Skills: Pick one perform skill. Singing is best, because it's required for War Chanter and doesn't occupy hands. Dump Concentration, if you have to cast defensively then you're doing something wrong. Drop Knowledge (Local) and Gather Information, too. Bardic Knowledge beats them both. Put all these freed up ranks into Bluff, Sense Motive, Hide, Move Silently, Listen, and Use Magic Device. At level 2, put another rank in each skill you have maxed. At level 3 and beyond, adjust which skills you increase by finding out which ones you use (this is determined by how your group addresses challenges and what your DM throws at you).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ningauble 10-14-06, 03:09 AM	My gaming buddies and I just started an new campaign and all the characters are at level 1. The game is set to have plenty of old fashioned "meat and potato" gaming, but will later get into some heavy politics. So far, we have: A Barbarian human. A rogue (the player is very crafty and clever when it comes to rogues) A gnome wizard who is going to go for magic crafting, A sword and shield fighter elf (Link), who is going for Dodge, Mobility, and the whole Whirlwind Attack route. And finally me...a Bard. I wanted to try something new, and having never played a Bard before I would appreciate some pointers that would help me be effective in the group and keep me alive. I don't have access to any of the supplement books (Complete Adventurer, for example), so I would also appreciate some suggestions as to which Prestige classes would be good for a Bard (my friends have a lot of the supplement books, so I could look at them then). Right now, I'm just looking for some basic pointers that will help me and the group. My stats at level 1 (NG human male - think Pete White from the Venture Brothers). Str 10 Dex 15 Con 13 Int 14 Wis 13 Cha 16 Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2 AC 14 (dex + leather armor) HP 7 Initiative +3 Feats: Dodge and Negotiator Skills: Bluff +7, Concentration +5, Diplomacy +9, Gather Info + 7, Know. (Local) +6, Perform (Dancing, Stringed Instruments, and Singing) +7, Sense Motive +3 Weapon: Shortsword; 1d6+1 damage. Note: Sorry if there was already a post about Bards, but after looking through 20 pages, I gave up and wrote this.
PhoenixInferno 10-14-06, 03:18 AM	http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=99884 Old-ish thread, but classic information rarely goes out of style.
X-Codes 10-14-06, 04:48 AM	A sword and shield fighter elf (Link), who is going for Dodge, Mobility, and the whole Whirlwind Attack route. :twitch: Dude, Link is SO Warblade. Possibly a level or two of Rogue as well. He wouldn't dare waste a feat on Whirlwind Attack. And finally me...a Bard. I wanted to try something new, and having never played a Bard before I would appreciate some pointers that would help me be effective in the group and keep me alive. I don't have access to any of the supplement books (Complete Adventurer, for example), so I would also appreciate some suggestions as to which Prestige classes would be good for a Bard (my friends have a lot of the supplement books, so I could look at them then). Right now, I'm just looking for some basic pointers that will help me and the group. My stats at level 1 (NG human male - think Pete White from the Venture Brothers). Str 10 Dex 15 Con 13 Int 14 Wis 13 Cha 16 Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2 AC 14 (dex + leather armor) HP 7 Initiative +3 Feats: Dodge and Negotiator Skills: Bluff +7, Concentration +5, Diplomacy +9, Gather Info + 7, Know. (Local) +6, Perform (Dancing, Stringed Instruments, and Singing) +7, Sense Motive +3 Weapon: Shortsword; 1d6+1 damage. Note: Sorry if there was already a post about Bards, but after looking through 20 pages, I gave up and wrote this. Considering the party makeup, I think taking a lot of War Chanter levels is a good idea. By a lot, I mean 6. Start with Bard 7 (I know thats one more level than needed, but this lets you cast Haste early), then War Chanter 6, then finish with Bard to keep decent BAB and high Inspire Courage. Negotiator: Bad feat. Take Combat Expertise here, it's a pre-req. Later take Weapon Focus. Power Attack is also nice, and so is Lingering Song. Picking up Spring Attack and probably Bounding Assault will keep you out of the middle of the fray while still giving good support and damage. Stats: Switch Strength and Dex, then Dex and Wis. I know, Bards cast better in light armor... so what? You can still eventually get Gloves of Dex +6 and a Manual of Quickness +1 to fill out the best Light Armor in the game: Mithral Breastplate. Pick up a Mithral Buckler as soon as you can, it doesn't interfere with spellcasting and serves as a target for Magic Vestment. The rest is overkill. Obviously, your weapon should be a trusty Longsword. Skills: Pick one perform skill. Singing is best, because it's required for War Chanter and doesn't occupy hands. Dump Concentration, if you have to cast defensively then you're doing something wrong. Drop Knowledge (Local) and Gather Information, too. Bardic Knowledge beats them both. Put all these freed up ranks into Bluff, Sense Motive, Hide, Move Silently, Listen, and Use Magic Device. At level 2, put another rank in each skill you have maxed. At level 3 and beyond, adjust which skills you increase by finding out which ones you use (this is determined by how your group addresses challenges and what your DM throws at you).