I've got a bard going through the COT campaign. I have some general ideas about what I want to have, but I wanted to see everyones input. Part is a rogue, inquisitor (melee) and summoner (the one with the strong pet and no summons) as well as my bard (meleeish build). So far it has worked really well, we're third level. I've read that bards don't need a ton of charisma, but with a 25 point buy I just couldn't resist having it for fun skills like UMD. I went with 16 str/cha and 14 con/dex. I also went human.
One player has craft wonderous items and at 5th I will bond with my melee weapon. I was considering a circlet of persuasion and later adding the headband of charisma to it (150% more money to add a second enchantment type to an item). What magic items would YOU get on a bard of this type? What do you deem essential?
There aren't any archetypes that give up summons for a stronger pet for the Summoner.
Save up for a rod of quicken spell, lesser.
At level 7, you can use that baby to cast Haste, Good Hope, and Inspire Courage all in one round.
The headband and the circlet take up two different slots so you don't need to pay the extra to use both.
Excellent point, thank you.
There aren't any archetypes that give up summons for a stronger pet for the Summoner.
Save up for a rod of quicken spell, lesser.
At level 7, you can use that baby to cast Haste, Good Hope, and Inspire Courage all in one round.
I always considered those to be prohibitively expensive. To the point that it just makes more sense to spend money elsewhere. I agree this is an excellent tactic, but unless one falls in my lap I feel like I'll be better off dumping money into some higher impact stuff. 35,000 gold (since no one will have craft rod) buys a whole lot of weapon enhancements and wondrous items at half price.
For you, perhaps.
But the buffs aren't just for you, they're for the rogue (who will be able to sneak attack more often, due to the extra attacks and phenomenal boost to his attack rolls), the inquisitor (more Banes will strike, meaning more damage all around), and for the Summoner's Eidolon.
Ask them to go in on the rod as well. 34k won't buy the rogue and inquisitor a +2 weapon, as well as the eidolon an Amulet of Mighty Fists +2. And that's just considering the +2 to hit / damage that Good Hope gives.
Also, these bonuses will all stack with those given by items.
Split 4 ways, it's 8.5k each. But everyone would get +5 to hit, +4 to damage, +2 to saving throws (+3 to Reflex), +30 move speed, +1 AC, and an extra attack.
And then you can get off any other spells that you quickly need to get off, since I don't think you actually need to be holding rods for them to work, oddly enough.
Don't even learn haste with a summoner around. He can cast it out of a level 2 slot.
Ask your GM about casting with your bonded item in a locked gauntlet. Locked gauntlet says you can't cast with a hand with something locked in it, but this is a repetition of the general rule on somatic components. AD's weapon bond says you can perform somatic components with the hand holding your bonded weapon. The specific overrides the general, but this is a case of two contradictory specifics.
The DM has (kindly) done away with the requirement to hold my weapon while casting. We both agreed that whipping out a bastard sword during a non combat situation in town to give someone a reroll or another spell effect was foolish.
The summoner already has haste planned as his first level 2 spell. I agree the buff time can be shared out. I will definitely get a quickened rod at some point, but with the summoner around he can cast it way sooner and far more often than I can ever hope to anyway.
The headband and the circlet take up two different slots so you don't need to pay the extra to use both.
I did not know this!!!! What respective slots do they take up?
Eh, cast slow, good hope, and inspire courage then :-)