I have character I am running through the Carrion Crown adventure path (end of book 3, beginning of book 4). We have some downtime and I am considering a bit of retraining to take advantage of the new VMC rules. My character was pretty much the only spellcaster in the group until this point, until our dwarven slayer was slain during a really tough battle near the end of book 3. He has since been replaced with a Lunar Mystery Oracle. Between him and the paladin, I've got more room to be a jack of all trades again.
Anyway, got the go-ahead by the DM to make use of the VMC Magus. My character has made a habit of learning a trick or two from every party member he's come across, so this sort of branching out is part of his character. He's learned a bit spellcasting from his parents, defensive tactics from his adopted sister (our paladin tank), swashbuckling and finesse fighting from our swashbuckler, stealth/acrobatics from our (now deceased ranger, killed by a untimely crit) and studied target/gunsmithing from the slayer (died due to massive damage and rolling a 1).
Anyway, I've planned very little of his build up to this point (level 8), mostly just going with what seems the best at any given level. Now I've got a chance to train with a Magus in a city we are stopping at for some R&R. I'm aware that the Bard spell list has very few touch spell, and exactly zero that do any significant damage. Its fine, as the DM is going to allow me to pick up a few spells from the Magus list (one per spell level), though they count towards my spells known, as long as I take Broad Study with Bard spells.
Ideas:
Archeologist's Luck + Arcane Pool = Big boost to combat effectiveness for medium BAB character. At a point where I notice my damage is starting to lag behind the others, this is a big help.
Ki Pool + Ninja Tricks + Ki Arcana = Means I can stop wasting spells on Mirror Image and toss in a bunch of versatile ninja tricks to compliment my combat effectiveness.
Spellstrike + Broad Study = Occasional damage boost when I need it.
Amateur Gunslinger/swashbuckler/Sleuth = Massive pool of grit/panache/luck to spend as I need.
Lingering Performance + Masterpieces (revolt) = I gave up bardic music to give myself an edge in combat. What better way to make up for it than granting the whole team teamwork feats?
Thoughts, concerns, comments?
Half-Elf
True Neutral
Classes:
Bard (Archeologist)
Investigator (Sleuth)
Variant Multiclass:
Magus
Racial Traits:
Ancestral Arms (Estoc)
Low-Light Vision
Ability Score +2 (Dex)
Elven Immunities
Multi-talented (Bard, Investigator)
Keen Senses
Elf Blood
Traits:
Fate's Favored
Magical Knack (bard)
Rich Parents
Drawback:
Vain
Ability Scores:
Str 14
Dex 21 (17+4)
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 16 (15+1)
Progression
Level 1: Bard 1 (+1 performance rd)
Class Abilities: Archeoligists Luck +1, Bardic Knowledge
Feat: Weapon Finesse (retrained @ level 4, Lingering Performance), Exotic Weapon Prof (Estoc)
Level 2: Bard 2 (+2 performance rd)
Class Abilities: Clever Explorer, Uncanny Dodge
Feat: None
Level 3: Bard 3 (+3 performance rd)
Class Abilities: Trap Sense +1, Arcane Pool +1
Feat: None
Level 4: Bard 4 (+1 spell known 1st)
Class Abilities: Rogue Talent
Talent: Finesse Rogue (retrain weapon finesse to lingering performance)
Level 5: Investigator 1 (+1/3 Inspiration Uses)
Class Abilities: Deeds, Inspiration, Sleuth's Luck, Trapfinding
Feat: Amateur Swashbuckler (opp. parry/riposte)
Level 6: Investigator 2 (+2/3 Inspiration Uses)
Class Abilities: Fast Poisoning (standard), Poison Lore, Poison Resist +2, Poison Use, Masterpiece: People's Revolt (Outflank)
Feat: None
Level 7: Investigator 3 (+1 Inspiration Uses)
Class Abilities: Investigator Talent, Keen Recollection, Trap Sense +2, Arcane Pool +2
Talent: Firearms Training, Magus Arcana (Broad Study: Bard)
Level 8: Investigator 4 (+1 skill point)
Class Abilities: Deeds, Fast Poisoning (move), Studied Combat, Studied Strike +1d6
Feat: None
Level 9: Bard 5 (+2 spells known 1st)
Class Abilities: Archeologist's Luck +2, Lore Master 1/day
Talent: Grit (Amateur Gunslinger, Extra Grit)
Feat: Extra Investigator Talent
Level 10: Bard 6 (+4 performance rd)
Class Abilities: Clever Explorer (take 10), Evasion, Trap Sense +3
Feat: None
Level 11: Bard 7 (+1 spell known 2nd)
Class Abilities: Arcane Pool +3, Spellstrike, Masterpiece: People's Revolt (Precise Strike)
Feat: None
Level 12: Bard 8 (+2 spells Known 2nd)
Class Abilities: Rogue Talent
Talent: Ki Pool
Level 13: Bard 9 (+3 spells Known 2nd)
Class Abilities: Trap Sense +4
Feat: Power Attack
Level 14: Bard 10 (+1 spell known 3rd)
Class Abilities: Jack of All Trades: Trained Skills, Masterpiece: People's Revolt (Escape Route)
Feat: None
Level 15: Bard 11 (+2 spells known 3rd)
Class Abilities: Arcane Pool +4, Archeologist Luck +3, Lore Master 2/day, Magus Arcana (Ki Arcana)
Feats None
Level 16: Bard 12 (+3 spells known 3rd)
Class Abilities: Rogue Talent, Trap Sense +5
Talent Forgotten Trick
Level 17: Bard 13 (+1 spell known 4th)
Class Abilities: Masterpiece: People's Revolt (Shake It Off)
Feat: Deadly Aim
Level 18: Bard 14 (+2 spells known 4th)
Class Abilities: None
Feat None
Level 19: Bard 15 (+3 spells known 4th)
Class Abilities: Trap Sense +6, Magus Arcana (Reflection)
Feat: None
Level 20: Bard 16 (+1 spell known 5th)
Class Abilities: Rogue Talent, Jack of All Trades: Class Skills
Talent: Combat Trick (Two-Weapon Fighting)
~Bumping~
I'm thinking about squeezing in Harmonic Spell into the build. Casting a spell, getting a free round of performance and then delivering it via a weapon attack would be awesome. Not so much interested in Spellsong.
I really want to get flamboyant arcana and end with precise strike (would eliminate the need for power attack) but I also like Ki Pool and will need Ki Arcana to make it usable. Maybe I can convince my DM to drop the need for Broad Study... That will let me keep Ki Arcana.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to take vows.
The ability to take these vows replaces the still mind class feature, even if the monk abandons all his vows.
I don't get that particular class feature.