Race: Elf Alignment: Any Non-Lawful Playable 1 - 40 PvM
The goal was to make an epic dodging Rogue/ Bard/ AA without being half elf and without having an XP penalty. Should be a similar end result to the Generic Support Archer: AA 11/ Bard 16/ Rogue 13 by Mithdradates, but without the XP penalty and Epic Dodge 6 levels sooner, though Bard Song suffers a bit.
Starting/ Ending: Str 12 Dex 18/ 32 Con 10 Wis 8 Int 14 Cha 14
Leveling 1 Rogue (1): Point Blank Shot 2 Bard (1): 3 Bard (2): Weapon Focus (Longbow) 4 Rogue (2): +1 dex (19) 5 Rogue (3): 6 Bard (3): Called Shot 7 Bard (4): 8 Rogue (4): +1 dex (20) 9 Rogue (5): Rapid Shot 10 AA (1): 11 AA (2): 12 AA (3): + dex (21), Blindfight 13 Bard (5): 14 Bard (6): 15 Rogue (6): %Toughness 16 Rogue (7): +1 dex (22) 17 Bard (7): 18 Bard (8): %Curse Song 19 AA (4): 20 Rogue (8): +1 dex (23) 21 Rogue (9): Epic Weapon Focus (Longbow) 22 AA (5): 23 Bard (9): 24 Bard (10): +1 dex (24), Epic Prowess 25 Rogue (10): #Improved Evasion 26 Rogue (11): 27 Bard (11): Armor Skin 28 Bard (12): +1 dex (25) 29 Rogue (12): 30 Rogue (13): #Defensive Roll, Epic Dodge 31 AA (6): 32 AA (7): +1 dex (26) 33 AA (8): Great Dex I (27) 34 AA (9): 35 AA (10): 36 AA (11): +1 dex (28), Great Dex II (29) 37 AA (12): 38 AA (13): 39 AA (14): Great Dex III (30), Great Dex IV (31) 40 Rogue (14): +1 dex (32)
% can be replaced with Improved Critical (Longbow) or Weapon Finesse, according to taste # denotes Rogue bonus feat
Skills (326 total): Hide: 43 Listen: 43 Move Silently: 43 Perform: 16 (18) Spellcraft: 28 (30) Tumble: 40 UMD: 23 (25) 90 left over for rogue skills
Max HP: 308 Average HP (no rerolls): 246 AC (naked): 31 AB: +48/ +43/ +38/ +33
Saves (+6 vs spells): Fort 18 Ref 37 Will 18
Advantages 7d6 Sneak Attack Enchant Arrow VII Level 11 Bard Song Level 4 Bard Spells Low Fortitude and Will saves are remedied to a certain extent by Spellcraft and Bard Song
Disadvantages Low AB compared to other AAs Much of the AB doesn't come in until late epic levels Low HP Epic Dodge doesn't come until level 30
Comments, Tactics, and Variations If level 16 Bard Song is desired, I would switch the level split to Rogue 15/ Bard 16/ AA 9. You lose an AA bonus feat, Enchant Arrow VI and VII, and there is a net loss of 8 skill points (4 gained from the extra rogue level, 12 that have to be invested into perform), but you gain 1d6 SA and the more powerful song. With some ability shifting you get level 5 spells too (or even level 6, but you need to buff Cha to 22 to get just one).
Depending on which skills you like maxed, Bard and Rogue can be swapped for the final skill dump. I chose Rogue partially for the extra 4 points, but mostly because I prefer the Roguish skills to Discipline and a slightly higher Spellcraft, especially considering the way this character is meant to be played.
One nice synergy that shows up is that in order for your sneak attacks to hit, you have to be close enough that the run up and smashers will actually be within range of your song. Just start from stealth and let the melee fighters draw the majority of the flack before you start shooting/ singing.
Comments/ criticisms/ suggestions welcome _________________ (I enjoy writing parenthetically (a lot)).
Camping at night in the Thieve's Forest “Ogg loves boar,” a rather brutish Half-Orc mumbled to himself whilst munching away on a less than thoroughly cooked chunk of meat. “Only thing me likes more than killing boar,” he pauses to chew, “is eating boar.”
Tráwén, his elf companion, did not find anything particularly funny about this statement, but that didn't stop Ogg from filling the entire forest with his laughter.
“Would you be quiet!” She intoned harshly across the campfire. “There's thieves in this forest, and if you are too loud, they'll be on us before we know it.”
A lone figure steps from the shadows, “Correction, we are already on you. Now, if you do as I request, I will let you keep your lives.” A smile spreads across his lips, “Maybe.”
Ogg, however, did not know the meaning of the word parley. . .literally. Without hesitation or thoughts of consequences, Ogg charged the intruder, swinging his greataxe madly, but he was far too slow. The would be thief easily dodged his every move, thoughtlessly sliding his rapier around Ogg's clumsy movements, stabbing at Ogg's vitals. The battle was all but over before it even began, but for one thing. A barrage of arrows came flying toward the thief, one piercing clean through his thigh, another managing to sever his heel tendon, causing the bandit to crumple to his knees. Ogg had lost a lot of blood, but hearing the twanging of Tráwén's bow behind him, he knew he had to protect her. With the thief's movements slowed, and with Ogg's newfound determination, he made quick work of the highwayman. So quick, in fact, that the other cutpurses never even showed themselves from the trees for fear that they should meet a similar demise.
* * *
Blood drips from a series of rather conspicuous holes in Ogg's chest, but he pays them no mind as he comes trotting back to Tráwén, beaming. “Yes, me doos it agains. It 'cause my axe so sharps. I very good with axe. What you doos you no has mes to protects you?”
Tráwén nods to Ogg, smiling. “That's right, you did very well. Your axe is very sharp, Ogg.”
Edited By koolthursday on 08/23/06 07:40
Quote: Posted 08/23/06 07:33:02 (GMT) -- koolthursday Starting/ Ending: Str 12 Dex 18/ 32 Con 10 Wis 8 Int 14 Cha 14
I would swap the strength and con scores for some extra hitpoints.
I know you want to avoid an XP penalty, and take epic dodge early, but either putting off epic dodge or taking an XP penalty and moving a bard level to 39 would let you max out your spellcraft and/or taunt.
Other than that not much to add, it's a good build but I prefer the bard heavier version myself . _________________ Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do.
I would swap the strength and con scores for some extra hitpoints.
Perfectly viable playstyle decision. I made the Str 12 call because this build isn't meant to be up close and personal with anything, so hp should come secondary to damage. The version I'm playing is using Improved Critical instead of Toughness, as well as having 10 Con, and it does fine (though I play with some good meat shields who know how to protect soft squishies ). For solo play, well, I wouldn't recommend it, but 12 Con would probably be preferred.
Quote: I know you want to avoid an XP penalty, and take epic dodge early, but either putting off epic dodge or taking an XP penalty and moving a bard level to 39 would let you max out your spellcraft and/or taunt.
For my playstyle, Taunt doesn't belong with this character. However, if you really want an in your face archer, you are probably going to want Discipline too, so that 14th rogue level becomes unneccessary (because you won't have anything left for the rogue only skills). Swap the level split to Bard 13/ Rogue 13/ AA 14 with Bard 13 taken at level 40, and you still have Epic Dodge at 30, no XP penalty, and the skills you prefer. Doing it just for a +2 to saves vs spells is not worth it, imo.
Quote: Other than that not much to add, it's a good build but I prefer the bard heavier version myself .
Yours is a good build too. IMO, yours is better if it is born anywhere between levels 36 and 40. . .level 16 bard song is a beautiful thing. To tell the truth, the lack of an XP penalty is the only reason I would prefer String Music as a build played from the ground up, minor tweaks aside. _________________ (I enjoy writing parenthetically (a lot)).
Quote: Posted 08/24/06 22:46:00 (GMT) -- koolthursday Yours is a good build too. IMO, yours is better if it is born anywhere between levels 36 and 40. . .level 16 bard song is a beautiful thing. To tell the truth, the lack of an XP penalty is the only reason I would prefer String Music as a build played from the ground up, minor tweaks aside.
I agree that yours is more playable. Playability being a criticism that is often levied against my builds. I suppose if I'm given a choice between playability and ultimate power, I'll opt for power every time. I have been trying to make my builds a bit more playable as of late. _________________ Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do.
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). For solo play, well, I wouldn't recommend it, but 12 Con would probably be preferred.