I want to play a Totemic Skald Tiger. Because who doesn't love Pounce.
But I don't like the base Inspired Rage ability and I can't take Spell Warrior because they both lose Spell Kenning.
A build focused on high dexterity with Weapon Finesse and an Agile amulet of mighty fists would let me be effective once I can become a Tiger at 5th level but I'm not sure what to do until then.
For anyone not familiar with the archetypes the build would look something like this.
Level 1 Weapon Finesse feat
Controlled Inspired Rage: Pick Str, Dex, or Con and grant a +2 morale bonus to that stat. +4 at 8th level and +6 at 16th. No other bonuses or penalties.
Early on it will be strength and be +1 to hit and dmg for the melee types.
Once I hit 5th level and can be a Tiger it will be Dex.
Level 3 Feat?
Totem: I pick the Tiger totem and add a +2 Enhancement bonus to Dex. +4 at 8th level +6 at 16th.
Not an issue right now but it won't stack with belts. And most characters that care about Dex buy Dex belts. With Agile plus this power the only belt I'll need is Con.
Level 5 Natural Spell
At this point I can turn into a Tiger and will buy the Agile aomf.
When in animal form, the skald is treated as able to speak normally for the purpose of using raging song, but not for using other abilities that require speech (such as spellcasting).
So I can rage song and with the feat cast. Though I apparently can't just talk. Maybe when I make knowledge checks I can sing exposition.
Since the ability counts as Wildshaping I can buy some Druids Vestments.I don't have Greater Magic Fang or Greater Magic Weapon so I'll have to pay the high cost of adding +1 to my amulet.
What do you think? Is the idea viable? Are there ways to improve on it?
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You can use an agile + furious amulet that saves a lot of money.
A strength build would be better. The reason is you would buy a strength belt so the enhancment would not conflict with the animal focus. Go medium tiger for a size boost to strength that stacks with belt and rage. I would personally use the standard skald for better con and fast healing (skalds vigor). But urban will work too.
If you want to stay dex you can skip the dex belt and buy a con belt and not have to deal with stacking issues. Arcane strike (level 3) Nautral Spell at 5, discordant voice at 11 (works well with pounce). Arcane strike also works nicely with pounce.
I see your combats looking like this after level 7
- move rage song, standard
- cast haste/good hope
Round 2
- swift arcane strike
- pounce
The action economy on the build is pretty good. Get some medium
armor (tiger barding) + animal focus (dex) you can have good AC even on a strength build and save a feat. Also having a song give out Strength and Dex is quite good for most characters.
skald's vigor is a feat and not part of the Skald's normal song.
Good call on the Arcane Strike.
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skald's vigor is a feat and not part of the Skald's normal song.
Good call on the Arcane Strike.
I know but it keys off of strength. So if your song gives dex is does nothing. But my rational was not clear. Normal skald or urban using strength frees up the feats and actually allows you to use it. That's why it is in the Strength build paragraph.