I made this character for PvM. Although it does not include any toughness for HP, the spell casting should be be well worth the trade off. With this build you'll receive a higher AC using Divine Shield and Bardic Song at lvl 17, also gives you +22 HPs. You'll receive 2 lvl 6 spell slots to use up. You can either slide them down to an extended Lvl 5 spells, or use them for Dirge and Energy Buffer. You'll have plenty of spell slots for all your spells to be extended. Curse Song and Taunt will wreck havok on anything hard to hit. You could swap Armor Skin for Toughness for you own desire.
Good tatics for this build would be to de-armor, cast your buffs, re-armor, unleesh an extended Darkness Spell, perhaps 2, and have at it. You'll have a nice KD on your opponents with all your extended buffs. Your opponents Discipline will drop by 5 points using Cursed Song. When in combat, always flank. If someone switches onto you, KD them for getting in your face and continue to flank using your backstab for more damage. You're not going to be a huge damage threat but you will be there aiding your allies a nice KD and buffs. Oh and you should be doing a lot of hitting.
Bard(17), Red Dragon Disciple(10), Blackguard(13), Human Playable Character levels 1-40, PvM Alignment: Evil, any non lawful
Hitpoints: 436 + 22 Bardic Song = 458 HPs Skillpoints: 268 Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 28/24/22 BAB: 27 AB (max, naked): 45 (melee), 28 (ranged) +2 Bull STR +5 Greater Magic Weapon +2 War Cry Bardic Song +2 Curse Song +5 Taunt +6 Max total AB with buffs: +67 (melee)
AC (naked/mundane armor/shield only): 24/35 Spell Casting: Bard(6) +1 Cat's Grace +4 Haste +5 Divine Shield, use a Nymphs Cloak for more AC +5 Bardic Song +2 Curse Song Max totoal AB with buffs: 36 AC
I would only do a bit of customization, perhaps trade power attack and cleave at level 1 for lingering song and blind fight freeing an epic feature. They help, but lingering song might be of help (mostly at level 1) and blind fight will be needed soon.
If you can't decide what to take with that free epic feature you can trade the epic prowess for a great str (and other in the free feat) ending with 2 more str. Same ab, more damage and carrying capacity. Longer bard song, and blind fight during all your career.
I would also go hammer and board, but... it is customization.
Once again, nice build. _________________ HEAD KNIGHT: Shh shh. We are now the Knights Who Say Ekke ekke ekke ptang zoo boing! RANDOM: Ni!
You need Cleave for Blackguard, Power Attack for Cleave and the Divine feats.
Lingering Song is good to have when you don't have Lasting Inspiration, that's true. I would rather pick Lingering Song than Extend Spell, but that's just my preference.
Whether you need Blind-Fight early or not is obviously world-dependant, and it would be simple enough to shuffle the feats around to get it earlier, I think _________________ Now is my day's work done; I'll take good breath: Rest, sword; thou hast thy fill of blood and death.
You need Cleave for Blackguard, Power Attack for Cleave and the Divine feats.
Lingering Song is good to have when you don't have Lasting Inspiration, that's true. I would rather pick Lingering Song than Extend Spell, but that's just my preference.
Whether you need Blind-Fight early or not is obviously world-dependant, and it would be simple enough to shuffle the feats around to get it earlier, I think
Now I feel dumb. I should get used to blackguards, they look very interesting but I have never played one.
Good points, indeed. _________________ HEAD KNIGHT: Shh shh. We are now the Knights Who Say Ekke ekke ekke ptang zoo boing! RANDOM: Ni!
Good build. I'd suggest a couple tweaks for a bit better playability:
move Bard 8 to level 17 (to top up Tumble), Bard 9 to level 22 (same reason), and either Bard 10 up or Bard 11 down to level 27 (same reason). _________________ Wave upon wave of demented avengers marched cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream...
Cool to see a build using BG..the infernal ones praise such efforts _________________ Favorite PW's: Hall of the Worlds, Higher Ground, World of Iniquity.
Quote: Posted 11/22/05 20:37:36 (GMT) -- chsmi
Cool to see a build using BG..the infernal ones praise such efforts
I think I have 4 on these pages, lol. One with these here classes, but it is not even remotely close to this guy..... I like Blackguards, and the bard spells coupled with the melee prowess and sneak attacks of the BG can make for some real nasty damage, and what i call dirty fighting.
Very good build.
Edited By Grimnir77 on 11/22/05 21:15
I'd try to include Still Spell in there - you can't do a striptease while in combat (I mean, you can't take off your armor while in combat) and that Imp. Invis that ran out just might have saved your life
At least Kaliban won't be pot-banging about plagiarism this time Pretty nifty. _________________ .:\_/:. Only those who have known darkness in (OvO) their hearts will see the shadows in life... (|__|) ..".."..
Quote: Posted 11/23/05 02:21:01 (GMT) -- Jennalee
I'd try to include Still Spell in there - you can't do a striptease while in combat (I mean, you can't take off your armor while in combat) and that Imp. Invis that ran out just might have saved your life
At least Kaliban won't be pot-banging about plagiarism this time Pretty nifty.
ive been playing this character in some mods for awhile and for any spell that is needed, such as Darkness and War Cry, they always seem to work while wearing armor. is it me or am i just having the best of luck. greese spell too also seem to be this way. I opted to use Still spell since this was encountered, so i left it.
playing this character i tried using equipment to resemble a low to moderate magic worlds. usually nothing more then +3 enchantment. i was able to get as high as 60-62 AB and 52 AC.
im just not a big fan of any extended songs. PvM, just whip out another song. no biggy. i just feel the its such a waste since you'll have 17 songs to balance out beween Song and Curse. that to me is like equal to 8 battles. you'll be resting before then.
If one truely needs to use greater dispell one can always use a scroll in the dark, lights out
I would only do a bit of customization, perhaps trade power attack and cleave at level 1 for lingering song and blind fight freeing an epic feature. They help, but lingering song might be of help (mostly at level 1) and blind fight will be needed soon.
If you can't decide what to take with that free epic feature you can trade the epic prowess for a great str (and other in the free feat) ending with 2 more str. Same ab, more damage and carrying capacity. Longer bard song, and blind fight during all your career.
I would also go hammer and board, but... it is customization.
Once again, nice build.
ya you could probably swap out the extended feat and slide around some stuff and take out prowess for 2 more great strenghts. i just figured since this isnt dmg oriented anyways, more spell buffed and support then anything.
ive been playing this character in some mods for awhile and for any spell that is needed, such as Darkness and War Cry, they always seem to work while wearing armor. is it me or am i just having the best of luck. greese spell too also seem to be this way. I opted to use Still spell since this was encountered, so i left it.
Darkness and War Cry ar Verbal only (so not affected by armor), but Grease is Verbal and Somatic, so you got lucky with Grease.
Still Spell really depends on your environment and how you use your spells. If you're playing in a mod/PW where Haste is unavailable on items, it's damned handy having te capability of casting it in armor.
Quote: im just not a big fan of any extended songs. PvM, just whip out another song. no biggy. i just feel the its such a waste since you'll have 17 songs to balance out beween Song and Curse. that to me is like equal to 8 battles. you'll be resting before then.
Again, environment dependant. Any mod with rest restrictions may make you think again on that. I like having the extended Song, simply for the extra time you have the buffs and your opponents have the penalties, but it's certainly not a game-breaker. _________________ Wave upon wave of demented avengers marched cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream...
Taking Bard 20, BG 10 and RDD 10 would give you the same overall, but with more 6th level spells, a higher perform, potential to take SF: Taunt capability, only at the expense of 1 AB, 12 HP, 2 x Great Strength Feats and 1 x BG Sneak Attack - your saves would remain the same.
I'd drop Divine Shield as your CHA modifier isn't great - I'd take either Blind Fight, Toughness or Still Spell instead.
Still Spell would be preferred I would think in order to utilise your larger magic capability in combat
Just a couple of suggestions really.
Why go with 10 Blackguard? _________________ Now is my day's work done; I'll take good breath: Rest, sword; thou hast thy fill of blood and death.
Taking Bard 20, BG 10 and RDD 10 would give you the same overall, but with more 6th level spells, a higher perform, potential to take SF: Taunt capability, only at the expense of 1 AB, 12 HP, 2 x Great Strength Feats and 1 x BG Sneak Attack - your saves would remain the same.
I'd drop Divine Shield as your CHA modifier isn't great - I'd take either Blind Fight, Toughness or Still Spell instead.
Still Spell would be preferred I would think in order to utilise your larger magic capability in combat
Just a couple of suggestions really.
1 AB, 12 HP, 2 x Great Strength Feats and 1 x BG Sneak Attack huh, sounds like a whole new build to me. im not sure what the AB progress is from loosing more BG and gaining more Bard because im away from my Calc Sheet, but IMO, thats loosing to much. for one your lowing your STR for KD and extra damage, which i might add you're already low. second your taking away the main purpose of the build, "stalking" with sneak attack. like i said, your already low on dealing damage. The spells at 6th lvl should be plenty. I made it the minimum amount someone would need. theres really only 2 spells that would server any real purpose in your journeys, Dirge and Energy Buffer.
dont get me wrong, i do like the idea of more bard lvls so i can dump extended spell and opt it for still spell. but 17 lvls of bard spell lvls seems pretty quick to me. i might get 2 or 3 battles before they start wearing off. i figure with extend itll double your time so you'll always be ready. this should buy everyone the time to be buffed and make it till next rest period.
im not sure what kind of worlds everyone plays on, but ive never had a problem worrying about rest time. thats why i opted to take extended for this purpose. if your like me, i usually rest as soon as i can. and if i wasnt ready for any incounter, invis or GS out of there and get ready. always nice to keep a few potions of invis and scrolls of GS around. although there has been some issues with players using those two in order, i think its some NWN bug or something. i also heard the Visage spells somehow effect the GS spell as well. we've got it on some forum somewhere on our PW.
im not sure what the AB progress is from loosing more BG and gaining more Bard
There is no loss if you take it in the order specified - you still get your 4 attacks per round with the same AB overall - it may differ by a point in places during the build life, but not a lot else if at all.
for one your lowing your STR for KD and extra damage, which i might add you're already low
Low? Without Smiting, Over and Dev Crit, over the top Sneak Attacks and over buffed cleric spells its not that bad.
STR (unbuffed) 36 (with max boosts it can reach 48 only 1 modifier point away from the cap)
STR +13 (unbuffed) GMW +5 bonus Bard Song +3 War Cry +2 Base Weapon Damage 2d6 1.5x damage bonus as you use a large weapon Crit Threat Range is 15-20/ x2 with the aid of the Bard spell Keen (Greatsword is a Slashing Weapon after all) Four Attacks per Round (if Hasted then 5) Sneak Attack +3d6 (or 3-18 points on a successful sneak, if using Improved Invis (40 Turns Extd) or combination of Darkness and Ultravision in certain situations)
Curse Song - at start of the action gives 26 point damage immediately
Looking at that the Damage output it looks decent enough on a mundane weapon.
That's without mentioning the effects of:
Dirge (STR-2 and DEX-2 per round on opponents, Stilled 20 rounds) Wounding Whispers (1d6+20 sonic damage if hit by opponent) Ice Storm (3d6 bludgeoning 8d6 cold damage - No Save)
Your KD roll only drops by 1 point by losing the 2 Great Strength Feats, which drops your AB and damage output by 1 point each overall (Not as well as)
main purpose of the build, "stalking" with sneak attack
if that was the aim then I would have taken more BG levels, but losing 3 levels of BG to lose only 1d6 sneak is of no consequence in my eyes - personal preference I guess...
The spells at 6th lvl should be plenty. I made it the minimum amount someone would need. theres really only 2 spells that would server any real purpose in your journeys, Dirge and Energy Buffer
See above with regard to Ice Storm - admittedly you may fail as it can't be Stilled, but don't forget Mass Haste if you are in party - Extended for 40 rounds....
Now I feel dumb. I should get used to blackguards, they look very interesting but I have never played one.
Pretty nifty.