Help equipping my bard [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help equipping my bard [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
realbombchu
12-07-03, 11:09 PM I hope I put this in the right place. Anyway, I'm trying to create a pop-star type character (some of you already know this because I tried to make one a few months ago), and I'm almost done, but I need help choosing her weapons and equipment. I put her stats below, and a character of her level gets 88,000 gp. I hope I got the short-hand right. This takes place in the Forgotten Realms world, so stuff from the Magic of Faerun is okay, too.

(No name yet, help with that would be cool, too)
Female human Brd12: CR 12; Medium-size humanoid; HD 12d6+24; hp 73; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC ?; Atk ?; SQ Bardic music 12/day, bardic knowledge +15; AL CG; SV Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +11; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 20. Height 5 ft. 10 in.
Skills and Feats: Decipher Script +18, Diplomacy +20, Hide +19, Move Silently +19, Perform (don't know yet) +20, Spellcraft +18 (+20 on checks related to scrolls), Tumble +19, Use Magic Device +20 (+24 on checks related to scrolls); Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Weapon Finesse (rapier).
Special Qualities: Bardic Music: Countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage, inspire greatness, suggestion.
Bard Spells Known (6/4/4/4/3; base DC = 15 + spell level): 0--dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, prestidigitation, read magic; 1st--charm person, cure light wounds, silent image, ventriloquism; 2nd--cat's grace, cure moderate wounds, invisibility, see invisibility; 3rd--cure serious wounds, dispel magic, major image, remove disease; 4th--break enchantment, dimension door, legend lore.
Possessions: ?

Also, what do you think? I want her to have goggles of night (which look like cool dark glasses on her). She knows how to use a rapier. Other than that, it's all up to you guys.
RRG
12-08-03, 08:13 PM Hmmm... a pop-star esque bard... well, I can help you out in the weapons and armor department, at least. And, perhaps, a few items.

First, for a rapier, you're going to want it at +3, and add on Keen, and you've got a nice little weapon for a duel. (+3 Keen Rapier; add on Shock if you'd like the extra damage.)

Armor; for a pop-star, you can't be walking around in chainmail, yet you still want some protection. So, make it a +3 Glamered Mithral Chainmail. You can make it look like normal clothes (or Britney Spears style skimpiness) and still get the bonuses of armor! And, best of all, if it's mithral, you won't feel like you have it on!
realbombchu
12-08-03, 08:43 PM I tried randomly rolling a rapier, and I got a +3 holy throwing rapier! I was like, "What am I supposed to do with this!?"
RRG
12-08-03, 09:25 PM Why randomly roll it? Is it some rule that your DM has?

Although, if there's that big, nasty Vampire fighter that you've got to go up against, chucking a holy rapier at it has it's uses...

But, otherwise, you should be able to get that +3 Keen Rapier without too much of a hassle; if you have the extra cash, throw Shock on it, too.
CaoSlayer
12-09-03, 04:28 AM holy means that you will do extra damage against every evil dude
(but you need also to be good for wield the weapon).
Schmendrick
12-09-03, 02:55 PM This isn't about equipment, but I'd recommend giving her Glitterdust, and maybe dropping See Invisibility. Glitterdust affects the party (though it can be negative, too), and it fits more with the pop icon image. (concert pyrotechnics!)
realbombchu
12-09-03, 09:13 PM That glitterdust thing is a good idea. I'm also thinking about adding levitate. Not for any pop-image thing (although it might be cool at shows and stuff) but because the last several adventures I've gone through have required climb and balance skills. If she floats, she can just float to the top or hover and push herself along a narrow ledge.
Yeah, I've had a long run of DMs who don't like the unusual and have some pretty strict rules about what you can give yourself.
CaoSlayer
12-10-03, 04:52 AM umm, levitate it is nice, but it is one of those spells that are "just in case" and with a scroll for only 125gp you can use it then needed.

also take a look to gaseous form, it will allow you to scout (including going throught a door without opening it) and it is better for flying.

The main diference bwt. a tool spell and a combat spell it is that the first one will be used just one or two times per adventure at max while the second can be needed in each combat, that means many times per day.

so it is usually way better to have tool spells in scrolls or wands or to have tools spells that can be used also in combat like the famous grease and shatter.

combat spells usually dont work well from scrolls or wands because they DC it is too low and are easy for resist.
PsionScribe
12-17-03, 03:54 PM Good weapons for a bard: crossbow (hand or light), dagger (punching?)

Also I think bards would be could with improvised weapons, since they lack a good amount of physical strength. Improvised weapons may be tankards, broken bottles, rocks, or tools. Whenever I play a bard I usually use a crossbow, dagger, and have mithral or leather armor (padded isn't great).
Malben
12-17-03, 05:06 PM Originally posted by realbombchu
(No name yet, help with that would be cool, too)
Female human Brd12: CR 12; Medium-size humanoid; HD 12d6+24; hp 73; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC ?; Atk ?; SQ Bardic music 12/day, bardic knowledge +15; AL CG; SV Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +11; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 20. Height 5 ft. 10 in.
Skills and Feats: Decipher Script +18, Diplomacy +20, Hide +19, Move Silently +19, Perform (don't know yet) +20, Spellcraft +18 (+20 on checks related to scrolls), Tumble +19, Use Magic Device +20 (+24 on checks related to scrolls); Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Weapon Finesse (rapier).
Special Qualities: Bardic Music: Countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage, inspire greatness, suggestion.
Bard Spells Known (6/4/4/4/3; base DC = 15 + spell level): 0--dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, prestidigitation, read magic; 1st--charm person, cure light wounds, silent image, ventriloquism; 2nd--cat's grace, cure moderate wounds, invisibility, see invisibility; 3rd--cure serious wounds, dispel magic, major image, remove disease; 4th--break enchantment, dimension door, legend lore.
Possessions: ?

Also, what do you think? I want her to have goggles of night (which look like cool dark glasses on her). She knows how to use a rapier. Other than that, it's all up to you guys. Hmm. So I've got 88,000 gp to play with, eh? I'll assume no single item can be worth more than 25,000 gp, and that you are using 3.0 rules.

To start:

+3 mithral shirt (10100 gp)
+3 buckler (9165 gp)
ring of protection +2 (8000 gp)
amulet of natural armor +2 (8000 gp)
cloak of displacement, minor (25000 gp)
You're a melee bard. So you need protection against physical attack. This suite of items gives you a final AC of 29, or 16 vs. touch. It also gives all attacks against you a miss chance of 20% (from concealment), thus affording you what amounts to an extra 14 hp and immunity from sneak attacks. This defensive bonus is only negated by True Seeing. Total expenditure on defensive items: 60265 gp

Offensive items:
+1 mighty composite shortbow [+1 Str] (2450 gp)
+1 sure-striking corrosive rapier (18320 gp)

This probably looks like a sparse selection. It is. You're not the primary melee fighter, unless this is a VERY unusual party. Your job, for this reason, is to act as a flanking backstop for the main fighter, or for the rogue if there is a rogue and if he/she comes forward to do some melee sneak attack damage. Total expenditure on offensive items: 20770 gp. Total expenditure thus far: 81035 gp.

Misc. items:
circlet of persuasion (4500 gp)
wand of grease (750 gp)
wand of spider climb (750 gp)
masterwork musical instrument (150 gp)

The circlet is a must-have, in my opinion. It gives you +2 on any Charisma-related check -- that means +2 to all Perform checks, +2 Diplomacy, +2 Bluff . . . all that. It's a great item, and an absolute steal at the price. The wands are nice solutions to your mobility problems, since you mentioned a frequent need to climb and balance -- Spider Climb is an easy solution. Grease is . . . one of the most underestimated spells in PHB. It's incredibly useful. Being chased by a level 20 fighter in full plate with a greatsword? Grease, and watch him slip and fall on his back like an idiot. Need to disarm the fighter, but don't want to get close enough to be smashed to bits? Grease. Watch him try to keep a hold of his sword. Need to slow down a horde of onrushing orcs in a narrow passage? Grease. I love this spell. Along with the stuff I've listed, grab yourself a masterwork musical item of your choice, and you're pretty much set. Magical musical instruments are really not a great deal, unless you care to make your own -- most of the ones in both Magic of Faerūn and the PHB are unimpressive. The Lyre of Building is certainly very cool, but it's not very useful to most players most of the time. When you can use it at all, it's incredible, though. If you wanted to be able to afford it, I'd drop the corrosive property from the rapier, and then also drop the wands and probably also a +1 from your buckler. That'd get you enough cash for it.

Total expenditure: 87185gp. Cash remaining: 815 gp.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
realbombchu 12-07-03, 11:09 PM	I hope I put this in the right place. Anyway, I'm trying to create a pop-star type character (some of you already know this because I tried to make one a few months ago), and I'm almost done, but I need help choosing her weapons and equipment. I put her stats below, and a character of her level gets 88,000 gp. I hope I got the short-hand right. This takes place in the Forgotten Realms world, so stuff from the Magic of Faerun is okay, too. (No name yet, help with that would be cool, too) Female human Brd12: CR 12; Medium-size humanoid; HD 12d6+24; hp 73; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC ?; Atk ?; SQ Bardic music 12/day, bardic knowledge +15; AL CG; SV Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +11; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 20. Height 5 ft. 10 in. Skills and Feats: Decipher Script +18, Diplomacy +20, Hide +19, Move Silently +19, Perform (don't know yet) +20, Spellcraft +18 (+20 on checks related to scrolls), Tumble +19, Use Magic Device +20 (+24 on checks related to scrolls); Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Weapon Finesse (rapier). Special Qualities: Bardic Music: Countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage, inspire greatness, suggestion. Bard Spells Known (6/4/4/4/3; base DC = 15 + spell level): 0--dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, prestidigitation, read magic; 1st--charm person, cure light wounds, silent image, ventriloquism; 2nd--cat's grace, cure moderate wounds, invisibility, see invisibility; 3rd--cure serious wounds, dispel magic, major image, remove disease; 4th--break enchantment, dimension door, legend lore. Possessions: ? Also, what do you think? I want her to have goggles of night (which look like cool dark glasses on her). She knows how to use a rapier. Other than that, it's all up to you guys.
RRG 12-08-03, 08:13 PM	Hmmm... a pop-star esque bard... well, I can help you out in the weapons and armor department, at least. And, perhaps, a few items. First, for a rapier, you're going to want it at +3, and add on Keen, and you've got a nice little weapon for a duel. (+3 Keen Rapier; add on Shock if you'd like the extra damage.) Armor; for a pop-star, you can't be walking around in chainmail, yet you still want some protection. So, make it a +3 Glamered Mithral Chainmail. You can make it look like normal clothes (or Britney Spears style skimpiness) and still get the bonuses of armor! And, best of all, if it's mithral, you won't feel like you have it on!
realbombchu 12-08-03, 08:43 PM	I tried randomly rolling a rapier, and I got a +3 holy throwing rapier! I was like, "What am I supposed to do with this!?"
RRG 12-08-03, 09:25 PM	Why randomly roll it? Is it some rule that your DM has? Although, if there's that big, nasty Vampire fighter that you've got to go up against, chucking a holy rapier at it has it's uses... But, otherwise, you should be able to get that +3 Keen Rapier without too much of a hassle; if you have the extra cash, throw Shock on it, too.
CaoSlayer 12-09-03, 04:28 AM	holy means that you will do extra damage against every evil dude (but you need also to be good for wield the weapon).
Schmendrick 12-09-03, 02:55 PM	This isn't about equipment, but I'd recommend giving her Glitterdust, and maybe dropping See Invisibility. Glitterdust affects the party (though it can be negative, too), and it fits more with the pop icon image. (concert pyrotechnics!)
realbombchu 12-09-03, 09:13 PM	That glitterdust thing is a good idea. I'm also thinking about adding levitate. Not for any pop-image thing (although it might be cool at shows and stuff) but because the last several adventures I've gone through have required climb and balance skills. If she floats, she can just float to the top or hover and push herself along a narrow ledge. Yeah, I've had a long run of DMs who don't like the unusual and have some pretty strict rules about what you can give yourself.
CaoSlayer 12-10-03, 04:52 AM	umm, levitate it is nice, but it is one of those spells that are "just in case" and with a scroll for only 125gp you can use it then needed. also take a look to gaseous form, it will allow you to scout (including going throught a door without opening it) and it is better for flying. The main diference bwt. a tool spell and a combat spell it is that the first one will be used just one or two times per adventure at max while the second can be needed in each combat, that means many times per day. so it is usually way better to have tool spells in scrolls or wands or to have tools spells that can be used also in combat like the famous grease and shatter. combat spells usually dont work well from scrolls or wands because they DC it is too low and are easy for resist.
PsionScribe 12-17-03, 03:54 PM	Good weapons for a bard: crossbow (hand or light), dagger (punching?) Also I think bards would be could with improvised weapons, since they lack a good amount of physical strength. Improvised weapons may be tankards, broken bottles, rocks, or tools. Whenever I play a bard I usually use a crossbow, dagger, and have mithral or leather armor (padded isn't great).
Malben 12-17-03, 05:06 PM	Originally posted by realbombchu (No name yet, help with that would be cool, too) Female human Brd12: CR 12; Medium-size humanoid; HD 12d6+24; hp 73; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC ?; Atk ?; SQ Bardic music 12/day, bardic knowledge +15; AL CG; SV Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +11; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 20. Height 5 ft. 10 in. Skills and Feats: Decipher Script +18, Diplomacy +20, Hide +19, Move Silently +19, Perform (don't know yet) +20, Spellcraft +18 (+20 on checks related to scrolls), Tumble +19, Use Magic Device +20 (+24 on checks related to scrolls); Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Weapon Finesse (rapier). Special Qualities: Bardic Music: Countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage, inspire greatness, suggestion. Bard Spells Known (6/4/4/4/3; base DC = 15 + spell level): 0--dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, prestidigitation, read magic; 1st--charm person, cure light wounds, silent image, ventriloquism; 2nd--cat's grace, cure moderate wounds, invisibility, see invisibility; 3rd--cure serious wounds, dispel magic, major image, remove disease; 4th--break enchantment, dimension door, legend lore. Possessions: ? Also, what do you think? I want her to have goggles of night (which look like cool dark glasses on her). She knows how to use a rapier. Other than that, it's all up to you guys. Hmm. So I've got 88,000 gp to play with, eh? I'll assume no single item can be worth more than 25,000 gp, and that you are using 3.0 rules. To start: +3 mithral shirt (10100 gp) +3 buckler (9165 gp) ring of protection +2 (8000 gp) amulet of natural armor +2 (8000 gp) cloak of displacement, minor (25000 gp) You're a melee bard. So you need protection against physical attack. This suite of items gives you a final AC of 29, or 16 vs. touch. It also gives all attacks against you a miss chance of 20% (from concealment), thus affording you what amounts to an extra 14 hp and immunity from sneak attacks. This defensive bonus is only negated by True Seeing. Total expenditure on defensive items: 60265 gp Offensive items: +1 mighty composite shortbow [+1 Str] (2450 gp) +1 sure-striking corrosive rapier (18320 gp) This probably looks like a sparse selection. It is. You're not the primary melee fighter, unless this is a VERY unusual party. Your job, for this reason, is to act as a flanking backstop for the main fighter, or for the rogue if there is a rogue and if he/she comes forward to do some melee sneak attack damage. Total expenditure on offensive items: 20770 gp. Total expenditure thus far: 81035 gp. Misc. items: circlet of persuasion (4500 gp) wand of grease (750 gp) wand of spider climb (750 gp) masterwork musical instrument (150 gp) The circlet is a must-have, in my opinion. It gives you +2 on any Charisma-related check -- that means +2 to all Perform checks, +2 Diplomacy, +2 Bluff . . . all that. It's a great item, and an absolute steal at the price. The wands are nice solutions to your mobility problems, since you mentioned a frequent need to climb and balance -- Spider Climb is an easy solution. Grease is . . . one of the most underestimated spells in PHB. It's incredibly useful. Being chased by a level 20 fighter in full plate with a greatsword? Grease, and watch him slip and fall on his back like an idiot. Need to disarm the fighter, but don't want to get close enough to be smashed to bits? Grease. Watch him try to keep a hold of his sword. Need to slow down a horde of onrushing orcs in a narrow passage? Grease. I love this spell. Along with the stuff I've listed, grab yourself a masterwork musical item of your choice, and you're pretty much set. Magical musical instruments are really not a great deal, unless you care to make your own -- most of the ones in both Magic of Faerūn and the PHB are unimpressive. The Lyre of Building is certainly very cool, but it's not very useful to most players most of the time. When you can use it at all, it's incredible, though. If you wanted to be able to afford it, I'd drop the corrosive property from the rapier, and then also drop the wands and probably also a +1 from your buckler. That'd get you enough cash for it. Total expenditure: 87185gp. Cash remaining: 815 gp.