Critique My Character


Advice


Owain, the Dread Commander.

Human, LE, Bard* 7/Cavalier (Standard Bearer) 2/Warlord 1/Battle Herald 10
* = Favored Class. Favored Class bonus: +1 skill rank

Starting Abilities (15 points) Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 18*
Final Abilities - Str 16, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 29*
* = Human bonus

HP 177, Initiative +9, AC 42 (Flat Footed 37, Touch 20), Fort/Ref/Will +21/+18/+20

Order: Cockatrice

Feats: Pander*, Discordant Voice, Lingering Performance, Combat Casting, Dazzling Display, Practiced Tactician, Improved Initiative, Leadership, Spellsong, Skill Focus (Perform: Comedy), Intimidating Gaze*, Bravery*, Craft Wand, Piercing Strike, Pack Attack*
* = 3rd party feat

Skills (180 ranks): Perform (Comedy) +38, Perform (Oratory) +32, Perception +25, Use Magic Device +32, Profession (Soldier) +25, Ride +18, Handle Animal +22, Knowledge (All) +10, Diplomacy +14, Intimidate +14, Appraise +16

Inspiring Commands: Inspire Hardiness, Rally, None Shall Fall, Stand Firm

Equipment: +5 Elven Chain; +5 Heavy Mithral Steel Shield; +5 Keen Longsword; +5 Light Crossbow with 60 bolts; +5 Cloak of Resistance; +5 Ring of Protection; Ring of Wizardry III; +6 Headband of Mental Superiority; +6 Belt of Physical Perfection; +5 Amulet of Natural Armor; various scrolls, wands and mundane gear.

Spells Known (Per Day 7/5/4):
3rd - Good Hope, Haste
2nd - Rage, Blistering Invective, Blur, Cure Moderate Wounds
1st - Undetectable Alignment, Vanish, Remove Fear, Liberating Command, Charm Person

Traits: Magical Knack (Bard), Maestro of the Society

This is my buffbot I am working on. Thanks to 7 levels of Bard I have access to some of the best 3rd level bard spells.

I love demoralizing enemies because it is a great way to boost my allies defenses and save DCs, but think one enemy per standard action is a bit weak. Dazzling Display feat from being a Cavalier and Blistering Invective let me demoralize everything in range which is great. Intimidating Gaze lets me demoralize as a swift action.

+8 competence bonus to one character and +4 to the rest of the party, a +2 morale bonus to everyone due to Good Hope, and a -2 for shaken condition is a +10 boost to my party's attack and a damage bonus of 1d6+6 with an additional 1d6 piercing if flanking up to 2/day.

As an evil character I have 1 extra feat due to the Antihero rule in APG. I didn't think that having access to Hero Points would fit my theme.

Critique away!! Feat, equipment (especially since I didn't see many that stood out as must haves), and any other suggestions you can make are appreciated.


I really don't think that a bard with all of the buffs they have and the spells you have selected really makes sense with an order of the cockatrice. Other than that the build looks really solid.


I thought so too at first, but he sees himself as the center of the PC universe. Everything is better because of him, everyone else needs his buffs because they are inferior specimens. They would be lost without him, unable to succeed in their quests and succumbing to fear. He sees his party as simply a tool and resource he uses to enhance his greatness.


magikot wrote:
I thought so too at first, but he sees himself as the center of the PC universe. Everything is better because of him, everyone else needs his buffs because they are inferior specimens. They would be lost without him, unable to succeed in their quests and succumbing to fear. He sees his party as simply a tool and resource he uses to enhance his greatness.

No way! Role-playing and optimization, you must have a pretty well groomed mustache!

Anyways I like that perspective and I rescind my previous statement.


Buffing your allies is a noble goal.

What do you plan on doing after everyone is buffed? Because with a base 10 Str and 14 Dex, I don't think you can do much, even with a +5 longsword.

You probably don't need that much Charisma. You have all of...1 offensive spell. Having a high charisma is not necessary unless you have a ton of offensive spells. It helps with your skills, spells per day, and rounds per day, but other than that...At that level, having an extra 3 or 4 rounds from charisma isn't going to be too helpful.

Timely Inspiration and Gallant Inspiration are wonderful spells. Check them out.

I am a bigger fan of Super Genius Games' War Master than Adamant's War Lord. Might be worth checking out.

This book's Inspiring Commander might help fit the concept too. Disclosure: I wrote it.


I mostly plan on spending my time demoralizing the field and once in a while I will take pot shots with my crossbow. After I toss around the buffs I don't expect there to be too many rounds remaining. I will need to check out the war master and the spells, thank you.


A few things that stand out.

You have Craft Wand, but no ranks in Spellcraft. So aren't going to be crafting any wands.

Without Combat Casting, your Concentration is already +18. The highest defensive casting DC you will hit is 21. Do you plan on casting in combat enough to spend a feat on removing a 10% chance of failure?

If it is already +5 Keen, you should consider switching your Longsword for a Rapier. The average damage is only 1 lower, but the critical range will be much better (and it works with Weapon Finesse, which you should consider). Also, since you have Medium Armor Proficiency, you should probably use a Mithral Breastplate instead of Elven Chain. It is cheaper and universally superior, save requiring Medium Proficiency.

Ring of Wizardry III is crazy expensive, and only gives you one extra 3rd level spell a day. You could get 7 level 3 Pearls of Power for that. It also opens a slot for a Ring of Freedom of Movement, widely considered an incredibly useful item. While you are shopping, you might also consider stat tomes, a Circlet of Persuasion, and a Handy Haversack. Especially the Haversack. It is cheap and keeps all your wands nice and organized.


Pearls of Power do not work for spontaneous casters. You'd need the equivalent item from the Pathfinder Society Field Guide, which costs something like 1.5-2x as expensie.


Cheapy wrote:
Pearls of Power do not work for spontaneous casters. You'd need the equivalent item from the Pathfinder Society Field Guide, which costs something like 1.5-2x as expensie.

Darn. Well, whatever those are then. It is still better than 70k for one spell slot.

magikot wrote:
I mostly plan on spending my time demoralizing the field and once in a while I will take pot shots with my crossbow. After I toss around the buffs I don't expect there to be too many rounds remaining. I will need to check out the war master and the spells, thank you.

You might want to consider a Composite Longbow instead. You can get a version to add your strength, and take several extra shots a round. Might as well take full advantage of all those buffs you dropped.


Quote:
You have Craft Wand, but no ranks in Spellcraft. So aren't going to be crafting any wands.

Nice catch! The Craft Wand was a hold over from an earlier test build that I forgot to remove. Now I can afford to put in Weapon Finesse in and pick up the Rapier.

Quote:
Without Combat Casting, your Concentration is already +18. The highest defensive casting DC you will hit is 21. Do you plan on casting in combat enough to spend a feat on removing a 10% chance of failure?

It is one of the few feats I now get on all my casters. I would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. I will always remember the time I needed to roll a 2 or better to succeed at a defensive casting and had no Combat Casting yet because I didn't have room to pick it up in my build... I rolled a 1.

Sovereign Court

Change Profession to Spellcraft.
Keen longsword? Better go keen scimitar or rapier.

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