Assistance on a Skald Build without Amplified Rage / Bloodrager

[Grandlounge]

I want to avoid the build that seems to be most common on the message boards. So any feed back on this build would be awesome. I'm looking for feat advice, skill point allocation, rage powers archetypes basically anything is change able at this point. I may have over looked some good options because I have not built a character like this before. I did consider the bard but I like fine tuning the raging song and I like the flavor

This is a melee Skald that is decent with knowledge and support.

Dual Talented Human Skald Fated Champion

Str 15+2 (+1 LVL)
Dex 14+2
Con 14
INT 12
Wis 7 (+1 LVL8)
Cha 14

Traits: Savant (+2 perform (oratory)) and Historian +1 to Bardic Knowledge checks.

Skills
Max perform oratory for versatile performance
Max perception because perception
Once each knowledge has a one skill point focus on the monster knowledges.

Feats
1) Skald's Vigor (I don't know if this is good advice would be awesome)
1) Extra Performance (PFS)
3) Power Attack (going to two hand)
5) Battle Cry (support)
7) Arcane Strike (damage is good but Skalds have good swift action spells)
9) Extra Rage Power (increased DR or lesser fiend totem (natural attack helps threaten better with a reach weapon)
11) Discordant Voice

Other options would include Skill focus: perform (oratory), Additional traits, or other extra rage powers if good ones are suggested.

Rage powers (tried to keep them broadly useful)
3) Superstition pre-req and a good save boost
6) Witch Hunter Damage
9) Spell Sunder I like this but it might be to difficult to pull of reliably- I also don't know if one person can do this or if each person can do it once.

LVL 1 Spells
Saving Finale
Heighten awerness
Feather Fall
Timely inspiration

LVL 2 Spells
Allegro
Mirror Image
Glitterdust
Heroism
Gallant Inspiration

LVL 3
Arcane Concordance
Haste
Good Hope
Dispel Magic

Equipment
Magic Lucerne Hammer +1 Furious
Magic Greatsword
Magic Breast plate
10 Copies of Adventurer's Chronicles (Got to be a library)
Tome of Epic
Adaptive long bow to interrupt casters
Other stuff - though the above items are the build essentials

[Cavall]

My skald player loves skald vigor.

His rationale is that healing yourself means you're still able to use your rage to stay up and make others stay up. In other words you can't use your character while unconscious and every HP counts.

At later levels take it up a notch and make it party wide is going to take a few levels to find out, he's just hit 5th.

We played skull and shackles and he had to fight 2 people that were armed while being unarmed at just first level. This feat saved his life.

[Grandlounge]

Cavall wrote:

My skald player loves skald vigor.

His rationale is that healing yourself means you're still able to use your rage to stay up and make others stay up. In other words you can't use your character while unconscious and every HP counts.

At later levels take it up a notch and make it party wide is going to take a few levels to find out, he's just hit 5th.

We played skull and shackles and he had to fight 2 people that were armed while being unarmed at just first level. This feat saved his life.

Awesome I will keep it. Around level ten I will grab an INT boosting item and put all the skill points into Perform Song as a second versatile performance.

[Cavall]

Well an Int item won't increase skill points retro actively. But... you get to pick a skill to focus on. Gain a rank per level.

Personally I wouldn't as you need a charisma boosting item and that would be the bigger priority.

I'd also go with power attack before performance increase. You'll find it will end fights fast and means you won't need the rounds.

[Markov Spiked Chain]

Is there a reason you're spending so much on Dex?
I'd much rather have a 16 Cha.

I'd consider Greater Skald's Vigor at 9 or 11 (or retrain into it at 10.) Giving your whole party Fast Healing 4 is handy.

Try to get Bladed Dash as one of your 2nds (over Allegro?) It makes hte move action Rage Song at 7th worthwhile, as you can sing, move in, and attack with rage in the same round. I'd also look at Song of the People's Revolt, possibly a couple of times for various teamwork feats. Maybe used FCB bonuses at 7th for a few more spells known.

Consider just buying a wand of Heightened Awareness. 10 minutes is almost always enough time. Then you can use your 1st level slot for the Triple Time masterpiece.

I'm pretty iffy on Superstition as a Skald chain. The limitations are going to mean more people not accepting your Rage Song. Lesser Spirit Totem is great. Celestial Bloodline or Guarded Life both look useful?

[Aerodin]

Cavall wrote:

Well an Int item won't increase skill points retro actively. But... you get to pick a skill to focus on. Gain a rank per level.

Personally I wouldn't as you need a charisma boosting item and that would be the bigger priority.

I'd also go with power attack before performance increase. You'll find it will end fights fast and means you won't need the rounds.

For a second mental stat I usually grab an ioun stone for 8000. This saves from having to have 2 stats on a headband. You're right about the skill focus, thanks for clarifying but the method still works. The extra performance replaces scribe scroll for PFS. And I can't take power attack at level 1 needs a BAB of 1.

[Cavall]

Total brain fart on power attack. Apologies.

[Aerodin]

Cavall wrote:

Total brain fart on power attack. Apologies.

No problem.

[Aerodin]

Markov Spiked Chain wrote:

Is there a reason you're spending so much on Dex?

I'd much rather have a 16 Cha...

You have some good points the Dex is because reflex is my weak save, and it fills out my breast plate's max ac.

I will retrain my 9th level feat to greater skald's vigor I like that feat a lot.

Both master pieces are great. I like the people revolt. Maybe it's worth taking some other performances to get it. I think I will grab it. 4 ranks in percussion should not be to bad. I could put the second +2 into int to make that a bit easier.

The reason I passed over blade dash it that once it comes online at level 7 my first turn standard action will usually be haste with war cry and raging song for my swift and move action. But this also makes allegro a useless spell unless I run out of 3rd level spells.

I will look into the rage power lines you suggested. Thanks for the great suggestions.

[Cavall]

If you want to boost healing celestial totem is great.

Otherwise go spirit the whole way.

Also do NOT disregard the linnorm lines. It will take effect if any one drops making it 20x more useful, and adding damage to attacks over a group is great too.

[Markov Spiked Chain]

Oh yeah, if you need healing, Lesser Celestial Totem plus Path of Glory is big group heals. I don't think about it much because it's not PFS legal.

[Cavall]

Yeah because for some reason fiendish is clear but celestial isn't.

I got nothing there...

Not even an alternative for the unchained barb to fix it.

[Aerodin]

Cavall wrote:

If you want to boost healing celestial totem is great.

Otherwise go spirit the whole way.

Also do NOT disregard the linnorm lines. It will take effect if any one drops making it 20x more useful, and adding damage to attacks over a group is great too.

Linnorm looks good. One permanently staggers. This would work even better if I bumped my charisma. I think I will go with the spirit totem as well

[Cavall]

My wife took tattoo sorc with a cold elemental build so having the one that gives cold vulnerability would allow her "burning" hands to do 1d4 plus 10 essentially. (Bloodline boost).

Not a bad way to keep relevant for level one aoe.

[Aerodin]

Cavall wrote:

My wife took tattoo sorc with a cold elemental build so having the one that gives cold vulnerability would allow her "burning" hands to do 1d4 plus 10 essentially. (Bloodline boost).

Not a bad way to keep relevant for level one aoe.

I guess most people I play with like fire spells so I could get some mileage out of the fire vulnerability.

[Cavall]

Pretty much. Not to mention stagger and plus one damage to fire on all attacks. Not shabby. Great group buff.