Hi!
Our party in custom campaign will be:
Paladin
Fighter
Wizard
ME =)
I wanted to play something to buff/heal/remove conditions from the party, but I don't want to play a full caster, they're broken and we already have a wizard.
We have 2 melees, so I was thinking about playing a ranged character, but then I noticed that if I'm away from melee guys, I'll have trouble buffing them.
So I thought about playing a Reach character.
Now, I need to play something that can buff the party. The only thing that comes to mind is Bard, but I'm not sure what other options there are.
I don't know which books I can use, but consider all of the non-campaign ones. Since my stats will be rolled, I have no idea what will happen.
Basically I want to play an arm character from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i5hWkHXHOetRlpLOmxbpoEWod77psN0JcwFvxCl NrGc/edit
Can someone give me ideas on how to do that?
I know there's also that cheesy build about being a Halfling giving Aid to everyone, that could be fun as long as it's not really that cheesy, I don't know this DM, so not sure what I can play!
Spiritualist has some decent buffs and heals and can cast touch spells through their phantom, who can be in combat for you.
Spiritualist has some decent buffs and heals and can cast touch spells through their phantom, who can be in combat for you.
I've seen that class, but man, I find it extremely convoluted for no reasons at all, so I don't like it lol.
And I'm trying to avoid having other toons on the battlefield, so combat goes faster
Court Poet Skald should work great.
Fighter wants a bonus to will saves, the Paladin wants charisma, and the Wizard wants intelligence. In addition to that you give out Rage Powers, can buff with Bard spells, and deal with situations as they come by using Spell Kenning.
Spiritualist has some decent buffs and heals and can cast touch spells through their phantom, who can be in combat for you.I've seen that class, but man, I find it extremely convoluted for no reasons at all, so I don't like it lol.
And I'm trying to avoid having other toons on the battlefield, so combat goes faster
Everything in that book was overcomplicated, but you could and maybe should keep the phantom to incorporeal form when playing like this. That way it can deliver your touch spells without running much risk of being attacked. Going that route, it shouldn't increase your turn time.
I think I will go Warpriest, it's the easiest one, and has all the stuff I could use.
I was hoping to get somehow buff that could work for the whole party, so I don't waste turns buffing, but if I go reach I might be able to get in AoO
I think I will go Warpriest, it's the easiest one, and has all the stuff I could use.
I was hoping to get somehow buff that could work for the whole party, so I don't waste turns buffing, but if I go reach I might be able to get in AoO
I got my stats, it went extremely well
STR 18
DEX 16
CON 16
INT 15
WIS 14
CHA 13
So I'm going a Reach Warpriest, unless someone has better ideas? I don' t want to play a full caster, and I can only think of Warpriest as having all the possible healing/removals at their disposals.
A skald can use spell kenning to have all the possible healing/removal spells at their disposal.
A skald can use spell kenning to have all the possible healing/removal spells at their disposal.
I'm having trouble understanding the difference between Bard and Skald. Don't both of them do the same?
I was thinking maybe going this archetype? https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo-bard-ar chetypes/stonesinger/
Reach weapon Warpriest should be good.
Since most reach weapons already have decent base damage, I would probably opt for the Arsenal Chaplain archetype to pick up Weapon Training instead of Sacred Weapon damage. Gloves of Dueling, blah blah blah.
On a separate note, the Helpful Halfling build, and the Bard build, are the same thing... Helpful Halfling Arcane Duelist Bard with Gloves of Arcane Striking, longspear, Flagbearer, Banner of Ancient Kings, and Inspire Courage... it's a fantastic build, but it lacks the condition removal you are looking for.
Reach weapon Warpriest should be good.
Since most reach weapons already have decent base damage, I would probably opt for the Arsenal Chaplain archetype to pick up Weapon Training instead of Sacred Weapon damage. Gloves of Dueling, blah blah blah.
On a separate note, the Helpful Halfling build, and the Bard build, are the same thing... Helpful Halfling Arcane Duelist Bard with Gloves of Arcane Striking, longspear, Flagbearer, Banner of Ancient Kings, and Inspire Courage... it's a fantastic build, but it lacks the condition removal you are looking for.
I have 2 new players in the party, a melee and a wizard. So I want them to feel like they're doing something, so if I buff them, it's much better than dealing the damage myself.
I'm trying to understand the helpful halfling though.Do you have a link I could use? I just want to be the least amount of classes possibles, don't feel like cheating
A skald can use spell kenning to have all the possible healing/removal spells at their disposal.I'm having trouble understanding the difference between Bard and Skald. Don't both of them do the same?
I was thinking maybe going this archetype? https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo-bard-ar chetypes/stonesinger/
A bard and skald are quite similar but they give different buffs (inspire courage and raging song/rage powers aren't the same; if you'd like a rundown of how each works let me know), and a bard does not get the spell kenning ability.
At 5th level, a skald is learned in the magic of other spellcasters, and can use his own magic to duplicate those classes’ spells. Once per day, a skald can cast any spell on the bard, cleric, or sorcerer/wizard spell list as if it were one of his skald spells known, expending a skald spell slot of the same spell level to cast the desired spell. Casting a spell with spell kenning always has a minimum casting time of 1 full round, regardless of the casting time of the spell.
That's useful for picking up random condition removal spells which you don't know and which may not be on the bard/skald spell list.
That said, the stonesinger is a solid bard archetype. Literally.
A skald can use spell kenning to have all the possible healing/removal spells at their disposal.I'm having trouble understanding the difference between Bard and Skald. Don't both of them do the same?
I was thinking maybe going this archetype? https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo-bard-ar chetypes/stonesinger/
A bard and skald are quite similar but they give different buffs (inspire courage and raging song/rage powers aren't the same), and a bard does not get the spell kenning ability.
At 5th level, a skald is learned in the magic of other spellcasters, and can use his own magic to duplicate those classes’ spells. Once per day, a skald can cast any spell on the bard, cleric, or sorcerer/wizard spell list as if it were one of his skald spells known, expending a skald spell slot of the same spell level to cast the desired spell. Casting a spell with spell kenning always has a minimum casting time of 1 full round, regardless of the casting time of the spell.That's useful for picking up random condition removal spells which you don't know and which may not be on the bard/skald spell list.
That said, the stonesinger is a solid bard archetype.
I see! I was thinking that bards would get the Remove spells because they're on her list, but it isn't unless I learn them.
What removals do I need? Honestly, I'm confused. I don't wanna play a full caster, but I don't have that much knowledge of the game
If you can cover HP recovery with wands then the important spells on the bard spell list are saving finale and perhaps reinvigorating wind and delay poison.
Lesser restoration and (non-lesser) restoration are spells you're likely to find yourself using via spell kenning or items on a regular basis - you may want UMD to be able to use scrolls of these.
Remove fear, remove blindness and remove disease are other spells you may use via spell kenning sometimes.
If you can cover HP recovery with wands then the important spells on the bard spell list are saving finale and perhaps reinvigorating wind and delay poison.
Lesser restoration and (non-lesser) restoration are spells you're likely to find yourself using via spell kenning or items on a regular basis - you may want UMD to be able to use scrolls of these.
Remove fear, remove blindness and remove disease are other spells you may use via spell kenning sometimes.
Ok I'm sold with the skald, now I need to find an archetype (if any) and think what to do in combat.
I know Skalds are melee guys, I wanted to have a more support-y role, because I'm playing with new guys and don't want to do all the damage.
I have a paladin and fighter and wizard.
Should I go thrown weapons? Reach? ARcherty?
The Helpful Halfling is just a Race Trait available to Halflings called Helpful. You give a +4 instead of a +2 when you Aid Another. You can get it with anyone else via a Social Trait called Adopted.
Then you grab Combat Reflexes, Bodyguard, Arcane Strike, and the Gloves of Arcane Striking:
Aura faint transmutation; CL 1st; Slot hands; Price 5,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
These soft leather gloves are decorated with even rows of mithral rivets.
Requirement: Only a spellcaster with the Arcane Strike feat can activate the abilities of these gloves.
These abilities are as follows:
When the wearer uses the aid another action to improve an ally’s attack roll, the ally adds the wearer’s Arcane Strike damage bonus to its damage roll for that attack.
When the wearer makes an attack using Arcane Strike and hits, enemies adjacent to the target take damage equal to the wearer’s Arcane Strike damage bonus. This damage is of the same type as the weapon’s damage (bludgeoning, piercing, and so on).
When the wearer uses the aid another action to improve an ally’s Armor Class, the ally also adds the wearer’s Arcane Strike damage bonus to his AC against the opponent.
The archetype swaps cha for wisdom as the bards primary stat and hands out a free dwarven weapon proficiency (i recommend the giant sticker)
As you have 2 melee up front you take the feats Combat reflexes, paired opportunists, and Broken wing gambit.
Using the archetypes replacement for inspire courage you hand out combat reflexes and paired opportunists to the party. Then you have Shared training as a spell known, to hand out broken wing gambit for 1 hour at level 6.
this allows your fighter and paladin (and you if you stand behind them all phalanx style) to hit the front line, use broken wing gambit to provoke attacks of opportunity from all 3 of the melee. If your martials are hovering around +1 or 2 dex mod, you're looking at anywhere from 3 to 4 attacks per round from each of them and 2 from you at level 6. that usually means death to whatever enemy hits your line.
Twilight speaker is an awesome Skald archetype and is a super solid choice. Just be sure to go over it with your gm because the wording is a little vague.
Not exactly a full write up, but consider Community-Minded trait and Urban Skald archetype. You can tack on a few other archetypes if you want (mine is also Red Tongue and Totemic*), but the idea is you start your Raging Song and choose +Dex. Everyone (including the Wizard) accepts the song. At the start of their turn they can decide if they want to keep it or not, and if they don't (say they want to cast spells), then the +Dex sticks around for another 2 rounds. Bonus AC and no penalties (other than no immediate action spells between the end of your turn and the start of the Wizard's).
The Fighter and Paladin probably prefer +Str, but Dex helps everyone. If they want +Str/Con they can pick up a level of Bloodrager, to use those bonuses instead of your +Dex.
*Red Tongue is nice because you can take Combat Trick at 7th and give everyone a combat teamwork feat like Outflank. Totemic was because I wanted to get the +Enhancement to Dex and to (ab)use the wild shape for Tiger and pounce.
This is really cool. Is it checked that you can give your allies Outflank?
Skalds get martial weapon proficiency and can use a decent polearm easily. OTOH they're feat starved (you likely want a feat on making your performance last longer, and maybe skald's vigor or expanded spell kenning) which makes archery iffy. Thrown weapons are out entirely.
The basic skald is fine as are many archetypes, just don't take an archetype which loses spell kenning given your role here.
Ok, I'm either going base Skald or Red Tongue with the Community Minded trait to give more time of inspired rage.
I can't find any way to assist my party with Helpful Halfling, because that would require having Harrying Partners given to them.
I fail to understand the Dwarven sholar. On the first part of War Chant says I give allies the benefits of the feat
Then suddenly at level 6, they need to meet the pre requisite? "She may use one of these feats to meet a prerequisite of the second feat."
Ok, I'm either going base Skald or Red Ton
I fail to understand the Dwarven sholar. On the first part of War Chant says I give allies the benefits of the feat
Then suddenly at level 6, they need to meet the pre requisite? "She may use one of these feats to meet a prerequisite of the second feat."
At level 6 a dwarven scholar bard can give out two feats at once. The first can be a prerequisite that the second requires.
Ok, I'm either going base Skald or Red Tongue with the Community Minded trait to give more time of inspired rage.
Keep in mind that the Community Minded trait won't make your rage powers last longer (unless they're morale bonuses), which is the most important part of Inspired Rage.
Ok, I'm either going base Skald or Red Tongue with the Community Minded trait to give more time of inspired rage.Keep in mind that the Community Minded trait won't make your rage powers last longer (unless they're morale bonuses), which is the most important part of Inspired Rage.
The safest route is going to be Lingering performance.
At level 6 a dwarven scholar bard can give out two feats at once. The first can be a prerequisite that the second requires.
The only reason I don't think I can do this class is having access to Spell Kenning. Eventually I can save people as a Cleric from almost anything.
I do have problems with the feats I'm interested in:
Outflank
Harrying partners
Combat reflexes
Bodyguard
Lingering performance
Phalanx Formation (Combat)
Cornugon Smash
Power Attack (Combat)
Dazzling Display (Combat)
Weapon Focus
So far Outflank and Harrying partners are the less likely that I will take, because they will only give +2 AC to allies, unless I go halfling and take a trait (which I don't have, GM rules).
I could take the Additional Traits feat, true, but how do I give + to attack? Being defensive isn't the greatest option.
Then we have the one I like the most, because it fits my character thematically:
Weapon Focus
Dazzling Display (Combat)
Since I'll be a reach guy, I should have Phalanx Formation (Combat)
So we are at 3 feats that I cannot take at level 1 because I don't meet prerequisites of +1 BAB, unless I go some other classes, but then I lose on all the cool features:
3 - Weapon Focus
5 - Dazzling Display (Combat)
7 - Phalanx Formation (Combat)
So, what exactly can I do at level 1?
I feel like I need tons of feats, and not sure where to get them
If you're going with a reach weapon your level 1 feat is combat reflexes. Even if you only have a 12 Dex it's worth it.
And yes, not having as many feats as you want is a problem for many 6-level spellcasters.
1 - Enforcer (I can inflict shaken condition just by hitting them with a Sap) turns = 1d6+3 STR (+4 depending how I put my stats or with Rage)
1 - Human Bonus Lingering performance > will make my performance last a lot longer
3 - Rage Feat: Good for What Ails You, will help me by saving allies from conditions I cannot remove on the Battlefield
3 - Feat: NO IDEA
5 - Feat: NO IDEA
6 - Rage: Guarded Life > protection for the party
7 - Feat: NO IDEA
Rage powers that I can possibly take:
- Savage Dirty Trick (Ex)
- Intimidating glare
Fets:
- Harmonic Spell
- Power Attack (Combat) > Cleave to apply Enforcer a bit more? Too situational?
- Cornugon Smash
Now the question remains how useful is Enforcer at later levels. Shaken is still a condition that can benefit everyone and it will basically be free
I'm playing with 2 new members, so I don't really want to give them more options like 1 time rage powers.
For feats I could take Power Attack + Phalanx Formation and be happy in the backline, but if I do that, I won't be able to use Enforcer to apply Shaken. My stats allow me perfectly to be in the frontlines, we're talking 16 CON and DEX, so I won't die.
So, that's why I'm not sure what else to take.
This will shorten the list of rage powers you're thinking of:
At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, a skald learns a rage power (see pages 32–34 of the Core Rulebook) that affects the skald and any allies under the influence of his inspired rage. This cannot be a rage power that requires the creature to spend a standard action or rounds of rage to activate it. For example, the skald cannot choose terrifying howl (which requires a standard action to activate), but can choose knockback (which is made in place of a melee attack).
Also if you give out rage powers which use Cha like lesser spirit totem then it uses your Cha for some reason.
On its own shaken from demoralize (enforcer) becomes forgettable later on. There are feats you can take to keep it relevant but you're already having trouble finding feat slots for all you're after.
My stats allow me perfectly to be in the frontlines, we're talking 16 CON and DEX, so I won't die.
So you've rolled up your stats now?
So, that's why I'm not sure what else to take.
You already have two frontliners. It might be a better idea to focus on supporting them rather than becoming the third frontliner. As you're already taking Good for What Ails You I'm gonna recommend the Bacchanal Skald to more effectively harness the power of alcohol. At 2nd level you can drink a serving of alchohol as a move action to maintain raging songs without expending rounds per day.
Rage Powers:
3. Good for What Ails You
6. Lesser Celestial Totem
Now Good for What Ails You is pretty neat, but it would still require your teammates to (at best) spend a standard action to drink alcohol. We'll fix this action economy problem by using the Spirit Share spell and a familiar with the Share Spells ability. In the rounds when it's not needed to reroll a save, it can instead trigger your Drunken Dancer ability so that you keep your move action.
This mostly covers the condition removal. The other rage power, Lesser Celestial Totem, will solve the healing. This rage power would let the Paladin add their class level to healing done from Lay on Hands, and increases the healing done by any spell by the caster level of the effect. So a Cure Light Wounds cast by a lv 6 Skald would heal 1d8+5+6 dmg. And the Path of Glory spell would go from healing 1 hp per round to 7 hp per round.
That's 42 HP healed to everyone in your party with a 2nd level spell, and it gets better and better.
For your familiar I'd go with the Skill Focus->Eldritch Heritage feat path, and choose the Shimmerwing Dragonfly option. It has a perfect fly speed of 60 ft, and the Flyby Attack feat. This feat allows you to take any standard action in the middle of movement. So the familiar could fly up to an ally, use Spirit Share and deliver touch spells, and fly back to safety.
Also if you give out rage powers which use Cha like lesser spirit totem then it uses your Cha for some reason.
I haven't heard this before, can you provide a reference? It makes some rage powers much better and Skald is one of my favorite classes, so being able to use those powers more would be awesome.
So you've rolled up your stats now?
Yes, I got OP rolls, that's why I don't like rolling
1816
16
15
14
13
Rage Powers:
3. Good for What Ails You
6. Lesser Celestial TotemNow Good for What Ails You is pretty neat, but it would still require your teammates to (at best) spend a standard action to drink alcohol. We'll fix this action economy problem by using the Spirit Share spell and a familiar with the Share Spells ability. In the rounds when it's not needed to reroll a save, it can instead trigger your Drunken Dancer ability so that you keep your move action.
This mostly covers the condition removal. The other rage power, Lesser Celestial Totem, will solve the healing. This rage power would let the Paladin add their class level to healing done from Lay on Hands, and increases the healing done by any spell by the caster level of the effect. So a Cure Light Wounds cast by a lv 6 Skald would heal 1d8+5+6 dmg. And the Path of Glory spell would go from healing 1 hp per round to 7 hp per round.
That's 42 HP healed to everyone in your party with a 2nd level spell, and it gets better and better.For your familiar I'd go with the Skill Focus->Eldritch Heritage feat path, and choose the Shimmerwing Dragonfly option. It has a perfect fly speed...
Not a super fan of that archetype, but the Familiar route and that spell is an awesome idea, I won't be making them waste their standard action to drink, I can cast the spell when it's needed and it will just work.
I could even have a Wand or scrolls of level 2 and just use it when needed. Or just Pearls of Power to keep casting it on several fights if needed!I'm really liking that. I'll be just using my familiar when necessary, but having a spell to deliver potions or drinks, it's great.
So now
1 - Enforcer (I can inflict shaken condition just by hitting them with a Sap) turns = 1d6+3 STR (+4 depending how I put my stats or with Rage) > WE DON'T KNOW COULD BE > Skill Focus
1 - Human Bonus Lingering performance > will make my performance last a lot longer
3 - Rage Feat: Good for What Ails You, will help me by saving allies from conditions I cannot remove on the Battlefield
3 - Feat: Eldritch Heritage to get Familiar > could you please link the Bloodline, couldn't find it
5 - Feat: NO IDEA
6 - Rage: Guarded Life > protection for the party
7 - Feat: NO IDEA
I'm not sure what I'll be doing in combat though. I could be Archer, but that requires LOTS of feats. I thought about having a Neat to apply Entangled condition, but that only works against Large creatures top, unless I buff myself, but it's a ranged touch attack with only -4
Are there other ways I could help the party having access to remove conditions? I've read that Warpriest are pretty selfish buffers, so it's not really good.
Inquisitors fall in the same line, but those 2 give me the option of going Thrown Weapons to be close to the party.
I couldn't find any other 3/4 classes, the other option could be to be an Evangelist Cleric and go to a Prestige Class that doesn't grants casting. I don't really want more than 6 level spells.
@baggageboy
When starting an inspired rage, the skald chooses which rage powers (if any) to add to the song, and all affected allies gain the benefit of these rage powers, using the skald’s level as their effective barbarian level. The skald uses his skald level as his barbarian level for the purpose of selecting rage powers that require a minimum barbarian level. If the rage power’s effects depend on the skald’s ability modifier (such as lesser spirit totem), affected allies use the skald’s ability modifier instead of their own for the purposes of this effect.
====
@Letric
It's the Arcane bloodline. If you go with Human then you should take the Focused Study alternate racial trait to get multiple Skill Focus feats.
I'd reconsider the Guarded Life rage power. It's too circumstantial.
@LetricIt's the Arcane bloodline. If you go with Human then you should take the Focused Study alternate racial trait to get multiple Skill Focus feats.
I'd reconsider the Guarded Life rage power. It's too circumstantial.
Battle Scion - Human (Focused Study racial trait)
1 - Feat: Lingering performance
1 - HumanB: Skill Focus Knowledge
3 - Rage Feat: Good for What Ails You
3 - Feat: Eldritch Heritage (Arcane Bloodline to get familiar)
5 - Feat: Phalanx Formation
6 - Rage: Outflank, so I can share it with Party!
7 - Feat: NO IDEA
9 - Rage: Moment of Clarity
How bad is the restriction on Inspire Rage on skills and spellcasting. Party is a Paladin, Fighter and Wizard.
Wizard ain't gonna take it, will this affect the Paladin a lot?
as a random feat not for healing. a CTRF I didn't find it.
Conduit Feat: Healing Hands.
Its a n easy to get and easy to keeup up to date feat that lets you heal pretty good
It's not a bad feat at all! But I could heal with Wands, and even take the Rage power to heal more, so healing it's not something I'm much worried about.
We're talking that I will be a CHA 20 bard, it might be overkill, but I'm trying to shift power to my spells/support.
I need to find new ways to do something besides damage.
This seems like a much well-rounded build:
1 - Feat: Lingering performance
1 - HumanB: Skill Focus Knowledge
3 - Rage Feat: Good for What Ails You
3 - Feat: Eldritch Heritage (Arcane Bloodline to get familiar)
5 - Feat: Combat reflexes
6 - Rage: Outflank, so I can share it with Party!
7 - Feat: Bodyguard
9 - Rage: Harrying Partners
By the time I get Harrying Partners I can use an action to give my warrior +2 to all attacks and use Combat Reflexes to give +2 AC for all turns.
I might be able to get the Helpful trait, if my DM allows to use traits, not sure yet, but that's the idea.
The only issue I can find so far is that I'm still rocking a -4 to attack, unless I go melee with them or take Phalanx Formation and go reach
How bad is the restriction on Inspire Rage on skills and spellcasting. Party is a Paladin, Fighter and Wizard.
Wizard ain't gonna take it, will this affect the Paladin a lot?
The paladin's spells are better for buffs than offense, so most of the casting should be done before combat. This won't be a huge problem.
But if they choose a mount as their Divine Bond they'll likely not want to accept the Inspired Rage at all since they'd be unable to use Handle Animal.
I don't think the fighter wants to use Bluff or Stealth in combat, but it could happen.
This is why Urban Skald, Twilight Speaker, and Court Poet was recommended to you. They all ease up on the penalties of your raging song. Twilight Speaker and Court Poet would allow your allies to cast spells while getting rage powers, for example.
How bad is the restriction on Inspire Rage on skills and spellcasting. Party is a Paladin, Fighter and Wizard.
Wizard ain't gonna take it, will this affect the Paladin a lot?The paladin's spells are better for buffs than offense, so most of the casting should be done before combat. This won't be a huge problem.
But if they choose a mount as their Divine Bond they'll likely not want to accept the Inspired Rage at all since they'd be unable to use Handle Animal.
I don't think the fighter wants to use Bluff or Stealth in combat, but it could happen.This is why Urban Skald, Twilight Speaker, and Court Poet was recommended to you. They all ease up on the penalties of your raging song. Twilight Speaker and Court Poet would allow your allies to cast spells while getting rage powers, for example.
Pretty sure Paladin's mount don't require handle animal
Sentient Companions: A sentient companion (a creature that can understand language and has an Intelligence score of at least 3) is considered your ally and obeys your suggestions and orders to the best of its ability. It won't necessarily blindly follow a suicidal order, but it has your interests at heart and does what it can to keep you alive. Paladin bonded mounts, familiars, and cohorts fall into this category, and are usually player-controlled companions.
Urban Skald is awesome, but I lose the ability to share my feats.
From what I understand, if the Paladin wants to cast a spell, she just needs to decide not being affected during her turn, and that's it!
If you're riding something I'm pretty sure the ride skill is used to fight with your mount and that's it - no handle animal required there even if it wasn't sentient.
For good or ill a lot of fights don't take place in corridors IME. The -4 to attack because your allies are cover won't always apply.
Paladin bonded mounts, familiars, and cohorts fall into this category, and are usually player-controlled companions.
Well that's convenient.
===
As for going the Harrying Partners route, remember that the normal restrictions for Aid Another still apply. You must threaten the enemy you want the bonus to apply to, and it only affects Attacks/AC against that specific enemy.
So you can't use it against ranged attacks, and creatures with reach will probably not be viable targets since you're standing behind your allies.
And whenever your allies move, they'll be out of position for you to aid.
As for going the Harrying Partners route, remember that the normal restrictions for Aid Another still apply. You must threaten the enemy you want the bonus to apply to, and it only affects Attacks/AC against that specific enemy.So you can't use it against ranged attacks, and creatures with reach will probably not be viable targets since you're standing behind your allies.
And whenever your allies move, they'll be out of position for you to aid.
I'm reconsidering the archetype, I mean, paying 2 rounds to give them Outflank and that's it? Harrying Partners is good, but needs positioning from new players.
I might go either base skald or check those archetypes that don't take away Spell Kenning
Check out fated champion, twilight speaker, and urban skald. Al keep the most important aspects of spell kenning intact.
I am playing a Reach Cleric (Evangelist), which gets bardic inspiration. This is a great buff. You aso get all the usual cleric buffs. But this is a full caster which you don't want. Still, I thought you should be aware of the archetype.
As to Lesser Restoration: it is a Paladin 1 spell, so that should not be an issue. The paladin's mercies can cover a lot of status removal as well.
As for status removal, check out the Healer's Satchel (Specialized). It can handle ability drain, disease, and poison. It is only 3,000 gp. Combined with wands of cure light, your healing is almost completely covered.
/cevah
I might go either base skald or check those archetypes that don't take away Spell Kenning
Gonna 2nd this. Spell Kenning is a runner up for the single most powerful class feature in the game. Urban Skald would be rad for giving your melee bois Pounce via Greater Beast Totem and bumping up everybody's AC with Beast Totem.
Raging song is going to be fine for the paladin even with a mount. A paladin’s mount has an INT of 6 so may be nearly as smart as the party fighter or even the paladin himself. Ride not handle animal is what is used to control a mount in combat and ride is on the lists of skills that can be used while under raging song. Handle animal is used to push the animal to get it to do things it is not trained for. A paladin’s mount is going to be trained for combat.
As for the healing including condition removal the paladin can share some of this burden. Lay on hands applies all the mercies a paladin knows. Between this and that fact that many of the condition removal spells are on the paladin’s spell list means he can assist in this. Lesser restoration is actually a 1st level paladin spell so the paladin get access to it earlier than the skald will. Unless the paladin chose an archetype that trades away his spells he can still use wands and scrolls for some healing.