Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 pisceanpaul Jan 30, 2011 12:08:36	Hi everyone, I'm sure others have tried this, but I'm hoping to build an Indiana Jones/Solomon Kane type of PC for D&D 3.5. While a lot of people will suggest a Factotum, I want to have the base class as a Bard. Some ideas that have been already suggested are: Bard/Rogue/Temple Raider Bard/Uncanny Trickster/Exemplar Bard/Chameleon Any suggestions on how I should build this PC? How should I distribute the 32-point buy for his abilities? What feats should I pick up? How should this character progress from 1st to 20th level? I've been playing D&D for years, but optimization has never really been my strong suit, so I thought I'd reach out to some resident D&D experts.
#2 sleepyshadow Feb 01, 2011 11:58:08	If you're playing in FR, I've had a very fun bard build. Bard 5/Harper Agent 4/Master Harper 10/Harper Agent 1 The harper classes have a lot of nice class abilities, plus they both have full spell progression, so you don't lose out on bard spells.
#3 pisceanpaul Feb 06, 2011 15:43:53	Yeah, no Harper classes in this campaign. I think I'm going to go Bard 7/Uncanny Trickster 2 ... and then I'll go Exemplar for future levels. Any suggestions on how I should spend his points on abilities? What skills and feats do you think I should purchase? How about magic items?
#4 nephril Feb 06, 2011 16:22:49	ok before doing that just wondering if you have access to a couple of resuorces.   in our campaig=n we love splat we use almost everything.  there is a book in forgotten realms called heroes of valor.  and if you can use pathfinder this works AMAZING.  so 2 feats to take devoted performer and initiate of milil.  these 2 feats allow you to have full smite and bardic performance progression by stacking paladin and bard.  we just finished up a bardadin for my bro corry its INSANE.  high ac incredible saves, good bab and a ton of special abilities.  so for this to work you take 1 level of bard to get access to teh music then take x levels of paladin.  we start at 10 for this campaign so 9 levels of paladin.  then i  pretty much forget i have arcane spells (whats teh point to them there level 1 anyways)  focus on my music.  we take a couple feats to make our Music amazing.  its all about courage so we do  1 song of the heart- increase courage bonuses by one 2 words of creation- take subdual damage but double your music bonuses. also we get a few items our big spendy item was a vest of legends dmg2 it lets you sing like your 5 levels higher bard.   and badge of valor has a 3x per day use to increase your inspire courage by 1. with these items a 10th level bard can give everyone in your party a +8 to att and dmg. (math=  your a 15th level bard (including the vest) so thast a +3 your words of creation double this number so +6 song of the heart is added after the base calculations so now +7, one more thing blow a charge on badge of valor now +8) so for 4 feats and one item you now cast as a 1st level bard, cast as a 9th level paladin, smite like a 10th level paladin, sing like a 15th level bard. one other item to get since in pathfinder once you stop singing your music is dont no more lingering music.  pick up a bastard sword give it a +1 then add harmonizing for a cool 8,330 gold i believe is the cost.  do not get teh crystal echoe blade out of MIC it will only give you +1 more dmg than a +1 sword it is not going to work with this build.   but you have so many immunities and amazing abilities with paladin and+charisma to all saves.  with pathfinder they also do not make paladins take wisdom for crap thats right you are a straight charisma caster woohoo. you still have 1 (or 2 if human) feats to play with look into subsonics or extra music or both.  let me know if you found any of this helpful.
#5 pisceanpaul Feb 06, 2011 21:11:46	I'm really trying to make a sort of jack-of-all-trades character. And since the DM had use use the core books to begin with, I think Bard makes sense. From an optimization point of view, I realize that taking advantage of the skills and feats that will help bolster the other PCs, but I want to make an Indiana Jones kind of character. I suppose he would be a sort of skill monkey. I'm supposed to resort to the core books up to 7th level, but then I can rely on the Complete books, the Magic Item Compendium and the Spell Compendium after that.
#6 sleepyshadow Feb 06, 2011 22:56:14	I'm really trying to make a sort of jack-of-all-trades character. And since the DM had use use the core books to begin with, I think Bard makes sense. From an optimization point of view, I realize that taking advantage of the skills and feats that will help bolster the other PCs, but I want to make an Indiana Jones kind of character. I suppose he would be a sort of skill monkey. I'm supposed to resort to the core books up to 7th level, but then I can rely on the Complete books, the Magic Item Compendium and the Spell Compendium after that. If you are only allowed access to the core books until 7th level, then your spell selection is going to matter greatly, as well as the build itself. Extra Music may come in handy, and Leadership would definitely help as well. Bards can make decent secondary summoners, so Augment Summoning (and it's prerequisite Spell Focus: Conjuration) may be up for consideration. Since you are allowed the Complete books after reaching 7th level, something to consider may be a build like this: Human Bard 7/Geometer 4/Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil 7/ Geometer 1/Bard 1 Bard 1: Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (Abjuration) Bard 3: Skill Focus (Spellcraft) Bard 6: Greater Spell Focus (Abjuration) Bard 7/ Geometer 2: Spell Penetration Bard 7/Geometer 4/IotSV 1: Greater Spell Penetration Bard 7/Geometer 4/IotSV 4: Quicken Spell Bard 7/Geometer 4/IotSV 7: Sculpt Spell This build fits your concept of an Indiana Jones style of play in a few ways. The levels of Geometer allow him to act as a rogue when it comes to most magical traps, furthering your concept of a skill-monkey. The IotSV provides some much-needed offensive power, as well as good defensive effects as well, allowing you to assist other casters in protecting the party from both physical and magical attacks. Lastly, the build as a whole does not lose any spellcasting levels.
#7 ballistae Aug 01, 2011 12:48:16	I know I'm a little late to posting to this forum, but I don't think Solomon Kane and Indiana Jones have anything to do with one another. Just because they both wear hats and have adventures doesn't mean they're similar. Kane was forced to fight while Jones caused trouble intentionally. Kane doesn't want to kill, Jones doesn't mind. Kane has a dark past as a pirate captain, Jones has a past as a troublemaking army spy. Kane would focus his skills on Strength and Constitution,while Jones would have Dexterity and Charisma. I would say a bard wouldn't fall into those categories well either, as neither Jones nor Kane entertained. Jones was sneaky (rogue), and Kane served the church and fought demons (fighter/swashbuckler then paladin/Inquisitor). Jones would be a "Jack of All Trades" kind of guy, while Kane focused only on knowledge (religion) and fighting tactics. I would say they are mainly black and white. Perhaps you should look at more of a VanHelsing character.