With the popularity of divine damage builds, I'm actually surprised this hasn't been done. It's basically the evil counterpart to The Divine Howitzer, but with the utility of the bard spell book and skillset at the cost of a bit of damage. There is one other build in the search engine with the same classes, Mithdradates' Lolth's Sting (AA 11/ Bard 16/ Blackguard 13), but it goes for a much greater balance at the expense of raw unholy goodness (er... evilness?). While there are many regrets, and a laundry list of "wish I could fit in....," I think the end product is pretty decent. Defenses stink, but the ranged damage is pretty impressive. Anyways...
Wicked Rain
Bard(11), Blackguard(3), Arcane Archer(26) Elf, NE, or CE PvM, playable 1-40, but best in group
Skills Hide 43(49) Move Silently 43(49) Perform 9(18) Spellcraft 43(45) Tumble 40(46) UMD 26(34) remaining skillpoints 48 I'd put 'em in Listen and some trapping skills
Notes:
There's no Divine Shield. I figured his defenses were awful anyways, and feats are so tight, I decided to let it go. One could easily re-arange the leveling to fit in DS, but a feat would have to be lost, and it would have to be either Rapid Shot or Imp Crit. Damage dealing is her strength. I didn't think it worthwhile to sacrifice that for a substantial, but in the end insufficient defensive boost.
Speaking of those defenses, it's not quite as bad as it looks. She can eventually get her DEX high enough that w/ some gear, her AC can surpass full plate. She has full tumble, haste, and improved invis. She can run, and she can hide, and she will probably need to do both. Saves, of course, are from merely very good, to excellent, and eminently buff-able. HPs, however, stink, and there's not too much to be done about that. She really ought to avoid being in melee (need I remind anyone about the lack of Uncanny Dodge?), but she should be able to stand up to the ranged attacks, and spells, that are thrown at her.
The bard spell book actually compliments her quite well. Cat's Grace and Eagle's Splendor are of course givens, but w/ a mighty bow, Bull's is handy. The various listen boosting spells can be handy (as you'll want to stay as far away as possible from your prey). Grease and Slow can help keep those enemies away. Haste and imp invis are godsends. Plus, w/ a halfway decent caster stat, you might even be able to pull off a Dominate Person or two.
She isn't really all that soloable. If you excel at keeping out of attack range w/ an archer, she can dish out the hurt, but if she gets mobbed, she's going to go down in a hurry. She's really best suited to party play, where she can rely on others to keep her safe while raining down her unholy hatred.
Towards that end, an alternative would be to go bard17/BG4/AA19. You'd get a sweeter bard song, Divine Shield (at the cost of Imp Crit or Rapid Shot), and a greater spell book. You'd lose two bonus feats (two great dex), and three points off of enchant arrow, for an AB loss of four. That said, a 46 AB is still pretty dangerous. Real downside is you'd have even more missing feats to lament, as there just isn't room for Curse Song. It might be an ok build, but at the same time, would probably be trying to do too much.
Anyways, she's not the greatest archer out there, but Divine Damage is always fun, and she at least does that well. Plus, she's a badass bard. Those are always cool.
Edit: Also, my first posted build, and quite possibly my last.
Edited By Kail Pendragon on 03/21/09 17:59
Looks like a good support howitzer, nice saves too. Can you give a more solid example of the kind of damage we are looking at? _________________ The secret to eternal youth is simply in your imagination.
Base Damage: 1d8 + 13 w/ DM: +9 divine self buffed, w/ lucky ES: +11 Divine w/ bard song: +2 w/ +12 to CHA, and bard song: 1d8 + 13 + 15 +2, or 31-38, 93-114 on a crit Toss on up to another +4 w/ a mighty bow.
I think those numbers are correct. They're certainly in keeping with what I saw when I tested her. Note that all of the above are with mundane arrows.
Quote: Posted 11/27/08 07:17 (GMT) -- onion eater
Towards that end, an alternative would be to go bard17/BG4/AA19.
Already done. The Archer Laureate.
Sorry about that Onion. No, you weren't the first to dream up of the juicy divine damage BG/AAs. I already laid waste to one PW with such a combo. As it stands, this build is totally playable and ready to provide smoking desolation. _________________ Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server (with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)
Towards that end, an alternative would be to go bard17/BG4/AA19.
Already done. The Archer Laureate.
Ah, excellent. Much more playable. You give up some AB, and a bit of damage, for much more bardic goodness. I thought I had seen something of the sort, but my recent post digging yielded no such. *sigh* Oh Build Search Engine update, wherefore aret though now?
don't worry that much, I've also played this kind of build but I only posted the Paladin variant, you should try it, Paladins can buff CHA pretty nicely and since it's a base class it also allows you to get more BAB. Ultimately it's hard to make a totally innovative build since the game was released quite some time ago.
I like it, too bad that level 9 Bard pre-epic wastes 1 BAB, not that I'm trying to favor grizz, but yeah, I prefer to take 1 more BG...
Keep it up, eventually you'll get to post something that hasn't been posted. _________________ "My name is Thaxll'ssyllia, but you simians may refer to me merely as "Sir", if you prefer a less... syllable intensive workout."
Edwin Odesseiron - Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
Quote: Posted 11/28/08 23:42 (GMT) -- Thaxll'ssyllia I like it, too bad that level 9 Bard pre-epic wastes 1 BAB, not that I'm trying to favor grizz, but yeah, I prefer to take 1 more BG...
Bard level 9 is at 22nd.
That one more BG level is what separates this from the more balanced split. DS would mean dropping imp crit, or rapid shot. She's looking to do one thing well: hurt people with her arrows. W/ so much of her damage getting multiplied on a crit, and her AB, I just can't give it up. I can't believe I feel that way about imp crit, but for her, yeah, I think it's worth going w/out DS. That said, I did play both versions, and it was awfully handy to have.
Quote: Keep it up, eventually you'll get to post something that hasn't been posted.
Heh, no. I'm happy with the classics. Just thought this concept (divine damage dealing AAs) was missing this combo. The Moon Knight of Corellon has it's Divine Howitzer. The Archer Laureate needed a more narrow minded sibling.
Quote: Posted 11/29/08 09:22 (GMT) -- onion eater The Archer Laureate needed a more narrow minded sibling.
Heck Onion, you should just go Bard10/BG3/AA27. One more AB and Damage, and it's not like that 4th level spell slot was going to be of much use anyway. By the time you get it, people will be dispelling you with just a sneeze anyways. That is, if you wanted to go narrow-minded, which I think is great. I'd suggest going Bard8/BG3/AA29, but meeting that 6BAB for each class is a dickens with just Bard7. _________________ Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server (with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)
Ariel, Ookla, RIDE!
Quote: Posted 11/29/08 09:22 (GMT) -- onion eater
Bard level 9 is at 22nd.
Wow, I need glasses, big time. _________________ "My name is Thaxll'ssyllia, but you simians may refer to me merely as "Sir", if you prefer a less... syllable intensive workout."
Edwin Odesseiron - Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
Well, blimey. I'll buy that. Ya could still get a casting of a fourth level spell, so imp invis wouldn't be completely gone (and, as you say, it's easily dispellable anyways). You do lose the AC boost from your bard song, but if the idea is to max damage, then who cares? Not like a +2 to AC 10 or 11 times a day is going to make a tremendous difference. Sure. One more on her EA.
Towards that end, the first two DEX bonuses could easily be dropped in favor of more CHA. That would make a 20/30 final DEX/CHA, which are prettier numbers, and you'd still have a 50 AB. Oo... lots of pretty numbers that way.
don't worry that much, I've also played this kind of build but I only posted the Paladin variant, you should try it, Paladins can buff CHA pretty nicely and since it's a base class it also allows you to get more BAB. Ultimately it's hard to make a totally innovative build since the game was released quite some time ago.