* NOTE: This version is modified from its original ( click here ), being stream-lined with extra strength while retaining access to Bard abilities, to provide a character that is particularly suited for PvP (strategic battle), but also single-player/PvM, and having high role-playability. At 15th level Bard, this epic fighter, in addition to having great song buff and curse song abilities, has unique access to the arcane arts, including bard spell buffs, the fearsome War Cry, and Mind Fog. This character is an epic fighting character, and a talented performance musician.
The other versions of the build are here and here.
Background: Hex Blade is a tactical fighting specialist, and knows the power of music. Combining his/her mastery of the blade with bard song talent, he/she is an irresistible defender, and an unforgettable attacker; music affects all within ear shot, be they friend or foe. Created by NWN community member, and long-time D&D melee “purist,” this character has been built to strike fear and pandemonium into swarming gangs, monsters, and entire battle fields, in order to send them packing. First-and-foremost, he/she is a blade master, with the artistic talent to further weaken and disorient the enemy through music.
With the power of taunt and curse song, and the tactical use of bard magic, the Hex Blade can reduce enemies to quivering cowards; and once the enemy is hexed, the Hex Blade need merely draw upon his/her fine-tuned blade, to swiftly finish the job. The sooner that evil is foiled, the better it is for the Hex Blade: in between sharpening blades, adventuring and winning battles, this character recuperates through music. Hex Blade is a fighter with a romantic, sensitive side, as an artist, with a high dedication to the study of music composition and performance. This dedication to music has rewarded the Hex Blade with the ability to sing a song of inspiration, to augment self and all those who stand beside him/her, and to strike fear and damage into the hearts and bodies of the enemy. The Hex Blade is an irresistible character, and a welcome addition to any party.
Based on the Arthurian Tales and old Celtic lore (the “fighting bard”), this character is a melee character, and built to perform under pressure. When a musician goes off to Knight School, to add blade mastery to his/her talent list, it begs the question: is the song more powerful than the sword?
The Hex Blade is neutral, preferably, but may be of any non-lawful alignment. The blade, for example, is indiscriminate, but a cold piece of steel; it is a tool that may be used for the forces of “good” or “evil,” or “neutrality,” only as directed by its wielder; when wielded by the Hex Blade, it is sheer poetic mastery. Music, in a sense, is also neutral: it is an art form, and it stirs emotions in the minds and hearts of the audience, without regard to their alignment; when performed by the Hex Blade, it draws its tempo and power from the full range of all that is human thought and experience, and stirs the soul of everyone more-or-less equally. In addition, and as a practical matter, with all this study of the blade and music, the Hex Blade simply has neither the time, nor the inclination, to study the detailed intricacies of the law, or its enforcement, which is an entirely different specialty, requiring a different aptitude and skill set. Instead, the Hex Blade is a weapon master, an epic fighter, and a performance musician; by any other name, Hex Blade is the fighting bard that all medieval minstrels rave about.
This character is meant to be played through, with skills and feats chosen and balanced accordingly, since it makes little sense to have an ‘ultimate’ shining character, if she/he can’t survive long enough to reach the epic levels. That having been said, players are of course free to pick up the Hex Blade at any level.
Astute players will quickly recognize that, as a melee fighting character, the Hex Blade has been gifted with all the strength, feats, and skill-sets that fully qualify as “tank,” but having a touch of the arcane, justifiable by the fact the Hex Blade is an intelligent, performing musician, and thus able to draw upon some of the unique strengths and qualities of the bard. Melee players, especially purists, while enjoying the Hex Blade’s epic fighting prowess and superior longsword mastery, should equally come to appreciate this character’s unique bard assets, providing an arcane touch. This unique blend of skills and abilities that can only be the Hex Blade is designed for the ultimate purpose of producing a character that is exceptionally well suited for team PvP (strategic battle settings, and the like), but he/she is equally suited for solo play, and always up for a dungeon/PvM romp. Because Hex Blade is a tactical fighting specialist, with a sensitive, artistic side, this is a power-build with high role-playability.
HEX BLADE
Overview
Fighter: 18 Ba: 15 Weapon Master: 7
Race: Human Alignment: Neutral Good Preferred (Any Non-Lawful)
Equipment Longsword, Full Plate AC: 31 (35 self-buffed) [Note: higher with shield, but greater risk of arcane spell failure].
Saves: (unadjusted, unbuffed) Fort: 22 (24 song buffed) Will: 20 (22 song buffed) Reflex: 24 (26 song buffed)
Other: HP: 460 (+16, song buffed) BAB: 29, +42 (naked/unarmed), +2 (naked, singing in the shower). DC (Devastating Critical): 39 (naked/unbuffed),+6 buffed
Bard Spells: Level 5 SR (15 Level Bard): 15, +1d20
Mighty Defense and Bard Assets:
• Bard Song: Hex Blade’s innate musical talent has been artfully polished, with the fighting maestro being able to instill the following effects on the audience:
o Curse Song: all enemy combatants within earshot (30’ area) are cursed, suffering -2 to Save Rolls (Fort, Will, Reflex), -2 to Attack Roll, -3 to Damage Rolls, -3 to Skill Rolls, -4 to AC, and -16 HPs (damage).
o Buff Song: the Hex Blade, together with all his allies (within 30’area) are inspired by his song, gaining +2 to all Saves, +2 to Attack Rolls, +3 Damage, +3 to Skill Rolls, +16 HPs (temporary), and +4 AC.
• Lingering Song: at level 15 Bard, the Hex Blade carries many songs in his heart and their effects are long lasting; whether it’s a performance being delivered to inspire himself and/or his allies, or curse his foes (or both), the effects of his songs linger on for many rounds, which is of great benefit when engaged in hand-to-hand combat. • Access to Bard Spells (5th Level), including WAR CRY, which is a powerful battle cry that strikes instant fear and panic into all enemies within ear-shot, who fail their saving throws; at the same time, the war cry grants Hex Blade a further +2 bonus to his already high Attack and Damage Rolls. • Bard Toys: adept at using bard instruments, and a large variety of wands and scrolls.
Devastating Offense and “Deadly Accuracy”:
• Epic Blade Mastery: the Hex Blade is an epic fighting character, having trained long and hard with his weapon, and is a blade master. His superior weapon focus, combined with his epic weapon focus and epic weapon specialization, means high AB; in short, he accurately hits his target. Coupled with his great strength and epic level fighting expertise (including devastating critical and Ki Critical), he can swiftly bring down his enemies.
• High Attack Bonus: (mundane, non-magical longsword):
o Non-Buffed: o AB: +42/+37/+32/+28 o Damage: 1-8, +STR Modifier (critical 15-20/x3)
o Self-Buffed (Singing): o AB: +44/+39/+34/+29 o Damage: as above, +3 Bludgeoning
Hex Blade's Advantages
1. High Attack Bonus/Damage: can be raised even further with bard song and/or bard spell, and magical equipment. 2. Devastating Critical: can easily defeat anyone with Devastating Critical when they fail their saving throws against the fear or other debilitating effects of Hex Blade’s Magic (i.e., bestow curse, confusion, war cry, and so forth), which enemy saves can be reduced by the curse song; even with saves, enemies will still have to overcome Devastating Critical. 3. Bard/Tactical Fighting Advantages: with numerous bard and curse songs, having long-lasting effects, Hex Blade can strike fear and pandemonium into the hearts and minds of all enemies within ear-shot (battalions, marauding monsters, and swarming gangs of thugs), and regardless whether they are hiding or in plain view. 4. High AC and High HP: can be raised even further through his music (self-buffing). 5. Bard Knowledge and Access to Magic: Full access to 5th-Level Bard Spells, with the innate talent also to use a large variety of magical devices, including many scrolls.
Secondary Advantages
1. Can reduce an unlimited number of enemy combatants’ AC, along with their attack and damage rolls, their save and skill rolls, and even lower their HPs (damage), with a single music performance (which perform skill has been maximized). The curse song affects all enemy combatants in the area of effect (30’ area). At the same time, his song can inspire him, and all his allies. In each case, the effects of his musical performance are long lasting (see, above). 2. Can further reduce an enemy’s AC with the Taunt skill, which has been maximized. 3. Sneaking/Hiding characters, and would-be ambushers, cannot avoid the curse song; when it is followed up by the War Cry, Confusion, or any number of his other unique “combat hexing” (bard spell) effects, the Hex Blade will know where they are. 4. Good-to-High Saves all across-the-board, and easily raised through his/her bard song and/or buff magic [note: once again, his/her curse song has the exact opposite effect on all enemies, reducing their saves, skills, and so forth (see, above)]. 5. High Discipline and High Concentration, which have been fully maximized, and yet can be even further raised through his/her bard song.
Hex Blade's Disadvantages
1. While providing unbeatable defense, the use of full plate and a shield risk high arcane-casting failure; thus, drop his shield before casting any arcane bard spells, equipping it (if necessary) once you move in for combat. Later in the Hex Blade’s career, try switching his heavy armor with something lighter, and take full advantage of his defensive feats (dodge, armor skin, mobility, expertise, spring attack); coupled with good tumbling and his ability to self-buff (see, above), he can cast arcane bard spells with confidence, without worrying about his defense.
Secondary Disadvantages
1. Low Spot/Listen: while she/he has fine tuned “musical senses”, these partial-skill affinities are not sufficient for him to see adept sneaking creatures/characters (can be avoided, see above).
Hex Blade’s Equipment • As with all characters of the realm, the Hex Blade would benefit from having access to magical equipment. In addition to typical “fighter” items (e.g., magic armor, keen weapons, strength-boosting items, and items providing damage and magic resistance), the Hex Blade can make full use of bard instruments (lutes, mandolins, lich lyrics), arcane wands, and scrolls. • She also has unused Bard spell slots, which can be made readily accessible to her by a simple charisma-boosting item; alternatively, or in the meantime, fill these slots with metamagic (scrolls).
The Hex Blade’s Combat Spells and Epic Career Path:
• In addition to the self-buff magic available to bards, among the spells to consider for the Hex Blade are:
o Level 1: Balagarn's Iron Horn, Charm Person, Grease, Scare o Level 2: Cloud of Bewilderment, Ghostly Visage, Sound Burst, Tasha's Hideous Laughter o Level 3: Bestow Curse, Confusion, Fear, Cure Serious Wounds, Invisibility Sphere, or Slow o Level 4: War Cry o Level 5: Mind Fog
What follows is the epic path of the Hex Blade, from “battle crier” to “curse song combat warrior”, during the first 40 Levels of his/her career:
Level Chart 01: Bard(1): Toughness, Curse Song 02: Fighter(1): Weapon Focus: Longsword* (OR, a Weapon of YOUR Choice) 03: Fighter(2): Dodge, Mobility 04: Fighter(3): STR+1, (STR=16) 05: Fighter(4): Power Attack 06: Bard(2): Lingering Song 07: Fighter(5) 08: Fighter(6): STR+1, Cleave, (STR=17) 09: Bard(3): Spring Attack 10: Fighter(7) 11: Fighter(8): Great Cleave 12: Bard(4): STR+1, Expertise, (STR=18) 13: Fighter(9) 14: Fighter(10): Whirlwind Attack 15: Weapon Master(1): Improved Critical: Longsword, WoC: Longsword 16: Weapon Master(2): STR+1, (STR=19) 17: Weapon Master(3) 18: Weapon Master(4): Iron Will 19: Weapon Master(5) 20: Weapon Master(6): STR+1, (STR=20) 21: Weapon Master(7): Epic Weapon Focus: Longsword 22: Bard(5) 23: Fighter(11) 24: Fighter(12): STR+1, Great Strength I, Weapon Specialization: Longsword, (STR=22) 25: Bard(6) 26: Fighter(13) 27: Fighter(14): Great Strength II, Epic Weapon Specialization: Longsword, (STR=23) 28: Bard(7): STR+1, (STR=24) 29: Bard(8) 30: Fighter(15): Great Strength III, (STR=25) 31: Fighter(16): Armor Skin 32: Fighter(17): STR+1, (STR=26) 33: Fighter(18): Overwhelming Critical: Longsword, Devastating Critical: Longsword 34: Bard(9) 35: Bard(10) 36: Bard(11): STR+1, Great Charisma I, (STR=27), (CHA=14) 37: Bard(12) 38: Bard(13) 39: Bard(14): Great Charisma II, (CHA=15) 40: Bard(15): STR+1, (STR=28)
• The Author thanks this Guild for their interest and discussion of this character, with special acknowledgement to: Grim, Xylo, and Mithdradates, for their helpful advice, and also to Cats and Cinnabar for helping to clarify certain feat issues, in terms of power gaming; their comments were helpful. Thanks also to Kail Pendragon, who was kind enough to re-format an earlier version of my character, which is appreciated.
Added links, edited title to add new account name - Kail Pendragon
Edited By Kail Pendragon on 06/11/06 09:45
Special Note:
For uber-DevCrit and AB power, instead of raising CHA at lvl 36 and 39, raise your STR; this, to maximize it to the full ability of 30, increasing your AB bonus to +43 (that's +45 song buff, singing naked in the shower), and your DC to the max. Sure, you'll lose some spells, which we'll call your musical composition abilities; but you'll retain access to all those great buffing ones, and still have full use and all the enjoyment of your bard song and curse song, which we'll call musical performance power. Alternatively, you can raise one strength (for final STR 29), and take Great Fortitude (for that whopping fort 28, naked, just singing in the shower). Either way, that's certainly something to sing about!
Edited By Robert Tyr on 05/21/06 23:35
One final note/alternative:
At level 39, instead of taking grt.charisma, take epic prowess, which will raise the Hex Blade's AB +1 (for a nice grand total of +45, with song buff or war cry. In other words, there's no need to take two addit'l STR for this same outcome, unless you want that final boost to the DC (but with bard songs and curses, it's not necessary); this way, the Hex will retain a high enough CHA to access his War Cry, which is a nice spell to have, not only to buff and further hurt/havoc the enemy, but also to deal with adept sneaking characters/creatures
If sneakers aren't a problem on your world, then take epic prowess (for the extra AB boost) and either one of GrtSTR, or epic fortitude (for the +4 boost to your fort save, raised yet again by bard spell buff/bard song, which you'll still have access to). However, doing so (ie., dropping not just one, but both charisma boosts), means you won't access war cry, which would be a shame, when AB can be boosted to +45 (with song) by taking epic prowess, without the loss of this terrific spell, which is not only a great combat spell, but itself provides a +2 boost to attack/damage!