Ode to a Lily
Bard 26, Fighter 4, Champion of Torm 10
Human
Female - Lily Evermore (Hence the name)
Chaotic Neutral (to avoid smites & would seem to be the best alignment to fit a Bard)
PvM 1-40 (more than likely could do well in PvP, but I have not tested in that environment)

Currently using this build in a PW with some very pleasing results. The lack of Bard levels pre-epic is made up by the UMD ability, particularly with GMW and other weapon type buffs (Flame Weapon, etc).

The Scribe Scroll feat was selected at 8th level, inspired by Grizz in his recent Harper Galloglas build. This has thrown up something, which I had not been aware of before, and I am not certain whether it is unique to the PW I am using this on or not.

Anyway, you can scribe the spell Greater Magic Weapon when you take your 8th Bard level (12th in the build), but when casting it from the scroll, you get a continual value of a +5 enhancement to the melee weapon it is cast on. I had assumed this would follow the same path as the spell progression, being based on caster level, but it appears not to, which is nice.

Two other builds out there have the same class types taken:

Swordmaiden of Torm /Fighter 8/Bard 8/CoT 24
--Kaliban99

A very different build - focusing in two weapon types (1 ranged and 1 melee), with a much heavier bent on CoT rather than Bard.

The Veteran Party-Leader /Fighter 6/Bard 24/COT 10
--Xylophone

Similar to Xylo's in the sense this is STR based as well. Will Save is higher, with a higher base damage output, Bard levels taken to 26 as opposed to 24 giving the next step up in Bard/ Curse Song with +6 AC bonus; a focus in developing 3 skills to a high unbuffed level: Discipline, Perform and Taunt; Lasting Inspiration is taken 6 levels earlier. There are enough other changes to make this a different character.

STR: 16 (28)
DEX: 8
CON: 14
WIS: 8
INT: 14
CHA: 15 (16)

01: Bard(1): Luck Of Heros, Iron Will
02: Fighter(1): Weapon Focus: Scimitar
03: Fighter(2): Toughness, Knockdown
04: Fighter(3): STR+1, (STR=17)
05: Fighter(4): Weapon Specialization: Scimitar
06: Bard(2): Extend Spell
07: Bard(3)
08: Bard(4): STR+1, (STR=18)
09: Bard(5): Curse Song
10: Bard(6)
11: Bard(7)
12: Bard(8): STR+1, Scribe Scroll, (STR=19)
13: Champion of Torm(1)
14: Champion of Torm(2): Improved Critical: Scimitar
15: Champion of Torm(3): Blind Fight, {Smite Evil}
16: Champion of Torm(4): STR+1, Improved Knockdown, (STR=20)
17: Bard(9)
18: Bard(10): Still Spell
19: Bard(11)
20: Bard(12): STR+1, (STR=21)
21: Champion of Torm(5): Great Strength I, (STR=22)
22: Champion of Torm(6): Epic Weapon Focus: Scimitar
23: Bard(13)
24: Bard(14): CHA+1, Great Strength II, (STR=23), (CHA=16)
25: Bard(15)
26: Bard(16)
27: Bard(17): Epic Skill Focus: Perform
28: Bard(18): STR+1, (STR=24)
29: Bard(19)
30: Bard(20): Lasting Inspiration
31: Champion of Torm(7)
32: Champion of Torm(8): STR+1, Epic Weapon Specialization: Scimitar, (STR=25)
33: Champion of Torm(9): Great Strength III, (STR=26)
34: Champion of Torm(10): Epic Prowess
35: Bard(21)
36: Bard(22): STR+1, Epic Will, (STR=27)
37: Bard(23): Epic Skill Focus: Taunt
38: Bard(24)
39: Bard(25): Armor Skin
40: Bard(26): STR+1, Epic Skill Focus: Discipline, (STR=28)

Hitpoints: 416
Skillpoints: 273
Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 30/31/28
Saving Throw bonuses: Spells: +7
BAB: 27
AB (max, naked): 40 (melee), 27 (ranged)
AC (naked/mundane armor/shield only): 19/30
Spell Casting: Bard(6)

Skills:
Appraise 3(5)
Concentration 21(23)
Craft Armor 1(3)
Craft Trap 1(3)
Craft Weapon 1(3)
Discipline 43(62)
Lore 2(30)
Perform 43(56)
Spellcraft 33(35)
Taunt 43(56)
Tumble 40(39)
UMD 42(45)

Strengths
- Divine Wrath - decent CHA value for duration
- Decent Base Damage output (Weapon Spec, Epic Weapon Spec and Strength)
- Lasting Inspiration 26th Bard Song (if perform ranks manage it!)
- Very good saves
- Taunt DC (unbuffed 56, bard song & capped CHA 77)
- Discipline DC (unbuffed 62, bard song & capped STR 83)
- KD/ IKD/ Blind Fight
- Extended & Stilled Casting
- Scribe Scroll Ability [idea from Grizz ]
- Mundane Armor Shield AC 32 (and buffed Dex)
- AC 68 in +5 environment
- Lay on Hands 1x /day
- Smite Evil 1x /day
- Full possible Bard Song from unbuffed Perform ranks up to and including 29th level
- Very good broad skillset, particularly when assisted by the 26th level Bard Song, which offers an extra 15 points to every skill, hence the low level additional skills such as Appraise, Crafting, etc.

Weaknesses
- No Harper Scout taken!!
- Lasting Inspiration is not until 30th level
- Epic Weapon Specialization not until 32nd level
- Could be more Hit points - but offset slightly with Endurance and Bard Song

Damage Output (before any Critical Calculations)
2 Weapon Specialization
4 Epic Weapon Specialization
9 STR (Base)
6 STR (Capped)
3 Bard Song
2 War Cry
5 Greater Magic Weapon
31 Sub-Total
Total
Mundane Scimitar 1d6 +31 (before any Critical Calculations)

AB Calculation
27 BAB
1 Weapon Focus
2 Epic Weapon Focus
1 Epic Prowess
9 STR (Base)
6 STR (Capped)
2 Bard Song
2 War Cry
5 Greater Magic Weapon
55 Sub-Total

NB. Divine Wrath has not been included into either Damage or AB Calculation due to the short duration of the ability. However it is once per day and is invaluable.

Save Calculation

Base Save 30 F, 31 W, 28 R
Bard Song +2 F, +3 W, +2 R
War Cry +2 F, +2 W, +2 R
vs Spells +7 F, +7 W, +7 R
Divine Wrath (1x/ day) +5 F, +5 W, +5 R
Totals 46 F, 48 W, 44 R

Without items or any other buffs the character has a Will and Fort save that will save against any spell DC.
The only exception being that of Implosion when maxed hits 48 DC.
Reflex save is only 1 point shy of the 45 point max DC on those spells.

Items to complement the build
- Cloak of Fortification +5 - this would effectively provide the save boost that Divine Wrath brings, but on an ongoing basis, rather than once per day.
- Scimitar with additional energy damage - preferably not fire
- Full Plate and Tower Shield that grant 0% chance of Arcane Spell Failure - if you can find these then drop Still Spell for Expertise.
- Charisma and Strength boosting equipment

Ok. here is my Lily, treat her nice please.

As usual Feedback is essential.

Edited By I...Samphus on 05/31/06 13:12

Well done, I like it. Maybe the fact my daughter's name (the short version of it actually) is Lili has got something to do with it

What about Artist and SF: Perform instead of Luck of Heroes and Iron Will? When you want to pull of a high level bardsong every little help counts...

Cheers,
Kail
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Those memories will always live inside us, and now it's our time to be free
Quote: Posted 05/31/06 13:02:33 (GMT) -- I...Samphus



Currently using this build in a PW with some very pleasing results. The lack of Bard levels pre-epic is made up by the UMD ability, particularly with GMW and other weapon type buffs (Flame Weapon, etc).

The Scribe Scroll feat was selected at 8th level, inspired by Grizz in his recent Harper Galloglas build. This has thrown up something, which I had not been aware of before, and I am not certain whether it is unique to the PW I am using this on or not.


Cin and I have noticed this on our server as well, only it applies not just to GMW but Flame Weapon as well, and any other scroll you wish to scribe. As of this time, we still aren't certain how it was calculating caster level, but it was certainly beyond the actual caster levels in the character. This was pre 1.67, and I imagine it still is there.
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Ariel, Ookla, RIDE! Glad you like it Kail, hope your daughter does too!

The question with Artist and SF: Perform is that it will only grant you +5 to Perform in total, taking the base value to 61.

This is still 19 points from the required 80 ranks needed to activate a 26th level Bard Song. To be honest, the only way you are going to achieve this is through a mixture of a capped Charisma and item/s with a Perform bonus.

If you are dependent on that anyway, then you may as well rely on it for the further 5 points from the two feats mentioned above.

However, items with Perform enhancements may be at a premium, so the choice ultimately is yours. If you do sacrifice the two, then your base saves reduce as follows:

F 29 (-1)
W 28 (-3)
R 27 (-1)

Personally, if I was to remove them, then i would be more inclined to replace them with both Power Attack and Cleave to increase your melee effectiveness. Personal choice at the end of the day.

That's interesting to know Grizz, the PW I am on is at patch 1.67 and CEP 1.53, so I think I will have to investigate further.

I don't think it is across the board of the entire scroll listing, as casting a darkfire scroll does not max the value on the weapon. I like this. Your biggest problem is probably AB ... but you can potentially get a 26th level bard song with lasting inspiration, so who cares?
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CATS! Of course you can also improve your AB through the effects of both Curse Song (-6AC) and Taunt (which will very rarely be resisted against).

"Taunt DC (unbuffed 56, bard song & capped CHA 77)"

Edited By I...Samphus on 06/01/06 08:50

Quote: Posted 05/31/06 15:42:28 (GMT) -- I...Samphus

Glad you like it Kail, hope your daughter does too!
She's still little to understand the game, nevertheless sometimes she sits in my lap while I play and she calls male characters I play "daddy" and female ones "mommy" and she has fun watching them run around (taking a walk to her) and meeting critters

Quote: 
The question with Artist and SF: Perform is that it will only grant you +5 to Perform in total, taking the base value to 61.

This is still 19 points from the required 80 ranks needed to activate a 26th level Bard Song. To be honest, the only way you are going to achieve this is through a mixture of a capped Charisma and item/s with a Perform bonus.

If you are dependent on that anyway, then you may as well rely on it for the further 5 points from the two feats mentioned above.

However, items with Perform enhancements may be at a premium, so the choice ultimately is yours ...

Yeah, I see the point. It's one of those tweaks that depend on the actual playing environment.

Once more, kudos to your Lily

Cheers,
Kail
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