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I just played through Cairn of Shadows yesterday - and while we all survived - it was a near thing - especially for my bard. This was mainly because no one in the party at a method to fly since the group was 2 palis, 1 barbarian, 1 barb/ranger, and my bard.
At the top - I still ended up at about 11hp while defending the rope I dropped down to the rest of the party. I only survived because my bard had beefy AC - but if they had had other ways of attacking him I likely would have died horribly.
Needless to say - it was rough - and apparently if I'd died there was no possible way to rez from the demi-plane we were in.
Anyway - I'd rather not have to do that dance again - when if I'd had a way to fly, the whole think would have been rather easy.
I know that bards don't get the Fly or Levitate spells. Is there any way for me to be able to fly or something similar without selling the farm? (Potions cost a lot in the long term - and I have a +17 to Fly checks due to Versatile Performance - it feels like I should be doing it more often.)
I'd get a wand and use UMD. Your charisma should be high enough to make it relatively easy. If you don't have ranks in it, a headband of intelligence should get it for you.
Your level matters here. For example, Phantom Steeds (or Shadow Conjuration Phantom Steeds) can fly at 14th. Otherwise, not much is available. Celestial Armor or normal stuff like Wings of Flying are your only choices.
My preferred method, though, is the Minuet of Midnight Ivy Bardic Masterpiece. You get a climb speed equal to your own speed (and allies can share if it they can hit a DC: 15 Dance check, which anyone can try untrained). You have to move at least 10' laterally each round, but you can just double move the whole way up. Assuming a speed of 30', you'd go 50' up per turn (60'-10' lateral movement) and make it up in 4 turns. Not bad at all.
And if there were archers at the top or whatever, you'd get to keep your AC, too :)
Celestial Armor + Celestial Shield
If you want the bard to be able to Fly, you are probably looking at Celestial Armor.
If you want to be able to do something against Flyers, Summon Swarm can do bats. The close range is a problem, but it could help in some cases.
Phantom Steed at 12th level can Air Walk, then Fly at 14th level.
Summon Monster II a Small Air Elemental to fight for you in the air.
Summon Monster IV a Medium Air Elemental, it could carry you for a short period or just go fight by itself.
That is the best I can come up with.
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Right - I just hit level 7 (was 6 for the Cairn of Shadows) - so I'm right at the point when methods to Fly etc become mostly expected.
The Minuet of Midnight sounds like it might work in many such situations though - thanks much. And for chasm jumping - I've got Acrobatics out the wazoo.
So - we'd still generally be better off if someone actually has Fly - or even Levitate, but I'll be able to fake it better without spending all my gold on potions. Especially bad since I'm a combat bard - not pure utility - so most of my gold needs to go towards combat gear.
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If the entire party can't fly, might consider gathering party resources and invest into something like a carpet of flying, would be worth it for the early levels until you can use other stuffs to fly.
It's Pathfinder Society - so no consistent group to pool resources with. Otherwise I'd agree. (Besides - often someone DOES have a spell which allows flight. Though in the previous session the Air Walk cast on me was dispelled so that I had to Mario style platform to the McGuffin.)
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I've been looking for ways to fly as a bard using versatile performance dance. Another idea for PFS...
My high acrobatics bard with monkey familiar is planning on getting a wand of Solid Note. You can place those notes wherever you want, and they can hold your weight. You can use acrobatics to leap to one note, suspend another in the air, and create hooks for your party members to climb upon, or for you to hang on to doing your crazy acrobatics moves. I love this idea so much that this may wind up being the third wand I pick up in PFS...
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I've been looking for ways to fly as a bard using versatile performance dance. Another idea for PFS...
My high acrobatics bard with monkey familiar is planning on getting a wand of Solid Note. You can place those notes wherever you want, and they can hold your weight. You can use acrobatics to leap to one note, suspend another in the air, and create hooks for your party members to climb upon, or for you to hang on to doing your crazy acrobatics moves. I love this idea so much that this may wind up being the third wand I pick up in PFS...
While I love the idea of it - I think that it simply takes too many castings to be valuable. If you could move it within range while concentrating it'd be solid - grab on and have it haul you up a shaft/across a chasm etc. (Though dangerous considering how easy it is to destroy.)
But as it stands - I see it as yet another flavorful but mostly useless spell.
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I just played through Cairn of Shadows yesterday - and while we all survived - it was a near thing - especially for my bard. This was mainly because no one in the party at a method to fly since the group was 2 palis, 1 barbarian, 1 barb/ranger, and my bard.
** spoiler omitted **
Anyway - I'd rather not have to do that dance again - when if I'd had a way to fly, the whole think would have been rather easy.
I know that bards don't get the Fly or Levitate spells. Is there any way for me to be able to fly or something similar without selling the farm? (Potions cost a lot in the long term - and I have a +17 to Fly checks due to Versatile Performance - it feels like I should be doing it more often.)
Huh? GM ran this one wrong.
there is no DC 15 reflex save or take damage on those chains. That only applies to the bridge at the beginning, and only on your way out.
5 PP body recovery can get your body from anywhere, there is nothing in the scenario that prevents resurrection. Only teleportation. (Maybe it should, but there is nothing in the mechanics listed that prevents it.)
On the other hand, the archers at the top have (at will?) magic missiles and at will 1d6 touch attacks, and their tactics pretty much say they will use those against high AC targets.
Anyway, as far as flight goes, almost all the options are extremely expensive. But at your level you should need them only rarely.
Personally I would either get your UMD up and get a wand, or save up for a flying carpet.
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I just played through Cairn of Shadows yesterday - and while we all survived - it was a near thing - especially for my bard. This was mainly because no one in the party at a method to fly since the group was 2 palis, 1 barbarian, 1 barb/ranger, and my bard.
** spoiler omitted **
Anyway - I'd rather not have to do that dance again - when if I'd had a way to fly, the whole think would have been rather easy.
I know that bards don't get the Fly or Levitate spells. Is there any way for me to be able to fly or something similar without selling the farm? (Potions cost a lot in the long term - and I have a +17 to Fly checks due to Versatile Performance - it feels like I should be doing it more often.)
Huh? GM ran this one wrong.
** spoiler omitted **
Anyway, as far as flight goes, almost all the options are extremely expensive. But at your level you should need them only rarely.
Personally I would either get your UMD up and get a wand, or save up for a flying carpet.
Wow - that would have been far easier then.
I am not entirely familiar with item availability in PFS. But people have been spouting enough seemingly random things that I might as well throw something out too- Animal Totem Tattoos.
This slotless item (Well, I think there is a limit- I seem to remember that you get as many tattoo slots as regular magic item slots- still a separate thing) gives you the same totemic transformation ability as a level 5 druid with one of the shaman archetypes (saurian, dragon, ape, etc.) That means you can use one of the transformations for 5 mintues per day, spent in 5 minute increments.
Why suggest this? The bat shaman gives you the option to fly. Or use blindsense (equally useful).
At the price of 12k, it is similar to a fly spell...but it isn't an expendable. 5 mintues per day is enough for these kinds of emergencies.
A wand of Fly costs over 11k. With the headband added in - it'd only be a few hundred more gold for Winged Boots.
So - it's a solution - but it's a 'sell the farm' solution, and one I won't be able to afford for a level or so.
Boots of Levitation are only 7,500 g.p. I don't know if that would qualify as 'sell the farm.' Combined with a rope and a grappling hook to pull yourself horizontally, I have found those to be a satisfactory alternative to climbing.