Skald build advice

[Lince202]

Hi i'll play an human skald... what do you think about my progression feat and rage power?
i need help about 13^ and 15^ level's feats plss!!!

1 Scald's Vigor, Extra Performance
2
3 Power Attack + Totem Spiritual Inferior
4
5 Furious Focus
6 Totem Spiritual
7 Reckless Rrage
8
9 Clave + Elemental Rage Inferior
10
11 Greater's Skald Vigor
12 Totem spiritual superior
13 Extra Rage Power (?) (Elemental Rage)
14
15 ?, Elemental Rage Superior

[Markov Spiked Chain]

Are you going to run consistently with the same group of people? I've been using Savage Dirty trick pretty effectively in PFS (as my level 6 power.) It seems like it could be quite effective with a couple of melee characters that knew how to use it. It's harder to get people to use it in PFS. Unexpected Strike also look good, if you can get your party to take advantage of it.

I'm not a fan of the Elemental Rage powers, and you can't really use Extra Rage Power to get pre-reqs for Raging Song powers you want to share with your allies. Have you considered the Elemental Blood powers? The last one gives everyone 60' flight, which could be really useful.

I'm also not too keen on Cleave, Reckless Rage, or Extra Performance. If you can retrain, it's alright to take Extra Performance early. But by level 7 you'll have more rounds than you need, and Exquisite Accompaniment as a backup.

I really like a familiar on my Skald (I have one level of Bloodrager for a Bloodline familiar.) Maybe Skill Focus (Knowledge [???]), Eldritch Heritage(Arcane), and possibly Improved Familiar? Earth Elementals are great combat improved familiars (your BaB, can't be flanked or crit, 16 Str+Rage buffs, earth glide into flank, improved evasion, etc) and could be cool if you go with the elemetnal powers. A Mauler Compsognathus is +4 Initiative and a solid combat buddy as well. You could swap your human bonus feat for Focused Study to get the Skill Focus feat anyway, and then get another Skill focus (probably Perform[???] to add to versatile performance at 8th, and another at 16th.

I don't have a great idea for the later level feats. Extra Traits can be handy: if you don't already have it, look into Community Minded. It will extend your Raging Con bonus so you don't instantly die if you go unconscious and your rage ends. If you're going Savage Dirty Trick at 6th, Dirty Fighting+ Improved Dirty Trick+ Greater Dirty Trick would be great lockdown.

[Java Man]

For a higher level feat I like suggest discordant voice. Depending on your party composition adding d6 sonic damage to everyone's attacks can add up to alot.

[Lince202]

Java Man wrote:

For a higher level feat I like suggest discordant voice. Depending on your party composition adding d6 sonic damage to everyone's attacks can add up to alot.

Alse me add 1d6 sonic damage? or only my allies?

[Java Man]

It is generally the case that you count as your own ally, so yes, your weapon attacks should benefit from discordant voice.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Take lingering Performance instead of Extra performance.

I agree with Discordant Voice because it is Sonic damage. The most least resisted energy type.

I don't know how others feel but I really like those 1/rage powers. Giving your Team access to Knockdown/Knockback every combat adds to the beat-sticks Utility during combat. I'm a fan of wall spells and pit spells so giving the front-liner an ability to knock them back into it is very nice.

I like power attack but as a player I prefer Weapon Focus over furious focus. Mostly because Weapon focus effects the Iterative attacks and Combat maneuvers.

Not a fan of Cleave...ever...especially that late in the game. Plenty of other choices such as Improved initiative, toughness, Save boosters.

I like the Idea of taking supersition after 7. so you can Haste/spell of choice (Standard) and then Rage Song to add to allies spell defenses.

[Grigorii]

Lingering performance doesn't work well with Skald's Vigor. But, it might work out if you like saving finale.

I agree there is probably something better than Cleave.

Without Lingering performance, I wouldn't take superstition. Don't want to get into a situation where dropping rage will kill them, but they resist healing. Greater Skald's Vigor would counter that, but I still don't like it.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Ah yes I forgot that Skald's Vigor's Fast healing is considered (Su) and does not Linger.

I'd stick with Skald's Vigor and drop the Extra performances for Improved initiative so you can act sooner in the 2nd round and the fast healing Kicks in sooner. Once you hit level 11 and gain greater will get fast healing going round 1 but by that point you will still want to go sooner to get buffs up and rolling so the team can kill faster.

Good catch Grigorii!

And your right waiting around till after level 11 for a 2 feat + 1 power combo to come online. Not worth the feat investments and waiting time.

But I still like those 1/rage power on a skald. Giving allies combat options is always good. Using Knockdown with a AoO could keep the enemy in their place and off the back-line. Or knocking back anyone who managed to pass the reflex against the pit/wall spell is always a good play.

[Lince202]

so i change my build... i need 2 feat... pls help me XD

1 Scald's Vigor, Extra Perfornance
2
3 Power Attack + Spiritual Totem Inferior
4
5 Furious Focus
6 Totem Spiritual
7 Reckless Rage
8
9 ??? + Superstion
10
11 Greater's Skald Vigor
12 Totem spiritual superior
13 Discordant Voice
14
15 ???, Witch Hunter

[the Lorax]

How did this end up working out - I'm thinking of something similar, and stumbled upon this thread while searching around, this is what I had come up with, the vision in my head keeps coming back to Nathan Explosion:

Male Half-Orc Fated Champion Skald

Strength 18 (+4)
Dexterity 12 (+1)
Constitution 14 (+2)
Intelligence 12 (+1)
Wisdom 7 (-2)
Charisma 14 (+2)

Traits
Fate's Favored: Whenever you are under the effect of a luck bonus of any kind, that bonus increases by 1.

Debating Second Trait - Reactionary or Community Minded are high on the list.

Build Plan:

1 Scald's Vigor
2
3 Power Attack + Celestial Totem Lesser
4
5 Furious Focus
6 Elemental Rage Lesser
7 Reckless Rage
8
9 Discordant Voice + Elemental Rage
10
11 Greater's Skald Vigor
12 Elemental Rage Greater

Half-Orc
+2 to strength (already included)
Darkvision (see 60 feet in pitch-dark)
Shaman's Apprentice: Endurance
Sacred Tattoo: +1 luck bonus on all saving throws.
City-Raised: proficient with whips and longswords, +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (local) checks.