Change the text of weird words to the following “At 6th level the bard can start a performance that is always a standard action to speak up to one word per 4 bard levels laden with sonic energy. Each word deals 4d6 points of sonic damage as a ranged touch attack with a range of 30 feet. The bard adds his charisma modifier on damage rolls with weird words. Multiple words that strike the same target stack into a single powerful attack, applying energy resistance and bonuses on damage rolls only once. The bard can target all words at the same or different targets, but he unleashes all words simultaneously. Each word costs 1 round of bardic performance.” This change will be reflected in future errata.
This is the fix for Weird Words in the Bard archetype Sound Striker. What feats would go well with this? Verbose Performer is established as doubling the range (though it costs two feats to get: Extra Performance and Master Performer).
What feats do you see having synergy with it?
I think Spellsong would work wonderfully with it: The 1st option where you make a perform check to avoid notice that you are casting...yet would you even care they know? You can combine spellcasting with the Weird words and blast enemies twice yet (deadly finale, thunderous drums, discordant blast, deafening song bolt, etc) and still have a move action left, if I am interpreting this correctly.
If this is in the wrong forum, I apologize.
I am not sure how one would combine spell casting with weird words other than a quicken spell, since the new weird words retains the text about the performance being used no quicker than a standard action. Perhaps I'm missing something?
EDIT: Also, the Spellsong feat technically wouldn't work with weird words, since it isn't a spell but a performance. Admittedly, I think that is less of a problem than the fact that someone is getting blasted by rays of sonic damage from your performance, lol. Your GM may rule this any number of ways.
As a swift action, you combine your casting with a performance...no conflict there, as far as I can see. Or are you saying that would be two standard actions--Weird words followed by the spell? I interpreted the feat as saying you are using a swift action to combine the two actions into the casting time of the spell.
Has the interest in the revamp of this archetype died this quick a death? No one else cares to brainstorm what feats a Sound Striker could use?
Did I interpret the Spellsong feat incorrectly in the above post?
Spellsong
You can blend the power of your performance and spellcasting.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, bardic performance class ability, able to cast 1st-level spells.
Benefit: You can combine your bardic performance and your spellcasting in two ways.
First, you can conceal the activity of casting a bard spell by masking it in a performance. As a swift action, you may combine your casting time of a spell with a Perform check. Observers must make a Perception or Sense Motive check opposed by your Perform check to realize you are also casting a spell. This uses 1 round of your bardic performance ability, regardless of the spell's casting time.
Second, as a move action, you can use 1 round of bardic performance to maintain a bard spell with a duration of concentration. You can cast another spell in the same round you are using bardic magic to maintain concentration; if you do this, your concentration on the maintained spell ends when you end the bardic performance the spell is part of.
Has the interest in the revamp of this archetype died this quick a death? No one else cares to brainstorm what feats a Sound Striker could use?
Did I interpret the Spellsong feat incorrectly in the above post?Spellsong
You can blend the power of your performance and spellcasting.Prerequisites: Cha 13, bardic performance class ability, able to cast 1st-level spells.
Benefit: You can combine your bardic performance and your spellcasting in two ways.
First, you can conceal the activity of casting a bard spell by masking it in a performance. As a swift action, you may combine your casting time of a spell with a Perform check. Observers must make a Perception or Sense Motive check opposed by your Perform check to realize you are also casting a spell. This uses 1 round of your bardic performance ability, regardless of the spell's casting time.
Second, as a move action, you can use 1 round of bardic performance to maintain a bard spell with a duration of concentration. You can cast another spell in the same round you are using bardic magic to maintain concentration; if you do this, your concentration on the maintained spell ends when you end the bardic performance the spell is part of.
Bolded the important bit. You combine your casting with a Perform check, not a bardic performance. All Spellsong does is allow you to spend performance rounds to disguise spellcasting as not-spellcasting-just-singing. No actual bardic performance takes place as part of the casting; you could start a performance as a move action in the same round if you're at that level, but Weird Words specifically never drops below a standard, so it'll never be usable with Spellsong unless you had a spell that's a move action to cast.
So it enables you to hide spellcasting (option 1) using a perform check, or extend a spell using bardic performance. No such thing as "combine" like they said. Man, I hate it when the flavor/fluff gets in the way of understanding the mechanics. Mean what you say and say what you mean. Spellsong is still good, but not quite as exciting as I had originally thought. The idea of 'combining' bardic performance (Weird words!) with a spell as a 1-2 punch was just too good to be true, I guess. I get it, thank you for your patience.
Familiar able to use Weird Words if you are a Striker/Duetist? If so, that would be cool.
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It works, but it sucks now and that's why not many people like it. It costs too many rounds of performance for not enough damage output, I could see it being interesting(but still not good) in a specific build that combined it with SA dice like before to hit a bunch of targets at once or if you don't really care about inspire competence or suggestion on a combat bard.
It works, but it sucks now and that's why not many people like it. It costs too many rounds of performance for not enough damage output, I could see it being interesting(but still not good) in a specific build that combined it with SA dice like before to hit a bunch of targets at once or if you don't really care about inspire competence or suggestion on a combat bard.
Okay, now I am wondering why this went to "Homebrew"...
I think it is pretty good, actually. Well, aside from what you are talking about in the cost per Word. That is pretty steep, I agree. In fact, it is the only thing that keeps this from really being a dynamic archetype.
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It works, but it sucks now and that's why not many people like it. It costs too many rounds of performance for not enough damage output, I could see it being interesting(but still not good) in a specific build that combined it with SA dice like before to hit a bunch of targets at once or if you don't really care about inspire competence or suggestion on a combat bard.Okay, now I am wondering why this went to "Homebrew"...
I think it is pretty good, actually. Well, aside from what you are talking about in the cost per Word. That is pretty steep, I agree. In fact, it is the only thing that keeps this from really being a dynamic archetype.
I agree that without the cost per word it would be definitely viable as an archetype on it's own, but then it might be too good in that it would be a prime way of dealing damage. If there were bardic round cost reducing feat though... Then it would be pretty good, but no overpowered.