This is a character which I have been playing on a server for some time. The server is one of the more difficult I've come across so the build is definately tested. I should note, however, that on this particular server items are hard to come by, but as items go there is a fair degree of immunity items. Generally enhancements on items don't go beyond +5 but exceptions exist and for this particular build I used pretty much straight +5 gear. It is, however, fairly powerful in its own right and would do well with lesser gear, especially since on any server it would have gear on a level that represents that particular server. In general it is a AC tank but with enough strength to have a decent AB and do enough damage to not necessarily depend on damagers to get the job done. As tanks go this one deals a good punch while tanking.
I call her a Blood War Commander because I made her appearance fiendish. By giving her a tiefling head and red skin, the red wings of the RDD gave a complete visual of a devil. The Bard in her and the fact she is a powerful melee combatant makes her ideal commander material in something like the Blood War.
It is my first planned build so any comments, good or bad, and advice would be highly appreciated. I think I have considered any options when it comes to abilities, classes, feats, and skills but it is easier for those not boxed in in my thinking to see what I missed.
Race: Human (For theme use Subrace: Baatezu or other fiendish race) Alignment: Any non-lawful and non-good. I prefer it to be NE for a devil or CE for demon. Playable: 1-40 with ease. Its AC and Strength make it good in melee and durable in any fight. It is weak vs magic though but most builds are. PvM/PvP: In PvM I have found it next to unbeatable, especially from epic level and up but it needs help vs targets with very high AC or multiple mages. In PvP I found the build earns great respect but will lose against an epic mage every time unless it has spell mantle scrolls and the like and has time to use them. The ability of the character to use scrolls in combination with the High AC and high Str makes it highly adaptabla and I think that in the right hands it would be victorious in most encounters.
I used the following equipment for this build: Golden Circlet (helmet mind immunity), Gauntlets of Ogre Strength (Str+2), Belt of Fire Giant Strength (Str+5), Fullplate +5, Cloak of Protection +5, Amulet of Natural Armor +5, Boots of Sun Soul +5 (+5 dodge AC, Dex+3(ie +1 AC on this build)), Ring of Power, a Ring of Con+4, Towershield +5, and a Souldrinker (Bastard Sword +5 with some other effects). I also have haste due to a permanent enchantment placed on the Golden Circlet, an option available on the server I play. This will, after self buffs and own bard song, at lvl 40 grant an AC of 83 (or 93 with improved expertise engaged), and an AB of 54 (or 44 with imp. expertise engaged).
Since this character will be unable to cast spells in combat (due to the armor) only buffing spells should be chosen. Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Keen Weapon, Improved Invisibility, Protection from Alignment, Mage Armor, and Greater Magic Weapon (will be +4 eventually and is good if not a better weapon is available) are all very useful, to mention a few.
I hope many will look through this build, and by all means try it out, because any suggestions and ideas will help me learn more about this game and planning builds.
Thank you for your time
First thing that strikes me: Drop 2 PM for 2 Bard. PM 17-18 gets you nothing (no feats, no AC). 2 more Bard would get you +1 AC, +8 HP, and +1 damage on your song.
Also, I'd invest a feat in Curse Song. I'd probably drop Exotic proficiency and stick with a scimitar; it's a better weapon than a Bastard Sword anyway.
And finally, no Epic Warding? Sure, it doesn't last long, but it's a nice "save my ***" button once per day against physical attackers. I'd drop Improved Expertise for it; your AC is pretty nice anyway, and you don't really have the AB to be dropping it by 10.
It seems as if I can't edit the original post so I can't make any changes to it.
But it is correct, the build will be considerably better by making the last two levels bard levels and instead of 3 (rather useless) ranks of Lore pick 3 ranks in Perform.
Choice of weapon is of course up to anyone's personal preferences. I like the Bastard Blade and had access to good ones. But by using Scimitar one will save up a feat which would definately be used by me to pick Curse Song. Scimitar also allows the use of Scimitar of Speed (if one has access to that weapon) to gain permanent Haste.
When it comes to choice of Epic spell I think it is all about the choice of PvM vs PvP. For PvM, at least on the server I play with enough monsters with insane AB and also for any server with low access to high AC items, Epic Mage Armor is a very powerful and useful spell. But if one has access to the items, your monsters don't have insane AB, and if PvP is what you are looking for I agree that Epic Warding is by far the better choice. Since noone seems to dare engaging me in PvP any more the choice fell on Epic Mage Armor for me.
This is the revised version, based on the above suggestion to exchance 2 PM levels with Bard levels, and showing the option in Epic Spells.
Level Progression: 01: Bard(1): Armor Proficiency Heavy, Knockdown 02: Bard(2) 03: Bard(3): Weapon Proficiency Exotic 04: Bard(4): STR+1, (STR=17) 05: Bard(5) 06: Red Dragon Disciple(1): Toughness 07: Red Dragon Disciple(2): (STR=19) 08: Red Dragon Disciple(3): STR+1, (STR=20) 09: Red Dragon Disciple(4): Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword, (STR=22) 10: Red Dragon Disciple(5) 11: Red Dragon Disciple(6) 12: Red Dragon Disciple(7): STR+1, Improved Critical: Bastard Sword, (STR=23), (CON=18) 13: Red Dragon Disciple(8) 14: Red Dragon Disciple(9): (INT=14) 15: Red Dragon Disciple(10): Improved Knockdown, {Darkvision}, (STR=27), (CHA=14) 16: Bard(6): STR+1, (STR=28) 17: Bard(7) 18: Bard(8): Expertise 19: Bard(9) 20: Bard(10): STR+1, (STR=29) 21: Pale Master(1): Armor Skin 22: Bard(11) 23: Pale Master(2) 24: Pale Master(3): STR+1, Improved Expertise, (STR=30) 25: Pale Master(4) 26: Pale Master(5) 27: Pale Master(6): Epic Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword 28: Pale Master(7): STR+1, (STR=31) 29: Pale Master(8) 30: Pale Master(9): Great Strength I, (STR=32) 31: Pale Master(10) 32: Pale Master(11): STR+1, (STR=33) 33: Pale Master(12): Great Strength II, (STR=34) 34: Pale Master(13): Epic Energy Resistance: Acid I 35: Pale Master(14) 36: Pale Master(15): STR+1, Great Strength III, (STR=36) 37: Bard(12) 38: Pale Master(16): Epic Spell: Epic Mage Armor/Epic Warding (optional) 39: Bard(13): Great Strength IV, (STR=37) 40: Bard(13): STR+1, (STR=38)
Concerning the editing, you can edit your post for I think 30 minutes after you make it, and after that, you have to get a mod to change it for you. Kind of irritating, but it's a setting on BioWare's end, so the guild can't do anything about it.
As for the build, it looks pretty nice. However, I wasn't trying to suggest that EMA should be dropped for EW; this build is all about AC tanking, and +5 or more AC is a big boost for a character like that. Rather, I was suggesting that Improved Expertise be dropped for EW. I can't imagine there are many opponents who can hit an AC of 91 (that's your total with the +1 from more Bard levels, +2 effective from Curse Song's AB penalty, and normal Expertise activated), while -10 AB is going to crush your damage output.
Really, I think Improved Expertise and Epic Warding would serve the same function in the build: An emergency "save me now" button to activate if physical attackers are beating you. And I think EW does it better. Most people are only going to be hitting you on natural 20s anyway, which means +5 AC won't generally help, and unlike the extra AC, EW doesn't come at a cost to offensive power.
Ah, I see, and I understand. Alas I cannot possibly get more than one epic spell so taking epic warding forces me to drop epic mage armor. I find this an ok tradeoff in certain cases but I went with the pure AC focus when I made the character. I guess options both here and there exist. However, I quite rarely have problem hitting targets even with imp. expertise on. There are those, like some very major dragons and bosses for instance, I won't hit with imp. expertise on. But my role in such fights is almost exclusively that of the tank and as such it is not a big deal that my damage/hitting potential is hurt.
I am very greatful for the advice so far though. It has really helped forward my thoughts on the build and I have learned a few things already. Thanks! =)
Actually, it's very easy to rearrange things so that you get PM 16 on a bonus level. Push up a Great Str feat to level 24 in place of Improved Expertise. Then either drop the two bard levels interspersed amongst the pale master levels (you're getting PLENTY of AC from the palemaster to ignore it for a bit) and pick up EMA and Epic Warding at level 36 or push in an extra bard level at level 32 for the skill dump and pick up the two spells at level 39.
Only having 3 attacks a round in a melee build drives me insane, but it has nice defensive capacities all the same.
Edited By Ariel Thomas on 04/24/07 08:37
*nods* Ah yes, I see what you mean. Yes, that is a very possible solution. Thank you.
I was also playing with another idea, but I haven't tested how much skill points will be hurt, but what do you think about starting with 11 int and 13 cha instead? I will lose a lot of skill points but as feats go I will not miss out on anything, and it will allow me to use the lvl 5 spells. I don't think I'd do it though cause the bard lvl 5 spells sucks in my opinion but I'd like some thoughts on the idea.
If you run the class split through the search guide, you'll find that some of these puzzles have been solved before, which can be a useful go-by for building yours. I have three versions of this build (the third being the best imho, of course).
Good luck with it, I can vouch for it being a fun build. I've won Free-For-All Tourneys with my version of this build on the Badlands, which can be a fairly caustic environment.
Good hunting,
Ithacan
Heres my build on a server i play on. 9 bard(theres always scrolls for lost spells) 15 rdd for good ac and d12 hp gain. and 16 pale master for good ac and crit immune. now i was lvl 30 playing against a lvl 60(server has legendary levels) and this person had 71 ac and i had 61 ac kinda ironic hehe. and this person was only able to hit me 1 out of 10 strikes. and i wasnt even buffed. it took him almost 20min real time to finally kill me because my spot was still a little low where i couldnt see him. then he finally knocked me down and got me. the server i play on requires 50 or more spot to see HIPS. but any way i love ur build and i would drop exotic weapon and expertise all togeather and get epic warding and epic mage armor. just make sure that u dont get ac boots and ac cloak or the 2 wont stack. but great build.
Go 12bard and 8rdd preepic for 1bab more. And start 8dex only.
Go 12bard and 8rdd preepic for 1bab more. And start 8dex only.
Quote: Posted 11/01/07 11:02 (GMT) -- bloodymerc Go 12bard and 8rdd preepic for 1bab more.
He loses his skill dumps if he went that way.
One thing which I don't know if was mentioned: in the last three levels you didn't put ranks in Spellcraft and ended with 40 ranks in total, 42 modified due to the 14 INT. Raise Spellcraft to 43 and your saves vs. spells will increase by 1.
EDIT: I didn't see the revised version, so both my suggestions are useless
