I think the bard is a excellent choice for me, because believe it or not, I enjoy music, and I am even working on becoming an R&B singer one day. The bard usus music everyday, and I enjoy to sing and listen to music everyday. The perfect match for me.
Sure, I should follow my gut instinct in maing a character that relates to me, but I need some experienced input on the way I should build up my bard.
I have just the class so far, and a name, but need a race, and all that jazz. I would appreciate any input from veteran bards, or veteran players on this.
,,\/ ^_^ Peace.
Secondly, buy a Wand of Cure Light Wounds ASAP.
Third, the Bard's strength is in buffing physical damage dealers. If you're happy in this roll you'll enjoy the Bard.
I have decided to add a template to my character. I am leaning towards Half-Celestial, but I am not sure yet. I would have went for Celestial, but I want a close to human appearance. Have yet to find a race though. Might be a human.
Oh, and the songs thing. That will nto be too hard for me. I can sing amazingly, and I am not afriad to show of my skills in that field. Thanks for that tip.
Strength is never an important factor to me. Not normally. Now if I was going to be a fighter or paladin, sure, but a Bard?
Take Perform: Sing so that you can use Bardic Music without using your hands for an instrument.
There are a few different ways you can build your Bard charater, but since this is your first character I'd go with something simple that works well at low levels. Use a Shortbow as your starting weapon, go human, and start with the Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot feats. Buy a Masterwork Composite Shortbow at level 2 along with your Wand of Cure Light Wounds if you can. Take Rapid Shot at level 3.
Hmmm. I was going to get perform.
And, I was going to go for more of the steathy type. But, okay. I will take your advice.
And, I was going to go for more of the steathy type. But, okay. I will take your advice.
Stealth means Dexterity skills, and bows use Dexterity to determine your chance to hit so they work well together. Just make sure you get your Charisma to 16 (either as a starting score or with the points you get as you level up) otherwise you wont be able to cast all your spells.
If you tell me what skills you want to take and how your working out your ability scores, I can give you any idea of what scores to take (and which skills suck).
Half celestial comes with a +4 level adjustment, which can hurt you. Aasimar(Humans with a bit of celestial heritage) have only a +1, and might work better.
Is your DM allowing templates for everyone, or ECL buy off?
If you go for a normal race...Human is generally good, Elf might work for a sneaker, but you have one less skill then a human, but a better dex. What campaign setting?
Even if your DM allows it, you might wanna shy away from the Bard Variants in Unearthed Arcana and the one in PHBII. None of them really work with your character.
If you tell me what skills you want to take and how your working out your ability scores, I can give you any idea of what scores to take (and which skills suck).
I used the old-fashioned dice rolling for my ability scores. I rolled rour times and add up the top three. I came out with:
STR 11, DEX 17, CON 12, INT 13, WIS 10, CHA 15
As for skills, I think I will probably go for Dexterity types like: Balance, Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, Perform, and Tumble. Seeing as how I will not be able to get all these at first level, I will probably get: Hide, Move Silently, Perform, Tumble.
Is your DM allowing templates for everyone, or ECL buy off?
Well. Actually, this character is just going to be a creation. I will probably not use a template anymore, since I have a plan for a background already. I have yet to find a game, yet. No one around me plays.
STR 11, DEX 17, CON 12, INT 13, WIS 10, CHA 15
As for skills, I think I will probably go for Dexterity types like: Balance, Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, Perform, and Tumble. Seeing as how I will not be able to get all these at first level, I will probably get: Hide, Move Silently, Perform, Tumble.
Very nice.
As a human and with a 13 Int you get 8 skills, so you can actually take all of those plus one more like Open Lock or Listen.
Good luck finding a group.
Next we should make use of that high dex of yours. Dex based skills, as poeple mentioned is a good way to go. In combat you can make use of feats like Weapon finnesse and shoadow blade (ToB PG 28). Basically it allows you apply your dex as a bonus to damage with a shadow hand weapon. In your case a short sord or two, or a rapier would be good fits. However it requires a shadow hand stance (or manuever i don't have my books handy. You can pick both up with martial stance (ToB) and martial study (ToB). But that is getting a little feat heavy. The other way is to dip a level a sword of swordsage (I recomend this).
The next is to make good use of your Charisma. (you'll want to pump that with items, and stuff as you leave. Paladin fits with your celestial theme, and allows for some cool Charisma shinangins (Applies Charisma to saves and give smite + lay on hands depending on how far up you take it). But I'd only go with 2 levels so as to aviod multiclassing penalties. If you are planning on going using all these other classes, then you'll want to play either human or half-elf for the free multiclass ability, and then take able learner at first level so as not to gibble your skills.
Generally speaking I'd go with Swordsage 1/Paladin 2/and bard 17. I recomend taking your first level as bard, your two pally levels whever the mood strikes, and your level of swordsage after 8th level so can pick up the assasians stance with it, as well other cool manuevers like shadow garrot.
For feats I'd go with (assuming human): Able learner (RoD) and two weapon fighting at first, weapon finnesse at 3rd, something cool at 6th (Maybe: Extra smite, or extra bardic music, or extra bardic knowledge, whatever suits your fancy), 9th is shadow Blade (ToB), and 12th is Improved two weapon fighting...doesn't really matter after that point.
I like your skill list, but you may also want to consider bluff, diplomancy and gather information as well. Maybe soemthing like: Bluff, Diplomancy, Gather Information, Perform (Vocal), Tumble, Hide, move silently, and slight of hand, or forgery.
For items a chocker of elequence is a must have, as is a cape of Charisma. A shadow hand weapon will greatly aid you in hitting things aas well.
Hope that helps
I have created the characer so far, but I need a recommended spell selection. I am leaning towards:
Daze. This would give me the chance to escape an oppoent, since I have but 5 hit points.
Detect Magic. I would only use this for the basic reason. To detect magical items around my character.
Open/Close. I would use this for obvious reasons. I mean, I know this only limits me to chests, and bags, but it can prove useful for a character that doesn't want to risk a trap effecting him. If it can be used like that.
Resistance. Not that hard to figure out why. I have no Fortitude Saving throw bonus, and the +1 on saving throws could prove valuable at some point.
Tell me what you think.
Edit: Almost forgot, your first hit dia is always maximized, unless your DM is a douche, so you should have 7 HP at first level. ;)
And under the skill Perform. What is an epic musical instrument?
Epic refers to games/adventures/characters/items/etc that are post 20th level. For items and feats and such, these are things that are of such power that only a character who is 21st level or higher may use/access them. Thus an epic instrument is an instrument of such power that it is only balanced in the hands of a character who is 21st, or higher level.
From the little bit of experience I have with the class, I can tell you that Bards specialize in making everybody do what they do slightly better. Don't expect to go to town and dish out ridiculous amounts of damage like your barbarians - just help the barbarian do more damage.
Still, pick up Perform: Sing, so you can be productive while using your bardic music. Since it can free up your hands, you can go ahead and do some damage while helping your allies. You won't be doing the 1d12+ 7000, but every little bit helps.
If you have access to Complete Adventurer, take a look at it. There are some pretty good bard spells in it. One provides an additional +1 to your Inspire Courage ability (which effectively doubles it's power at low levels.)
Bards are limited on their spell selection. Don't bother picking up Cure spells if you can avoid it- buy wands for them instead. Try to grab spells that will help your party out - buff spells for your party, and if you can afford them, some incapacitating spells to do some battlefield control. Tasha's Hideous Laughter is a good low level spell..
Just remember, you can't cast spells while playing your bardic music, so either do it before, or if you're sure the party can go without for the rest of the fight (they last a few rounds after you stop performing.)
Bards are a fun experience though; I'm playing a d20 game called XCRAWL. The campaign is basically D&D in modern times, where dungeon crawling is a spectator sport. I'm playing an 80's hair metal rock star (:
. I have only recently started playing bard but I love them. I'm a fan of easily customizable classes like rangers and bard fits that vein nicely. I've chosed to lean towards magic with my bard, so he has things like Magical Aptitude for feats, and maxed out ranks in use magic device (incredibly handy at mid-to higher levels when the modifier gets high). He's more of a sneaky, chatty type (maxed bluff and sleight of hand).
So far, My favourite spell is Tasha's Hideous Laughter or just Hideous Laughter (I had another character get hit with it and it wasn't fun). It can keep opponents out of the fight or make it easy to catch them alive. Even though my bard doesn't fight, I've found Quick Draw to be a very useful feat, especially since my DM will allow me to use it with wands. Always get at least two kinds of perform skills. I have Perform: oratory maxed (he's a storyteller) with Perform: Wind for a back up if something should go wrong with his voice.