Bard 11/WM 19/RDD 10
Human
Any Non-Lawful

playable 1-40 PvM (untested PvP)*Will own some PvP builds with its high AB and damage but vulnerable because of relatively low AC and to HIPS/stealth builds. And all but the SR monks and clerics are vulnerable to high-level casters.

DEV CRIT Version:

STR 8+6 +4/2 = 16 + 8 RDD + 10 = 34
DEX 8 + 6 = 14
CON 8 + 4 = 12 + 2 RDD = 14
INT 8 + 6 = 14 + 2 RDD = 16
WIS 8
CHA 8 + 4 = 12 + 2 RDD = 14

1 Bard 1 Dodge, Mobility
2 Bard 2
3 Bard 3 Wpn Focus: Spear/Morning Star*
4 Bard 4 STR 17
5 Bard 5
6 RDD 1 Expertise
7 RDD 2 RDD STR 19
8 RDD 3 STR 20
9 RDD 4 Spring Attack RDD STR 22
10 Bard 6
11 Bard 7
12 Bard 8 Whirlwind Attack [Intimidate: 4] STR 23
13 WM 1
14 WM 2
15 WM 3 Imp. Crit (Spear/Morning Star)
16 WM 4 STR 24
17 WM 5
18 WM 6 Power Attack
19 WM 7
20 WM 8 STR 25
21 RDD 5 Cleave
22 RDD 6
23 RDD 7 RDD CON 14
24 RDD 8 Great Cleave STR 26
25 RDD 9 WM 8 RDD INT 16
26 RDD 10 WM 9 RDD STR 30 CHA 14
27 Bard 9 Overwhelming Critical
28 WM 9 STR 31
29 WM 10
30 WM 11 Devastating Critical
31 WM 12
32 Bard 10 STR 32
33 WM 13 Knockdown, WM Feat: EWF
34 WM 14
35 WM 15
36 WM 16 IKD, WM Feat: Epic Prowess EWF STR 33
37 WM 17
38 WM 18
39 WM 19 ESF: Discipline (or Toughness), WM Feat: Armor Skin
40 Bard 8 STR 34

*Morning Star permits the use of shield, which will add + 8 to the build's AC if + 5 equipment is allowed. Less points for style, however.

AC (10 base + 2 dex + 5 medium armor + 8 tumble + 4 RDD + 1 dodge + 2 Armor Skin = 32 [+ 3 if rapier/shield = 35]

Base Attack 27

AB (4/round): 27 base + 12 str + 1 WF + 2 EWF + 1 SWF + 3 ESWF (levels 13, 16, and 19) + 1 EP = 47

Max HP: 420 (unless take Toughness at Level 39)

Knockdown is dead useful but you can trade it for two Great Strengths for an additional AB AND an additional DC on your devastating critical. The DC as build for the dev crit is 42.

If a higher AC is imperative, you could take Heavy Armor in the build at the expense of ESF Discipline (or Toughness, if you would have elected that feat instead). That would permit plate armor +8 but reduce your dex bonus to +1, for a net increase of +2.

NON-DEV CRIT Version:

STR 8+6 +4/2 = 16 + 8 RDD + 10 ability + 4 feats = 38
DEX 8 + 6 = 14
CON 8 + 4 = 12 + 2 RDD = 14
INT 8 + 6 = 14 + 2 RDD = 16
WIS 8
CHA 8 + 4 = 12 + 2 RDD = 14

1 Bard 1 Dodge, Mobility
2 Bard 2
3 Bard 3 Wpn Focus: Spear/Morning Star*
4 Bard 4 STR 17
5 Bard 5
6 RDD 1 Expertise
7 RDD 2 RDD STR 19
8 RDD 3 STR 20
9 RDD 4 Spring Attack RDD STR 22
10 Bard 6
11 Bard 7
12 Bard 8 Whirlwind Attack [Intimidate: 4] STR 23
13 WM 1
14 WM 2
15 WM 3 Imp. Crit (Spear/Morning Star)
16 WM 4 STR 24
17 WM 5
18 WM 6 Toughness
19 WM 7
20 WM 8 STR 25
21 RDD 5 GR STR I (STR 26)
22 RDD 6
23 RDD 7 RDD CON 14
24 RDD 8 GR STR II (STR 27) STR 28
25 RDD 9 WM 8
26 RDD 10 WM 9 RDD STR 32 CH 16
27 Bard 9 GR STR III (STR 33)
28 WM 9 STR 34
29 WM 10
30 WM 11 GR STR IV 35
31 WM 12
32 Bard 10 STR 36
33 WM 13 Knockdown, WM Feat: EWF
34 WM 14
35 WM 15
36 WM 16 IKD, WM Feat: Epic Prowess STR 37
37 WM 17
38 WM 18
39 WM 19 ESF: Discipline, WM Feat: Armor Skin
40 Bard 11 STR 38

*Again, Morning Star permits the use of shield, which will add + 8 to the build's AC if + 5 equipment is allowed. But it lacks a certain style, imho.

AC (10 base + 2 dex + 5 medium armor + 8 tumble + 4 RDD + 1 dodge + 2 Armor Skin = 32 [+ 3 if rapier/shield = 35]

You can get also AC two higher by taking Armor Proficiency: Heavy instead of Toughness. At the expense of 40 hit points, obviously.

Base Attack 27

AB (4/round): 27 base + 14 str + 1 WF + 2 EWF + 1 SWF + 3 ESWF + 1 EP = 49

Max HP: 460 (unless take Heavy Armor instead of Toughness, then 420)

Again, you can trade IKD for two Great Strength feats to get the AB to a rather sick 50.

Either build:

Saves: Fort 20/Reflex 25/Will 21

Skills (287):
Spellcraft 42
Perform: 16 (18 needed for Bard Song 11)
Tumble 40
Listen 20
Heal 26
Discipline 43
Taunt: 43
UMD: 38
O/L: 2/1
Disable: 2/1
Set: 2/1
PP: 1
Intimidate: 4
Lore: 8

My regrets: no bardic feats like lingering song or curse song. *Sigh*

But you get level 4 spells, pretty solid -- if short -- bard song.

And you can hit almost anything.

Good hunting.

Edited By griphook on 12/02/05 22:53

You could take your last bard level at 39 and take either lingering song (for an additional 5 rounds of bard song) or curse song (to inflict your bard song on your foes). Not sure if it's worth it, given what you'd have to give up. And really, if you are going to win with this build, you are going to win pretty quick with its high AB and damage output. For the non-dev-crit version, move the Great Strengths down and move things like IKD, EWF up .
_________________
.:\_/:. Only those who have known darkness in
(OvO) their hearts will see the shadows in life...
(|__|)
..".."..
Quote: Posted 11/15/05 01:00:44 (GMT) -- Jennalee

For the non-dev-crit version, move the Great Strengths down and move things like IKD, EWF up .

You don't have as much flexibility as you'd think on that. The EWF, EP, and AS feats have to be taken with your WM levels 13, 16, and 19. Otherwise, you end up with some useless WM feat. The earliest GrSTR feats are taken to "even up" the otherwise odd strength. Having said that, I think you can take Knockdown one feat earlier and take that Gr STR in its place:

from

30 WM 11 GR STR IV 35
31 WM 12
32 Bard 10 STR 36
33 WM 13 Knockdown, WM Feat: EWF

to

30 WM 11 Knockdown
31 WM 12
32 Bard 10 STR 35
33 WM 13 GR STR IV 36, WM Feat: EWF

Thanks, Jennalee (aka Thunder Down Under).

Edited By Ithacan on 11/15/05 01:36

I'd probably take EWF at 21 anyway and lower STR a bit for playability. It's really up to you though.
_________________
.:\_/:. Only those who have known darkness in
(OvO) their hearts will see the shadows in life...
(|__|)
..".."..
Quote: Posted 11/15/05 01:33:08 (GMT) -- Jennalee

I'd probably take EWF at 21 anyway and lower STR a bit for playability. It's really up to you though.

If you do that, you might as well take bard to 14, which would be a different build. I just don't know what other WM feat I'd like at that point. You would lose an AB for the WM level 19 but gain +2 to your AC by bard song. Then you'd really have to start thinking about adding curse song to the build. The point here was to max out AB in a high-damage build. i would give up greater str and take exotic weapon feat instead , i think you loose 1 point base ab and 1 point ab due to the loss of str but you could go with sythe then , way more effective than spear. or use some axe if youu want to go with shield. also the keen edge spell works on both weapons. It ain't quite as simple as that - you'd need to take exotic pre-epic and focus in it, get the WM prereqs and delay the WM levels. You'd lose AB that way but you get a better weapon. Also, which classes are you going to take to fill in the remaining 4 levels pre-epic? You'd probably end up as a Bard 14/WM 16/RDD 10 that way.
_________________
.:\_/:. Only those who have known darkness in
(OvO) their hearts will see the shadows in life...
(|__|)
..".."..

Edited By Jennalee on 11/15/05 05:59

i said you might loose one 1bab, and you do but i think the higher crits are worth it.

you can do it with the same lvls:
1.dodge ,mobility
3.expertise
6.exo weapons
9.spring attack
12.whirwind
15.wf

so you can take the first wm on lvl 15 , if you go with 8 bard 7 rdd 5 wm you end up with a perepic bab of 16 ergo bab 26 on lvl 40
Quote: Posted 11/15/05 11:47:57 (GMT) -- bloodymerc

i said you might loose one 1bab, and you do but i think the higher crits are worth it.

you can do it with the same lvls:
1.dodge ,mobility
3.expertise
6.exo weapons
9.spring attack
12.whirwind
15.wf

so you can take the first wm on lvl 15 , if you go with 8 bard 7 rdd 5 wm you end up with a perepic bab of 16 ergo bab 26 on lvl 40

You can do it, and you would only lose 1 AB. The way to do it would be to take bard 8 RDD 8 pre-epic. By level 22, you'd net +1 in AB because of your RDD strength kicking in earlier. You would also net some skill points for the intelligence kicking in earlier.

1 Bard 1 Dodge, Mobility
2 Bard 2
3 Bard 3 Martial/Exotic Weapon
4 Bard 4 STR 17
5 Bard 5
6 RDD 1 Wpn Focus: (Scythe or Rapier, depending which you were doing)
7 RDD 2 RDD STR 19
8 RDD 3 STR 20
9 RDD 4 Expertise RDD STR 22
10 RDD 5
11 RDD 6
12 Bard 6 Spring Attack STR 23
13 RDD 7 RDD CON 14
14 RDD 8
15 Bard 7 Whirlwind Attack [Intimidate: 4]
16 WM 1 STR 24
17 WM 2
18 WM 3 Imp. Crit
19 WM 4
20 Bard 8 STR 25

Then you'd start taking the Dev Crit feats if you were opting that version; you'd end up with no ESF (Discipline). If the non-dev crit, you merely forego Toughness. And one AB, either way.

But the spear is not that bad of a weapon. With your weaponmaster abilities, it will have a x4 multiplier for its crits, like the battleaxe. It will have a decent critical range. And you get it for free. That one AB could be critical; if you score a knockdown in PvP, you usually win.

Anyway, build to taste.
Quote: Posted 11/15/05 01:33:08 (GMT) -- Jennalee

I'd probably take EWF at 21 anyway and lower STR a bit for playability. It's really up to you though.

After you hit level 19 (WM 7), playability should not be a concern. And after level 26 (RDD 10), it's sick. Your only concerns are the ones you will have as a forty: medium AC, low saves. You will dish out a world of hurt. NON-DEV CRIT Version with a Scythe or Rapier:

STR 8+6 +4/2 = 16 + 8 RDD + 10 ability + 4 feats = 38
DEX 8 + 6 = 14
CON 8 + 4 = 12 + 2 RDD = 14
INT 8 + 6 = 14 + 2 RDD = 16
WIS 8
CHA 8 + 4 = 12 + 2 RDD = 14

1 Bard 1 Dodge, Mobility
2 Bard 2
3 Bard 3 Exotic Weapon OR Martial Weapon
4 Bard 4 STR 17
5 Bard 5
6 RDD 1 WF: Scythe OR Rapier
7 RDD 2 RDD STR 19
8 RDD 3 STR 20
9 RDD 4 Expertise RDD STR 22
10 RDD 5
11 RDD 6
12 Bard 6 Spring Attack [Intimidate: 4] STR 23
13 RDD 7 RDD CON 14
14 RDD 8
15 Bard 7 Whirlwind Attack
16 WM 1 STR 24
17 WM 2
18 WM 3 Imp. Crit (Scythe or Rapier)
19 WM 4
20 Bard 8 STR 25
21 RDD 9 GR STR I (STR 26); RDD INT 16
22 RDD 10 RDD STR 30 CHA 14
23 WM 5
24 WM 6 GR STR II (STR 31) STR 32
25 WM 7
26 WM 8
27 Bard 9 GR STR III (STR 33)
28 WM 9 STR 34
29 WM 10
30 WM 11 GR STR IV 35
31 WM 12
32 Bard 10 STR 36
33 WM 13 Knockdown, WM Feat: EWF
34 WM 14
35 WM 15
36 WM 16 IKD, WM Feat: Epic Prowess STR 37
37 WM 17
38 WM 18
39 WM 19 ESF: Discipline, WM Feat: Armor Skin
40 Bard 11 STR 38

Martial/Rapier permits the use of shield, which will add + 8 to the build's AC if + 5 equipment is allowed. Exotic/Scythe gives you the two-hander strength bonus to damage (which is substantial with this build (14 v. 21 strength bonus) and a hgher crit multiplier (x5) but has a lower crit range. Great Sword may be a compromise between the two.

AC (10 base + 2 dex + 5 medium armor + 8 tumble + 4 RDD + 1 dodge + 2 Armor Skin = 32 [+ 3 if rapier/shield = 35]

Base Attack 26

AB (4/round): 26 base + 14 str + 1 WF + 2 EWF + 1 SWF + 3 ESWF + 1 EP = 48

Max HP: 420

Your saves also get marginally better:

Fort: 21
Reflex: 24
Will: 22

So, you lose 40 hit points and one AB, your saves get a little better (+1 to F and W, -1 to R) and you improve your weapon. And you get four more skill points for the RDD intelligence coming four levels earlier. I would put them in Heal.

Cheers.

Edited By griphook on 11/15/05 17:26

Gah, the AC is garbled on all of them:

AC (10 base + 2 dex + 5 medium armor + 8 tumble + 4 RDD + 1 dodge + 2 Armor Skin = 32 [+ 3 if shield build = 35]

With the Heavy Armor feat you can up that by two. Might be worth trading two Great Strengths (1 AB and 3 damage points (2 if single handed weapon) for Heavy Armor and an open feat (Toughness gets you 40 hit points, Blind Fight is dead useful, too.)

Cheers. Ok ..Corrected very sick build.. sick and sweet

probably has a very god survival rate with the RDD immunities and the shield extra AC (i would go with the rapier, makes much better use of the WM)