First off, I just want suggestions for a Dervish Dancer not suggestions to go to Dawnflower because I save two feats etc. I have read several Dawnflower threads and I have read several "please help my feat selection" threads and they always seem to try to divert the person away from their personal choice.
I don't want to sound calous, but I have made my choice and have no wish to change it.
With that done, here is what I have chosen using the help of one of the guides:
1st Weapon Finesse, Extra Performance
3rd Dervish Dance
5th Dodge
7th Mobility? Arcane Strike? Extra Performance?
9th Vital Strike
11th Discordant Voice
13th Improved Critical
15th Harmonic Sage
17th Spellsong
19th ?
I am unsure about Mobility. I have a Monk in a current game at 12th level and used Mobility once. And that was only because I had a high AC and could handle the AoO. The Bard would have a much lower AC and I am not sure I could handle the AoO. Not sure if Arcane Strike is worth it. Extra Performance, is it always worth it on a Dervish?
Improved Critical: The Dervish gets Razor's Kiss and these things don't stack. I suppose having Improved critical is good when not using Razor's Kiss.
I like the look of Spellsong (I think it says I can cast two spells at once as long as I am in the middle of a performance? If it is that good, when should I have this feat?
I draw a blank for the final feat.
I was also considering taking a couple of levels of Fighter for extra feats.
Some people will say no to multi-classing. The drawbacks to it is that I won't get the Bard/Dervish Capstone ability and my spells will be cut off by two levels. If the GM really wants to play Rune Lords, then would I miss those extra spells in the end?
Thanks for the help.
The fighter or the bard archetype? If you are doing the bard archetype then I have no suggestions. If the fighter, then take your first lvl as dervish of dawn bard for the free dervish style, good ref/will bump, +2 to hit and dmg, access to wands for free, and extra skills. Then finish out as fighter.
From there you can take a lvl of monk later on to get TWF with scimitar and UAS, brawling armor, a further bump to skills and saves, and call it a day.
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I'm currently playing a Dervish Dancer 11 Fighter Lore Warden 2 but I am using a Falchion.
The extra performances might be a bit much and you probably want Arcane Strike earlier. And I also chose Spellsong but now regret it as I have only ever used the feat one time.
With the Scimitar Critical Focus could be nice, especially if you want to pick up any critical feats.
Discordant Voice, I never paid attention to that feat but wow, that can be very nice. But I'm not to keen on the Harmonic Sage.
Have you taken a look at the Masterpiece Dance of 23 steps, It seems like you are going for a higher AC build than I am, mine is currently only 20 at level 13.I rely on Displacement, Mirror Image and Windy Escape.
Yes, I want a high AC (or as high as possible). I looked at the 23 step masterpiece. The Dervish Dance Feat gives the character Attack and Damage from DEX, but this Masterpiece pretty much takes that away.
Part of the reason Extra Performance was on the list (and had a ? next to it) was because of friends telling of Bards from 3.5 that could play all day. Even with 2 Extra Performances, that is about a minute for the entire day. I may use up my one extra performances in one combat but need more for out of combat. For example, my Current monk has gone through a combat but hasn't gotten time to rest to get back KI and that was last game session. Having extra for the next game helps. But you have played a Dervish Dancer and say that a Second Extra performance isn't needed.
I will take a second look at the critical focus tree.
I have never played a Bard and it has been second edition since I played a wizard, so it has been a while from the arcane. Spellsong looked neat when I first looked. I was also trying to be more bard-like.
But I am more than willing to go for the critical Focus tree.
I looked at harmonic sage for the bonus the the performance inside a building. I suppose it is situational. It really depends on where I am at. Again, if I were to go completely for the Crit. Focus tree I could drop that one too.
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Just as a example
Male Human (Keleshite) Bard (Dervish Dancer) 11 Fighter (Lore Warden) 2
NG Medium Humanoid (human)
Init +8; Senses Perception +16
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Defense
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AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 19 (+7 armor, +1 Dex, +1 natural, +1 deflection)
hp 126 (2d10+11d8+42)
Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +10; +4 vs. bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependant effects
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 Holy Adamantine Falchion +18/+13 (2d4+10+2d6 vs. Evil/15-20/x2) and
. . +1 Scimitar +17/+12 (1d6+7/18-20/x2) and
. . Kukri +16/+11 (1d4+6/18-20/x2)
Ranged Masterwork Composite shortbow (Str +2) +12/+7 (1d6+2/x3)
Special Attacks bardic performance: countersong, bardic performance: distraction, bardic performance: fascinate (4 targets) (dc 19), bardic performance: inspire competence +4, battle dance: inspire courage +3, battle dance: inspire greatness
Spell-Like Abilities Light (At will)
Bard (Dervish Dancer) Spells Known (CL 11):
4 (3/day) Invisibility, Greater, Freedom of Movement, Shield of the Dawnflower
3 (5/day) Good Hope, Invisibility Sphere, Displacement, Charm Monster (DC 17), Arcane Concordance, Thundering Drums (DC 17)
2 (5/day) Allegro, Versatile Weapon (DC 16), Rage, Tongues, Mirror Image, Cure Moderate Wounds, Invisibility
1 (6/day) Liberating Command, Saving Finale (DC 15), Identify, Comprehend Languages, Charm Person (DC 15), Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall (DC 15), Feather Step (DC 15), Windy Escape
0 (at will) Resistance, Mage Hand, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation (DC 14), Message, Light
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Statistics
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Str 22, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 18
Base Atk +10; CMB +16; CMD 28
Feats Arcane Strike, Cleave, Combat Expertise +/-3, Critical Focus, Furious Focus, Improved Critical (Falchion), Improved Initiative, Power Attack -3/+6, Spellsong, Toughness +13, Weapon Focus (Falchion)
Traits Get the Cargo Through, Reactionary
Skills Acrobatics +17, Appraise +6, Bluff +8, Climb +10, Diplomacy +20, Disable Device -1, Escape Artist +5, Heal +2, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (geography) +4, Knowledge (history) +4, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nature) +6, Knowledge (planes) +5, Knowledge (religion) +4, Linguistics +7, Perception +16, Perform (act) +9, Perform (dance) +25, Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +14, Stealth +5, Survival +4 (+6 to avoid becoming lost), Swim +10, Use Magic Device +15
Languages Aklo, Azlanti, Common, Draconic, Kelish, Polyglot
SQ battle dance (swift action) (28 rounds/day), battle dance: rain of blows +2, battle dance: razor's kiss, fleet, glamered, jack of all trades: trained skills, masterpieces (the dance of 23 steps), well versed
Combat Gear Dawnflower sash, Litheria blossom, Potion of barkskin +2, Potion of cure light wounds (6), Potion of cure moderate wounds (5), Potion of cure serious wounds, Potion of invisibility (3), Potion of resist fire 10, Potion of restoration, lesser, Potion of shield of faith +2, Wand of Charm Animal, Wand of Cure Light Wounds, Healer's kit, Oil (4); Other Gear +3 Glamered Mithral Chain shirt, +1 Holy Adamantine Falchion, +1 Scimitar, Kukri, Masterwork Composite shortbow (Str +2), Amulet of natural armor +1, Belt of giant strength +4, Cloak of resistance +3, Gloves of arcane striking, Goggles of night, Handy haversack (11 @ 303.3 lbs), Headband of alluring charisma +2, Ring of protection +1, Wayfinder (empty), Winged boots (3/day), Bedroll, Belt pouch (1 @ 0 lbs), Belt pouch (1 @ 0 lbs), Belt pouch (empty), Continual Flame bullseye Lantern, Flint and steel, Mug/tankard, Sewing needle, Signal whistle, Spell component pouch, String or twine (3), 14590 GP
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Special Abilities
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Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
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 (4 targets) (DC 19) (Su) One or more creatures becomes fascinated with you.
Bardic Performance: Inspire Competence +4 (Su) +2 competence bonus for one ally on a skill check.
Battle Dance (swift action) (28 rounds/day) Battle dances can create bardic performance effects only on self.
Battle Dance: Inspire Courage +3 (Su) Morale bonus on some saving throws, attack and damage rolls.
Battle Dance: Inspire Greatness (Su) Grants self 2 bonus hit dice, +2 to attacks and +1 to fort saves.
Battle Dance: Rain of Blows +2 (Su) Gain dodge bonus to AC, Ref saves & extra attack as haste.
Battle Dance: Razor's Kiss (Su) All attacks with manufactured weapons count as Improved Critical.
Cleave If you hit a foe, attack an adjacent target at the same attack bonus but take -2 AC.
Combat Expertise +/-3 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Critical Focus +4 to confirm critical hits.
Dawnflower sash
Fleet (Su) Gain an enhancement bonus to speed when battle dancing.
Glamered Assumes appearance of normal clothes on command.
Gloves of arcane striking Arcane strike bonus is added to aid another, and deals splash dam around hit foe.
Jack of All Trades: Trained skills (Ex) You may use all skills untrained.
Litheria blossom
Power Attack -3/+6 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Spellsong Combine spellcasting and bardic performance
The Dance of 23 Steps This complex dance makes you difficult to strike.
Wand of Charm Animal Add this item to create a wand of a chosen spell.
Wand of Cure Light Wounds Add this item to create a wand of a chosen spell.
Wayfinder (empty)
Well Versed (Ex) +4 save vs. bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects.
Winged boots (3/day) Fly as spell for up to 5 minutes. +4 to fly checks.
This is an update of my Dervish Bard. I asked for help on the feats and I got some.
I went throught the guides that I found and made a list of the good feats and then
tried to come up with a character from what people have said here and there. For
example, I had Spellsong and read it wasn't a good feat so I am not using it.
I built the character with some fighter levels
1 bard Weapon Finesse, Extra Performance
2 Fighter Dervish Dance
3 bard Arcane Strike
4 Fighter Dodge
5 bard Combat casting (magus has it and seemed reasonable that I should too)
7 bard Discordant Voice (explain to me why 1d6 extra damage is so great?)
9 bard Extra Performance (been told I don't need it, but I think I do)
11 bard Improved Critical
13 bard Dimensional Agility (no clue what to take so took the 'Dimensional tree')
15 bard Dimensional Assault
17 bard Dimensional Dervish
19 bard Dimensional Savant
I filled up the last 4 feat with the Dimensional tree in part because it was cool
and because I wasn't sure what else to take. The bard isn't going to have enough
Dimension doors to move around alot. I imagine a wand would help and I imagine I
might afford such a thing by 13th level but that all depends on the GM.
Unless someone can sell me on Discordant Voice (I only took it because it was blue
with 4 stars in the guide), I need something to replace that.
And I need help filling the last 4 levels unless I can be sold on the ones I have already.
I have been thinking of Dawnflower bard but no matter what, it comes down to filling in the feats.
...
I guess you might call this a bump too. :)
dischordant voice is only really good on a dawnflower bard or a bard that doesn't trade in it's group bonus. I am pretty certain a dawnflower gets 2D6 sonic, which is why it would work for them.
I posted a question about discordant voice on the rules board and was told that it works on the bard and others. I didn't ask about Dawnflowers though.
Here is the Discordant Voice question I posted.
When using the bardic performances that are doubled by battle dance I would think all related effects that are tied to said effects would likewise be doubled. I could be wrong though, the wording of the doesn't necessarily support removing the effect from other party members despite the nature of battle dance, but that seems odd as well.