|
So I was poking my nose through VMC ideas and stumbled across the 'use VMC Cavalier to get into Battle Herald' trick - this particular avenue of prestige seems to get more options and get more promising every time I revisit it, so I wanted to take a look at just what options it provides. This isn't a guide or anything, I've not played one myself - but I'm trying to run over what the best support we have for it is, and see if anyone else can provide any insight/experience.
Archetypes
Two main archetypes stand out for me at 1-5, please let me know if there are other options:
Exemplar Brawler
I'm a little rusty with Brawler rules, so bear with me.
Pros:
+ Feats - You can get two extra combat feats AND martial flexibility. This really helps make up for the VMC and the core of your build rolling. you could grab
+ Flurry - You don't actually get the second extra attack, but getting even one extra attack is very good with bardic performance and your one challenge.
+ Brawler's Flurry also got better with the Adventurer's Armory 2, as you can cheat any weapon into the close weapon fighter group for 500gp.
Cons:
- Bardic Performance, Inspiring Command and Martial Flexibility are going to be eating up your action economy like crazy. I'm not sure how many opportunities to use flurry (or martial flexibility) you'll get, in practise.
- Weaker bardic performance.
Oath of the People's Council Paladin
Pros:
+ Better proficiencies
+ Order of the Star offers near-complete Lay on Hands progression
+ Much better bardic performance
+ Divine Grace
+ Access to some pretty neat wands!
Cons:
- Tragically feat starved.
- Pretty much all of your skills are going to be eaten up by the prerequisites. This is a 2+int class, and the Battle Herald asks for 3 maxed skills, plus two extra ranks. The background skills alternate rule is a life saver here, and if your GM is allowing VMC, odds are good they'll appreciate background skills.
- You are playing Sir Swearsalot, who is bound to three different oaths. Not the most room for character design, there.
Singing Steel
A new material in Adventurer's Armory 2 - if you wear medium/heavy armor or a weapon/shield with this stuff, if makes it faster to start a bardic performance. This lets you actually start Bardic Performance as a move action even if you prestige at 6, making it a little more achievable to juggle both Bardic Performance and Inspiring Command. Of course, this still prevents you from full attacking and swallows your move action, however, so I'm not sold on this being good until you actually get the prestige capstone. Brawlers either forge their weapon/shield with it (and accept a -1 damage penalty), or grab medium armor proficiency for a feat. Paladins can either grab the weapon or suck it up and sink 12k into their armor.
Given how tight Paladins are for feats, and how even tighter brawlers are for actions, I'm not sold on this, but it does make the nerfed Quick Runner's Shirt look worthwhile.
--
I mean, it looks like overall, the Paladin gets more out of it, and it suits the flavor of the Battle Herald quite well even if Oath of the Peoples' Council itself is a little dubious in flavor. It does run on bare bones for quite a while, though - anything past Power Attack is going to take a lot of time to build for.
Are there any other developments that particularly relevant for the Battle Herald? Can anyone provide any experience/advice on this prestige class?