I haven't read the other two topics in thier entirety, so it is entirely possible that this one has been done. If not...
Bard/RDD/Champion of Torm
I decided that I wanted a character with good saves and a good bard song with dev crit at lvl 21. I also wanted to have curse song and a max taunt to better take advantage of my charisma. This is what I came up with. It will be weak at lower lvls, but will start to pick up power after around lvl 11.
lvl 1-bard-since we have 10 dex and crappy weaps, heavy armor proficiency and martial weapons. 4 skill points in disc, lore, perform, taunt, tumble, and UMD with 4 left over. lvl 2 bard-skill points in above skills lvl 3 bard-lingering song get it now because you may not be able to later-skill in above lvl 4 bard-skills ditto STR +1 lvl 5 bard-skill ditto (this is the last lore skill point you need) lvl 6 rdd-weapon focus scimitar (not rapier because the lvl 3 keen spell only works on slashing weaps) lvl 7 bard-take disc, perform, taunt, tumble and UMD to 10..you have points left over...should be around7-9...but i dont remember the exact number... lvl 8 rdd (only rdd skill to up is disc) STR +1 rddStr +2 lvl 9 rdd-expertise lvl 10 rdd rddSTR+2 lvl 11 CoT (only CoT skill to up is disc as well) lvl 12 bard -curse song-STR +1-take disc, perform, taunt, tumble and UMD to 15 lvl 13 CoT Improved Crit Scimitar lvl 14 rdd lvl 15 rdd Power Attack rddCON+2? lvl 16 CoT STR +1 lvl 17 bard-take disc, perform, taunt, tumble and UMD to 20 lvl 18 CoT-Cleave, Great Cleave lvl 19 rdd lvl 20 CoT STR+1
At lvl 20, you should be 8 bard/7 RDD/5 CoT with 25 STR and I think 16 con (forget the exact lvl of the con increase for rdd) and 4 attacks per round
lvl 21 CoT-overwhelm crit, Devastating Crit lvl 22 bard -take disc, perform, taunt, tumble and UMD to 25 lvl 23 rdd lvl 24 rdd rddINT+2 ExtraSmite STR+1 lvl 25 rdd rddCHR+2, rddSTR+4 lvl 26 bard-take disc, perform, taunt, tumble and UMD to 29 here is where I would prolly start to use the accumulated extra skill points as well. Spellcraft is good for the saves. I also like appraise and concentration if PvP. If you are using this char in SP or on a server where persuade is needed, however, I would have allocated some of them a while ago. lvl 27 bard ditto skills Still Spell (if you want...alows you to cast some spells in your plate mail...also better uses your spell lvls as a couple of lvl spells are not used much. When I was planning this char, I decided that I was not going to cast any non buff or summon spells, so taking a diferent feat here is by no means a bad idea) lvl 28 bard CHR +1 (STR is OK for the rest, I am taking CHR though) lvl 29 bard lvl 30 bard epic weapon focus scimitar lvl 31 bard lvl 32 bard CHR +1 lvl 33 CoT epic prowess lvl 34 CoT improved expertise lvl 35 CoT lvl 36 bard extra music (would also consider epic skill focus taunt (you will have enough perform ), knockdown, and toughness)- skills to 39 CHR +1 lvl 37 bard skills to 40, stop here with tumble and spellcraft lvl 38 CoT toughness (improved knockdown and called shot are good too ) lvl 39 bard lasting inspiration (with this, you might not need the extra music feat I took earlier) lvl 40 bard CHR +1
your final stats should be
Bard 20/RDD 10/CoT 10 STR 30 dex 10 CON 16 INT 16 wis 8 CHR 20
You will have +8 to AC from tumble and +8 to saves if you took the spell craft. You will have save, AC, and to hit and damage bonuses from both bard and COT abilities and the ability to cast lvl 6 bard spells. Your main weakness will be against crit immune creatures, but your str will be high enough that you should do decent damage against those as well. While your spell buffs will be easily dispelled by a high lvl caster, bard song and the CoT buffs are not dispellable. I think it is a fairly well rounded character overall, but I am biased
Edited By Yar Stardawg on 02/28/04 22:04:37
Edited By Cinnabar Din on 02/27/08 17:07
When I did this one, I made a mistake. This character would not be able to get lasting impression. Just about any combat or defensive feat would be fine though.
Edited By Yar Stardawg on 06/08/04 20:37
I have a build that I am using on a PW that is very close to this. I end up with 15bard/15cot/10rdd. I take as many cot's pre epic to get attacks. My PW does not allow Dev Crit, so I went with a bigger weapon, bastard sword. The downside is that I lose the lvl 16 bard song benefits, and then the extra hp/skill points after 16. In turn that affects the curse song, but I think the extra feats and extra attack bonus is worth it. Otherwise it is pretty much exactly the same.
I have been playing this character on the PW where I am a regular (Forgotten Worlds Dragon Mountain http://www.rpgmods.net/forum/ ) I have made several changes to the initial construction and this looks like the final splits. I have figured out how to get lasting impression, as well. I upped concentration a lot because our monsters now taunt due to an improved AI. I am also considering dropping improved expertise (I have an excellent AC already) and taking disarm and improved disarm. I am lvl 34 now, so will have to make that decision soom
lvl 1-bard-since we have 10 dex and crappy weaps, heavy armor proficiency and martial weapons. 4 skill points in concentration, discipline, lore, perform, taunt, tumble, and UMD lvl 2 bard-skill points in above skills lvl 3 bard-lingering song get it now because you may not be able to later-skill in above lvl 4 bard-skills ditto STR +1 lvl 5 bard-skill ditto (this is the last lore skill point you need) lvl 6 rdd-weapon focus scimitar (not rapier because the bard lvl 3 keen spell only works on slashing weaps) lvl 7 bard-take concentration, disc, perform, taunt,perform, tumble and UMD to 10.. lvl 8 rdd (only rdd skill to up is disc) STR +1 rddStr +2 lvl 9 rdd-expertise lvl 10 rdd rddSTR+2 lvl 11 CoT (only CoT skill to up is disc as well) lvl 12 bard -curse song-STR +1-take concnetration, disc, perform, taunt, tumble and UMD to 15 lvl 13 CoT Improved Crit Scimitar lvl 14 rdd lvl 15 rdd Power Attack rddCON+2? lvl 16 CoT STR +1 lvl 17 bard-take concentration, disc, perform, taunt, tumble and UMD to 20 lvl 18 CoT-Cleave, Great Cleave lvl 19 rdd lvl 20 CoT STR+1
At lvl 20, you should be 8 bard/7 RDD/5 CoT with 25 STR and I think 16 con (forget the exact lvl of the con increase for rdd) and 4 attacks per round
lvl 21 CoT-overwhelm crit, Devastating Crit lvl 22 bard -take concnetration, disc, perform, taunt, tumble and UMD to 25 lvl 23 rdd lvl 24 rdd rddINT+2 epic weapon focus scimitar STR+1 lvl 25 rdd rddCHR+2, rddSTR+4 lvl 26 bard-take concentration,disc, perform, taunt, tumble and UMD to 29 lvl 27 bard-ditto skills+1 knockdown lvl 28 bard STR+1 lvl 29 bard lvl 30 bard improved knockdown lvl 31 bard lvl 32 bard STR +1 lvl 33 CoT only raise discipline Armor Skin lvl 34 CoT epic prowess lvl 35 CoT do not take discipline point lvl 36 bard bard skills to 39 except disc. Will spend the 6 (2 class+3 int+1 human) skill points you get for the 40th lvl CoT all on discipline. improved expertise STR+1 lvl 37 bard skills minus disc to 40, stop here with tumble lvl 38 bard lvl 39 bard lasting inspiration lvl 40 CoT toughness STR+1 your final stats should be
Bard 20/RDD 10/CoT 10 STR 34 DEX 10 CON 16 INT 16 WIS 8 CHR 16
You will have +8 to AC from tumble. You will have save, AC, and to hit and damage bonuses from both bard and COT abilities and the ability to cast lvl 6 bard spells, not to mention taking 5 AC and minuses to hit and save away from your enemy with curse song and 6 AC with taunt. I have not allocated I believe 18 skill points. Stopping your concentration at 40 I believe will allow you to have 20 points in spell craft if you wish for a +4 to spell saves. I would do the following: Concentration 40 Discipline 43 Perform 42 Spellcraft 20 Taunt 42 Tumble 40 UMD 42 (Though mine currently has a 36 and can wear the evil only Casiel's Soul armor. Prolly dont really need it that high.)
Your main weakness will be against crit immune creatures, but your str will be high enough that you should do decent damage against those as well. I think it is a fairly well rounded character overall, but I am biased.
Yeah, you should be fime against Crit-immunity. Your STR bonus is +12 and if you get yourself a big weapon of the appropriate type for those critters, you'll be fine.
I made a very similar build as well (just on paper) that ended Bard 22/RDD 10/CoT 8. This was before I found out you could get LI with only 20 levels of Bard. Looks like a fun character. Kudos! _________________ "Well, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!"
I know this build's posting is month's old, but I came up with the same character concept a few days ago. I did a search here and found Yar's build and compared it to my own.
One improvement I found in my build is that pre-epic I used the BA advancement table to my advantage.
Yar's build at 20: Bard 8/RDD 5/CoT 7 My build at 20: Bard 8/RDD 4/CoT 8
Mine presents a 1 AB improvement at level 20 (that of course carries on through the life/development of the build). Reason being the 5th level of RDD pre-epic does nothing to help the character's AB, but taking CoT in it's place adds 1 AB.
The fifth level of RDD only gives an AC bonus, so it's nothing that needs to be taken as soon as possible. I think it's a wise move to delay it until epic levels considering the reward you get by taking CoT in place of RDD 5.
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I did it the way I did in order to save more CoT feats for Epic lvl. I sacrifice 1 AB by going 8 bard/7 RDD/5 CoT at lvl 20 vs 8 bard/4 RDD/8 CoT. In doing so, I gain 2 Epic feats and the ability to take Devastating Crit at lvl 21. Of course, I end up using several of the epic feats for normal feats, so I do agree that your point has much validity.
The other issue is that I wanted to start getting my bard lvls to 16 as soon as I can after getting my charisma to 16 (As I said, I play on a PW. She was lvled the old fashioned way...time and persistance). I considered her a bard first...tough as nails melee fighter second. Taking most of the RDD earlier speeds up that process.
It all boils down to a matter of preference. I like her the way I did her. My wife used her as a template for her own character, but made changes that she liked, and is happy. You have your own preference. I have had many friends on my PW say that they used her as a starting point but made this or that change (16 bard/10 rdd/ 14 CoT is the most common it seems...they know not the power of lasting impression...mwahahahaha ...ahem ...excuse me ) I am just glad that I could help.
Edited By Yar Stardawg on 02/01/05 16:28
Valid points. I see now why you built your's like you did.
And I agree re. Lasting Inspiration toooooooooooo
K. _________________ Check out the Epic Character Builders Guild Click Here Test your new builds in this mod: Click Here
...ahem 
...excuse me 
) I am just glad that I could help.