Critique my Dragonlancer!

[177cheese]

I'm looking for some feedback on a character build I put together.
The goal is to be formidable in melee while also providing substantial buffs to the team.

The plan is to be an Arcane Duelist Bard mixed with levels of Dragon Disciple for the melee boosts. I'm thinking an even 10/10 split eventually, but that may change due to the loss of caster levels.

Attribute scores aren't really much of an issue, my DM has pretty lenient stat rolling rules. Just assume high strength, decent dex/con/cha.

Anyway, here's the gist of the character at level 11

Race: Angel Blooded Aasimar

Class: Arcane Duelist Bard 10 / Dragon Disciple 1

Feats:
Combat Reflexes
Arcane Strike
Combat Casting
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Fauchard)
Flagbearer
Disruptive
Power Attack
Lunge
Spellbreaker
Discordant Voice
Improved Intitiative

The main item required is a Banner of Ancient Kings to attach to the Fauchard. Among other bonuses, this increases the effective inspire courage level by 4.
Then, taking the Aasimar favored class option for +1/2 to effective bard level for Inspire Courage (option taken 6 times) gives +3 to effective bard level.

Bard level 10 + 4 (Banner) + 3 (Favored class) = 17 (Max for inspire courage)

So the party would receive:
+2 vs mind affecting effects (Banner, resistance bonus though so bleh)
+1 morale bonus on attack and damage. (Flagbearer)
And then from Inspire Courage and Discordant Voice:
+4 competence to attack/damage and +4 morale vs fear
+1d6 sonic damage on melee strikes

The main kicker is giving the party (And the Dragonlancer!) +5 to hit and damage, with +1d6 sonic damage on each hit, while fighting rather effectively with Arcane Strike, Power Attack, 15ft reach, and Combat Reflexes on a hopefully Keen Fauchard.

Does this seem like a solid build? Or am I missing something here?

[Gambit]

Awww, I thought this thread was going to be about a character for a Dragonlance campaign. I got all excited to talk about pious knights, color coded wizards, and everyones all time favorite PC race, kender.

Character concept seems solid, everyone loves a well played bard.

[177cheese]

Sorry for the misdirection! I guess "Dragoon" would be a better name.
I picture someone like this.

Also, just in case I end up using this build with a point buy, any recommendations there?

For a 25pt buy I was thinking

STR 16 (18) DEX 14 CON 14 INT 10 WIS 10 CHA 14 (16)

[kestral287]

Lingering Performance seems like a pretty key feat that you're missing. It's worth taking over either Lunge or Improved Initiative I think; it's hard to argue with tripling your rounds per day.

I'm iffy on the fauchard. Yeah, it's mechanically either the #1 or #2 weapon in the game. But it compares to the Glaive-Guisarme, which is a 1d10 x3 with Reach/Brace/mild anti-cavalry thing, or the Naginata, which is a 1d8 x4 Reach weapon.

While I'd generally take an 18-20/x2 over an x4 despite them having identical average damage, I'm not sure that I'd spend a feat if that, the nigh-useless Trip property, and +1 damage were all I was getting out of it.

Of note: you could see if your GM is willing to use Unchained's Combat Stamina system. If he is, and is willing to give it to you (might be a stretch, admittedly), then you could take Improved Critical (Naginata), and have a 19-20 x4 range... and if you roll a 16-18, you can spend 5 stamina to crit there too. 16-20/x4 is no joke.

Admittedly the last bit might be wishful thinking, but you can try.

[177cheese]

Actually my regular GM loves the Stamina rules, so that's a good thing to keep in mind!

Improved Initiative is a bonus feat from Dragon Disciple, but I can swap out Lunge for Lingering Performance, thanks for that.

Fauchard still seems to be my best option for a polearm. I'd have to spend a feat on proficiency for any other banner-able weapon other than the longspear anyway.

Thanks for your insight!

EDIT:
With Lingering Performance, I'm thinking the level split should be Bard 13 / Dragon Disciple 7 for swift action performances.

At that point, maybe I could retrain my favored class bonus because the +4 to Inspire Courage level from the banner would be enough to max it out.

Or maybe my DM will allow me to inspire as a level 23 bard (13 + 6 (favored) + 4 (banner)) for a +5 bonus.

[kestral287]

... Wow. Shows how often I take hard looks at Bard, I never really looked at their proficiencies before.

Yeah, if you're stuck spending a feat anyway, might as well go for the big guns.

I didn't realize Improved Initiative was a Disciple feat because Disciple gives its first bonus feat at level 2, not level 1. First level of Disciple just gives you +1 natural armor and the Sorcerer bloodline's claws.

Out of curiosity, how are you planning to divvy up your Bard/Disciple levels, in terms of when you take them? Full 10 levels of Bard then Disciple, or something else?

Also, are you using traits? If so and if it's not on your list already I'd be remiss to not point out Magical Knack. That plus an Orange Prism Ioun Stone (implanted, ideally) will let you run clear to level 20 with a caster level of 20. You're still down some spells, but it's the best you can do short of Esoteric Training.

[177cheese]

You're right on the feat timing. I think I originally had it progress as Bard 9 / DD 2 and forgot to change the feat progression.

And yeah I forgot about traits. Definitely had Magical Knack down. Reactionary is the other go-to trait if I don't see anything else impressive.

It seems like my best bet would be to go 13 in Bard, and then take the rest in DD.
That would push Improved Initiative to 15, but that bonus feat was more icing than required.

That way I get the swift action performance as fast as possible.

My feats look like this so far:

1 - Combat Reflexes, Arcane Strike (bonus)
2 - Combat Casting (bonus)
3 - Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Fauchard)
5 - Flagbearer
6 - Disruptive (bonus)
7 - Power Attack
9 - Lingering Performance
10- Spellbreaker (bonus)
11- Discordant Voice
13- Improved Critical (Might skip this, probably have a Keen weapon at this point)
15-
15-Improved Initiative (Bonus)
17-
18-Toughness (Bonus)
19-

[kestral287]

Improved Critical is more worthwhile for the combat trick than anything else. If you can't access that one, I'd agree to skip it.

[177cheese]

Ah yeah true. I just read the text on that ability. Awesome.

So with a 15-20 crit range, you can still get double damage on 12-20 a couple times a day.

That's more than worth it.

[kestral287]

A couple times an encounter.

It depends on how heavily you're drawing on stamina for other tricks of course, but stamina reloads between encounters so as long as you can take a short break you can do that... oh, at level 13 it should be twice an encounter without trouble.

I'm kind of torn on the 13/7 spread versus 10/10. I'm honestly thinking that you can already leverage swift actions well and that burning off three Disciple levels to do that better might not be worth it. With Lingering Performance you're not constantly spending a move action; it's a move action once per three rounds. So ideally, you go Swift Action for something like Quicken Spell (it's on the Disciple's bonus feat list), then Move Action to perform, standard action to cast another spell. Let them close with you. Then next round you Arcane Strike with your swift action -> full attack, with the performance still going due to Lingering Performance. Same thing the round after. Round four you cast more.

Going up to 11th means that you're dropping Arcane Strike/Quicken Spells every three rounds to keep the performance going instead, which is viable.

Well. This might be the question. With your table's usual tactics, if you and some enemies spot each other, do you usually move toward them or let them move toward you?

If you can get them moving toward you, I'd definitely go 10/10. If not, I could see the 13/7 split.

[Cap. Darling]

I Think you are better of without the DD level since it cost both casting and Bab.
I Think both improved crit(or a keen weapon) and lunge are worth having.

[Hmm]

How much money do you have? Can you afford 1,500 dollars for an ioun stone with the exotic weapon proficiency?