Grenade Bard [Archive] - Wizards Community

Grenade Bard [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
73D
05-28-06, 04:22 PM I think I have discovered a damage dealing bard build :D
Inspire Courage + Point Blank Shot + Acid Flask
Grenade like weapons easily strike ranged touch ACs and hit foes that could only be hit by indirect fire. Damage is low before buffs but after +2 damage becomes respectable amd with rapid shot, double that respectable damage.

Before | After | Rapid
1 1 1 | 3 3 3 | 6 6 6
1 3 1 | 3 5 3 | 6 0 6
1 1 1 | 3 3 3 | 6 6 6

I'd pay 20gp for damage, or better yet I could just spend 1/3 of that (20/3=6.66). If crafted then I could do damage for ~7gp!

Inspire courage deals damage indirectly by increasing their damage and likelihood of hitting but that's too hard to calculate so we'll say I deal 3 more damage indirectly with Inspire.

Questions:
If a creature occupies more squares than the target square would it take splash damage in addition to direct hit damage?
Do PBS & Inspire Courage increase grenade damage?

It costs a lot but this bard deals >10 damage per round and much more if splash damage is involved.
X-Codes
05-28-06, 04:37 PM It's a good idea, and would be really nice if you could pull it off, but I don't see that happening.

In the lower levels I don't see you being able to afford throwing around two acid flasks a turn, and higher up it's just not effective compared to a bow.

The big reason to use Alchemist's Fire IMO is to use it at the start of an encounter in combination with the Pyro feat from Song and Silence. That will likely catch your opponent on fire and make it very hard for them to put themselves out and make them waste a lot of turns trying.
hmmmm
05-28-06, 05:00 PM Great idea, but as X-Codes said the higher you go in levels might get you in the damage part.
Pangeon
05-29-06, 01:09 PM Sounds like a fun concept. If you want to increase to hit/damage with grenade-like weapons, I suggest the Grenadier feat from the PHBII, followed by Mad Alchemist.

Cheers.
CaoSlayer
05-29-06, 01:22 PM lol...
if you wants a mass cheap damage bard try a shocking,electric,frozing(?),flaming and merciful whip with the whirlwind feat.
geekling
05-29-06, 01:25 PM Questions:
If a creature occupies more squares than the target square would it take splash damage in addition to direct hit damage?

I don't think so - but I might be wrong :)
From the SRD about Thrown splash weapons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#throwSplashWeapon).

You can instead target a specific grid intersection. Treat this as a ranged attack against AC 5. However, if you target a grid intersection, creatures in all adjacent squares are dealt the splash damage, and the direct hit damage is not dealt to any creature. (You can’t target a grid intersection occupied by a creature, such as a Large or larger creature; in this case, you’re aiming at the creature.)

Also I'd put some reservation against being able to use this without some special equipment - with limitations on how many acid flasks it can hold. Otherwise to arm yourself with an acid flask - it'd be a move action - manipulate an item, dip down into your bag and pick it up.
Which means - no rapid shot - as you must use a full round action to do so...
Pangeon
05-29-06, 07:06 PM Also I'd put some reservation against being able to use this without some special equipment - with limitations on how many acid flasks it can hold. Otherwise to arm yourself with an acid flask - it'd be a move action - manipulate an item, dip down into your bag and pick it up.
Which means - no rapid shot - as you must use a full round action to do so...

Like saaaay.... A Handy Haversack? :D
X-Codes
05-29-06, 07:33 PM Like saaaay.... A Handy Haversack? :D
Or a potion belt or the Quick Draw feat.

What bugs me is that people come here with odd questions not really covered by the rules. ASK YOUR DM! He makes the rules of the game, so he's the one you should talk to.
geekling
05-30-06, 03:21 AM Like saaaay.... A Handy Haversack? :D

If your DM allows it. I wouldn't.

Handy Haversack
<snip>
While such storage is useful enough, the pack has an even greater power in addition. When the wearer reaches into it for a specific item, that item is always on top. Thus, no digging around and fumbling is ever necessary to find what a haversack contains. Retrieving any specific item from a haversack is a move action, but it does not provoke the attacks of opportunity that retrieving a stored item usually does.

Now something like a belt - or bandiolers that holds X-number of bottles. Yes. But it'd have to be specially made for the purpose and probably not capable of holding more than 10 bottles or so.
geekling
05-30-06, 03:31 AM What bugs me is that people come here with odd questions not really covered by the rules. ASK YOUR DM! He makes the rules of the game, so he's the one you should talk to.

Oh, I quite understand this one. Get an idea and want to vet it with someone - before taking it up with the long suffering DM, who probably gets 10 emails a day about the game anyhow. Just to spare him/her from the extra load if there's something obvious forgotten.
Nothing wrong in that.
Drascin
05-30-06, 08:49 AM Throw, throw, throw, throw the acid bottle at the ugly ogre!

... sorry, but with a build like this it just had to be said :D.

That out, I have to say this is a rather amusing concept. I like it, and will probably use it as an NPC ^^.
hmmmm
05-30-06, 09:26 AM I might try it as well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
73D 05-28-06, 04:22 PM	I think I have discovered a damage dealing bard build :D Inspire Courage + Point Blank Shot + Acid Flask Grenade like weapons easily strike ranged touch ACs and hit foes that could only be hit by indirect fire. Damage is low before buffs but after +2 damage becomes respectable amd with rapid shot, double that respectable damage. Before \| After \| Rapid 1 1 1 \| 3 3 3 \| 6 6 6 1 3 1 \| 3 5 3 \| 6 0 6 1 1 1 \| 3 3 3 \| 6 6 6 I'd pay 20gp for damage, or better yet I could just spend 1/3 of that (20/3=6.66). If crafted then I could do damage for ~7gp! Inspire courage deals damage indirectly by increasing their damage and likelihood of hitting but that's too hard to calculate so we'll say I deal 3 more damage indirectly with Inspire. Questions: If a creature occupies more squares than the target square would it take splash damage in addition to direct hit damage? Do PBS & Inspire Courage increase grenade damage? It costs a lot but this bard deals >10 damage per round and much more if splash damage is involved.
X-Codes 05-28-06, 04:37 PM	It's a good idea, and would be really nice if you could pull it off, but I don't see that happening. In the lower levels I don't see you being able to afford throwing around two acid flasks a turn, and higher up it's just not effective compared to a bow. The big reason to use Alchemist's Fire IMO is to use it at the start of an encounter in combination with the Pyro feat from Song and Silence. That will likely catch your opponent on fire and make it very hard for them to put themselves out and make them waste a lot of turns trying.
hmmmm 05-28-06, 05:00 PM	Great idea, but as X-Codes said the higher you go in levels might get you in the damage part.
Pangeon 05-29-06, 01:09 PM	Sounds like a fun concept. If you want to increase to hit/damage with grenade-like weapons, I suggest the Grenadier feat from the PHBII, followed by Mad Alchemist. Cheers.
CaoSlayer 05-29-06, 01:22 PM	lol... if you wants a mass cheap damage bard try a shocking,electric,frozing(?),flaming and merciful whip with the whirlwind feat.
geekling 05-29-06, 01:25 PM	Questions: If a creature occupies more squares than the target square would it take splash damage in addition to direct hit damage? I don't think so - but I might be wrong :) From the SRD about Thrown splash weapons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#throwSplashWeapon). You can instead target a specific grid intersection. Treat this as a ranged attack against AC 5. However, if you target a grid intersection, creatures in all adjacent squares are dealt the splash damage, and the direct hit damage is not dealt to any creature. (You can’t target a grid intersection occupied by a creature, such as a Large or larger creature; in this case, you’re aiming at the creature.) Also I'd put some reservation against being able to use this without some special equipment - with limitations on how many acid flasks it can hold. Otherwise to arm yourself with an acid flask - it'd be a move action - manipulate an item, dip down into your bag and pick it up. Which means - no rapid shot - as you must use a full round action to do so...
Pangeon 05-29-06, 07:06 PM	Also I'd put some reservation against being able to use this without some special equipment - with limitations on how many acid flasks it can hold. Otherwise to arm yourself with an acid flask - it'd be a move action - manipulate an item, dip down into your bag and pick it up. Which means - no rapid shot - as you must use a full round action to do so... Like saaaay.... A Handy Haversack? :D
X-Codes 05-29-06, 07:33 PM	Like saaaay.... A Handy Haversack? :D Or a potion belt or the Quick Draw feat. What bugs me is that people come here with odd questions not really covered by the rules. ASK YOUR DM! He makes the rules of the game, so he's the one you should talk to.
geekling 05-30-06, 03:21 AM	Like saaaay.... A Handy Haversack? :D If your DM allows it. I wouldn't. Handy Haversack <snip> While such storage is useful enough, the pack has an even greater power in addition. When the wearer reaches into it for a specific item, that item is always on top. Thus, no digging around and fumbling is ever necessary to find what a haversack contains. Retrieving any specific item from a haversack is a move action, but it does not provoke the attacks of opportunity that retrieving a stored item usually does. Now something like a belt - or bandiolers that holds X-number of bottles. Yes. But it'd have to be specially made for the purpose and probably not capable of holding more than 10 bottles or so.
geekling 05-30-06, 03:31 AM	What bugs me is that people come here with odd questions not really covered by the rules. ASK YOUR DM! He makes the rules of the game, so he's the one you should talk to. Oh, I quite understand this one. Get an idea and want to vet it with someone - before taking it up with the long suffering DM, who probably gets 10 emails a day about the game anyhow. Just to spare him/her from the extra load if there's something obvious forgotten. Nothing wrong in that.
Drascin 05-30-06, 08:49 AM	Throw, throw, throw, throw the acid bottle at the ugly ogre! ... sorry, but with a build like this it just had to be said :D. That out, I have to say this is a rather amusing concept. I like it, and will probably use it as an NPC ^^.
hmmmm 05-30-06, 09:26 AM	I might try it as well.