Bard quandary

[Trogdar]

So I am building this bard....

I have developed a melee focused bard with eldritch heritage (arcane) so that I have a familiar and some new sorc/Wiz spells at 11th 13th and 17th levels. The only issue is... Im not really that certain where to go with the spells.

I have a charisma score of 18 and I dont think it is going to be getting any of my level bumps. I was thinking of taking beast shape 3 at 13th and making my familiar something pouncy but I dont know if that is worth the two feats to make target self spells effect fuzzykins....

I am not certain if having, at best, a casting score of 24 will be high enough to make save spells work effectively.

Are there any ways to make my bard more effective in the dex department? I notice most spells that effect fighting are big on strength.

Anyhow, kinda all over the place here, help would be appreciated.

[VRMH]

Do you intend to cast while in combat, and what kinds of other casters are in the party?

[Trogdar]

a paladin and a sorceress. I am thinking that I will either use some area debuffs like confusion at the start of a fight and then go in to mop up, or use the spells from the wizard list to get something unique.... and hopefully buffy I guess, something that wont be gimped by my save dc.

[Trogdar]

Come on! I know BBT has some crazy thing I can do! :)

[Trogdar]

help me pease!

NERDKINS ASSEMBLE!!!!

[VRMH]

Trogdar wrote:

some new sorc/Wiz spells at 11th 13th and 17th levels

So we're looking for a 4th, 5th and 6th level spell of the wizards & sorcerers' list, that'll help a Bard. Preferably Dex score boosts and spells without saves.

• Shadow Projection is nice for your familiar. It's also Evil though.
• Elemental Body's nice too, especially as it has been confirmed that elementals have hands.
• Teleport is both a utility spell, and one that'll save your bacon. You may want to take it even if the Sorcerer does too.
• Contingency gives all sort of options - you can never be too prepared.

Those are my picks.

[Trogdar]

thanks for the help, I'll take a look at the above. still debating whether to buff myself with one of them or give my familiar the best beast form. It would be kind of cool to have... is there a resource list for that beast shape.

[Atarlost]

Trogdar wrote:

a paladin and a sorceress. I am thinking that I will either use some area debuffs like confusion at the start of a fight and then go in to mop up, or use the spells from the wizard list to get something unique.... and hopefully buffy I guess, something that wont be gimped by my save dc.

You're only 1 down on highest level from a wizard before you get dirge of doom as a move action. DoD makes every enemy in 30' take -2 to their saves with no save or spell resistance itself. This puts your hardest DC effectively equal to that of a wizard until level 14, and again at levels 16-17. You're actually better at levels 8 and 10.

Your sorceress friend will have higher DCs than you, but yours will be as high as hers would be in your absence until level 18 if you use dirge of doom.

[Trogdar]

Thats a good point, thanks atarlost.

[Matt2VK]

Little bit of a side track here but want to be clear on some stuff -

There's only 3 of you in this party?
Paladin
Sorceress
Bard (You)

If this is the case, and you want to play a Melee type Bard, have you looked at playing Bard Archetypes?

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard

The bard Archetypes I'm looking at that might fit you are the Dawnflower Dervish or the Dervish Dancer. Both of these archetypes loose the group buff type songs but apply those buffs to just them selves while boosting their melee abilities in some way. While still keeping the Bards spells and skills.

If you want to bring something more Rogue like, take a look at the Archaeologist.

All 3 of these bard archetypes look effective but I have no real experience with them. If you like the idea behind one of these archetypes (or decide on something else), you will need more feedback from someone that has actually played one.

[Trogdar]

I'm actually playing an MCA called the wailing blade. Its in the homebrew thread. So I have the melee side covered.

As it turns out though, this question is kind of moot because I just found out that a class with a bound item feature cant have a familiar, which is the first feat in this chain. So unfortunately, no extra spells, I've decided to go with the sylvan heritage instead and take an animal companion.

Thanks for all your incites, I wish I had known the nuances of the arcane bond before, oh well.