Jerk bard build

[Douglas Muir 406]

NPC build: an 8th level CE bard who is just an absolute jerk. Going with court bard for the Satire debuff ability; skills will include lots of Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate. Spells will mostly be illusions, charms, and save-or-sucks with mean or funny effects (Malicious Spite, Unnatural Lust).

Feats... I dunno. Lingering performance, of course. This guy is definitely not a melee combatant; he'll fight if he has to, but his feats and spells are oriented towards blending in, getting others to do his dirty work, and mean-spirited amusement. (On the plus side, he's elegant and has a sense of style.)

Thoughts, ideas?

Doug M.

[Secret Wizard]

For feats: Skill Focus (Disguise), Eldritch Heritage (Rakszhasa) and the Improved and Greater versions. Allows you to disguise your alignment, lie through your teeth, perhaps detect thoughts, and finally alter self at will (which would allow him to pull all sorts of nasty shenanigans).

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

I like pageant of the peacock traded out for a 2nd level spell. Use cha for all int skills. By taking 1 skill point in every int skill then using bluff modifier makes for a know it all bard.

I recommend persistent spell if you take save or suck spells. As well as spell focus.

Enforcer feat + cruel whip is just nasty debuff potential.

[Midnighter]

Two words: Mad Monkeys

[Douglas Muir 406]

Fruian Thistlefoot wrote:

I like pageant of the peacock traded out for a 2nd level spell. Use cha for all int skills. By taking 1 skill point in every int skill then using bluff modifier makes for a know it all bard.

Wow, Pageant of the Peacock is the least stupid bardic masterpiece I've yet seen. Most masterpieces are pretty dopey IMO, but that one has some savage leverage potential.

Combine that with Eldritch Heritage as Secret Wizard suggested above, and throw in Skill Focus (Bluff) for lulz. At 8th level this guy would have (+8 ranks + 3 class + 4 Cha + +3 focus +5 rak bloodline +4 pageant=) +27 to Bluff when lying, and +22 on all Knowledges and other Int skills. Oh, and +22 to Disguise. Even for a skill monkey bard, those are some very respectable numbers. Mind, he's had to burn three feats and a second level spell slot. But totally worth it for a lying bastard face type character.

Quote:

Enforcer feat + cruel whip is just nasty debuff potential.

I was not familiar with the Enforcer feat! Wow, it really is. Nice.

Doug M.

[tonyz]

Definitely Skill Focus (Sense Motive) as a feat. After all, you need to know how to get under someone's skin to be a real jerk... and how far you can go without getting hammered, hard.