Hello, for an upcoming Kingsmaker AP I want to play a Bard.
I read the guide of threatmonk about the controller bard and the god wizard and I want some others details or suggestions about this type of play.
I want a vary strategic and tactical build with a focus on the battlefield controll and the buffing.
Any advice is welcome.
Well, I'm sure you know that buffing comes easily to a Bard. Inspire Courage is a great performance, and half of your spells are buffs. The main ones are Heroism, Haste, Good Hope and Greater Heroism.
Bards aren't as good at CC, but it can still be done. Most of the CC spells on the bard list are either enchantment or single target spells, which aren't ideal. Some good CC spells bards can take are Glitterdust and Calm Emotions. Some archetypes can learn spells from other class' spell lists, so look for that if you feel your spell list is lacking in that regard. The base bard doesn't get performances that have CC effects, but some archetypes do. I've included a partial list below, you can look at them in more detail here:
Buccaneer: Song of Surrender: Lvl 4, single target, drop weapons and fall prone, mass version at lvl 16
Sea Singer: Whistle the Wind: Lvl 6, cast Gust of Wind, affects area, prohibits movement for medium or small creatures
Thundercaller: Thunder Call: Lvl 3, AoE damage + stun, probably the most OP bard archetype because of this performance
Watersinger: Watersong: Lvl 1, create walls of solid water, requires a nice GM to give you an item that stores multiple 5 foot cubes of water
Fey Prankster: Song of Clumsiness: Lvl 1, if enemy draws item or weapon he drops it and if enters difficult terrain falls prone. Incite Unreliability: Lvl 1, casts Lesser Confusion, replaces Inspire Courage!
First World Minstrel: Gremlin’s Luck: Lvl 8, just like the Witch hex Misfortune. Replaces Inspire Courage with another performance that buffs allies
Flame Dancer: Song of the Fiery Gaze: Lvl 3, all allies can see through smoke, fog and fire, combine with Obsuring Mist or some other cloud spell
Chelish Diva: Scathing Tirade: Lvl 8: frighten single target, target remains frightened for 1d4 rounds after performance ended or switched to a different target.
Remember that most performances become a move action at lvl 7, so with these archetypes, you could cast a buff spell and do a CC performance in the same round, not something a wizard can accomplish so easily.
There are also some CC masterpieces. Masterpieces are performances you can learn if you have enough ranks in perform and you either give up a spell known or a feat known. Many take more than 1 round to activate, so are not useful in battles.
However, the best CC masterpiece, Dirge of the Torn Sail, requires a standard action (going to move action at lvl 7, and sift action later). This causes all enemies who fail within 30 feet to flee from you as the spell Greater Command. Regardless of what archetype you take, I'd recommend you learn it at lvl 7 when it's available. Another interesting masterpiece is Rondeau of Heavenly Order, which restricts how your opponents can move.
Your tactics will depend on what archetypes and spells you pick. For instance, a Thundercaller has little need for CC spells, since Thunder Call is so strong, so will cast Haste/Good Hope and then spam Thunder Call until the encounter is dead. In general, you will probably want some ability to deal damage as well, perhaps investing your feats into Power Attack and Arcane Strike and having a decent Str or having good Dex and Weapon Finness and a Dex-to-Damage feat.
In the first 2 rounds of a fight, focus on applying at least 1 buff to party members and 1 successful CC (i.e. effecting at least 1 enemy. preferably more). Then before the 3rd round, assess the situation: do I need more CC or should I deal damage and help end the fight faster? I hope at least some of this is helpful to you
You could look at the cleric evangelist archetype, combined with the heroism subdomain and you can be putting out some serious buffs and 9th level divine casting.
Some advices are KM-specific, so (mini) spoiler-alert:
Spoiler:
It's Kingmaker, you will wander in the wilderness a lot, so you should mainly face animals and bandits => enchantment and illusion spells work better in KM than another AP. Silent/Minor Image, Shadow Conjuration / Evocation, Suggestion, Confusion, Dominate, Cacophonous Call (+ mass version)... Don't over-saturate your spell list, but pick a few of them.
I'd go halfling or gnome, get a mount, or phantom steed, for the increased mobility and the ability to cast during movement (with a concentration check).
With the errata on Weird Words, I'd go Soundstriker to have a touch attack which deals damages, ignores SR and the usual energy resistances, just in case... And pick Suggestion as a spell.
I'd take the Spellsong feat: 1. maintain illusions like Silent Image as a move action and 2. conceal spellcasting such as mind-control if needed. More useful than Effortless Trickery (which is limited to gnomes). Switch spells as part of your progression.
It's Kingmaker, you'll usually face one encounter per day, so don't be afraid of running out of spells or bardic rounds.
I'd pick a bow and some tangleshot arrows. Nice debuff as a touch attack, which does not require to invest in archery feats.
I'd plan on UMD a wand of Sleet Storm => no save, no SR, large area battlefield control. Also, carry a few scrolls of Tiny Hut: used as a combat spell, it grants total concealment, which is powerful if your teammates are half-competent archers (no Dex bonus to AC, etc.).
it's OK to buff from scrolls and wands. Save your spell slots for offensive spells.
It's Kingmaker, so you should have enough downtime to craft magic items (craft rods for metamagic, anyone?).
Maybe a few other tricks, like Pyrotechnics + Bullseye lantern w/ Continual Flame (if your DM is OK with it).
Don't try to be a "god wizard", but focus on being effective enough to get the job done.
