Later this year we'll be playing Hell's Rebels, and I thought a bard would be great to play in the AP. I've never built one in Pathfinder, so I started looking for ideas. I'm going for more of a spellcaster/debuffer bard.
I went with a Catfolk, for kicks.
Male Catfolk
STR 12, DEX 14, CON 14, INT 12, WIS 10, CHA 17
Hit Points: 10
Initiative: +4
Speed: Walk 30 ft., Climb 20 ft.
AC: 15 (touch 12, flatfooted 13)
Attacks:
*Crossbow, Light +2; Longsword +1;
Damage:
*Crossbow, Light 1d8; Longsword 1d8+1;
Special Qualities:
Armored Casting, Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Performance, Cantrips, Cat's Luck, Climber, Countersong, Inspire Courage, Natural Hunter, Scent
Saves: Fortitude: +2, Reflex: +4, Will: +2
Skills: Climb +8, Knowledge (History) +6, Knowledge (Local) +6, Knowledge (Nobility) +6, Knowledge (Untrained) +2, Linguistics +5, Perception +6, Perform (Act) +8, Perform (Oratory) +7, Stealth +7, Survival +2
Feats: Lingering Performance
Possessions: Crossbow, Light; Outfit (Entertainer's); Studded Leather; Bolts, Crossbow (10); Backpack, Common; Waterskin (Filled); Longsword;
Bard - Spells per Day: (0/2/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/ DC:13 + spell level); Known: Level 0: Daze, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Read Magic Level 1: Charm Person, Grease
I tried to use the Hell's Rebels player's guide to help some choices. The focus seems to be on espionage, politics, subterfuge, rebellion, etc so I made some choices in that direction.
I'm still a little fuzzy on Versatile Performance so I've been reading up on it. I took Perform Oratory and Act, on Treantmonk's guide's recommendation for an espionage-centered bard. I figured using one of those two to cover skills that'd probably be useful in the AP was a good bet. Other than that I'm going to put at least one skill rank into each Knowledge domain.
I wasn't sure what my first feat should be (haven't played a bard) so I took Lingering Performance. I also considered a Catfolk racial feat or two, as well as Improved Init, Spell Focus Enchantment, Arcane Strike, etc.
For weapons I went with a crossbow and longsword, but I'm open. I haven't bought a shield but I suppose it would be a good idea.
Feedback is welcome!
JDawg75,
I'm running Hell's Rebels currently and a bard is a great character for that adventure path. I would suggest being able to sing and dance. I can't say why (spoilers), and its not strictly necessary, but it is a suggestion.
I've run the entire AP. The advise above is solid. While Tarik mentions that your stat spread will diminish over time, I would counter with the fact that many of the enemies are built quite inefficiently, so the combat side of things will be mostly fine. Still, there are some fights where that spread will not do well for you.
Generally speaking, I don't see the need for Lingering Performance in this AP. There's a lot of resting time and, as you progress, the number of rounds per day gets ridiculous.
Re: performs skills, yes to Sing/Dance. There is an opera house in town and it's important. So important, in fact, that the first scene of the first book happens in front of it.
Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm fine with taking Sing and Dance, no problem. Any recommendations on a different stat spread?
J
Strength doesn't do anything for you when you are using a crossbow (other than giving carrying capacity to lug it around), but you could use a shortbow and later get a composite shortbow for +1 Strength modifier. Alternatively, if you want to stick with the crossbow, you could drop Strength down to 10 in exchange for more Dexterity (will require some other adjustments to make this work) and get Weapon Finesse, and exchange your longsword for a rapier (might be good to do this even if using a shortbow). Note that crossbows won't be really good without some feat investment on top of what you would have to invest if using a shortbow.
Alternate 20 point buy if you don't want to move anything away from Charisma:
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Chr 17
And send one of your level-up ability score increases to Dexterity (and the rest to Charisma).
Different alternate 20 point buy if you want to get a bit more starting Dexterity and a bit later optionally another skill rank per level:
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Chr 16
And optionally send one of your level-up ability score increases to Intelligence (and the rest to Charisma).
A 13 instead of a 12 on an ability score isn't great, but the odd point buy point has to go somewhere, and an annoying number of feats have Intelligence 13 as a prerequisite.
Just to throw this out there Silver Balladeer is preeettty much the most thematically appropriate archetype a bard can have for that adventure path
Edit: Wait, wrong archeytpe, its the Argent Voice That's the complete thematic shoe in .
Having had both a bard and a scald die in the first two chapters of this AP I'll reiterate the part about making sure that you can fight. We haven't really gotten to many social parts yet, or no more so than any other AP.
Maybe I should focus on making the toughest bard possible, that can still be a skill monkey and use his spells and performances?
Or I could chuck it and make a bow fighter...
Arrowsong Minstrel is good if you're looking to do archery + bard. You'd just want to swap over some CHA to DEX.
Just to throw this out there Silver Balladeer is preeettty much the most thematically appropriate archetype a bard can have for that adventure path
Edit: Wait, wrong archeytpe, its the Argent Voice That's the complete thematic shoe in .
Actually, they both sound pretty good for this.
Arrowsong seems to trade away a lot.
I like the idea of a Court Bard quite a bit.
Also looking at Studious Librarian.
Flame Dancer would be cool, if most of the devils *ever* weren't immune or resistant to it. :(
Thoughts? I'm wanting something pretty survivable. Thanks for the stat suggestions UAE, dropped my CHA to 16.
J
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FWIW, here's my Hell's Rebels Bard. She's the party's main frontline melee character.
Female halfling bard (dawnflower dervish) 1 (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Magic 34)
NG Small humanoid (halfling)
Init +4; Senses Perception +5
--------------------
Defense
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AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +1 size)
hp 14 (1d8+6)
Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +2; +2 vs. fear
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +0 (1d3-1/19-20) or
. . scimitar +5 (1d4+4/18-20)
Ranged sling +5 (1d3-1)
Special Attacks bardic performance 7 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate [DC 13], inspire courage +1), battle dance: inspire courage
Bard (Dawnflower Dervish) Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +4)
. . 1st (2/day)—cure light wounds, expeditious retreat
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, light, mage hand, message
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Statistics
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Str 8, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD 12
Feats Dervish Dance[ISWG], Toughness
Traits natural born leader, resilient
Skills Diplomacy +7, Disguise +7, Escape Artist +6, Knowledge (religion) +5, Linguistics +5, Perception +5, Perform (sing) +7, Profession (merchant) +3, Stealth +10; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Common, Halfling, Kelish, Varisian
SQ battle dance
Other Gear chain shirt, dagger, scimitar, sling, sling bullets (6), sling bullets (4), backpack, bedroll, blanket[APG], flint and steel, sack, sewing needle, thread (50 ft.), trade goods (worth 10 gp, 5 lb), trail rations, waterskin, wooden holy symbol of Sarenrae, 17 gp, 2 sp, 9 cp
--------------------
Special Abilities
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Bardic Performance (standard action, 7 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects.
Battle Dance (move action) A Dawnflower dervish is trained in the use of the Perform skill, especially dance, to create magical effects on himself. This works like bardic performance, except that the Dawnflower dervish’s performances grant double their normal bonuses, but th
Battle Dance: Inspire Courage +2 (Su) Morale bonus on some saving throws, attack and damage rolls.
Dervish Dance Use Dex modifier instead of Str modifier with scimitar
Fearless +2 bonus to save vs. fear (stacks with halfling luck).
Because its a PBP game, I could go back and compile some statistics:
Lethal damage inflicted: 111
Non-lethal damage inflicted: 33
Lethal damage received: 26
Adventuring days: 3
All damage is after DR.
Catfolk wouldn't work quite as well (not being small).
Wouldn't a catfolk deliver more dmg though?
Alright, I've made a change from catfolk to halfing, and a few other changes to him as well, though the role I want him to fill will be largely the same:
BARD HALFLING
Male Halfling Bard 1
Init +6; Senses Perception +3,
AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +1 size, )
hp 9
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +2, +2 vs. fear
Speed 20 ft.
Ranged shortbow (small) +5 (1d4/x3)
Melee rapier (small) +1 (1d4/18-20)
Special Attacks Distraction, Fascinate,
Known Bard Spells (CL 1st, concentration +4):
1st (2/day) - charm person (DC 14) , grease (DC 14)
0th (at will) - daze (DC 13) , detect magic , ghost sound (DC 13) , read magic (DC )
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 13
Languages Common, Elven, Halfling, Infernal
SQ Armored Casting, Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Performance, Cantrips, Countersong, Fearless, Halfling Luck, Ingratiating (Perform (Sing)), Inspire Courage, Weapon Familiarity,
Possessions outfit (entertainer's/small); chain shirt (small); arrows (20) (small); rapier (small); buckler (small); Shortbow (Small) ; Backpack (Small)
Traits:
Diva in Training
Reactionary
Strength of the Sun
Drawback:
Family Ties
Still haven't taken a feat. I was thinking prodigy, toughness, spell focus, but I don't really have an idea of what feats bards typically want to take. Let alone for this AP.
