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What are people's opinions of taking Improvisation and Improved Improvisation for a Human Bard?
On the one hand, it means that between this and Bardic Knowledge, you don't have to put ranks in any knowledge and still come off like an expert. In addition, you've got a bonus to any skill you're not optimizing.
On the other hand, you've already got lots of skill points, there's the feat tax of Fast Learner (+3 hp, woo), and you've got Versatile Performance to cover your gaps anyway.
...Although you could use Versatile Performance in a Perform you don't have ranks in...
Thoughts?
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I think this is too feat-intensive to be worth it for the bard. It's generally easy for a human bard with 13 Int (8 skill points/level before FCB) to put a few ranks in a lot of minor skills. The bard's got enough class skills that most 1-rank investments will give you a +4 to the skill. And at level 10, Jack of All Trades gives you the ability to use any skill untrained anyway.
Dilettante is a better feat for getting decent bonuses in multiple knowledge skills for cheap. By putting 1-2 ranks in your knowledge skills instead of none, you get the +3 class skill bonus in addition to the +2 from the feat. Total bonus on top of ranks: +5, vs +4 for Improved Improvisation. Total cost: 10-15 skill points and one feat, compared to three feats.
Of course, the best option for a bard is for nonhumans: Breadth of Experience gives you a +2 to all Knowledge and Profession skills (whether you are trained or not) and lets you use them untrained.
Improvisation is better for classes like fighters or warpriests that have lots of feats but few skill points and no skill-related class features.
...Although you could use Versatile Performance in a Perform you don't have ranks in...
I don't see the point in that. Your bonus on an untrained perform won't usually be higher than your bonus on the associated skill.