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Good News people... One of our groups DM's has agreed to run a lite hearted adventure (we usually play serious games). I am really going out on a limb and will attempt to RP a Bard, a class I have never done before.
Premise:
- PF + limited 3.5 allowed (none of the game smasher builds, like Diplomancer).
- Golarion world setting
- 20 pt buy in / any alignment but evil
- Homebrew adv.
- All PC's start as Bards
We are all in a Band with Dark Flavor (heavy metal / rock) that travels Golarion performing shows along the way we fight evil / solve mysteries (think Golarians version of Scooby Doo or KISS saves Christmas). I took up the position as the "voice" of the group (lead singer). We have a Nordic human lute (guitar) player (melee), Base player (melee), Dual wand wielding drummer (UMD specialist) + one undecided.
I need help with my Bard, where to begin? I am thinking... I want more RP with focus on the fun of a Rock Star (parties, women, destroying Inn's and so on...) getting Famous and making much gold (which as a young star I spend foolishly) is high priority. But I don't want to be totally combat ineffective.
Bard - (Demogogue) 6 / ?
Dhampir / C-N
only Feat I decided on is Leadership to get groupies
I want the Incite Violence power to create a Mosh Pit at our concerts + Famous and Gather Crowd ability. Great for RP but not real useful in combat. I like PRC's but have no idea what to go after my 6 levels. My thoughts keep going to MindBender class but that seems a bit too Dark.
Help
Ideas for PRC's?
Melee or Ranged?
Point buy in besides Cha?
Feats (mostly for RP / flavor)?
RP ideas to be a "better" Rock Star?
DM would like to play off our actions, what should we as a Band do to give him help with hooks?
Band Names???
Thanks in advance.
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Melee. Improvised Weapons. Smash guitars, instruments, "mic stands", etc. See about using halflings as weapons too.
Cha is 14, Str is higher. Keep everything else above 10. Maybe Wis to 8 if you don't want to be wise.
Discordant Voice at level 11. Spellsong is real nice.
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Melee. Improvised Weapons. Smash guitars, instruments, "mic stands", etc. See about using halflings as weapons too.
Cha is 14, Str is higher. Keep everything else above 10. Maybe Wis to 8 if you don't want to be wise.
Discordant Voice at level 11. Spellsong is real nice.
Sweet! Like the imp weaps. Halfling as weapons??? Lol how so.....
I don't think it's really possible without the Body Bludgeoner rage power, but you know...maybe improved unarmed strike too? I just imagine the lead singer of a heavy metal band being all about just kinda wailing around, using whatever is in reach.
You should ask your GM if you can just have the sound striker archetype too, since it fits SO WELL. But it replaces suggestion, which demagogue does as well.
My group has had an idea like this for a while too, but we'd do a gestalt campaign. We already decided that the lead singer would be a Soundstriker bard / Metal mystery oracle.
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I cannot remember the name of a 3.5 feat for Bards that allow you to use a number of perform w/instruments equal to Int. modifier using only one skill set.
Ex: perform vocal skill to also use
- drums
- lute
I use to love in the 80's when the lead singer would grab a guitar and jam with the guitarist or jump on the drums.
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I don't think it's really possible without the Body Bludgeoner rage power, but you know...maybe improved unarmed strike too? I just imagine the lead singer of a heavy metal band being all about just kinda wailing around, using whatever is in reach.
You should ask your GM if you can just have the sound striker archetype too, since it fits SO WELL. But it replaces suggestion, which demagogue does as well.
My group has had an idea like this for a while too, but we'd do a gestalt campaign. We already decided that the lead singer would be a Soundstriker bard / Metal mystery oracle.
Nice IUS. I am looking for a PRC but another base class could work, will check out the Metal Oracle.
The more I think about this the more questions I have?
As A Band does only one of us make a performance check and the rest synergy him? Do synergy bonuses stack?
Is it possible to use create wonderous item or any creation feat to make electrical instruments?
What to spells to use for Light Shows?
Possible to make a recording device to sell our "records"
There's no optimization advantage to metal oracle. But hey, you have been cursed by the gods and given the task of spreading metal music all over the world. Take Tongues curse. Choose death growl as your language.
No clue about group perform checks. There's a teamwork feat in UM to help out though.
Ask your GM!
Dancing Lights.
No, but look into Magic Mouth.
I played a one-shot like this at an event once. It was "Battle of the Bards" where all of the PCS were bard versions of famous performers. Lady Gaga was a changeling, for instance, and I played Purple Lloyd (Pink Floyd parody). That game was geared for a lot of PvP/ competitive skill checks, so my experience won't help you much.
BUT
With a whole party full of bards, everyone is likely to be competing for the limelight (pun intended) since you all have overlapping CHA-related skills and abilities. Like any good band, you need to be solid on who has which part so you don't just argue the whole time.
Good luck!
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Try trading off the performance for a little bit of in game non-combat PVP competition. Just think about it as each players solo piece for that concert. Then you can apply all the +2s from aid another to stack onto the highest roll and pull out a truly rocking performance. :)
I actually had friend whose character who would enter competitions with other bards for this very same effect. Both bards made more money off of it, but the "winner" got a slight bonus to his winnings for that concert (10% extra I think).
Dancing Lights and Pyrotechnics will probably be your best and lowest level special effect spells, but I really don't know about making "electric" versions of your instruments. Maybe arcane versions instead with an amplification and distortion spell of some sort. It might even be focused into a Shout spell a couple of times per day at the cost of losing or hindering the amplification benefit for the rest of the day if all charges are spent.
Hm. Maybe a masterwork instrument that gives a +2 bonus to your Perform skill, can be heard at 3x the normal distance easily, and has 2 charges of Shout. For each charge spent the bonus to Perform decreases by 1 and the range at which it can be heard decreases by the normal range of the instruments sound. Could be interesting.
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I played a one-shot like this at an event once. It was "Battle of the Bards" where all of the PCS were bard versions of famous performers. Lady Gaga was a changeling, for instance, and I played Purple Lloyd (Pink Floyd parody). That game was geared for a lot of PvP/ competitive skill checks, so my experience won't help you much.
BUT
With a whole party full of bards, everyone is likely to be competing for the limelight (pun intended) since you all have overlapping CHA-related skills and abilities. Like any good band, you need to be solid on who has which part so you don't just argue the whole time.
Good luck!
Thanks! I hear you. We been playing together for about 6 years and we want this game.
Band call so far...
Lead Lute (guitarist) - Nordic Human Bard (Sound Striker) probably use it as a great club.
Base guitarist - Race? Bard w/ axe guitar
Drummers - Race? Bard w/ dual wand weilder feats / UMD specialist
Last player is totally undecided.
(Me) Lead Vocals - Dhampir Bard (Demogogue) w/ improvised weapon / throw anything / IUS.
I think we'll be able to have fun.
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Try trading off the performance for a little bit of in game non-combat PVP competition. Just think about it as each players solo piece for that concert. Then you can apply all the +2s from aid another to stack onto the highest roll and pull out a truly rocking performance. :)
I actually had friend whose character who would enter competitions with other bards for this very same effect. Both bards made more money off of it, but the "winner" got a slight bonus to his winnings for that concert (10% extra I think).
Dancing Lights and Pyrotechnics will probably be your best and lowest level special effect spells, but I really don't know about making "electric" versions of your instruments. Maybe arcane versions instead with an amplification and distortion spell of some sort. It might even be focused into a Shout spell a couple of times per day at the cost of losing or hindering the amplification benefit for the rest of the day if all charges are spent.
Hm. Maybe a masterwork instrument that gives a +2 bonus to your Perform skill, can be heard at 3x the normal distance easily, and has 2 charges of Shout. For each charge spent the bonus to Perform decreases by 1 and the range at which it can be heard decreases by the normal range of the instruments sound. Could be interesting.
I never sure a bard so will have to take a look at their spell list. I like the charged items/instruments... Good idea.
That would be cool have guitar / Drum solo's....
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Not really your character choice but maybe consider playing a barbershop quartet of dervishes or something, could even go one of each (ranged, melee, controller (whips) and rogue.
The quartet swirled around the ogre, their feet maneuvering dexterously around the monstrosity keeping just fast enough to avoid it's swings. They stepped in rhythm, as if counting to a beat..1...2...1...2...3..4!
With a whirl and a flourish, they all lashed out in sequence with their rapiers, "hello" "Hello" "HELLO". Their stabs added to the sound of the growing song, each singer's voice blending with the other, creating a unique effect that lifted their spirits and confused the enemies around them!
Also, half elves, or orcs would be awesome for it. Especially if you went Whip build with Intimidate!
- Homebrew adv.
- All PC's start as Bards
I don't think it's really possible without the Body Bludgeoner rage power, but you know...maybe improved unarmed strike too? I just imagine the lead singer of a heavy metal band being all about just kinda wailing around, using whatever is in reach.
BARDBARIAN!!!
BARDBARIAN!!!I don't think it's really possible without the Body Bludgeoner rage power, but you know...maybe improved unarmed strike too? I just imagine the lead singer of a heavy metal band being all about just kinda wailing around, using whatever is in reach.
haha, I'm actually working on a cha-based dhampir barbarian archetype. That has amusing synergy.
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So many options, some of which have already been named:
Bardbarian - I'm thinking Animal from the Muppets
Dawnflower Dervish - Might not fit with a rock band. Too holy.
Archer Bard - Widely regarded as one of the easiest bards to make that's really effective in combat. I'm surprised you don't have one in your group already. Given all the melee fighters, this would be a good addition. See Treantmonk's Bard Guide for how to optimize this. Consider a 1 level dip in sorcerer just to cast gravity bow 4 times per day (or just a wand of gravity bow).
We actually joked about doing something like this at my local group, but without the rock band flavor. More of a traveling band of minstrels who fit with the normal fantasy world flavor. But I don't think we were even remotely serious about ever actually doing it.
I was able to play two nights in my friends bard game. I was a half-ogre noble Bard/Barbarian/Fighter/Ranger. I played the Baliset (also a warhammer.) I used a whirling whip to trip mo-fo's in battle. Also our DM let our assists for playing stack. It made for some epic moments when we put on an earth shattering 51 perform check after the town fought back an orc invasion. Anyways. I hope you have fun.