This has the same level split as O'Brien's Dwarf Click Here, Lala's Banshee Click Here and NYCFarmKid's effort Click Here all of which are stout builds. Mine is a bit different and worth posting (I hope) because this build will rock the house, frankly. Level 26 curse is . . . well, mean

Bard 26/BG 4/Red Dragon Disciple 10
Human
Alignment: Neutral Evil or Chaotic Evil
PvP 1-40

S: 16 to 36
D: 8
C: 14 to 16
I: 14 to 16
W: 8
CH: 14 to 16

1 Bard1, Power Attack, Curse Song
2 Bard2,
3 Bard3,Blind Fight
4 Bard4, Str17
5 Bard5
6 Bard 6 Cleave
7 Bard 7
8 Bard 8 Str18 [Hide: 5]
9 BG 1 WF: Rapier; [Lore: 8]
10 RDD 1
11 RDD 2 RDD Str 20
12 RDD 3 Imp. Crit Str21
13 RDD 4 RDD Str 23
14 BG 2
15 BG 3 Divine Shield
16 BG 4 Str24
17 RDD 5
18 RDD 6 Still Spell
19 RDD 7 RDD Con 14
20 RDD 8 Str25
21 RDD9, EWF; RDD Int 16
22 RDD10 RDD Str 29 Ch 16
23 Bard 9
24 Bard 10 Armor Skin; Str 30
25 Bard 11
26 Bard 12
27 Bard 13 Epic Prowess
28 Bard 14, Str31
29 Bard 15
30 Bard 16 GrStr (32)
31 Bard 17
32 Bard 184 Str33
33 Bard 19 GrStr 34
34 Bard 20
35 Bard 21
36 Bard 22 Lasting Inspiration*; Str 35
37 Bard 23 BFeat: ESF: Perform
38 Bard 24
39 Bard 25 Epic Fortitude
40 Bard26 BFeat: ESF Discipline, Str36

* Requires 25 Perform

AB: 26 + 13 Strength + 3 EWF + 1 Epic Prowess = 43 (45 with bardsong) + 5 GMW + 6 Str = 54 (56 with bardsong)

Damage: 1d6 + 13

AC 10 + 8 T +4 draconic + 7 [8 plate - 1 dex] + 2 AS + 3 shield = 34 + 5 bardsong = 39 + 25 (+5 gear) + 2 (Dex gear) = 66 + 4 haste = 70 + 1 Mage Armor = 71 + 9 Divine Shield = 80

HP: 384

Skills (273 points to allocate):
Discipline: 43
Perform: 43
Spellcraft: 32
Taunt 35
Tumble: 40
Lore: 8
O/L: 1(2)
Disable: 1(2)
Set Traps 1(2)
PP: 1
Listen: 40
UMD: 20
Hide: 5 (for BG Class)

Fortitude: 31 (this gets to 53 with epic gear, 55 with bard song)
Reflex: 21
Will: 26

You are more or less immune to Dev Crit with your fortitude. While your bard song only adds +5 to your AC, it will add +6 to your allies (if you sing by yourself before singing for them) and your curse knocks 6 off of your opponents AC (which makes a difference).

I took Knockdown instead of Blind Fight in my PW but I think Blind Fight is the better call unless you wanted to try to build it Elf (doable but lean lean on feats).

Good hunting.

Ithacan

Edited By Ithacan on 01/31/07 20:56

I love this class split, but with alot testing I wound up with 18 base CHA instead of 16, and went for divine might over still spell when I had played this build.

Now, both have their uses and it's a very tough call - but why not move lasting inspiration to a bard bonus feat, and take divine might over epic skill focus: perform? Though I can understand if this is done for RP reasons.

But all in all, a great build. Thanks very much. The ESF Perform is fairly critical to the build, though. You'll need it to get to Level 20 Bard Song (Perform 50) and to get to Level 25 Bard/Curse Song (+6 to AC, 75 Perform Skill required) with gear and buffs. The build has strength that allows for good damage output and use of a rapier multiplies it fairly regularly.

Ithacan Maybe you could find a way to put in Artist and Skill Focus Perform for a total of +5 Perform (and +2 spot). Probably have to dump 2 Epic Feats of Great Strength. Artist can only be taken at lvl 1.

The extra perform (as you said) is very important to this build. Going from 43 to 75 is a huge leap for items. Not sure why you have 43 perform if you have ESF Perform. Wouldn't you have saved skill points and maxed out that skill? I'd guess it would be in the 50's at least. The 43 allocated to Perform under Skill is to direct the build's allocation of points, not to indicate final rank in the skill. Final rank would be 56 (43 + 10 ESF + 3 Cha)). +6 charisma gear would get it to 62, Perform-enhancing gear would be required to get it higher. 62 buys you Level 22 bard song, which will add 11 points to the rank, still 2 shy of a level 25 bard song for your allies, level 25 curse song for your enemies. You can trade Blind Fight for SF Perform and you are home free on that front. 65 Perform + 12 for bard song = 77.

The nuances will depend on your PW. The perform is built to pretty tight tolerances.

Thanks for the feedback.

Ithacan YaY, another RDD/Bard build (I eh hem just love these guys): nice build, Ithacan; then, with this wonderful combo and 26 bard, just gets one's wings a flappin' And there's def. something to be said for going for the "pinnacle" of song/curse (great focus), and at the same time, with all those great (undispellable) buffs, incl. great buffed AC and good, higly buffable AB, ... great job!! As to gear, it's out there, I've seen plenty of performance enhancing gloves for e.g., but as-is your pre-gear song is pretty darn mean already: this be one mean dragon alright, and I like it!

(and here you go, a cool graphic to go along with your winged fiend, sing on, sing on! Click Here

Edited By TyrTemplar on 02/01/07 07:17