Post by arek on Sept 9, 2009 2:27:19 GMT
Goals:
Pros:
Cons:
The build:
Race/Sub: Human/Shard
Starting Stats :
STR 8[8]
DEX 18[22]
CON 10[14]
INT 14[14]
WIS 10[10]
CHA 12[16]
Level Progression: 1bard/1mnk/2ftr/3mnk/3bard/2ftr/8bard pre-epic. 20bard epic.
Stat Progression: All DEX.
Feats:
Level 1: Artist, Strong Soul
Level 3 (Ftr 1): Weapon Finesse, WF: Club/Nunchaku
Level 4 (Ftr 2): Two-Weapon Fighting
Level 6: Ambidexterity
Level 9: Curse Song
Level 12 (Ftr 4): Improved Critical: Club/Nunchaku, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Level 15: SF: Transmutation
Level 18: Blind-Fight
Level 21: Great Dex
Level 24: Great Dex
Level 27: Great Dex
Level 30: EWF: Club/Nunchaku
Level 31 (Bard 23): GSF: Trans
Level 33: Great Dex
Level 34 (Bard 26): Great Dex
Level 36: Great Dex
Level 37 (Bard 29): Great Dex
Level 39: Great Dex
Level 40 (Bard 32): Great Dex
Level 42: ESF: Trans
Level 45: Legendary Artist
Level 48: LWF: Club/Nunchaku
Level 51: Epic Prowess
Level 54: Epic Skill Focus: Perform
Level 57: Great Dex
Level 60: Legendary Hardened Soul
Skills: I don't have a 'hard' progression, but at 60 I was able to max Listen, Lore, Discipline, Parry, Perform, Tumble, and Craft Weapon. I put the remaining skillpoints in Craft Armor.
AB is 89 at 60 with just self-buffs, and goes up to 92 if I can get a +13 or better GMW (or IoF), without Improved Heroism. With my own Improved Heroism, this goes up to a max of 95 (+3 from going from bard lbab to fighter lbab). I have maxed Craft Weapon (but little gear), so getting this up to 93/96 is not out of the question.
Songs/Curses at 60:
A note about my primary bard song: Damage is nice to have, but many people will want the skills bonus, which they've come to rely heavily upon to get maxed skills (I admit I'm guilty of this myself). With that in mind, I split damage/skills fairly evenly, since getting either maxed means dropping the other almost entirely.
And about my secondary song/curse: My secondary song/curse assumes that most bards will have something similar to my own primary song/curse, albeit more powerful in the "off" areas. AC song is maxed because that +8 AC is far too important to have when someone's rezzed. Not only that, but not all bards can hit +8 AC. Saves curse is maxed for similar reasons - like when the primary bard misses 1-2 mobs, or that extra fort drop is needed.
A note about the build: I originally did this build using HS instead of Monk, but it turns out that Monk simply works better - I get better AC (in robes), a better Median AB, all my attacks are "always on", and I don't have to rely on a rather expensive pair of boots. The cost? -1 to my top AB (I'd consider HS for a chanter, because of weapon reqs, but not for a dex bard).
--Arek
- Good Song/Curse
- Be a decent tank.
- Be an effective bard in other ares.
Pros:
- Solid bard/curse song (eventual level 48-63 bardsong in critical areas, level 48-63 curse in critical areas)
- 9 attacks/round at a good AB and progression for decent damage potential.
- Has 2 epics: UUU and Dirge. Possums (illusion) would be nice, mostly for conceal, but this build only gets 65% conceal from EV to begin with, and would only get 70% with LSF illusion, so I picked crit imm instead. I doubt I'll regret the decision.
Cons:
- Only 16 CHA means only the tiny radius for Epics.
- No paladin for saves/fear immunity.
- Curse Song is taken late (L9) to make room for weapon feats and prevent multiple trips to the law/chaos alignment changer.
The build:
Race/Sub: Human/Shard
Starting Stats :
STR 8[8]
DEX 18[22]
CON 10[14]
INT 14[14]
WIS 10[10]
CHA 12[16]
Level Progression: 1bard/1mnk/2ftr/3mnk/3bard/2ftr/8bard pre-epic. 20bard epic.
Stat Progression: All DEX.
Feats:
Level 1: Artist, Strong Soul
Level 3 (Ftr 1): Weapon Finesse, WF: Club/Nunchaku
Level 4 (Ftr 2): Two-Weapon Fighting
Level 6: Ambidexterity
Level 9: Curse Song
Level 12 (Ftr 4): Improved Critical: Club/Nunchaku, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Level 15: SF: Transmutation
Level 18: Blind-Fight
Level 21: Great Dex
Level 24: Great Dex
Level 27: Great Dex
Level 30: EWF: Club/Nunchaku
Level 31 (Bard 23): GSF: Trans
Level 33: Great Dex
Level 34 (Bard 26): Great Dex
Level 36: Great Dex
Level 37 (Bard 29): Great Dex
Level 39: Great Dex
Level 40 (Bard 32): Great Dex
Level 42: ESF: Trans
Level 45: Legendary Artist
Level 48: LWF: Club/Nunchaku
Level 51: Epic Prowess
Level 54: Epic Skill Focus: Perform
Level 57: Great Dex
Level 60: Legendary Hardened Soul
Skills: I don't have a 'hard' progression, but at 60 I was able to max Listen, Lore, Discipline, Parry, Perform, Tumble, and Craft Weapon. I put the remaining skillpoints in Craft Armor.
AB is 89 at 60 with just self-buffs, and goes up to 92 if I can get a +13 or better GMW (or IoF), without Improved Heroism. With my own Improved Heroism, this goes up to a max of 95 (+3 from going from bard lbab to fighter lbab). I have maxed Craft Weapon (but little gear), so getting this up to 93/96 is not out of the question.
Songs/Curses at 60:
- Primary Bard Song:
- AB: 63 (+7, 170 pts)
- AC: 63 (+8, 170 pts)
- Damage: 48 (+7 party, +11 self, 95 pts)
- Saves: 5 (+1 fort, +1 ref, +2 will, dump area)
- Skills: 45 (+14, 83 pts)
- Total: 520pts, 0 remaining.
- AB: 63 (+7, 170 pts)
- Primary Curse Song:
- AB: 63 (-7, 170 pts)
- AC: 63 (-8, 170 pts)
- Damage: 12 (-3, 9 pts)
- Saves: 63 (-7 fort, -7 ref, -8 will, 170 pts)
- Skills: 1 (no effect, dump area)
- Total: 520 pts, 0 remaining.
- AB: 63 (-7, 170 pts)
- Secondary Bard Song:
- AB: 11 (+2, 8 pts)
- AC: 63 (+8, 170 pts)
- Damage: 5 (+2 party, +0 self, 2 pts, dump area)
- Saves: 63 (+7 fort, +7 ref, +8 will, 170 pts)
- Skills: 63 (+21, 170 pts)
- Total: 520 pts, 0 remaining.
- AB: 11 (+2, 8 pts)
- Secondary Curse Song:
- AB: 7 (-1, 4 pts, dump area)
- AC: 31 (-4, 41 pts)
- Damage: 57 (-8, 135 pts)
- Saves: 63 (-7 fort, -7 ref, -8 will, 170 pts)
- Skills: 63 (-21, 170 pts)
- Total: 520 pts, 0 remaining.
- AB: 7 (-1, 4 pts, dump area)
A note about my primary bard song: Damage is nice to have, but many people will want the skills bonus, which they've come to rely heavily upon to get maxed skills (I admit I'm guilty of this myself). With that in mind, I split damage/skills fairly evenly, since getting either maxed means dropping the other almost entirely.
And about my secondary song/curse: My secondary song/curse assumes that most bards will have something similar to my own primary song/curse, albeit more powerful in the "off" areas. AC song is maxed because that +8 AC is far too important to have when someone's rezzed. Not only that, but not all bards can hit +8 AC. Saves curse is maxed for similar reasons - like when the primary bard misses 1-2 mobs, or that extra fort drop is needed.
A note about the build: I originally did this build using HS instead of Monk, but it turns out that Monk simply works better - I get better AC (in robes), a better Median AB, all my attacks are "always on", and I don't have to rely on a rather expensive pair of boots. The cost? -1 to my top AB (I'd consider HS for a chanter, because of weapon reqs, but not for a dex bard).
--Arek