Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ereanor 02-16-07, 11:36 PM	Hi, 9th level bard here looking for some advise regarding my spell choices. Listed below are the spells I currently know. Is this list ok and am I missing any "crucial" spells that should be swapped out when the opportunity presents itself? Also what are "must have" spells as I gain levels? I am all ready considering Dominate and Hold Monster for 4th level, Major Image, Displacement, Tiny Hut or Slow for 3rd level and once I get Hold Monster swapping out Hold Person for either Eagle's Splendor, Minor Image(if I don't take Major Image), Shatter or Invisibility. Thanks. Current Spells: 0. Read Magic, Detect Magic, Mending, Message, Prestidigitation, Resistance. 1. Cure Light Wounds, Grease, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Inspirational Boost. 2. Alter Self, Mirror Image, Hold Person, Glitterdust. 3. Glibness, Sculpt Sound, Confusion. Human Bard 9 Stats: Str 10 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 16 Wis 10 Cha 18 Current Feats: Bonus: Improved Initiative 1. Spell Focus; Enchantment 3. Versitile Performer 6. Leadership 9. Subsonics Upcoming feat selection: 12. Greater Spell Focus; Enchantment 15. Spell Penetration 18. Greater Spell Penetration
CantripN 02-17-07, 07:31 AM	Are you heading for any particular PrC or do you plan to be a Bard 20? This will have some impact on spell choice... You seem to want to play your Bard as a Caster, with all those Spell Foci and Spell Penetration, so you might as well go with Sublime Chord and Lyric Thaumaturge. Thus, if you do go that way, pick Bard spells that are lower level on the Bards' spell list than on the Wizards'.
mugguod 02-17-07, 07:50 AM	What role you play within the party is also a consideration. If you (with your high Cha) are the groups spokesman/cheif negotiator, you may want Tongues and/or Geas. If your spell casting is usually battle related; try Invisibility Sphere (to sneak the whole party into a place where otherwise only the Rogue could go) or Haste (to increase the battle effectiveness of the whole party especially Barbarian/Fighter/Paladin etc.)
Ereanor 02-17-07, 09:30 AM	CantripN: Hey, I wanted to play a bard 20. I am seriously considering the Prc's you've mentioned because it does seem odd not to jump into them with the way I'm built. I was trying to avoid them because we already have 3 casters and I wanted to be more of a jack of all trades kind of guy. Am I going overkill with my caster related feats? Should I choose a Prc? I'm really agonizing over this. mugguod: Yeah, I will probably be the face of the party. This is a new character for me so I'm assumming what his role will be. My last character died so I was able to bring in this next one at 9th level to keep the party balance (the rest are between 11th and 14th). I was uncertain about Tongues because I figured I could keep adding to the Speak Languages skill. Haste is very useful and I really wanted to add it but our Sorcerer has it as his spell and he constantly uses it. I thought mine would never get to be cast and maybe be smater picking up something different then him. Since I've been playing this character I've been buffing the group with my music and then using spells against our opponents. We lack melee fighting so maybe I should forget Spell Penetration and pick up Weapon Finesse instead.
CantripN 02-17-07, 09:41 AM	First, you're a bard. Remember that. You are NOT a caster (unless you go with aforementioned PrCs...), you are not a Fighter (Unless you are designed for it, which you aren't...) and you're not a Rogue (Or not a very good one, anyway...). You're a mix of all of those, but you have a unique niche: Facilitator! Augment your parties strengths and cover up their weaknesses and be interesting to play, especially if you're a face. I'd say you should PrC out, for sure, and pick more appropriate feats (Snowflake Wardance, Metamagic Song, Lyric Spell, Versatile Spellcaster, Stoneskin Chant etc...). Try to stay versatile, despite being a caster, so you don't overlap. Pick cool, useful and somewhat esoteric spells (Modify Memory, Zone of Silence, Wall of Sound, Shatterfloor, etc...), so people don't think of you as a Wizard, but as a Bardic spellcaster, just good at it and cool.
CantripN 02-17-07, 10:16 AM	Oh, and there's a feat I recall that lets you use your Bard Song to give your allies a +1 to CL or something like that... Seeing as you have plenty of casters, this could be nice. EDIT: I have a hunch it's "Inspire Spellpower" out of Races of Stone, but I'm AFB, so I'm not sure.
Shadow Adept 02-17-07, 11:07 AM	I always try to pick one attack spell, one buff spell and some utility at every spell level. So at level 10 my spell list looks like this: 1) Grease; Disguise Self; Cure Light Wounds; Silent Image. 2) Silence; Cure Moderate Wounds; Glitterdust; Mirror Image. 3) Haste; Confusion; Dispel Magic; Slow. 4) Greater Invisibility; Dimension Door. My bard is a bit more melee oriented though, with feats like Weapon Focus, Power Attack, Cleave, and Craft Arms & Armor :P
Arem_K 02-17-07, 03:09 PM	I highly recommend silent image in the first level spot. If you have spell compendium, you want improvisation as well.
magicalwizardprince 02-17-07, 03:12 PM	What role you play within the party is also a consideration. If you (with your high Cha) are the groups spokesman/cheif negotiator, you may want Tongues and/or Geas. If your spell casting is usually battle related; try Invisibility Sphere (to sneak the whole party into a place where otherwise only the Rogue could go) or Haste (to increase the battle effectiveness of the whole party especially Barbarian/Fighter/Paladin etc.) i disagree mugguod, i think if he uses a level 3 lizard poop the cloak of destiny will increase his spell pouch.
mugguod 02-17-07, 05:05 PM	One other spell I've enjoyed using as an Illusionist (I think Barts can cast it) was Rainbow Pattern. You don't have to kill all the bad guys if you can just lead them off the other way so your party can deal with the few that pass the Will save then walk on by....