Advice on PFS Bard

[Eleanor Lokrien]

So, many many people are asking for build advice. I am thinking about rebuilding my current level 1 PFS Witch to the following bard:

I have also posted this build, more or less, in other forum threads.

Goals of Build:

This is not a powerhouse solo character, the concept is the best damn helper ever.

Spells will focus on assisting, buffing, and healing, so Cha is irrelevant past 16.

This stat array has no stat below 10, though I am considering dropping Wis to 8, and Int to 10 to bump something else... just don't know what.

The Bard in Question::

Female Halfling Bard 1
Init +3; Senses Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +3 Dex, +1 size)
hp 10 (1d8+2)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +3; +2 vs. fear
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Offense
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Speed 20 ft.
Ranged Net +0 (-4 Not Proficient, +0 BAB, +1 Size, +3 Dex, targets v. Touch AC)
Melee Dagger +2 (+0 BAB +1 Size +1 Str)
Bard Spells Known (CL 1, +2 melee touch, +4 ranged touch):
1 (2/day) Silent Image (DC 13), Cure Light Wounds (DC 13)
0 (at will) Ghost Sound (DC 12), Detect Magic, Mending, Message
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Statistics
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Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 15
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 13
Feats Bard Weapon Proficiencies, Lucky Halfling (1/day)
Traits Helpful, Self-Sacrifice
Skills Acrobatics +6 (+2 jump), Climb +0, Diplomacy +6, Escape Artist +2, Fly +4, Linguistics +5, Perception +6, Perform (comedy) +6, Perform (oratory) +6, Ride +4, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +6, Swim +0, Use Magic Device +6
Languages Common, Halfling, Kelish, Varisian
Combat Gear Net (2), Studded leather armor; Other Gear Pathfinder's kit
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Special Abilities
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Bardic Knowledge +1 (Ex) Add + 1 to all knowledge skill checks.
Bardic Performance (standard action) (6 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects.
Bardic Performance: Countersong (Su) Counter magical effects that depend on sound.
Bardic Performance: Distraction (Su) Counter magical effects that depend on sight.
Bardic Performance: Fascinate (1 targets) (DC 12) (Su) One or more creatures becomes fascinated with you.
Bardic Performance: Inspire Courage +1 (Su) Morale bonus on some saving throws, attack and damage rolls.
Fearless +2 racial bonus vs Fear saves.
Helpful Aid another grants allies a +4 bonus (instead of usual +2).
Lucky Halfling (1/day) 1/day, roll a saving throw for an ally along with them. They may use either result.
Self-Sacrifice Move action can grant soft cover to adjacent allier regardless of size.

Tactics:

Moves to Flanking to Aid Other with Dagger aids if hits AC 10, and provides ally with +4 (Aid Other + Helpful Trait) and an additional +2 if flanking (total +6)

Throws Nets at Touch AC to Entangle. If the critter is small and weak, will try to hold rope, otherwise, hand off to BSF type, or just drop. At some point, Immovable Rod tied to held end of net's rope.

Unless she has the highest bonus in a group for a given check, will instead roll Aid Other to give the bonus to someone more capable.

Focusing on spells you don't get an immediate save for, (Illusion) or spells that the DC (Cures and Buffs) for is irrelevant.

[Eleanor Lokrien]

No one has thoughts for me?

[mplindustries]

Lingering Performance is the best Bard feat around for extending performances, which also lets you get extra mileage from Saving Finale, which is an amazingly awesome spell you should eventually take.

I also recommend the Flagbearer feat whenever you can fit it in. Especially if you can get a Banner of the Ancient Kings. My total-support Bard carries the flag in my buckler hand ;)

I like the net thing, but don't you need some feat or something to be proficient with it? If not, damn, I need to get one.

Since your theme is helping, you might want to get Skill Focus in a knowledge and Eldritch Heritage (Arcane) to get a familiar--then you have a second body on the field to Aid Another. And the familiar has all your skills, too, so it can reliably aid you as well.

Or (or I guess "and" if you can fit it all), you may want to consider Combat Reflexes + Bodyguard, which lets you Aid Another (to grant an AC bonus) as an AoO.

Sidenote: I hate Halflings with a passion, and it frustrated me to no end that I couldn't get the Helpful trait without being one or being raised by one. I ultimately ditched on it, but that hate is always in the back of my mind when my support Bard aids another--why the hell can't humans be helpful?

[VRMH]

mplindustries wrote:

And the familiar has all your skills, too, so it can reliably aid you as well.

Be careful with that: it will have your skills, but not your "Versatile Performance" ability...

[mplindustries]

VRMH wrote:

mplindustries wrote:

And the familiar has all your skills, too, so it can reliably aid you as well.

Be careful with that: it will have your skills, but not your "Versatile Performance" ability...

Yes, good point. I've just never played an archetype of Bard that got to keep Versatile Performance, so I don't even think about it.

[Gignere]

mplindustries wrote:

I like the net thing, but don't you need some feat or something to be proficient with it? If not, damn, I need to get one.

The net hits touch AC unless you are fighting monks all the time it is a good weapon for most full BAB or someone who gets buffed to be the same as full BAB. Even without proficiency it should only take an average roll to hit on most things.

The net is not as good on a halfling because you can only use it on stuff 1 size larger than you. So for a halfling the net caps out at medium size creatures.

[Arizhel]

Considering the following now:

Aasimar Muse Touched . . . +1/2 to level for one Bardic Performance (Inspire Courage) 8 levels.

Last 4 levels (9, 10, 11, 12) taken with +1 hp.

Traits switched to:
Adopted: Helpful
Inner Beauty

Level 1 Feat : Lingering Performance (Great Feat)
Level 3 Feat : Weapon Focus: Longspear (Meh, but prereq for Dazzling Display)
Level 5 Feat : Dazzling Display: Longspear
Level 7 Feat : Flagbearer (Hope to have the money for a Banner of Ancient Kings about here)
Level 9 Feat : Prodigy (Comedy + Dance) (Fly/Intimidate)
Level 11 Feat: ?? Maybe Discordant Voice ??

Inspire:

Inspire Courage Progression:
Level 1: Effective level 1.5 (1 + o.5 Alternate Favored Class Bonus) = +1
Level 2: Effective level 3.0 (2 + 1.0 Alternate Favored Class Bonus) = +1
Level 3: Effective level 4.5 (3 + 1.5 Alternate Favored Class Bonus) = +1
Level 4: Effective level 6.0 (4 + 2.0 Alternate Favored Class Bonus) = +2
Level 5: Effective level 7.5 (5 + 2.5 Alternate Favored Class Bonus) = +2
Level 6: Effective level 9.0 (6 + 3.0 Alternate Favored Class Bonus) = +2
Level 7: Effective level 14.5 (7 + 3.5 Alternate Favored Class Bonus +4 Banner of Ancient Kings) = +3
Level 8: Effective level 16.0 (8 + 4.0 Alternate Favored Class Bonus +4 Banner of Ancient Kings) = +3
Level 9: Effective level 17.0 (9 + 4.0 Alternate Favored Class Bonus +4 Banner of Ancient Kings) = +4 (Maximum Effective Level)

Dazzling Display:

Dazzling Display Analysis by Level (Does Not Include Equipment Likely to Have at Levels):

DC = 10 + HD + Wis. Mod.

Level 5 : +3 (Cha) +3(Class Skill) +5 (Ranks) = 11 + 1d20
Level 6 : +3 (Cha) +3(Class Skill) +6 (Ranks) = 12 + 1d20
Level 7 : +3 (Cha) +3(Class Skill) +7 (Ranks) = 13 + 1d20
Level 8 : +3 (Cha) +3(Class Skill) +8 (Ranks) = 14 + 1d20
Level 9 : +2 Prodigy +3 (Cha) +3(Class Skill) +9 (Ranks) = 17 + 1d20
Level 10: +2 Prodigy +3 (Cha) +3(Class Skill) +10 (Ranks) = 18 + 1d20
Level 11: +2 Prodigy +3 (Cha) +3(Class Skill) +11 (Ranks) = 19 + 1d20
Level 12: +2 Prodigy +3 (Cha) +3(Class Skill) +12 (Ranks) = 19 + 1d20

[Arizhel]

Hrm.