I made a bad title, and it was not getting the feedback I had hoped. Every once in a while my ability to use the English language seems to throw up barriers. I am trying again with a simpler title.
I plan to use GM credit to build a bard. Specifically, I want to build a Dawmflower Dervish whose main goal is to incapacitate the enemy so they have one last chance at redemption.
Unfortunately, I only know what to do at levels 1, 3, and 4.
Build thus far:
1st level: Halfling, Bard (Dervish Dancer) follower of Seranrae.
8 Str 18 Dex 12 Con 10 Int 8 Wis 18 Cha.
Traits: Fate's Favored (+1 to all Luck Bonuses) and Blade of Mercy (no penalty to using a blade to attack for nonlethal damage, +1 nonlethal damage)
Feats: Enforcer at level 1, Taunt at level 3, no idea at levels 5, 7, 9, and 11. Power Attack is right out as I do not have Str 13.
Favored Bonus: 1 Skill Point at each level up to 5, thereafter 1 HP.
Skills: 7/level
Level 1: Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate, K. (Local), Spellcraft, UMD, Perform (Dance)
Level 2: Intimidate, Bluff, Perception, Perception, Spellcraft, UMD, Perform (Dance)
Level 3: Bluff, Perception, UMD, K. (Nature), K. (Dungeoneering), K. (Religion), Perform (Dance)
Level 4: Bluff, Perception, UMD, K. (Planes), K. (Engineering), K. (Arcana), K. (Nobles)
Level 5: Bluff, Perception, UMD, K. (History) , Perform (Dance), Perform (Dance), Climb.
From here, I will keep Perception, UMD, and Bluff all the way up, and rotate ranks through for Climb, Swim, and Acrobatics. I will add anything else as it appears to be needed. Most likely catch Stealth back up to maximum.
I am giving up a level 2 spell slot or feat for Pageant of the Peacock a spell, unless I cannot find a decent feat before I hit level 5. Problem is I get the spell at 4, and no feat until 5. . .
Gear:
+1 Merciful weapon
Circlet of Persuasion
Headband of Charisma
Belt of Dex or Dex/Con
Scrolls/Potions/Wands of Glibness
I need help filling in the last 7 levels, please.
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I'd seriously suggest going with a different Perform for your first Versatile Performance (though you'll still want ranks in it for Pageant, plus using it as your level 6 Versatile Performance). I'd go with Oratory, skipping the rank of Diplomacy for it. Sense Motive based on charisma is just very nice indeed.
Arcane strike should be your 5th level Feat, it's great for Bards. At 7th and 9th I'd go Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment), to keep your lovely Save DCs viable. At 11th...I dunno, actually. Maybe Great Fortitude?
I'd strongly advise Int 12, dropping Str to 6 or Wis to 7 isn't too bad, especially Str since you can afford a Handy Haversack (actually, dropping str to 5 and boosting both Int and Wis isn't a bad idea...). That'd allow you the skill points to max out both Dance and Oratory, as well as Intimidate and Bluff, and be really effective all things considered.
Grabbing a rank of Climb at 5th level is silly, you'll be flying when necessary all too soon, and it's not even a Class Skill.
You should take the alternate Halfling Racial Trait for 30 foot movement speed. You won't regret it.
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I'd seriously suggest going with a different Perform for your first Versatile Performance (though you'll still want ranks in it for Pageant, plus using it as your level 6 Versatile Performance). I'd go with Oratory, skipping the rank of Diplomacy for it. Sense Motive based on charisma is just very nice indeed.
Typically People take Dance as the 6th versatile performance. But since your Melee you may need those acrobatics checks to get into melee and into flanking without taking the AoO.
I would not take ranks in Intimidate. Firstly your not taking any feats to demoralize with Intimidate. Which means Diplomacy and bluff will be your Main social skills. Not many people are intimidated by a halfling and most things act hostile after being threatened. NOT to mention you are taking Taunt as a Feat which uses Bluff in place of Intimidate.
I'm a fan of taking ranks in Diplomacy (number 1 social skill) and taking the Versatile performance of Sing(Bluff & Sense motive) > Dance(fly & Acrobatics) > Percussion (Handle Animal and Intimidate)...mostly because I do not want to take actual ranks in those skills and they do not overlap. I'm no Bard Pro but will be Doing a Vanilla Caster Bard for my Next PFS character and plan to take the performances in that order. But I also Plan to start @ level 2 with Versatile Performance already in effect.
Another reason I take 2 Performances at Level 1 is because stealth options. Dancing is silent for stealthy parties and singing is good when I don't need to be quiet.
Basically Deadmanwalking and I differ on what social skill to take ranks in but both ways. You end up with the same ranks in the same skills after putting it all on paper. But I do agree sense motive as a CHA skill is very good.
Grabbing a rank of Climb at 5th level is silly, you'll be flying when necessary all too soon, and it's not even a Class Skill.
I agree...not to mention your a halfling...You can "hitch a ride" on a Str based Character since you weigh all of 30 pounds. Or can be hauled up Via Rope very easy on climbs and swims.
You should take the alternate Halfling Racial Trait for 30 foot movement speed. You won't regret it.
I concur here as well....your melee you need more movement...Also use a wand of Longstrider so you move at 40 Feet per round. 2PP will get you a first level wand that has 1 hour duration per use.
Arcane strike should be your 5th level Feat, it's great for Bards. At 7th and 9th I'd go Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment), to keep your lovely Save DCs viable. At 11th...I dunno, actually. Maybe Great Fortitude?
I recommend similar but I would do: 5-Arcane strike, 7-Spell focus-enchantment, 9-Spell penetration, 11-Greater spell focus-enchantment
As far as Fates Favored...you wont find many luck bonuses as a Bard. Your Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier will provide a +2 luck bonus. You will mostly be giving yourself a Competence bonus (performance), Insight Bonus, and Moral Bonus (Heroism/Good Hope).
I feel you can find a better Trait...Charming or Eastern Mysteries are both great traits and increase the DC of spells. They actually both provide different bonuses. One is a trait and 1 is un-typed. I plained to take both my my Bard because I am going to play a caster bard. Since your jumping into melee I recommend Just using Charming to help your Bluff and Diplomacy and will increase the save DC of all Language dependent spells (Some of your Enchantments)
I will get Perform Oratory in place of Diplomacy.
I will take Arcane Strike as my level 5 Feat.
I don't like to go below a 7 on Str, just to keep a shadow from being able to one shot me. I will drop Str a little and Wis so I can get to a 12 Int to help with Skills though. Fair enough about the climb when I can fly. I will switch the skill ranks to allow Swim so if I get blown of a ship outside of Absalom, I can still survive, or I can always go with masterwork dark wood armor so I have a swim bonus for wearing armor.
I took Fate's Favored to get Divine Favor through a Ring of Spell Knowledge.
I will take:
Adaptable Luck
Source Advanced Race Guide
Some halflings have greater control over their innate luck. This ability gives them more options for how they can apply their good fortune from day to day, but also narrows its scope. Three times per day, a halfling can gain a +2 luck bonus on an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check. If halflings choose to use the ability before they make the roll or check, they gain the full +2 bonus; if they choose to do so afterward, they only gain a +1 bonus. Using adaptive luck in this way is not an action. This racial trait replaces halfling luck.
It is only 3/day, but at least it is a +3 with Fate's Favored, or +2 after the die roll as a Non-Action.
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This racial trait replaces halfling luck.same problem as the original it is still a racial trait.
From the PRD it reads as a luck bonus. She should be ok.
EDIT: Not sure you can get Divine Favor with Page of Spell Knowledge. Might want to double check that.
I can never remember if faith traits and religion traits occupy the same slot.
As divine favor is a divine only spell, and not an arcane spell, and based on the wording of Ring of Spell Knowledge (not Page of Spell Knowledge):
This ring comes in four types: ring of spell knowledge I, ring of spell knowledge II, ring of spell knowledge III, and ring of spell knowledge IV. All of them are useful only to spontaneous arcane spellcasters. Through study, the wearer can gain the knowledge of a single spell in addition to those allotted by her class and level. A ring of spell knowledge I can hold 1st-level spells only, a ring of spell knowledge II 1st- or 2nd-level spells, a ring of spell knowledge III spells of 3rd level or lower, and a ring of spell knowledge IV up to 4th-level spells.
A ring of spell knowledge is only a storage space; the wearer must still encounter a written, active, or cast version of the spell and succeed at a DC 20 Spellcraft check to teach the spell to the ring. Thereafter, the arcane spellcaster may cast the spell as though she knew the spell and it appeared on her class' spell list.
Arcane spells that do not appear on the wearer's class list are treated as one level higher for all purposes (storage and casting).
I don't believe you would be able to place a divine spell in the ring.
Based on feed back, thank you all, I have reassigned my ability scores to:
8 Str; 18 Dex; 12 Con; 12 Int; 7 Wis; 18 Cha.
I have added the Fleet of Foot racial trait to increase base speed to 30.
I have added the Adaptable Luck to make my bonuses Luck Bonuses so they stack with Fate's Favored.
I still plan to take +1 Skill Rank from levels 1-4, and +1 HP/Level thereafter.
My skills are now:
Level 1 (8 Skills)
Perception, Perform (Dance), Perform (Sing), Spellcraft, Stealth, Use Magic Device, K. (Local), K. (Nature)
Level 2 (8 Skills) - Versatile Performance - Sing (Bluff, Sense Motive)
Perception, Perform (Dance), Perform (Sing), Spellcraft, Stealth, Use Magic Device, K. (Arcana), K. (Religion)
Level 3 (8 Skills) - Enforcer (I should be able to use Bluff in place of Intimidate, per Taunt, then use Perform (Sing) in place of Bluff per Versatile Performance to demoralize after each swing.)
Perception, Perform (Dance), Perform (Sing), Stealth, Use Magic Device, K. (Dungeoneering), K. (History), K. (Geography)
Level 4 (8 Skills) - Give up one spell known in order to get Pageant of the Peacock, +1 Dex.
Perception, Perform (Dance), Perform (Sing), Stealth, Use Magic Device, K. (Nobility), K. (Planes), K. (Engineering)
Level 5 (7 Skills) - Arcane Strike, or give up feat for Pageant of the Peacock
Perception, Perform (Dance), Perform (Sing), Stealth, Use Magic Device, ???, ???
Equipment of special note to make certain to purchase:
1) Merciful Weapon.
2) Ring of Spell Knowledge Type I. (For Divine Favor spell)
3) Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier.
4) Masterwork Tool (Perform (Sing)), (I think an atomizer with lemon and honey)
5) Masterwork Tool (Perform (Dance)) (I think Ballet Slippers)
6) Circlet of Persuasion
7) Handy Haversack
8) Cha Headband
9) Dex/Con Belt
10) As many consumables that allow me to cast Glibness as I can reasonably afford (+20 to Bluff)
Sorry to be so scattered in all this, but I was cruising the font of all human knowledge, the interwebs, and I am wondering about the effectiveness of taking level 7 as Weapon Focus (hitting always increases damage output), Dazzling Display at level 9 (I should have a very, very, high Bluff by level 9)?
You might have some table variation on the Enforcer feat. Since the wording says "you can make an Intimidate check to demoralize your target as a free action", the GM might not let you substitute the skill. I suspect that most PFS GMs will probably let you get away with one substitute skill check, but a two-level substitution on the demoralize check might be pushing it.
Suggestion: Make a cheat sheet of the various feats and class features on a single page and ask GMs before the game whether they're OK with it. That way you have time to argue your case without slowing the game down, and you don't get a nasty surprise when it really matters.
I'm pretty sure you still need 1 rank in Intimidate to qualify for Enforcer, even if you are using a substitute skill for the roll.
I generally end up setting my highest starting stat at 17 and bumping it to 18 at 4th level. Those 3 ability points will help you a lot more at the lower levels than an 18 over a 17. A 7 strength is going to kill you as a small character with already reduced carrying capacity. (At least get that Handy Haversack as soon as possible, and go for mithral armor first thing.) And a 7 wisdom is -2 to Perception, Sense Motive, and Will saves: those are kind of important.
Note that Dazzling Display also specifically says "Intimidate check", so you might have trouble with that. And it takes a full round action, which are almost never worth it at higher levels. You might be better off with Skill Focus or some such to really pump your check.
Another interesting option is a Cruel weapon: "When the wielder strikes a creature that is frightened, shaken, or panicked with a cruel weapon, that creature becomes sickened for 1 round." I have a hard time wrapping my brain around the "merciful" concept and the "cruel" concept together, but they seem like they would work really well together.
There is a single forum rules question on enforcer with taunt It seems to work as I have laid it out, with minus the versatile performance. I will assume Versatile Performance works as I hope based on a half dozen similar issues questioned about Versatile Performance, and they all come out the same.
Since A=B and B=C, I assume C=A.
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Yeah, to quote Versatile Performance
"At 2nd level, a bard can choose one type of Perform skill. He can use his bonus in that skill in place of his bonus in associated skills. When substituting in this way, the bard uses his total Perform skill bonus, including class skill bonus, in place of its associated skill's bonus, whether or not he has ranks in that skill or if it is a class skill."
That's...not conditional in the least and doesn't really have any room for it not working.
On the alternate Feats:
Dazzling Display isn't worth it. You have Blistering Invective on your spell list, which is better in every way. That being the case, Weapon Focus doesn't seem worth it either.
You might have some table variation on the Enforcer feat. Since the wording says "you can make an Intimidate check to demoralize your target as a free action" <SNIP>
I have posted a rules question about this as I had not considered that this combination would not be legal.
You can find the question here: Taunt and Enforcer Rules Question