What are some ways that a bard can help casters?

[Ender730]

Okay, so a bard can Inspire Courage as a move action, cast Good Hope as a standard action, and possibly cast Haste as a swift action with the right item. All of these are great for physical damage dealers, but they're not that great in helping out casters do their job.

So what can a bard do to buff fellow casters? I realize the casters could use ray attack spells or something, but are there ways buff DCs perhaps? Or increase their caster levels? Perhaps give out a metamagic feat somehow kinda like Blessing of Fervor? Anything?

[Algodor]

There is a very useful spell that bards can cast that gives your allies the ability to cast at a plus one dc, and also gives them the ability to use silent spell, still spell, enlarge spell, or extend spell, at no increase to caster time or spell level. You have to choose which metamagic they can use however.

Spell is called Arcane Concordance, and is from the advanced player's guide.

[InVinoVeritas]

Also look at the Magician Bard. Inspire Courage is replaced with Dweomercraft, which influences the spellcasting of allies.

[Atarlost]

Dirge of Doom inflicts the shaken condition with no skill check or save as a move or eventually swift action. The shaken condition inflicts, among other things, -2 to all saving throws. Bards also tend to make the second best intimidaters after inquisitors and demoralize inflicts the shaken condition on a single target. Blistering Invective provides multi-target intimidate and as a second level spell can be rod quickened.

Anything that boosts weapons also boosts weapon-like spells including all rays. Non-HP damage rays won't get the damage bonus, but rays that deal HP damage should. While weapon like spell isn't rigorously defined it explicitly includes rays and virtual weapons like Flame Blade. Arguably melee touch attacks are like unarmed strike and some of the non-ray ranged touch attacks like Acid Arrow are conjured weapons. Inspire Courage also boosts summons.

Arcane Concordance provides a +1 enhancement bonus to all arcane spell DCs cast by an ally within 10' of you and a free metamagic from a generally boring list, though extend is on the list so you can start to turn a wizard's hour/level buffs into all day buffs and silent's on the list so if you want to use silence in a small room without interfering with allied casters you can.

Everybody loves Saving Finale. When the wizard fails a fortitude save against something nasty or a reflex save against a dazing or rime spell he will be very happy to get a reroll (unless the DC is so beyond him he has little chance of making it either). When you prevent the fighter or ranger from being dominated you're helping the wizard too.

Other casters should also be happy if you take up some of the slack. If you have the routine buffs the sorcerer doesn't need to learn them or the wizard prepare them. Trading one of your actions for one of the wizard's actions is usually a good deal early in the fight.

[Ender730]

Algodor wrote:

Spell is called Arcane Concordance, and is from the advanced player's guide.

Ah, that's a great one! Will pick that up before Haste since it's a Bard-only spell. Awesome.

Quote:

Also look at the Magician Bard. Inspire Courage is replaced with Dweomercraft, which influences the spellcasting of allies.

I don't want to replace Inspire Courage. Was looking for ways to buff damager in one round, and maybe casters the next round, or something like that.

[Ascalaphus]

So does Arcane Concordance only help allies? The second line suggests differently.

[TGMaxMaxer]

Pretty much all the stuff already mentioned.

Debuffing is usually the best buff to casters, anything that penalizes saves or touch/ranged AC, or hurts enemy action economy.

Slow/grease/entangle like effects mean casters get more time to cast/blast, so those help too.

Most people focus on the bard buffs to melee characters, but anything that has an attack roll and hp damage is benefitted by inspire, touch, ranged touch. Shocking grasp, Vamp Touch, Scorching Ray, even Acid Splash or Ray of Frost at low levels.

[Thaliak]

Bards can cast Channel the Gift, a third level spell that allows the recipient to cast a spell of third level or lower without spending a spell slot.

[Ender730]

Thaliak wrote:

Bards can cast Channel the Gift, a third level spell that allows the recipient to cast a spell of third level or lower without spending a spell slot.

That's so awesome!