Premise: Basic idea was to combine undispellable Cleric buffs with a strong Bard Song. Simple party buffer, who can do some decent damage through spells and light damage through ranged attacks for a limited time. The best part is being able to use a dagger and shield, and walk among the fallen, resurrecting, raising, healing, buffing and helping with a reassuring and restoring song and cursing the enemy all in one little gnome. This little gnome can also go into limited melee using the right buffs.

Name: Healing, Humming, Support Gnome
Classes: Cleric 25, Bard 15
Playable 2-40, PvM -- that first level, without a summons, will be tough
Race: Gnome
Alignment: any non-lawful

Starting Stats:

Str 6 to 6
Dex 10 to 10
Con 10 to 10
Wis 18 to 30
Int 14 to 14
Cha 14 to 14


Leveling:

1 Bard1 Curse Song
2 Cleric1
3 Cleric2 Combat Casting
4 Cleric3
5 Cleric4
6 Cleric5 Zen Archery
7 Bard2
8 Cleric6
9 Cleric7 Expertise
10 Cleric8
11 Cleric9
12 Bard3 Lingering Song
13 Cleric10
14 Cleric11
15 Cleric12 Silent Spell
16 Cleric13
17 Bard4
18 Cleric14 Still Spell
19 Cleric15
20 Cleric16

21 Cleric17 Automatic Silent Spell I
22 Bard5
23 Bard6
24 Cleric18 Improved Combat Casting
25 Cleric19
26 Bard7
27 Bard8 Automatic Still Spell I
28 Bard9
29 Cleric20
30 Bard10 Automatic Still Spell II
31 Cleric21
32 Bard11
33 Bard12 Automatic Silent Spell II
34 Bard13
35 Cleric22
36 Bard14 Automatic Silent Spell III
37 Bard15
38 Cleric23 Great Wisdom I
39 Cleric24 Great Wisdom II
40 Cleric25



Skills:
Concentration 43(45 Gnome Bonus)
Spellcraft 43(45)
Tumble 40
Perform 23(25)
Heal 20(30)
Lore 1(18)

The effects of level 15 bard song are: +2 Attack, +3 Damage, +2 all saves, +16 HP, +4 AC, +3 Skill bonus
The effects of level 15 curse song are: -2 Attack, -3 Damage, -2 all saves, -16 HP, -4 AC, -3 skill 'bonus'


Spells:

Cleric with Healing and Plant
0: Cure Minor Wounds
1: Bless, Entropic Shield, Divine Favor, Endure Elements, Shield of Faith
2: Aid, Endurance, Barkskin, Darkness
3: Darkfire, Clarity, Prayer, Protection from Elements, Magic Vestment
4: Divine Power, Death Ward, Restoration, Greater Magic Weapon
5: Battletide, Heal, Raise Dead
6: Harm, Blade Barrier
7: Creeping Doom, Greater Restoration, Resurrection
8: Mass Heal, Sunbeam, Firestorm
9: Storm of Vengence, Implosion

Bard
0: Cure Minor
1: Protection from Alignment, Mage Armor, Balagarn's Iron Horn
2: Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Ultravision, Cloud of Bewilderment
3: Haste, Wounding Whispers, Greater Magic Weapon, Confusion
4: Improved Invisibility, War Cry, Cure Critical Wounds


HP: 200 + 90 = 290


AC: 18 naked, 28 in full plate and large shield, 53 with expertise fully buffed and song


AB: 35/30/25 ranged, 54/49/44/54/54 max buffed and song


Saves:

Fort 21[30 spellcraft][32 song and spellcraft]
Reflex 19[28][30]
Will 34[43][45]


any suggestions for a better party buffer are open. i couldn't find what i wanted, so this is as close as it gets. i would have liked to get a higher bard song, but the lack of cleric was the problem. i wanted undispellable buffs coupled with the best song possible. not too bad over all. quite a help in a party.

also, i should mention that i took auto still I and II to allow for casting bard spells in combat. not really necessary, but may be helpful. if you ignore that idea, you can fit in 2 epic feats and 1 pre-epic. could get a weapon focus or something similar. depends on what you need more.

comments and suggestions, as always, welcome and invited.

-c
_________________
"Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement."

Edited By christian.schnabel on 12/07/05 06:49

Why'd it have to be a gnome, other than the cuteness factor? He gets an EXP penalty eventually with that class division and makes it harder to level how you want. I'd say stick with Human.

As well, you might want to compromise a bit and make it Cleric 24/ Bard 16. A little dispellable but 16th level song, if it makes more of a difference.
_________________
.:\_/:. Only those who have known darkness in
(OvO) their hearts will see the shadows in life...
(|__|)
..".."..
Quote: Posted 12/08/05 10:46:31 (GMT) -- Jennalee

Why'd it have to be a gnome, other than the cuteness factor? He gets an EXP penalty eventually with that class division and makes it harder to level how you want. I'd say stick with Human.

As well, you might want to compromise a bit and make it Cleric 24/ Bard 16. A little dispellable but 16th level song, if it makes more of a difference.

to be honest i don't remember why i choose gnome. i think its because i never really made a gnome before (to my recollection).
i thought XP penalty kicked in with 3 classes, not 2?
yeah, more bard is a little stronger, but the dispellable was a goal, where the song came second.
also, with human, i can't get cha up that high while keeping a lack of negatives in dex and con. probably could lose either though. not really a big deal with this build.

thanks for the input.

-c XP penalty kicks in as soon as you have two classes where none is a favored class that are more than 1 level apart, if I remember correctly from my long over PnP days.

About the build now, I think it's quite interesting, and looks like a pretty good support gnome indeed. Having 2 spell selection lists always make for a good versatility, and an added bardsong is nothing to spit on when it comes to buffing. My only question is, why take Automatic Silent Spell? I've never used this before, so I don't see the point of taking it. You type your AC with plate and shield. Even with Bull's strength you will not be able to walk by just having it with you. You will be dependant upon STR gear all the time, taking item slots away. That's why gnome isn't the best choice. That and the xp penalty all the way from lvl 4 and up.

I think human. No xp penalty. Consider starting with less DEX and more STR, DEX won't be as critical if you get dispelled. If you depend upon Bull's and gets hit by a dispel, you crawl around so you better win without needing to move.

I know that Cleric lvl 26 is past the dispel cap, but that won't save you when you are lvl 15 or 20.
It is a very good support char, but more STR will do you very good.

It got some style points, and your pals will probably love you. But xp penalty from lvl 4 is severe in most settings. I would try human. Don't take this wrong, it is a very good build, I just pointed out a few weak points. Also, I don't think getting to WIS 28 only is such a big issue; start Human with 16 WIS (or even 14 for something like STR: 14, DEX: 10, CON: 14, INT: 14, WIS: 14, CHA: 14 and take it up to 26. You're not really going to be an offensive caster are you? Most of your spell slots come from base class levels anyway, more WIS won't make a huge difference) - pushing for 18 is just too expensive with the starting stats the way it works. Or, just leave DEX at 8 and buff it, especially if you're taking War domain. Aura of Vitality affects both you and your allies - super duper if you ask me.

What domains would you be taking? Trickery and War or Travel?
_________________
.:\_/:. Only those who have known darkness in
(OvO) their hearts will see the shadows in life...
(|__|)
.."..".. Well, it's original alright.

Is there a reason not to have three classes? You'd have a slightly worse Bard Song (or lower Cleric caster level) but you could gain some nice features, especially from that one level of Monk
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< XmikeW> im glad though.. i used to think that -all- finns were supersmart nerds.. but, after seeing 1) (C) law ..2) your culture minister ..and 3) the äm-irk girls... i can say that you guys are definately typical human beings after all [smile_:-) to saosin:

thanks for the info on the xp penalty. i just play humans so often that i ignore most of those rules.
i took auto silent to avoid problems with spellcasters. cast silence? no prob. i just keep on going. or i can cast silence on myself, and walk through combat as any mages nearby fail. probably not terribly important though. can be changed with whatever you like.

to grimnir:

haha. i was wondering if anyone would catch that. i bult this little gnome, armed up and realized i couldn't move. oh well, i guess human is the way to go. drop wis to 16 to start and up it to 28.

to jenn:

yeah, you were right from the beginning. gnome just isn't best, but i do get points for trying!
also, i think that str to 14 is a little extreme. 12 is probably enough, but your point is noted: wis can be much lower and still be effective for this type of char.

to fin:

one level of monk makes alignment changing a pain in the rear end, due to the use of bard. not a bad idea, but really one level of monk brings little. cleave for a non melee char, evasion for a so-so reflex save and wisdom to armour for a plate wearing....or i see where you are going with this now. drop plate and the shield, use monk robes. maybe its not so bad an idea, if you can bare the alignment shift. thanks. that is actually a pretty ingenious idea.


so, in conclusion:
1) if i am a gnome, add a level of monk
2) otherwise, drop wis down a bit and go human

thanks to all for contributing. further comments are always welcome.

-c
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"Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger." Of course Monk is not the only choice - really, I don't think there's a build which would benefit from having only one or two different classes. It's a viable choice at times, yes, but to add more functionality as well as >>balance>> it's best to have three classes (especially when we get 40 levels to spread out these days ).

Breakdown for the other choices (what you gain in 1 to 2 levels):

1. Barbarian (all weapons save Exotic, no useful skills added)
1.1. Movement speed increase plus Rage
1.2. Uncanny Dodge

not a bad choice overall

2. Monk (Monk Weapons, no useful skills added)
2.1. Cleave, Evasion, Flurry of Blows, Improved Unarmed Strike, Monk AC Bonus, Stunning Fist
2.2. Deflect Arrows

the ultimate class to get that one level in, heh

3. Paladin (all weapons save Exotic, no useful skills added)
3.1. Divine Grace, Divine Health
3.2. Aura of Courage, Smite Evil

not a bad choice either, really

4. Rogue (Rogue Weapons, thieving skills)
4.1. 1d6 Sneak Attack
4.2. Evasion

a good choice for this build I think

5. Assassin (thieving skills)
5.1. 1d6 Death Attack, Use Poison (I've yet to see a module in which the feat's useful)
5.2. Ghostly Visage, Poison Save (Evasion should be here ), Uncanny Dodge

not a bad choice

6. Pale Master (nothing )
6.1. Bone Skin
6.2. Animate Dead (lol)

+2 AC on the 1st level

7. Red Dragon Disciple (nothing either)
7.1. Draconic Armor, HD 6
7.2. Dragon Abilities

+1 AC, +2 Strength

legend:

x. <class name + general stuff>
x.1. <first level abilities>
x.2. <second level abilities>

Druid also gives +2 AB in wilderness areas as well as immunity to Grease, Web and Entangle. Doesn't sound all that great ;x

EDIT: only now do I remember Fighter, for 2 bonus feats

Perhaps one could make this sort of a breakdown with all classes, for reference. Maybe I will... seriously bored at the moment

Well, those are the choices I think would bring something to the build, anyway. Hope that's enough to convince you that one should use 3 classes 99% of the time

I just took them of the Grimoire so please notify in case it's faulty.

EDIT: sometimes copypaste fails miserably
_________________
< XmikeW> im glad though.. i used to think that -all- finns were supersmart nerds.. but, after seeing 1) (C) law ..2) your culture minister ..and 3) the äm-irk girls... i can say that you guys are definately typical human beings after all [smile_:-)

Edited By FinneousPJ on 12/09/05 16:49