So, I'm Going To Play BARD Again...

[Amechra]

I adore Bards, I have to say. However, I haven't played one in a while. The game is going to be starting at either 1st or 5th level (depending on what the other players want to do), and I've been asked to not go full-out insane with Inspire Courage (so no dumpster-diving for ALL THE BONUSES!)

So anyway, here's my projected build stub for the 5th level game; I tried to stick with simple stuff that's pretty up-front about what I can do.

Race and Classes: Silverbrow Human Bard 3/Marshal 2
Alignment: CG or NG, haven't decided.
Feats:
1 - Melodic Casting
H - Dragonfire Inspiration
3 - Heart of the Song

ACFs:
Healing Hymn: +[Perform Ranks] to magical healing OR improve natural healing.
Loresong: 3/day get a +4 bonus to an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check.
Spellbreaker Song: Give casters a 20% failure chance on their spells.

Spells:
0 - Who really cares?
1 - Instant of Power, Inspirational Boost, ???

Auras:
Inspire Dexterity
Draconic Aura (Vigour)* OR Motivate Attack OR Motivate Care

* By RAW and RAI, the ability to take Draconic Auras instead of a Major Aura only applies to the ones listed in Dragon Magic. I'll take it if I can convince the DM; if not, my fallbacks are listed above.

Basic Plan:
Turn on Inspire Courage, Inspire Dexterity, and my Major Aura. Then sit back, tossing out Instant of Power to give allies a +4 bonus to a save, attack roll, or damage roll when they need it.
If I need to get my own hands dirty, I can drop maintaining Inspire Courage and head into battle myself, using Instant of Power to

Notes:
I can't trade out Inspire Competence because it's required for Songs of the Heart. I also have no idea if I'm going to have any control over which magic items I get, hence no mention of Badge of Valour. I also don't think I'm going to be rocking Masterwork Instruments or any of the other more "obscure" stuff; I was asked to keep the bonus to 2~3 at 5th level, after all, and I'm committed to sticking with that.

Also, no flaws is a bit of a bummer.

I'll probably just end up playing the first level of this build if we start at 1st level as well. As for where I'll go from here... well, I might dip another level in Marshal, or I might just continue with Bard. Can anyone suggest any good PrCs for a Bard that aren't OMFG good?

[linklord231]

Remember that Inspire Courage doesn't take a standard action to maintain, so you can still wade in to combat yourself while still keeping people buffed. 

[wotmaniac]

 

Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using bardic music that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), spell trigger (such as wands), or command word.

While IC doesn't specify the need to "concentrate", I would assume that the fact that you need to keep performing (i.e., using a skill; i.e., requiring a standard action) ..... or is that negated by the fact that there isn't an actual skill check involved?  If that's the case, I've been really screwing myself over.



@OP:
looks solid enough, all things considered.
Since you're already dipping out for marshal, maybe a dip in to warblade might not be out of line.

[linklord231]

Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using bardic music that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), spell trigger (such as wands), or command word.

While IC doesn't specify the need to "concentrate", I would assume that the fact that you need to keep performing (i.e., using a skill; i.e., requiring a standard action) ..... or is that negated by the fact that there isn't an actual skill check involved?  If that's the case, I've been really screwing myself over.

The ones that do require concentration are all specified as such.  For example Fascinate, Inspire Competence, and Song of Freedom all require concentration, while the others from the PHB do not. 

Even if Inspire Courage did require a skill check, that wouldn't necessarily mean it would take a standard action to maintain.  Plenty of things require skill checks but take less than a standard action, or even no action. 

[wotmaniac]

Huh. 

[Fredgerd]

A varient on a "Gamers" bard build. Make lots of duplicates of your bard. After expending all of their lives in a single battle, introduce your new dread necromancer and raise an army of bard zombies.

[Amechra]

That was less of a build and more of a "don't ignore your class features, ya dolt."

Seriously, Bards rock out with their... you know.

[skydragonknight]

Lyric Thaumaturge into War Weaver should get the job done as a buffer, even if your buddies ask you to stay away from Sublime Chord. Three 1st-5th level spells on all your allies as a Move action? Yes, please.

But if that's not really your style, keep in mind that Melodic Casting makes your Perform check cover Concentration checks. This includes Diamond Mind Maneuvers. Warblades get these as well of access to Song of the White Raven and White Raven Tactics. So that would also be a viable career choice, especially since I assume you picked up Motivate Charisma.

[Amechra]

Melodic Casting only covers Concentration checks to maintain a spell; you're thinking Undersong.

[Arz]

Could grab the marshal auras through mythic exemplar at risk of slowing your access. Possibly rebuild later.

[Amechra]

Hmm...

I'm looking through all of the different Bard PrCs, and I'm debating whether or not I should dip a level of Fighter at 6th level so that I can enter Warchanter; sure, I lose Spellcasting... but dat Combine Song! I guess it depends on whether or not the party are going to be frontline fighters, I guess.

Otherwise, a level or two in Warblade or Crusader might be nice; I mean, Warblade nets me Diamond Mind/White Raven, while Crusader nets me Divine Spirit/White Raven...

EDIT: Should I dip Dragon Shaman? It'd be a RAW way to pick up Draconic Aura (Vigor), and I could pair it with the Marshals other auras (Motivate Attack + Vigor sounds like a nice combo, if a bit low-key compared to the pumping from my music.)

[skydragonknight]

I'd save the Warblade or Crusader dip until you can get White Raven Tactics. Level 9 is ideal not just because you can get IL5 from a single level, but you can also snag Song of the White Raven at the same level.

If you know your game will last and you're patient, a two level dip in Seeker of the Song can also get you Combine Songs. It's kind of bad in that you need to burn a feat on Skill Focus(Perform) and that the first two seeker musics suck. But at least you'd get two more daily uses of music and +2 AC pretty much all the time.

If you're mostly going to advance Bard, consider dipping Marshal later and taking Skill Focus(Diplomacy) early on. You can essentially trade a low level feat slot for a higher level one that way.

[Amechra]

Hmm...

You know, maybe I could grab a Battle Dancer level + Snowflake Wardance next level; getting +Cha to AC and a situational +Cha to attack rolls isn't too shabby. Maybe I'll keep that in mind just in case the party ends up needing more melee fighters; +3d6 cold damage and +Cha to hit isn't too shabby.

I'm thinking of swapping Melodic Casting for Extra Bardic Music; thoughts?

EDIT: Ooh, and getting my hands on a Good or Chaotic equivalent of the Banner of Law from HoB (p. 133) might be nice; that'd give all my allies within 30' a Protection from Evil/Law effect.

[Fredgerd]

That was less of a build and more of a "don't ignore your class features, ya dolt."

Seriously, Bards rock out with their... you know.

For sure, I love my bards. I just also love the gamers and the meta concept of taking advantage of large numbers of dead PC corpses.