Warning this ended up being so long no one might ever get trough it (hope not :)
Playing a Halfling Bard, in society in less than 18 hours and have not made the Character yet. (typical me by the way)
I could really need some help on making decisions here got way to many things I would like to pick if I go archery build and to few ideas as what to do if I don´t.
Here is some of my thoughts so fare, want to build a character, based on the haflings strengths stat wise rather than trying to force the stats to much around, so relative highish dex and cha,and no supper str witch made me think that a archery build might be the only (good) option for when not casting spells,would love to use all my feat on
stuff like halfling luck well prepared and other fun halfling fluff feats or even spell ability feats,or some support or control stuff, just not sure really if it is, an option if you still want to have a playable toon.
"Afraid" I might end up having only worthless things to contribute with in combat, witch is a big part of the game after all.
what would be my best option as a bard with dex and cha as the best stats
also as I am in society it would be great to be some kind versatile, as you never know what your group consist off (realizing I will if realistic never be a supper front line combatant)
but of course don´t wanna spread myself to thin either, don´t need to be supper optimized but useless is no fun either, having played a bard (or maybe once in third) since 2nd edition (kind of new to Pf and mostly played Dm in 3rd)
I see first and forth most the Bard as a support character and a substitute (being able to fill in if another class is missing)
and want the build to if durable to reflect that.
for books that can be used to build: CRB, APG Halflings of Golarion
UC, (and the core assumption for Pfs but don´t got the field guide (yet))
Okay so the build thinking Vanilla Bard works best / is what I want
Inspire Competence is to cool to give up unless you got something very specific in mind, also like my knowledge check bonus abilitys alot
and versatile performance is nice to have, the rest is imo so so but overall i think vanilla bard seems nice, about 90 % certain I will go that way.
abilitys thinking some thing like (20 point buy)
str 12 (14-2)
dex 16 (14+2)
con 14
int 10
wis 10
cha 16 (14+2)
consideration am I offering to much on str/is my int to low.
should I offer a point in either con or str to raise int to 12 (or maybe offer 2 point in wis not sure about that one thou as missing will saves kind of sucks.) and then raise str or con at lvl 4 witch is cheaper than to raise my int latter.
whole other option would be to don´t offer anything in str at all save 5 point to be put in other abiltys raise int to 12 would still be one of the things I would like to do here, and then simply use a x-bow at range and accept that I suck in melee (and are no damage dealer)
or maybe someone have a better idea if I o low str.
the hard one feats and traits ( gets 2 traits in pfs )
considering following traits mainly if I go the archer/slinger way
kind of blank on what to do as to be at least some what use full
combat wise if I don´t. but would love some suggestions if anyone thinks it is durable playing on my highish cha could be probally alot more fun than (just) I shoot him yeah I hit next round I shoot again and so on
but not really sure how as I think I got to few spells to make it happen. so this is mainly based on what I might choose if I go range bard
weapon heritage: (is it called that can´t seem to find it ) anyway the trait that lets you pick a material weapon and you get it free and the profiency in it
(at least what it is doing in society after the erata)
would than get either the halfling sling staff ( material for halflings)
or maybe the longbow)
again that comes down to combat style when not casting spells and what feat(s) I end up taking (wanting to take latter on )
more on that in the choosing a weapon section.
helpful halfling +4 while using the help another action instead of +2
simply love this trait but not sure if it will come into its right if used on a character that most of the time would be better served to stay out of melee (no aid another in combat if at range)
but might still be good to have for versatile able to do something use full in close combat
vagabond child: class skill in and + 1 on disable device(+4 all in all) this one would be beyond nice when encountering locks and traps, again I like a lot to be able to fill in and even thou I can´t remove magical traps (that way)
this can help alot to partially fill in for a rogue ability
other ones Maestro of the Society (can´t find this one either where did all the traits go :( ^^ )
or one of the many ones giving + on ini might be worth considering (but) all ready got to many traits (to choose from)
Feats here I would like to plain ahead and have a general idea with one to choose Pfs end at lvl 12 so leaves me with 6 feats (whole career)
leaning strongly towards making my character ranged for combat option
following feats are on my list, but not sure witch to pick or in what order.again game ending at lvl 12 might make feat that are "only" worth it at low lvl more value able as it might quick be around half your career,
pbs: pretty much a request for every range feat
precise shoot: (is this one worth it unless I also get rapid shoot or choose a weapon that need a move action to load, not getting a second attack before lvl 8 maybe a lvl 9 feat in that case or lvl 7 if i go bow an want many shoot at 9)(again pfs ends at lvl 12)
rapid shoot: with so many (range) feat to choose from, is feats that give you a minus to hit worth it with a 3/4 bab one more attack of course mean massive dam increase but if you don´t hit anyways well ....
deadly aim: pretty much same considerations as with rapid.
rapid reload: this is only interesting if I go with a x-bow but then I guess it might be nice enough.
arcane strike: this at 1st glance seems like a must +1 to dam both melee and range, count as magic it scales nice and no minus to hit
but the swift action needed is a minus (one of my favorite spells being saving finale and there are some other nice once that feed upon your swift action up to) still might be to nice to pass up
Large target: (halflings of Golarion) + 1 dam with all kinds of slings pr size category target are larger than you.
so +1 m +2 l and so forth seems pretty nice to me if I go sling or staff sling.
many shoots: this ones seems like a most have if I go bow but can not take it before 9 (bab +6 request)
focus shoot: (apg) int to precision dam within 30 feet with x-bow or bow
could then be a real option to not invest in str at all, 8 str 14 int in build would give loads of bonus skill wise and actually more + dam wise on range than 12 str and 10 int
problem is needs both pbs and precise first and is says as a standard attack you can, .... witch I guess mean no full attacks and + to int
(again pfs seems so better take things litteraly )
also how much stuff are immune to precision dam and criticals witch both negate the dam bonus
weapon focus +1 to hit all ways nice if I go staff sling its even both on range and close. hitting are all ways better than not
(but are just so many feat to choose from)
imp ini this is not a must have by any means but very nice to go early when you buff.
spell focus and maybe even extra perform or skill focus perform could also be fare out contenders,well prepared could be fun and have its use to (probally more flavour full than use full ) and there are ton of defensive feats there would be gold to have mainly better cmd and saves.
(not sure I like lingering perform because you are not performing most of the time using it and therefor no saving finale or similare spells)
why are there so many feats to choose from my head hurts :)
range are so feat needy its crazy wondering at this point if its even worth it.
someone please help me choose some feats and the correct order to choose theme in I am going crazy here.
okay thoughts on weapon
sling: this one I all ready knows with war slinger alternate race abilty
I can reload for free, and I can all ways have a str bonus on it should it go up an down also can use large target feat with this one
and use buckler as it fire one hand.
minus won´t get many shoot but that is "only" useable so late that it might not be a deal breaker.
staff sling: will cost a trait witch is a minus but 1d6 + all ways str is as good as it get small size, also got free treat as my close weapon
(club 1d4 ) is part of the weapon, weapon focus c$~& both range and close might be a nice versatile bonus, again one hand fire = buckler bonus, minuses many shoot are out and it will allways be a move action to load
(going total raw here and don´t assume that war slinger works with staff slings as this is pfs and I will need so many dms to agree with that is not worth it) this means only a 5 feeet step to get into position and no more than 1 attack pr round, but since none of this will matter before 8lvl anyway (by then I could i theory cast haste and attack twice anyway.) as long as i stay away from rapid shoot
then with rapid shoot given minus to attack and 8 lvl + being a very small portion of my career and haste option this might be a good option.
short bow: not much to say here 1d4 dam instead of 1d3 sling but can´t use large target feat and need composite to do str dam don´t have the flexibility of the sling and + str dam in case of + or minus to str score. + size got profiency free free action to load and can get many shoot at lvl 9
longbow: same as short only cost trait for more dam (not even sure if its worth it)
x-bow light: this one would be an option if I dropped str to 10 or even 8, also focus shoot feat int to precision dam within 30 feet could then be a real option 8 str 14 int in build would give loads of bonus skill wise and actually more + dam wise on range than 12 str and 10 int
problem is needs both pbs and precise first and is says as a standard attack you can witch I guess mean no full attacks and + to int also so much stuff are immune to precision dam and criticals
minus will need to take rapid reload if I want more than one attack pr round, but might be a okay option, after all given some of the considerations given under sling staff.
last option is ofcourse not to go range at all, or not focus so heavy on it this would likely ending up in me picking up a sling for back up, but even as I would in some ways love to drop range focus (hate it be so feat demanding) I think I got to few spells to build for those and a melee build seems very suboptimal
for my halfling bard,
having read just about every tread I could find on bard and both bard guides ( most likely to many times)
I would love to build a control (de)buff support character bard
or someone who toke equally advanced on his dex and cha
would be even better
I am just kind of "afraid" I will end up with a useless toon
and not really sure how to make suchs a build viable
is it posible to make a cha, dex combo bard decent
or will I simply spread my build to thin if I try be anything other than the clasic archer build when not having any great str.
(treants suggestions for the control build relied on high str and intimidate, witch don´t really play into my strengths also dazling display is at earliest at 5th lvl )
not even sure if this would work with high str and intimidate so not sure about trying it without either,
and before anyone ask yeah I am dead set on playing Halfling and you are most likely not convincing me to play another class either :)
Please share any advice would be much apreciated
(full or all most full build suggestions even more so)
think I have confused my self to the point where I having a hard time deciding anything :)
