Improving Bluff? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Improving Bluff?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
crowskyler
May 10, 2010 20:51:21 My character in an upcoming D&D game is a Scout. She doesn't have any feats left, and her character background requires her to be kind of good at lying. Scouts don't get Bluff, so I had to take the Able Learner feat in order to acquire it in the first place, which means I can only get half of the usual ranks.

My question is thus: is there any non-feat way of adding a plus to my Bluff? Her Charisma is already good, but with half ranks and the bonus from Cha, it's just a +10.
#2
Fireclave
May 10, 2010 21:22:36 She could try multiclassing or prestige classing into a class with the Bluff skill. That combined with Abled Learner will allow her to put max ranks Bluff - Once a skill is a class skill at least once, you can always put max skill ranks in it. Alternatively, if bluff is the only skill she's concerned with, try switching Abled Learner for Skill Knowledge, which would allow you to treat Bluff as a class skill.

A Cloak of Charisma and Circlet of Persuasion are obvious accessories. I don't recall if Scouts get UMD, but if they do, a Wand of Glibness would be worth its weight in gold. I think there is some rule about not being able to put personal ranged spells in items, but I think that only applies to potions.
#3
crowskyler
May 10, 2010 22:44:00 Skill Knowledge is just the ticket. It was that and Sleight of Hand that were most needed anyhow. And a Circlet of Persuasion just makes it more effective! Thank you. :D
#4
streamofthesky
May 13, 2010 1:56:36 If you can swallow being an exalted character, Nymph's Kiss is an awesome feat all-around. +1 savesvs. spells and SLAs is always handy, and as a skill money, the +1 skill point per level is appreciated. But to then also get +2 on all charisma skills on top of that? Beautiful!

It is hard to get better at bluffing, though. I'd look into using the fact you already have Able Learner and +(charisma skills) item/feat and also pumping Use Magic Device so you can eventually buff yourself with the Bard spell Glibness. It's not cheap, but it IS a +30, so...getting it in a wand / eternal wand when you can is a good idea.

As far as being limited to half the class ranks...just dip into a class that has bluff as a class skill, and you can now advance your ranks up to character level +3. Ideally, you'd do Factotum, since you can then advance ALL skills ever printed that you want to max, even obscure skills like Autohypnosis. Otherwise, a Rogue dip works fine. Two levels of martial rogue (also known as "feat rogue") gives you two fighter feats, evasion, and Trapfinding (which is actually useful to you if your DM isn't using the Scout eratta). Pretty good deal, I think.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 crowskyler May 10, 2010 20:51:21	My character in an upcoming D&D game is a Scout. She doesn't have any feats left, and her character background requires her to be kind of good at lying. Scouts don't get Bluff, so I had to take the Able Learner feat in order to acquire it in the first place, which means I can only get half of the usual ranks. My question is thus: is there any non-feat way of adding a plus to my Bluff? Her Charisma is already good, but with half ranks and the bonus from Cha, it's just a +10.
#2 Fireclave May 10, 2010 21:22:36	She could try multiclassing or prestige classing into a class with the Bluff skill. That combined with Abled Learner will allow her to put max ranks Bluff - Once a skill is a class skill at least once, you can always put max skill ranks in it. Alternatively, if bluff is the only skill she's concerned with, try switching Abled Learner for Skill Knowledge, which would allow you to treat Bluff as a class skill. A Cloak of Charisma and Circlet of Persuasion are obvious accessories. I don't recall if Scouts get UMD, but if they do, a Wand of Glibness would be worth its weight in gold. I think there is some rule about not being able to put personal ranged spells in items, but I think that only applies to potions.
#3 crowskyler May 10, 2010 22:44:00	Skill Knowledge is just the ticket. It was that and Sleight of Hand that were most needed anyhow. And a Circlet of Persuasion just makes it more effective! Thank you. :D
#4 streamofthesky May 13, 2010 1:56:36	If you can swallow being an exalted character, Nymph's Kiss is an awesome feat all-around. +1 savesvs. spells and SLAs is always handy, and as a skill money, the +1 skill point per level is appreciated. But to then also get +2 on all charisma skills on top of that? *Beautiful!* It is hard to get better at bluffing, though. I'd look into using the fact you already have Able Learner and +(charisma skills) item/feat and also pumping Use Magic Device so you can eventually buff yourself with the Bard spell Glibness. It's not cheap, but it IS a +30, so...getting it in a wand / eternal wand when you can is a good idea. As far as being limited to half the class ranks...just dip into a class that has bluff as a class skill, and you can now advance your ranks up to character level +3. Ideally, you'd do Factotum, since you can then advance ALL skills ever printed that you want to max, even obscure skills like Autohypnosis. Otherwise, a Rogue dip works fine. Two levels of martial rogue (also known as "feat rogue") gives you two fighter feats, evasion, and Trapfinding (which is actually useful to you if your DM isn't using the Scout eratta). Pretty good deal, I think.