I need some clarification on something for my wife's duettist bard.
At 8th level the Harmonizing Familiar ability allows for both to perform at the same time and increase the bonuses +1 if moral or competence and the dc +2 if the performance has a dc. The downside here being that it takes 3 rounds of perform because it is both the bard and the familiar. Not ideal.
I think I found an interesting fix, but I am not sure on the RAW and RAI implications. If you have a valet familiar (they are treated as having any teamwork feats you do) and you get the compelling harmonies and counterpoint to inspiration feats, then in theory your expended 3 bardic performances would increase the bonuses by 2 and the dc by 4.
I assume this works as both the ability and the feat use the phrase "increases by ".
If my understanding here accurate?
Links below for reference
Duettist
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/Bard/archetypes/paizo-bard-arc hetypes/duettist-bard-archetype
Compelling Harmonies
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/compelling-harmonies-teamwork/
Counterpoint to Inspiration
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/counterpoint-to-inspiration-tea mwork/
I'm not sure this is a 'fix'. You are correct that taking those 2 feats would increase the bonus by one and the DC by 2. If that is worth 2 feats then I suppose it makes the expense in rounds more worth it, but personally I think there are better uses for feats than that.
Harmonizing familiar is a weak ability in the archetype, I wouldn't expect to use it much if at all, but there is plenty of good in the archetype to make up for it.
Actually it would be 3 feats as both require Basic Harmony as a prereq.
Fix was not the right word. bandaid, jury rig, way to make the concept more cost effective all would have been more accurate.
Either way I am happy to hear that I was correct in the understanding.
As a follow up, do you have any feat suggestions for a bard who wants to buff and debuff more than actively fight?
If you don't have good stats for combat, dazzling display can be a fun way to go, area effect debuff for a standard action and I always love the thought of someone who can't really fight well showing off and swinging a weapon around and scaring people.
Flagbearer is a pretty common option for a buffing focused bard.