Second opinions on this bard build?


Advice


Hello.

For a game of Wrath of the Righteous, i'll have a tiefling bard. (demon blooded for Cha bonus, worships Desna) Mainly a buffing support, with but a few offensive mind spells, as i expect higher enemies to have towering will saves.

Ability scores:
Str 14 Dex 17 Con 17 Int 12 Wis 14 Cha 20.

There are three things i am considering.

Build 1, Bard 5/Evangelist 10/Bard 5:

The bard will enter Evangelist at level 6, and after all 10 levels of the PrC, will continue bard.
Effective CL at level 20: 19.

Level 1 : Spellfocus (enchantment), +1 bonus to DC of enchantment spells.
Level 1 : (GM bonus feat) Lingering Performance
Level 3 : Deific Obedience
Level 5 : Favorite PrC [Evangelist], can choose 1 skill point or 1 HP when gaining a level in the PrC.
Level 7 : Dimensional conduit. (Can limited per day, teleport as per dimension door. Finishes turn if used.)
Level 9 : Dimensional Agility. (Teleport no longer finishes your turn, if you have other actions left)
Level 11: Expanded Arcana (add 1 spell to spells known, or 2 of lower level)
Level 13: Spell penetration: +2 to CL checks against SR.
Level 15: Prestigious caster to improve CL back to 20?
Level 17 & 19, to be determined.

Why dimensional feats?
Teleport self and/or allies to safety. Combine with vanish to teleport allied martials into melee for full attack, instead of move + attack.
Get to hard to reach places.

Con : minor hit to BaB progression.
Pros: PrC advances Bard features, Evangelist benefits.

Bard 5/Evangelist 10/Spherewalker 5 (GM approved):

Effective CL at level 20: 19 (without feats)
Like above, but filling level 16 through 20 with Spherewalker.

Feats:
Level 1 : Proficiency [Star knife]
Level 1 : Great Fortitude (Gm bonus feat)
Level 3 : Deific Obedience
Level 5 : Favorite PrC (Evangelist)
Level 7 : Dimensional conduit
Level 9 : Dimensional Agility
Level 11: Spellfocus (enchantment)
Level 13: Athletic/Run
Level 15: Prestigious caster, bump CL back to 20 at max level
Level 17 & 19, to be determined

Con : More moderate hit to BaB & bard features.
Pros : PrC classes features.

Bard 5/Spheresinger 10/Bard 5:

Effective CL at level 20: 18 (without feats)
Somewhat more aimed at spells.

Feats:
Level 1 : Proficiency (starknife)
Level 1 : Weapon finesse
Level 3 : Spellfocus (enchantment)
Level 5 : Favored PrC (Sphere singer)
Level 7 : Greater Spellfocus
Level 9 : Spell Penetration
Level 11: Dimensional Conduit
Level 13: Dimensional Agility
Level 15: Prestigious caster (Sphere Singer)
Level 17: Greater Spell Penetration
Level 19: To be determined

Cons: Limited bardic skills.
Pros: New performance options. Flight during special peformance, transcend to fae.


The problem with being a bard during WotR is that your allies are likely to have the numbers they need to kill things already; inspire courage etc. are redundant. If your GM is likely to buff or change the encounters significantly this may be less true. Still, I wouldn't place a lot of weight on the lack of bardic performance bonus progression.

BTW, prestigious caster doesn't work with evangelist strictly speaking. Also there are several bard spells which teleport - dimension door itself, urban step, phase step, bard's escape - dimensional conduit may be redundant.

I think the last looks most fun. You might also want to think a bit about mythic abilities, this being the mythic AP. Mythic spell focus might make save based spells workable, and mythic spells could expand your options.


The GM mentioned it'd be 80% material, 20% own additions/adjustments. The archetype of bard is specific anti-demon buffing, enhancing weapons to overcome DR, and granting bane property at level 8 and 14 respectively.

The 2nd obedience boon provides bonus on CL vs SR checks, which are very useful vs demons.
As evangelist, this becomes available at PC lvl 11. Otherwise at lvl 16.

The above aside, and dimensional feats possibly aside (though those not eating my limited spellslots is nice), are the planned feats good for the setup, and in reasonable order?


Like I said, look at the mythic feats - since they have prereqs of the normal feats of the same name you're not going to qualify for that many with the given feat setup. Extra mythic power and mythic spell lore have no prereqs and are good, mythic spell focus and mythic spell penetration are good too (and the latter makes another bonus vs. SR probably redundant), mythic weapon finesse is dex to damage - but if you don't want any of those (you get 5 mythic feats total) you'll need to grab at least one different normal feat.

But yes, with the exceptions as noted those look reasonable feats on any of the three.


The third build looks the best to me, most congruent.

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