Weird build: what do you think? PFS legal

[Krunchyfrogg]

Halfling Paladin of Shelyn/Bard (Favored Class: Bard)

STR 6 DEX 18 CON 14 INT 12 WIS 8 CHA 17

or

STR 10 DEX 18 CON 14 INT 10 WIS 7 CHA 17

CL 1: Paladin 1. Feat: Weapon Finesse. Skills: Diplomacy, Know (Religion), Craft (painter)

CL 2: Paladin 2. Skills: Perform (Dance), Diplomacy (2), Know (Nobility)

CL 3: Bard 1. Feat: Dancing Dervish. Skills: Perform (Dance 2), maximize Perception, at least 1 rank in all Knowledges from here on out.

All stat bumps go to CHA. Items bought increase CHA and DEX.

Basic idea is: Use a light crossbow for the first two levels. Use a Rapier if forced into melee for the first two levels. With that STR, you won't be wearing much armor.

After Dancing Dervish, melee is a better option, with a scimitar (you're doing 1d4 + 4 which is pretty respectable for a small sized non-melee combatant). I'd still rather be casting spells and singing or firing a crossbow in combat.

The real power of this character is the out-of combat skill checks, spellcasting, and the fact that he'll probably never fail a saving throw.

[galahad2112]

well, at a 6 STR, you'd have a carrying capacity of 15 lbs, so....I'd probably up it to 10, i.e. go with the second stat array.

If you're only taking Paladin to lv.2, I'd take the Divine Hunter archetype. The free Precise Shot is nice, and all you'll give up is Heavy Armor Prof, which you'll never use anyway.

The Bard I'm guessing is just plain vanilla?

Of course, if you're going to be dervish dancing while a bard, you might consider the Dawnflower Dervish (or Dervish of Dawn on the srd) archetype, since they get the feat for free at lv.1 and their battle dance is activated as a move action with double potency... The only compromise here is that you be a worshiper of Sarenrae (although I don't think it's unreasonable to say that you devote yourself to both deities, as they share the same alignment, though PFS can be weird about that sort of thing.)

Also consider the taking the Fate's Favored trait, since, as a Paladin, you have access to wands of Divine Favor (+1 luck bonus to attack and damage), which is a pretty decent buff that lasts for 1 minute.

So, if you did both take Dawnflower Dervish and use a wand of Divine Favor, you could, as a single round of buffing, get +4 to attack and damage. Not bad.

[Krunchyfrogg]

Thank you for your response.

I only chose Shelyn for the fact that her portfolio covers art and thought that was a fit with the Bard. I can change that.

Is a crossbow preferable to a bow with a 10 STR?

I wanted to build this character in the vein of "he's not the hero, but could very well be the MVP."

I don't know much about archetypes, as Pathfinder is still new to me. I'll have to read up on them a bit.

[chkflip]

What's making you want light crossbow over longbow?

I'm of the opinion that not having to spend a move action to load your weapon would be better so you could move into better positioning if you have to.

[Krunchyfrogg]

chkflip wrote:

What's making you want light crossbow over longbow?

I'm of the opinion that not having to spend a move action to load your weapon would be better so you could move into better positioning if you have to.

Probably a lack of understanding the rules. LOL.

A bow would be better as I'm trying to save weight anywhere I can.

Thanks!

[Diminuendo]

crossbows are BETTER than long bows when you have no (or a minus) strength modifier.

They only take one hand to opperate, so you can keep a shield or weapon in hand when using them, you can keep them loaded so that they are ready when you need them and they have a higher crit modifier.