Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 bitznarf Dec 24, 2008 11:49:37	'Lo all, I'm working on a cohort for a (gestalt) Wizard/Rouge/Spellsword. Delfontaine (my character) needs a herald as the other 2 (Korbin and Torval) refuse to do it properly. So I'm considering picking up Leadership (and Might Makes Right) to get the job done right. What I'm looking for is something that can do the job properly and doesn't overlap too much with what the other party members can aleady do. Along those lines, I see several options: A straight bard - alot of buffs overlap with what already exists from Korbin and Torval, nothing really compelling about this. Bard/Marshal/Sublime Chord - most of the above again, though better spell selection through Sublime Chord Bard/War Weaver/Sublmine Chord - woven harmoic chorus for everyone - the face skills start to show some strain Beguiler/Mindbender/Shadowcraft Mage - will have full ranks in all the pertinent skills, but doesn't have the cha to back it up, and no circlet of persuasion (headband of int). None of these however quite do what I'm looking for. Your thoughts folks? The Current Party (minor Shackled City spoilers) Lord Delfontaine Tercival (me) - Noble of Cauldron (small city), Lord of Occipitus (gestalt) Wizard 9 // Rogue 4 // Fighter 4 // Spellsword 6 // Minor Demon Bloodline 1 (Unearthed Arcana) // Sign of the Smoking Eye (applied template, gives rulership of Occipitus) Very much a tank - at level 12 he generally walks around all day with about 15 or so spells running. Give or take (probably more). Wears fullplate, etc. Also the party trapfinder. True Neutral power hungry noble (who can sometimes be a bit of a dick to people who annoy him.) Korbin Lightbringer - (gestalt) Favoured Soul // Paladin of Pelor Has several alt class features to be less of a martial type, and more caster/support type Buffer and healer Lawful Good, and keeps an eye on Delfontaine, wary of his intentions and plans Current Spells Known 0th: Create water; Cure Minor Wounds; Detect magic; Detect Poison; Light; Purify; Read Magic; Mending; Amanuensis 1st: Sign; Lesser Vigor; Ice Slick; Prot Evil -> Needs to be Retrained; Resurgence; Shield of Faith 2nd: Cure Moderate Wounds; Close Wounds; Silence; Dark Way; Divine Insight; Status 3rd: Conviction, Mass; Darkfire -> Persist; Downdraft; Resist Energy, Mass; Magic Circle vs Evil; Magic Vestment 4th: Cure Critical Wounds; Freedom of Movement; Restoration; Recitation; Delay Death 5th: Righteous Wrath of the Faithful; Dragon Breath; Revivify; True Seeing 6th: Heal; Heroes' Feast; Resistance, Superior
#2 jenos Dec 24, 2008 12:30:51	What exactly do you want? It seems that a Bard/War Weaver/SC is the best fit, for awesome buffing ability, but you said you didn't like that very much. Also, are your cohorts gesalt as well?
#3 bitznarf Dec 24, 2008 12:33:58	The problem with the Bard/WW/SC build is that it loses to many skills for my tastes, leaving the face skills lacking. Unless I find a better option, this might be what I end up going with however. Cohorts are not gestalt, with an elite array for stats. Pretty much any WotC book is allowed.
#4 bitznarf Dec 29, 2008 9:35:54	Well, I've done some thinking on the topic and I think I've found the problem, however I am no closer to a solution. I have 2 defining scenes in my mind for this character. The problem is that each one is half Bard/Sublime half Beguiler/SCM. In the first, the 'social/gala' scene, I imagine this character coalescing from nothingness/shadows (mechanically, no longer hiding) to introduce Delfontaine and give him his due etc. From there he would (to a certain extent) be going around the event, putting in a word here and there, making comments, etc. Enough to keep enemies/rivals off balance and focused on each other. This sort of thing. In the second I picture the character in combat. Very rarely would he actually be casting something that would break his hiding. The average fight would likely consist of a chained/war woven harmonic chorus and a greater d-door, shuttling PCs/animal companions/etc. from place to place. Always hiding, never being a target. That sort of thing. The problem is that the 1st requires mostly bard style facial skills (as I see it) and the second requires Beguiler/SCM style stealth with bardic/sublime spells. I'm having a hard time reconciling this into a workable build. Anyone have any ideas? P.S. I talked to my DM and I can use the adaptation of the SCM listed in Races of Stone, so I wouldn't need to be a gnome (nor do I want to be).
#5 lomiat Dec 29, 2008 20:58:38	Wow! Strange... It's like deja vu all over again. I had this conversation with a guy about a cohort, and we decided a Bard 8/marshal 1/dragonsong lyricist 1/sublime chord X with the dark template might do all of these things... And with metamagic rods, there are some cool draconic feats, like dragonfire inspiration. Yep. Pretty cool. :P
#6 bitznarf Dec 30, 2008 0:31:11	After a little playing around I came up with this: Bard 6 // Marshal 1 // Sublime Chord 2 // Virtuoso X Human Female: Name? Str 8: Dex 12: Con 14: Int 13 (buy a tome for +1?): Wis 10: Cha 15 1: Bard 1 - Melodic Casting, Practiced Spellcaster (Bard), Flaw (Non-combatant), Able Learner 2: Marshal 1 3: Bard 2 - Dragontouched 4: Bard 3 5: Bard 4 6: Bard 5 - Dragonfire Inspiration 7: Bard 6 8: Virtuoso 1 9: Virtuoso 2- Subsonics 10: Virtuoso 3 -- Cohort Starts Play Here -- 11: Sublime Chord 1 12: Sublime Chord 2 - Disguise Spell 13+: Virtuoso - Inspire Spellpower at 15
#7 lomiat Dec 30, 2008 6:46:37	Beyond the obvious Cloak of CHA +6, you might want to invest in shadow armor or a Ring of Chameleon Power. I notice that the Virtuoso doesn't get Hide as a class skill, so you'll either have to content yourself with limited ranks or take a feat to keep the skill available all the way.
#8 bitznarf Dec 30, 2008 11:35:51	Is anyone aware of a decent full casting PrC that has bluff, diplomacy, perform, hide, and move silently on its skill list?