The idea behind this build was to create a proper skald; a warrior poet who wins as much glory on the battlefield as he does in the mead hall. Obviously, a fighter/bard combo came to mind. I thought of using barbarian instead of fighter but: I already had taunt and as a class skill (bard), I needed feats and I didn't see a skald necessarily being a berserker (so no need for rage). Besides, skalds would have been members of the Viking nobility (free men who owned property and would have been retainers to kings) they would have been cultured (for the time), literate and fairly regimented warriors (kind of like a D&D dwarf). IMO more likely to be fighters than barbarians. I know that devastating critical is banned on many servers but I wanted a character that could cleave a man in two with one blow (anyone who's read a couple of icelandic sagas knows that happens fairly often). So I added the weapon master levels to make him quite lethal with an axe. Except for the low hitpoints, I think that this build fits the concept of a skald very well.
Advantages
-Good AB. A 45 is as good as most fighters and he can augment this with greater magic weapon and bard song. He can also lower his opponents AC by 11 points with taunt and curse song. -X4 multiplier weapon with a (17-20 threat range). I chose a battle axe because he can cast keen edge on it to extend that threat range to 16-20. -Level 16 Bard Song and Curse Song. -Taunt of 55. He can lower an opponent's AC and induce a 30% spell casting failure rate. -Improved Knockdown. Knockdown and/or Improved Knockdown are vital feats for any melee character. -Level 4 Bard Spells. -Able to use Scrolls and Wands. As a bard he doesn't need UMD to use mage equipment like wands or scrolls.
Disadvantages
-Low Hitpoints. Just over 400, which is low for a melee build. -Low Saves. His saves vs. spells are okay except for his will save (though he can cast clarity). He has to watch out against casters. -No real spell defense. He doesn't have evasion or any SR so he should watch out for mages.
Saga Skald
Race Human
Alignment Any Non Lawful
Base Attribute STR 14 DEX 14 CON 14 WIS 8 INT 14 CHA 14
Level 4: Dismissal, Dominate Person, Improved Invisibility, War Cry _________________ Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do.
Edited By griphook on 06/23/05 22:42
I really like this build Mith!!! I'm off to play it with the new premium module Pirates of the sword coast!!. I think this character will make a good pirate lol.
Thanks, Mano _________________ A Man of War who treads the world's roads alone, as I do, must be quick. Long ago I learned to strike swiftly and without scruple. I trouble no man without cause, but one who attacks me had best resolve himself to die!