Thaddeus Mead's page

For spells, Blistering Invective; shaken and burning opponents are a good thing.For feats,
Cornugon Smash is Amazing. My problem with using intimidate as a bard is the action economy. Dazzling Display looked great, but I rarely got a chance to use it; I found that usually there were few enough enemies that it made more sense just to walk up and hit something. Blistering invective is a standard action, so you can move into optimal position and cast, making a much more practical way intimidate. As a bonus, you get no-save damage, as the save for BI is for not catching on fire; if they're shaken, they take the D10. With Cornugon smash, the intimidate check is a free action.

Grease is a great spell, but I wouldn't spend feats on improving it. It's always nice if they fall down, but it's still difficult terrain and that limits the opponents options.

At low levels, tripping things with the whip works great. Through level 5 that worked almost every time for me, but I never use it anymore. The Longspear is a great weapon, but if you decide to go with a different one, get a Fauchard.

Bards can also get Handle Animal through Versitile Performance. Percussion also gives intimidate, and wind also gives diplomacy, iirc.

Lamashtu. Her followers never get to be the heroes.

To be better at healing, a cleric of Sarenrae, to be better at blasting, a cleric of asmodeus. Fire domain, and for the bad guy, a good cha and selective channel.

The 17 wisdom was for helping make the spontaneous casting more viable, but it is probably overkill.

They have the longest range of any missile weapon not completely thwarted by wind wall, you know.

I'm getting ready to create my 2nd PFS Character, and I have decided to build an Evangelist Cleric of Milani, eventually to be focused on summoning really strong monsters quickly (via summon good monster, augmented summoning, and sacred summons) then boosting them further with inspire courage.

The problem is, that will take a while to get going, and I'm trying to come up with a way I can contribute at low levels while not taking feats away from the long term path. I don't want to be combat focused, I don't plan on rushing to the front lines, but I want to be able to hold my own if combat finds me.

Right now, I'm thinking Human: str 10, dex 14, con 14, int 10, wis 15+2, cha 13.
Feats will be: feat tax conjuration and augmented summoning, with adopted (helpful) and reactionary for traits. At first level I'll inspire courage, and either plink away with the crossbow or move behind the fighters to aid another. Spells will most likely be bless and prot evil, switching to spontaneous Command spells as needed. Is that going to be enough to help a party at 1st level, and if not, how could I improve?

My other question regards the Domain. I only get one, and want to go with Liberation for thematic reasons, but thus far I have not seen anything in PFS where Freedom of Movement would be needed; from what I've seen either Defense or Restoration would be useful far more frequently. Would Liberation come into play more at high levels, or should I go with something more generally useful?

Thanks for reading, and I would appreciate any advice you fine and knowledgable folks might have for me.

Wow, I'm so glad I stumbled onto this. Thank you for posting it, and best of luck.

I think the most discouraging thing to new players isn't difficult mechanics, it's having nothing to contribute in certain situations, or dying. Because of that, and because I want new players to realize that there is more to the game than combat, I would suggest an archer bard. Out of combat, they're great. When the fight breaks out, archery is a wonderful combat style, and one that increases survival. And while being the one to identify the weakness of a monster is old hat to people who have played a while, I find it's really fun for new players. Compare "then I shot it with my bow for 7 damage" to "then I realized that while weapons did little, it was vulnerable to fire!" Which would seem more epic to a new player?

There are many reasons not to be a Bard, but it being a weak class isn't one. Still, if you're really set on a non-Bard, and want to have a variety of borderline abusive options at all levels, go Cleric.

A Cleric channeling negative energy has some pretty amazing options through variant channeling. You'll want a high cha for selective channel, and with a 16 cha, the divine conduit trait, and improved channel, you have a 30' burst that can miss your allies, and requires a 16 will save at first level.

Among the conditions you can inflict are sickened for 2 rounds, 1d2 intelligence damage, confusion, 1 point of str, dex, or con damage (your choice), dazed, or compelled to attempt a steal combat manuver on their next turn; basically wasting it in order to provoke an Attack of Opportunity. The save scales as you go up in level, as does the damage if they do save.

All of this is on top of being a full caster with 3/4 BAB, good saves, and medium armor. Get Sacred Summons to be able to summon outsiders of the same alignment as your deity as a standard action, and go to town.

zomblisham wrote:

Ok I had a very similar problem and I found the answer. Sound striker bard. It's so vague that you can exsploit the crap out if it via feats and abilities . But that's only if you like doing 10d8 plus 10 times your charisma mod every round at tenth level. Never mind the fact that this could have point blank shot applied for ten more damage.

I've already considered this - there is one problem. The damage doesn't scale. Say your character has a charisma of 20. 10d8 + 50 damage per round is all you will ever do, even at 20th lvl. This is easily outclassed by even the standard fighter, who can do two or three times that amount per round.

Although, perhaps I'm missing something in regards to the "feats and abilities" you mentioned that can exploit the archetype's abilities. Care to elaborate?

Virtuoso performance; maintain 2 performances simultaneously. Now 20 d8, and you can double THAT with Shadow Bard.

Don't give into the Darkside; be a Bard that will change the way those fools see Bards. The best Bard spells don't attack your enemies, they help your friends, so 14 cha is fine to start. On your enemies, a long spear backed with 18 str, a 14 dex, and combat reflexes is gonna be doing damage that no one will laugh at. Later, grab intimidating prowess and dazzling display to watch amusing little puddles form under all your enemies at the start of each fight. Also, don't be afraid to dump wisdom; you're a melee bard after all, how wise can you be?

I was thinking more of Francois Mackandalfling, but Quasit Modo would be a great familiar; clerics can get those through eldritch heritage, right?

I've been pondering a Halfling cleric of Lamashtu since reading about how many mothers and infants die during or shortly after giving birth in Cheliax. I think a slave who had just watched the woman he loved worked to death, and his unborn child die with her, might be open to what Lamashtu had to offer. And if his long term goal was to lead a tribe of vengeful ex slaves somewhere in the wilds of Isger and wage a guerilla war on their pro-Cheliax puppet govt, then perhaps some of the friends he made working for the Liberties Edge faction might be valuable allies someday.

I've never failed to enjoy being a melee focused bard.

I've just always assumed killing slavers was kind of a standing order. If it's not, I have some suicide notes to forge.

"How does your 7 wisdom affect your character?" Um, besides the fact that I'm a melee bard. Well, whenever I find an ancient artifact covered in dust, I write "Thaddeus was here" on it

Hey all. Just got back from my first mission, and it went quite well. So the next round is on me.