Help with picking feats for a bard

[sixdsixdamage]

ok i am playing a level 1 bard, the bard likes to mix singing and sword play. first round i use bard music to bump up partys atk, second round i run in and flank to help fighters out. my feat is weapon finesse. what other feats should i go with next to improve my close combat.

race - elf
class- bard
weapon- rapier
1st level feat- weapon fineese
stats
str 14
dex 19
con 14
wis 15
int 19
chr 17

so this build is basically a buff/flank.

[Fergie]

Dodge
Arcane Strike
Toughness
Power Attack
Exotic Weapon Proficiency
Combat Expertise
Two weapon fighting
Improved Initiative

[Abraham spalding]

Arcane Strike, Toughness, Improved Initiative, Combat Defense training, dodge, power attack, shield focus (use bucklers), cleave, combat casting

[Caineach]

Arcane Strike-free bonus damage is never bad, and it scales with you
Power Attack - more bonus damage, doesn't scale quite as good for 3/ BAB but still a good feat. If you find yourself hitting a lot, I would take this over AS, otherwise I would go the other way arround.
Toughness - you may not need it, but bonus HP is never bad.
weapon focus - Bonuses to hit are great.
Dazzling Display - Shaken is a great debuff and the casters will love you for the -2 to enemy saves. A 17 charisma will make you pretty good at intimidate.
Two Weapon Fighting is not a bad build. Power attack is less important, but Arcane strike is really good with it. You have to sheath a weapon to cast many somatic spells though.
Combat Casting-I would hold off on this to see how often you can't get free from enemies when you want to cast a spell. Combat focused bards often wont want to cast many spells once combat has been going more than a round or 2.
Extra Performance- depends on your play style. I find my groups Bard realy uses it, but we have long encounters compared to most groups.

If you want to, you can instead give your allies some advantages to do the damage and go for Greater Feint. If you have a rogue in the party he would like it. Its 3 feats deep though.

[Twowlves]

The bard in my campaign has Weapon Finesse, Combat Expertise and Improved Disarm. With the whip's 15' reach and +2 to disarm checks, he's able to disarm a LOT.

[Knight who says Neek!]

If you are willing to wait for a nice payoff:
Dodge, Mobility, spring attack, Combat expertise, and Whirlwind attack.

Spring attack lets you move in on one opponent, flank them, attack, then move to flank another target for an ally to attack.

Dodge-never hurts to have +1 to AC

Mobility, enables a specialist in flaking to move around the battlefield better.

Combat expertise--as a bard you are probaly the spokesman and resident fast talker. You can use the AC bonus to give you some breathing room when trying to talk out of the fight you are in.

Whirlwind attack--now you are a true swashbuckler, thrusting your blade at everyone around you.

True, not a power build, but if you wanted a power build, you generally don't pick a bard.

[xAverusx]

-Arcane Strike
-Improved Shield Bash: Armed, Armored and a free hand for casting!
-Toughness
-Improved Initiative: Because who on you team doesn't want to start their combats with Inspire Courage and Haste already going?
-Shield Focus - replaces Dodge (though poorly) and synergizes with bashing
-Build to Shield Master with Two-Weapon Fighting and Shield Slam?
-Maybe build to Dazzling Display like Caineach suggests. I know Dirge of Doom has a clause about not stacking for fear affects... but does order matter? Perhaps do Dazzling Display then start a Dirge of Doom to frighten? If not, I'd say skip Dazzling Display...

If non-Pathfinder is allowed:
Combat Reflexes to Vexing Flanker and Backstab

[Caineach]

xAverusx wrote:

-Arcane Strike

-Improved Shield Bash: Armed, Armored and a free hand for casting!
-Toughness
-Improved Initiative: Because who on you team doesn't want to start their combats with Inspire Courage and Haste already going?
-Shield Focus - replaces Dodge (though poorly) and synergizes with bashing
-Build to Shield Master with Two-Weapon Fighting and Shield Slam?
-Maybe build to Dazzling Display like Caineach suggests. I know Dirge of Doom has a clause about not stacking for fear affects... but does order matter? Perhaps do Dazzling Display then start a Dirge of Doom to frighten? If not, I'd say skip Dazzling Display...

If non-Pathfinder is allowed:
Combat Reflexes to Vexing Flanker and Backstab

As far as I can tell, Dirge of Doom says it will not increase fear effects but there is nothing that says fear effects like Dazzling Display can't increase it.

[Caineach]

The Advanced Players Guide Playtest has teamwork feats in it. If your GM will allow them, and you have a friend willing to also take them, there is 1 that gives you a d6 precision damage when flanking and annother that increases the flanking bonus to hit to +4 instead of +2.

[sixdsixdamage]

yep cant wait for the advenced players guide. when it gets here i will be taking feats from the teamwork feats. i think i will stay with just one weapon two weapon fighting is great but it really dont fit the way i want this character to do in combat. but with those teamwork feats plus arcane strike and weapon focus. but i really like the Dodge, Mobility, spring attack, Combat expertise, and Whirlwind attack feat build that looks like it will rock. i will most likely grab arcane strike and then start down the feat line for the spring attack and such.
after that will take the teamwork feats.

so maybe
weapon fineese 1st level
arcane strike 3
weapon focus 5
dodge 7
mobility 9
spring attack 11
combat expertise 12
whirlwind attack 13
team feats from here on out 15,17,19 ( if we make it that far )

[xAverusx]

I'm a big supporter of "random +1's make a huge difference" but I think you can skip Weapon Focus. With flanking, song and buffs, you'll have plenty of To-Hit. Damage and mobility are what you should focus on. Get to Spring attack faster.

When the time comes (if you make it that far) pick the teamwork feat that increase damage when flanking over the one that raises flanking bonuses.