Having trouble figuring out what spells and gear to get for my 7th-level bard/Razmiran Priest/cleric dedication con-man.
Any advice?
He's high dex no strength, if that matters and I've been investing heavily into Deception and anti-lie detection feats and abilities so far. We use lump sum starting fund rules.
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Gortles Spell List is excellent for this
For equipment you could look at a staff, items for your skills, an armor rune, some scrolls - the rest probably depends on your playstyle.
The spells in a trickster's mandolin could definately come in handy for such a character. You also definately want a +1 armor rune. After that... skill boosting items are an option, but your Razmiran Mask means some items like the Glasses of sociability, Demon Mask, and Persona Mask are off the table. I'd actually reccomend splurging on scrolls. If you have basic cleric spellcasting by this point, Divine scrolls could be very useful.
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For spells, you may want to focus on either buff or debuff, depending on how it combines with the bard's composition spells/cantrips. Also, Bon Mot (Diplomacy) or Intimidate/Demoralize can be useful actions instead of Feinting; Bon Mot before a spell with a Will save or Demoralize to lower AC.
For a "high dex no strength" bard, either a thrower's bandolier or a dancer's spear (finesse, reach, versatile B) could make sense for weapon attacks.
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My 9th level Maestro Bard uses Reach spell
His key spells (pre-Remaster) are :
Fear
Lose the path
Magic missile
Soothe
Invisibility
Dispel Magic
Slow
Calm emotions
Synesthesia
For equipment, his key choices are Healer's Gloves, Orchestral Brooch (for the Success to Critical Success) and Cat's eye elixir (for miss chances).
Thanks everyone. I'll be looking into some of those options.
My 9th level Maestro Bard uses Reach spell
His key spells (pre-Remaster) are :
Fear
Lose the path
Magic missile
Soothe
Invisibility
Dispel Magic
Slow
Calm emotions
SynesthesiaFor equipment, his key choices are Healer's Gloves, Orchestral Brooch (for the Success to Critical Success) and Cat's eye elixir (for miss chances).
I've never been able to use lose the path effectively. How and why did it come to be one of your key spells?
It's not spells/gear, but... I've been having a lot of fun with Dubious Knowledge. The other priests might question your inaccuracies, but the lay folk won't.
I have an 11th level Bard.
These are 4th level spells that have been effective for him:Confusion.
Invisibility - assuming it's not a signature spell
Blood Spray Curse
Enervation
Translocate-FKA Dimension Door.Edit- Honeyed Words may be useful for your Bard. +4 for Deception checks.
I can't seem to find blood spray curse.
Ah bloodspray, not blood spray.
Here's what I've put together so far: [Pathbuilder Link]
What do you guys think?
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There's also this: Tarondor's Guide to the Pathfinder Second Edition Bard.
Im surprised you didn't do a Group Impression/gladhand thing, but you are focused on keeping your secrets.
Tell me, the Pet, is a Snake?
Im surprised you didn't do a Group Impression/gladhand thing, but you are focused on keeping your secrets.
Tell me, the Pet, is a Snake?
Yes, a trouser snake! :P
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Synesthesia. I realized RD's character isn't quite high enough level to cast it yet, but other people mentioned higher level characters without mention of the spell. I realize it doesn't necessarily fit the theme of RD's character, but it's one of the best spells on the Occult spell list.
Goes without saying at this point, I guess?
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Thanks everyone. I'll be looking into some of those options.
I've never been able to use lose the path effectively. How and why did it come to be one of your key spells?My 9th level Maestro Bard uses Reach spell
His key spells (pre-Remaster) are :
Fear
Lose the path
Magic missile
Soothe
Invisibility
Dispel Magic
Slow
Calm emotions
SynesthesiaFor equipment, his key choices are Healer's Gloves, Orchestral Brooch (for the Success to Critical Success) and Cat's eye elixir (for miss chances).
Maybe key was not the proper word, but definitely a staple at the beginning of combat, and sometimes later depending on circumstances.
It is a reaction, it can prevent a creature from closing in to melee range with my buddies, or worst with my PC who is definitely a squishy Reach spell Bard.
And if the target critically fails, all sort of fun ensues.
Forgot to mention that I play PFS, so basically up to 9th level only.
[Lose the path] is a reaction, it can prevent a creature from closing in to melee range with my buddies, or at worst, with my PC who is definitely a squishy Reach spell Bard.
And if the target critically fails, all sorts of fun ensues.
Isn't the prevailing wisdom to allow monsters to waste their actions on closing in so that the party can better respond with full sets of actions of their own? Seems like your strategy might get in the way of that. It's not like you necessarily know the enemy is targeting your bard when they move.
I loved the idea of lose the path when I first discovered it, but in practice I found it very lackluster. Either it was the start of combat and I couldn't use the reaction because I hadn't acted yet, or it was the thick of things and the enemy was already intermixed with the party. This was especially true in PFS where battlegrounds are notoriously small to begin with.
Even in larger areas, the spell's range hurts its function. For example, if an enemy with 30 foot speed Strides into the area using 20 feet of speed, gets hit by your reaction AND fails the save, you've wasted an entire spell and your reaction just to reduce their remaing 10 foot speed by 5 feet. And those are fairly ideal circumstances. Let's say it takes them two Strides to reach you and you hold your reaction for the second Stride (even though you are unlikely to know how fast they are). Maybe you reduce his second Stride by half, preventing him from getting to you. Or maybe he simply Strikes you from his current position with a ranged attack.
There are just too many variables (placement, timing, a saving throw, alternative action choices by the enemy, etc.) that keep this from working reliably. In my experience, at best, you trade a reaction and a spell slot for a very small chance of wasting a single enemy's single action.
You could use it to prevent a fast enemy from fleeing, I suppose, but if enemies are fleeing the encounter is likely over anyways and you're probably just wasting your resources to "feel cool."
In short, I consider it something of a trap spell. It rarely works as advertised, and even when it does its effects are extremely lack luster unless you'reucky enough for an enemy to crit fail their save.
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[Lose the path] is a reaction, it can prevent a creature from closing in to melee range with my buddies, or at worst, with my PC who is definitely a squishy Reach spell Bard.
And if the target critically fails, all sorts of fun ensues.
Isn't the prevailing wisdom to allow monsters to waste their actions on closing in so that the party can better respond with full sets of actions of their own? Seems like your strategy might get in the way of that. It's not like you necessarily know the enemy is targeting your bard when they move.
I loved the idea of lose the path when I first discovered it, but in practice I found it very lackluster. Either it was the start of combat and I couldn't use the reaction because I hadn't acted yet, or it was the thick of things and the enemy was already intermixed with the party. This was especially true in PFS where battlegrounds are notoriously small to begin with.
Even in larger areas, the spell's range hurts its function. For example, if an enemy with 30 foot speed Strides into the area using 20 feet of speed, gets hit by your reaction AND fails the save, you've wasted an entire spell and your reaction just to reduce their remaing 10 foot speed by 5 feet. And those are fairly ideal circumstances. Let's say it takes them two Strides to reach you and you hold your reaction for the second Stride (even though you are unlikely to know how fast they are). Maybe you reduce his second Stride by half, preventing him from getting to you. Or maybe he simply Strikes you from his current position with a ranged attack.
There are just too many variables (placement, timing, a saving throw, alternative action choices by the enemy, etc.) that keep this from working reliably. In my experience, at best, you trade a reaction and a spell slot for a very small chance of wasting a single enemy's single action.
You could use it to prevent a fast enemy from fleeing, I suppose, but if enemies are fleeing the encounter is likely over anyways...
Maybe it's a matter of expectations.
I did not expect much of it when I first read it but I figured I would try. And I ended up using it from time to time to get an enemy to stay away from the frontline when everybody else was entering the fray.
That makes one less enemy that the party has to deal with for one round.
It's not usually game-changing, but it does feel worth it when I get to cast it.
Note that, unless we are really surprised, my usual PFS GM allows us to react before our turn. That can make a big difference in how often you get to actually use the spell.