Munchkin Skald with Rage Cycling

[Matt2VK]

I'm trying to munchkin and abuse the rules as far as I can for a Human, PFS legal, Skald. Here's what I have and at the bottom, how I think things work. Any suggestion on how to improve the munchkining of the character would be appreciated.

Plan is, at 7th level -
Move action start my Rage Song (everyone get's benifits of Rage Song)
Standard Action, cast a spell

Parties turn -
Casters drop song as free action, then take their normal actions.
Melee damage dealers use the Rage Songs effects and the Rage powers

My turn comes around again -
Drop song as free action
Move action start my Rage Song (everyone get's benifits of Rage Song) again - Rage cycling (Could not find anything on being fatigued.)
Standard Action, cast a Spell

Repeat

Question: I'll be having my Spirit Totems up and on everyone effected by my Rage Song. When do those spirits attack happen?
On my turn or on the party members turn?
I'm assuming you can move up to someone and have the spirits attack them. Kind of as if the spirits are using you as a mount.

Here's the Build I have so far - any advice on improving it?
(I know my strength is bad, at first draft I had it higher but then figured out I wasn't planning on doing much melee so it got nerfed)
Starting at 6th level
Skald, Human

STR 7
DEX 10
CON 15
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 18+2

Traits: Undecided, Unnatural Presence (Faith): Can Intimidate animals and vermin,
HP 51
saves - Fort: 5+1(+1 song), Ref: 2+0, Will: 5-2(+1 Song)
+4 vs all sonic or language-dependent effects

BAB: +4

1) Bardic Knowledge, Cantrips, Inspire Rage +1 (+2 STR/+4CON), Raging Song (1+CHA+[levelx2]+Extra Performance), (PFS) Extra Performance (6 extra rounds), Feat: Raging Vitality, Feat: Improved Initiative
2)
3) Feat: Extra Rage Power - Guarded Life, Rage Power - Spirit Totem, Lesser, Song of the march (allows long distance travel without fatigue)
4) Uncanny Dodge
5) Spell Kenning (Once per day by expending a Skald spell slot of same level, cast any spell on Bard, Cleric, or Wizard spell list - 1 round casting time.), Feat: Spell Focus-Enchantment
6) Song of Strength (adds 1/2 level to STR check or STR skill check) Rage Power - Spirit Totem
7) Lore Master (able to take 10 on knowledge checks, once per day can take 20), Feat: Extra Rage - Elemental Rage, Lesser
8) Improved Uncanny Dodge
9) DR/1, Rage Power - Unexpected Strike (Core), Feat: Extra Rage - Elemental Rage
10)
11) Feat: Extra Rage - Spirit Totem, Greater
12) Rage Power - Come and Get Me

Spells Known (0/6) Dancing Lights, Detect magic, Mage hand, Open/Close, Read magic, Summon Instrument
(1/4) Cord of Shards, Grease, Hideous Laughter, Vanish
(2/4) Blistering Invective (UC-language dependent), Cacophous Call (ACG), Pugwampi's Grace (ISMpg59), Summon Swarm
Can cast (1/6, 2/5) @ sixth level

30 skill ranks @ 6th level (CHA skills have a +2 CHA item)
All Knowledge Checks 1/2 Skald level
Bluff 1(10), Knowledge: Arcana 1(9), Knowledge: Dungeon 1(9), Knowledge: Nature 1(9), Knowledge: Planes 9(9), Knowledge: Religion 1(9), Linguistics 4(7), Perform: Drums (Handle Animals/Intimidate) 6(15), Perform: Oratory 6(15), Spell Craft 6(9), UMD 6(15)

Languages (4): Suggestions? Going have a lot of language dependent spells.

[Grigorii]

Matt2VK wrote:

Question: I'll be having my Spirit Totems up and on everyone effected by my Rage Song. When do those spirits attack happen?

On my turn or on the party members turn?
I'm assuming you can move up to someone and have the spirits attack them. Kind of as if the spirits are using you as a mount.

I run that Spirit Totem attacks happen at any point during the ally's turn.

Just remember that you can't share rage powers you get from Extra Rage. You probably don't need Elemental Rage if you are going to focus on casting (FAQ).

Have you looked at Skald's Vigor and Greater Skald's Vigor?

[Matt2VK]

Grigorii wrote:

Matt2VK wrote:

Question: I'll be having my Spirit Totems up and on everyone effected by my Rage Song. When do those spirits attack happen?

On my turn or on the party members turn?
I'm assuming you can move up to someone and have the spirits attack them. Kind of as if the spirits are using you as a mount.

I run that Spirit Totem attacks happen at any point during the ally's turn.

Just remember that you can't share rage powers you get from Extra Rage. You probably don't need Elemental Rage if you are going to focus on casting (FAQ).

Have you looked at Skald's Vigor and Greater Skald's Vigor?

Did not know that about the Extra Rage Feat and the Rage Power.

I did look at the Skald's Vigor & Greater Skald's Vigor. As I'm planning on staying out of melee, Skald's Vigor would do little for me. I'd just be taking it as a stepping stone for Greater Skald's Vigor and I'm not sure it's worth it.

[Markov Spiked Chain]

Rage cycling isn't actually doing anything until 9th level, since you don't have any Once per Rage powers until Unexpected Strike? I'm doing this with Strength Surge + Savage Dirty trick so everyone is getting 3 power back per cycle. Giving everyone an Unexpected Strike for a move action is great, but there's a good chance there won't be enough folks (including you!) with the Str or weapon to take advantage of that or the Inspired Rage buff.

Dump Str that hard is painful. I would consider Str 10/Dex 7 at least, and switching Improved Initiative to Noble Scion(War.) Mirror Image is your best defense, not AC.

Consider dropping Raging Vitality and taking Community Minded as your trait. That'll give your allies two rounds if you drop while raging before your Con bonus drops.

Definitely plan on taking Skald's Vigor and Improved Skald's Vigor. Giving everyone Fast Healing 4 is awesome.

[KingOfAnything]

You might also consider Intimidate/Dazzling Display to lower your enemy's saving throws. Once you get Dirge of Doom, you can get Disheartening Display or Improved Dirge of Doom to make them run away!

[shadowkras]

Im not that expert on skalds. Why do you need to drop your song?
I get that the ally must drop it so he can cast his spells, but he would gain the benefits again on the next turn automatically according to the text on Raging Song, unless he chooses again to drop it on each turn.

[Matt2VK]

shadowkras wrote:

Im not that expert on skalds. Why do you need to drop your song?

I get that the ally must drop it so he can cast his spells, but he would gain the benefits again on the next turn automatically according to the text on Raging Song, unless he chooses again to drop it on each turn.

This is my first serious look at the Skald, as seen by the mistakes I've made in the build. I was trying to rage power cycle but what I was trying to do wasn't legal.

[Markov Spiked Chain]

Why don't you think it's legal? Stopping the song and restarting it each round to reset Once-per-rage works fine. You just need a once per rage power to get much use out of it.

[KingOfAnything]

Markov Spiked Chain wrote:

Why don't you think it's legal? Stopping the song and restarting it each round to reset Once-per-rage works fine. You just need a once per rage power to get much use out of it.

Rage-cycling isn't the part that is against the rules. Trying to use Extra Rage Power to rage-cycle a whole stack of rage powers is what won't work.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend a caster-built skald for PFS unless you have a friend or two planning to take advantage of Inspired Rage. I see their strength in their versatility. With a few buff spells known, you can supercharge a party of two handed fighters beyond what a bard could manage. And if no one else wants to rage with you, you can do respectably in melee. They can be very good at shoring up party weaknesses and compensating for what might otherwise be missing in a random composition.

If you do want to focus on casting, I would lean toward the Spell Warrior archetype. It is more likely that your allies will accept your song, and counterspelling is very much in the caster's style.

[Matt2VK]

Going have to go back and re-work my idea.

My original plan was to take a bunch of extra Rage powers and then rage cycle those powers while casting spells. Since that isn't going to work now, not sure what I'll end up doing. Might scrap this idea completely and try something else.