Cantor of the Dead

Bard 12/Cleric 12/PM 16
(pre-epic Bard 8/Cleric 12)

Race: Human

Domains: Strength and Healing


Stats

Starting:

Str 14
Dex 8
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 14
Cha 14

Put 2 points into Wis, and the rest into Str

Ending:

Str 26
Dex 8
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 16
Cha 14

Feats

1 Power Attack, Cleave
3 Weapon Prof: Martial
6 Still Spell
9 WF: Scimitar
12 Great Cleave
15 Imp. Crit.
18 Curse Song
21 Epic Weapon Focus
24 Great Str I
27 Great Str II
30 Great Str III
33 Great Str IV
36 Overwhelming Crit., PM: Energy Resistance: Fire
39 Dev. Crit, PM: Epic Spell: Epic Warding

Epic leveling progression:

21-23 Bard
24-39 PM
40 Bard


Skills:

Concentration: 43
Discipline: 43
Healing: 32
Spellcraft: 40
Taunt: 43
Tumble: 40


Total: 241 skill credits

AB: 25 base
+8 Str
+1 WF
+2 EWF
_______
36 w/ mundane Scimitar

AC: 10 base
-1 Dex
+8 Full Plate
+3 Tower Shield
+8 Tumble
+10 Bone Skin
_______
38 AC in mundane armor

HP: ~379 max unbuffed health
(assuming +35 from Deathless Vigor; not sure exacltly how this feat works)

The point of this character is basically to be hard to kill. With a high AC, Epic Warding, Crit. Immunity, 50% concealment from Improved Invis., and lots of Cure spells from both the Bard and Cleric spellbooks (all of which are empowered, btw), this character can be very difficult to kill. He gets 6th lvl Divine spells and 4th lvl Arcane spells, so he can cast Keen Edge on his Scimitar to get a nice 45% threat range, and buff his AB up +20 with his Cleric buffs. He also has access to Taunt and Curse Song to debuff his enemies; these two abilities when used together will lower an enemies AC by 8 points, in addition to lowering their AB, HP, damage, saving throws, and giving them a 30% chance of spell failure. Revised:

Cantor of the Dead

Bard 11/Cleric 19/PM 10
(pre-epic Bard 4/Cleric 16)

Race: Human

Domains: War and Plant


Stats

Starting:

Str 14
Dex 8
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 16
Cha 14

+2 Wis, +8 Str

Ending:

Str 26
Dex 8
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 18
Cha 14

Feats

1 Power Attack, Cleave
3 Weapon Prof: Martial
6 Still Spell
9 WF: Scimitar
12 Great Cleave
15 Imp. Crit.
18 Knockdown
21 Epic Weapon Focus
24 Great Str I
27 Great Str II
30 Great Str III
33 Great Str IV
36 Overwhelming Crit.
39 Dev. Crit

* Cleric Bonus feat

Epic leveling progression:

21-30 PM
31-33 Cleric
34-40 Bard


Skills:

Concentration: 43
Discipline: 43
Spellcraft: 30
Tumble: 41

Total: 157 skill credits (3 left over)


AB: 25 base
+8 Str
+1 WF
+2 EWF
_______
36 w/ mundane Scimitar

+5 Divine Power
+5 Divine Favor
+5 Greater Magic Weapon
+1 Bless
+1 Aid
+1 Prayer
+2 Battletide
+1-2 Bull's Str
+2 Aura of Vitality
_______
59-60 AB fully buffed


AC: 10 base
-1 Dex
+8 Full Plate
+3 Tower Shield
+8 Tumble
+6 Bone Skin
_______
34 AC in mundane armor

+10 Magic Vestment (Armor and Shield)
+5 Shied of Faith
+5 Barkskin
+2 Cat's Grace/Aura of Vitality
+4 Haste
+2 Bard Song
_______
61-62 AC fully buffed


HP: 388 max unbuffed
+40-80 Endurance
+80 Aura of Vitality
_______
508-548 HP fully buffed


Personally I think this version is a little bit stronger than the last. You lose 4 points of AC, and you don't get Epic Warding or Energy Resistance, but you do get a higher caster level for Cleric, which gives you access to 8th lvl spells, and makes some of your spells a little more effective.

The addition of the War domain lets you boost your stats higher than you otherwise could, and the Plant domain gives you Barkskin to boost your AB, as well as Creeping Doom, which can do huge damage over a period of time.

Although Healing domain is very strong, I felt that it didn't really fit with a half-dead sort of character, but you can feel free to choose this domain if you want the extra healing power. I like this build however with no points in "perform" I don't see how the Bard song would work.