Bardly Advice

Is Iolos Joy all that and a bag of chips? How many feats must be spent to see the benefits of that particular crossbow?

 

In addition to Exotic weapon proficiency repeating crossbow you need rapid shot (and obviously its prerequisite point blank shot); precise shot would be nice too.

Its a lovely weapon if you're creating a halfling Fighter4/Rogue16.

 

Your bard will be able to craft boots of speed and cloaks of displacement from his current spell list. What more do you want?

Mind fog appears a very tempting way of making groups extremely susceptible to your control spells (Ok each member still gets the same saving throw but you then pick on those who fail their's for your subsequent spells)

 

Okay, I'm convinced

This thread has been very successful, thank you!

 

@Pygmy: I'm playing your Bard build and yes it is truly awesome.

My wizard is only okay by comparison. I'm thinking I might have done better with a Sorc.

 

With my bards I usually go full strenght, and give them a scimtar. If the game goes to 20 then I add in a 4 lvls of fighter.

A bard with insane strenght will deal great damage with a 15-20 scimtar, and can go around with a shield.

 

I can't see anyone actually choosing enlarge person as one of a sorcerer's two initial spells!

If you were going to do that you be much better off with iconoclast wizard build:

Specialist Conjuror (Spell focus conjuration/Augment Summoning)

Forbidden schools: Necromancy and EVOCATION.

That's what I am going to try next as area of effect spells no longer work well with my ring of bones (skeletons) obstruction screen strategy. 8 or 9 skeletons in formation around 4 pcs fills out area of invisibility sphere - in centre of sphere is enlarged and doubly raging barbarian1/rogueX with holy ranseur and great cleave...... The fact that skeletons become inactive actually helps this strategy.

Obviously specialisation will give the conjuror more summons to use to plug holes in the perimeter.

By the way animate dead skeleton creates a random weapon that you can loot after its bearer has taken one for the team....

I was wondering whether I had enough buffs for my 8th level cleric of Wee Jas to recruit a Ghast yet?

P.S. I've only just completed the Welkwood Bog quest as Mathel survived until Hunguous' cave

 

Yes, that's a good point. The wizard is needed after all.

I have to admit that my cleric build isn't all I'd hoped it would be. 4 levels of fighter early on is a pretty big hit for cleric levels. More than 2 is probably a mistake. I'm waiting a long time for 4th level spells

On the other hand, he is one of the strongest fighters I've ever had.

 

I normally use an Elven Bard/Wizard as face.
Take Bard to Level 5 and max out the interpersonal skills.
Then take Wizard to level 15, for backup spell caster.
This gives you a decent set of skills, weapon proficiencies, and spells.
I tend to take bard-special spells and healing spells for the Bardic levels - spells that won't be available after changing to Wizard.
That provides a backup healer as well, which is often terribly useful at low levels.

 

Volund, do you think a Sorc would be a better choice? They both benefit so much from high charisma...

 

That's true Fred, but Elven Bard/Sorc would suffer XP penalties where Bard/Wiz does not. If you want to go Bard/Sorc I'd recommend Human to avoid the XP penalty.

 

Gnome Bard/Sorc would work well too.

 

You need high INT to get the skill points for faceman, and you need high CHA to get the skill adjustments for those skills, so you already have the stats for Bard/Wizard. Elf gets you some better weapon proficiencies when the character is young and can't hang in combat on spells alone, and avoids the XP penalty (as noted). Early Bard spell choices give you some extra healing, and access to Tasha's Hideous Laughter, which can occasionally save someone's life against early Troll encounters. Shifting to Wizard after 5 lets you get to some of the more powerful Wizard spells, so the character has something to contribute on magic-heavy combats later on. If you're level-capping at 10, then I wouldn't suggest changing to Wizard.

 

A bard takes no penalty for casting with a chain shirt on, but if he switches to wizard mode he'll have to pull it off.

Bards getting the no penalty from chain shirts was the big whoopdy-doo for 3.5 when it first came out.

A little something about chain shirts, (armor in general) and skill check penalties.

Click Here for The Order of The Stick and see how their bard handles armor check penalties.

 

God, how I love that webcomic :yes: