As an experiment i thought i'd throw together an archery based bard and run it though a few levels
Human Bard (Dawnflower Dervish) 1
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Init: +6; Perception: +4
Hp: 10 (+1 con, +1 favored)
AC: 17, touch: 14, flat: 13 (+3 armor, +4 dex)
Fort: +1, Ref: +6, Wil: +2,
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Speed: 30 ft.
Melee Scimitar +4 (1d6+4/18-20x2)
Ranged Short Bow +4 (1d6/x3)
Special Attack: Performance Battle dance (Gain +2 to hit and damage), Countersong (+2) Distraction (+6) Fascinate(dc 12), 9 rounds/day
Spells Caster Level 1st Concentration +3
Lvl 0 (-) Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Read Magic
Lvl 1 (2) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Step
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Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 08, Wis 10, Cha 14
BAB +0, CMB +2, CMD 16
Traits: Reactionary, Maestro of the Society
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Skills: (7) Perform (Dance), 1 Perform (Oratory), Perception 1, Acrobatics 1, Spellcraft 1, Linguistics 1, Intimidate 1
Gear: Studded Leather Armor, Short Bow, Scimitar, 40 Cold Iron Arrows 31 gold for other items
Obviously atm a much better melee fighter than ranged hopefully that will change
Build wise i chose feather step as battlefield mobility may become important (5 foot steps in difficult terrain is nice)
Round 1(a) If the terrain is bad cast feather step and move to a good spot then if not or afterwards preoceed to round 1(b)
Round 1(b) Battle Dance (move action) and Attack +6 to hit 1d6 +2 damage (+7 and +3 in 30')
Round 2+ Dance (free action) move if needed and shoot
Human Bard (Dawnflower Dervish) 1 Fighter (Lore Warden) 1
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Init: +6; Perception: +5
Hp: 15 (1d8+1d10+2)
AC: 18, touch: 14, flat: 14 (+4 armor, +4 dex)
Fort: +3, Ref: +6, Wil: +2,
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Speed: 30 ft.
Melee Scimitar +5 (1d6+4/18-20x2)
Ranged Mw Long Comp Bow (+2 Mighty) +6 (1d8+2/x3) or +4/+4(1d8+2/x3)
Special Attack: Performance Battle dance (Gain +2 to hit and damage) Countersong (+2) Distraction (+7) Fascinate(dc 12), 9 rounds/day
Spells Caster Level 1st Concentration +3
Lvl 0 (-) Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Read Magic
Lvl 1 (2) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Step
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Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 08, Wis 10, Cha 14
BAB +1, CMB +3, CMD 17
Traits: Reactionary, Maestro of the Society
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot
Skills: (11) Perform (Dance) 2, Perform (Oratory) 2, Perception 1, Acrobatics 1, Spellcraft 2, Linguistics 2, Intimidate 1
Gear: Chain Shirt, Mw Long Comp Bow (+2 Mighty), Scimitar, 40 Cold Iron Arrows 4x scrolls clw 181 gold for other items
Now he is looking a bit more archerish i took lore warden for the extra skills due to the low probability of needing the heavier armor profs
Round 1(a) If the terrain is bad cast feather step and move to a good spot then if not or afterwards preoceed to round 1(b)
Round 1(b) Battle Dance (move action) and Attack +8 to hit 1d8+4 damage (+9 and +5 in 30')
Round 2+ Dance (free action) 5' step if needed and Attack +6/+6 1d8+4 damage (7/7 and 5 in 30')
Human Bard (Dawnflower Dervish) 2 Fighter (Lore Warden) 1
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Init: +6; Perception: +6
Hp: 21 (2d8+1d10+3)
AC: 18, touch: 14, flat: 14 (+4 armor, +4 dex)
Fort: +3, Ref: +7, Wil: +3,
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Speed: 30 ft.
Melee Scimitar +6 (1d6+5/18-20x2)
Ranged +1 Long Comp Bow (+2 Mighty) +7 (1d8+4/x3) or +5/+5(1d8+4/x3)
Special Abilities: Bardic Performance; Battle dance (Gain +2 to hit and damage), Countersong (+2) Distraction (+8) Fascinate(dc 13), 11 rounds/day, Versitile Perfomance (Oratory), Well Versed
Spells Caster Level 2nd Concentration +4
Lvl 0 (-) Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Read Magic, Mending
Lvl 1 (3) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Step, Abundant Ammunition
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Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 08, Wis 10, Cha 14
BAB +2, CMB +4, CMD 18
Traits: Reactionary, Maestro of the Society
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Arcane Strike
Skills: (18) Perform (Dance) 3, Perform (Oratory) 3, Perception 2, Acrobatics 3, Spellcraft 3, Linguistics 2, Intimidate 3
Gear: Chain Shirt, +1 Long Comp Bow (+2 Mighty), Scimitar, 40 Cold Iron Arrows 4x scrolls clw 181 gold for other items
Not too much different slightly better at archery. I took arcane strike as i am not using swifts for a while and no penalty to hit and having abundant ammo in my spell list seems the right thing to do combat is much as before
Round 1(a) If the terrain is bad cast feather step and move to a good spot then if not or afterwards preoceed to round 1(b)
Round 1(b) Battle Dance (move action) and Attack +9 to hit 1d8+6 damage (+10 and +7 in 30')
Round 2+ Dance (free action) 5' step if needed and Attack +7/+7 1d8+6 damage (8/8 and 7 in 30')
4th doesn't really change much so i'll skip it so next is
Human Bard (Dawnflower Dervish) 4 Fighter (Lore Warden) 1
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Init: +6; Perception: +8
Hp: 32 (4d8+1d10+5)
AC: 20, touch: 15, flat: 15 (+5 armor, +5 dex)
Fort: +4, Ref: +9, Wil: +4,
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Speed: 30 ft.
Melee Mw Scimitar +10 (1d6+5/18-20x2)
Ranged +1 Long Comp Bow (+2 Mighty) +8 (1d8+8/x3) or +6/+6(1d8+8/x3)
Special Abilities: Bardic Performance; Battle dance (Gain +2 to hit and damage), Countersong (+2) Distraction (+10) Fascinate(dc 14), 15 rounds/day, Versitile Perfomance (Oratory), Well Versed
Spells Caster Level 4th Concentration +6
Lvl 0 (-) Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Read Magic, Mending,
Lvl 1 (3) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Step, Abundant Ammunition, Vanish,
Lvl 2 (2) Allegro, Don't care probably CMW,
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Str 14, Dex 19(21), Con 12, Int 08, Wis 10, Cha 14
BAB +4, CMB +6, CMD 21
Traits: Reactionary, Maestro of the Society
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Arcane Strike, Deadly Aim,
Skills: (32) Perform (Dance) 5, Perform (Oratory) 5, Perception 5, Acrobatics 5, Spellcraft 5, Linguistics 2, Intimidate 5
Gear: +1 Mithril Chain Shirt, +1 Long Comp Bow (+2 Mighty), Mw Scimitar, Belt of Increidable Dex +2 20 Cold Iron Arrows, 10 Blunt Cold Iron Arrows, 10 Silver Arrows 4x scrolls clw 215 gold for other items
Now he is looking like a good archery character probably not optimal but good none the less and can also function in melee if needed.
Round 1(a) If the terrain is bad cast feather step and move to a good spot then if not or afterwards preoceed to round 1(b)
Round 1(b) Battle Dance (move action) and Cast Allegro (personal haste)
Round 2+ Dance (free action) 5' step if needed and Attack +9/+9/+9 1d8+10 damage (10/10/10 and 11 in 30')
Melee
Round 1 as above
Round 2 Full Attack +11/+11 1d6+7 damage
Looking forward to the next few levels
6th gives him an extra +2 to hit and +3 damage (battle dance and arcane strike), Dance skill now counts as the fly skill
7th he gets +1 to hit and a feat
8th he picks up +1 to hit an Iterative attack (so 13/13/13/8 d8+13) and can cast actual haste for his friends
Feel free to critique, advise, poke fun at, post alternate builds, and/or flame as needed! :P
I would start at 1 w/ Rapid Shot instead of Precise Shot. When the battle becomes a melee, switch to the scimitar. Until then, pump out 2 attacks per round for good ranged damage output.
And if you're going to take a fighter level, I'd take it at 1 for the hp and more starting wealth, but whatever. And I'd do Unarmed Fighter over Lore Warden if you're only dipping 1 level. Improved Unarmed Strike and one combat style feat opens the door for Crane Wing and Deflect Arrows later on.
Interesting I also considered Divine hunter paladin 1 in place of the lorewarden starting with rapid and getting precise there. With a bonus of smite evil 1/d but i dislike dipping into paladin as i still think of it as a "special" class.
Yes, Divine Hunter, as long as you get the F out before level 3 (where the archetype turns INCREDIBLY sour), is a great archetype for dipping, especially for a high charisma class like Bard. You might even want to go 2 levels for the save boost, depending on how much you value that.
You really shouldn't think of Paladin as a "special" class. It has stricter code of conduct rules but weaker class features/spells and far less ability to have direct, actual contact with his deity than a cleric. They're presented like they're the special chosen ones...and then there's clerics in the background waving hi. Which one of the two can call upon literal Miracles from their divine host, again?
Dip at level 2 is for no better reason than i thought of doing a bard archer :) the dip didn't happen until after i had finished level 1.
EDIT: Also i don't think i can take the extra 3 rounds of performance trait if i don't start bard and with the bonus i get from perform those 3 rounds are golden.
I actually enjoy the flavor just as it is - Lore Warden fits very well with Bardfluff, and the whole Fighter/Bard concept fits very well with one of my favorite troubadour-warrior concepts. Namely, Gurney Halleck. I've been kicking around bard/fighter/AA ideas myself, lately, and this is definitely a viable one.
If i was going into AA on this build i would look to pick up the eldritch heritage (arcane) feats to pick up a few choice spells for shooting folks with. I'd also go for more charisma and less strength to up the dcs.
Oh sure - I was only playing off your idea, not making a suggestion. I also want a good Sorc (Fey) / Fighter (Archer) , but that's getting away from the troubadour-warrior esthetic. I did run a Sorc (Fey) / Monk (Zen Archer) once, and she was loads of fun to write, but the game didn't last long enough for me to see how well the build worked. It was a whimsical build to begin with, though, so...
Hmmm you could also make an interesting Steel Falcon out of it.