Post by ilovedietpepsi on Jun 25, 2010 12:34:45 GMT
Update 8/30/2010:
- Changed name of the build to give it a bit of RP flavor. (also due to the use of Lliira's augumenter)
- Updated build info
- Added Spell Selection and uses
- Added Song point allocations
- This character is now 2x and will be soon 3x.
The lack of bards is getting on my nerve lately and i decided to make one myself. So heres the build.
Special thanks for Jean Helix, Test, and Many Bard Gurus who have helped me understand the class and provided me with many insightful advices.
Pros:
Works well for non-demi.
Dependable defense - 131 AC with Girding and 85% Conceal with Lliira's Ego item (80% without). 20/+15 soak (with ego). - 36 dex at double demi, can tank most dex check foes in hell other than malabranches. (can tank non-para malabranche with Asmo belt if you choose to)
Single Level Splash -> Be able to get full 85% conceal with Lliira's Augumented Items (bard CL ego)
but even without it, 80% conceal and 131 AC (with girding at 2x demi) is still reasonable defense.
6 bard epics, legendary focus to illusion.
can max bard song level (L63 song) with artist and legendary artist
Max radius for epic auras with 60 charisma
Decent saves with pally splash
Almost always have 127 Perform (to reach L63 song requirement) - 124 at Nessus with 1x penalty).
Have Bard cloud epic - very very very cool epic for most hell boss fight like asmo fight.
Cons:
Biggest drawback of this build is you lose Pally saves in Ely as all classes with Pally Splash.
Not a DC build, so most spell cast will be buff or no-saves spells. but SP is reasonably well with epic SP and bestow curse.
Not a uni-tank (but defense is quite reasonable).
Base Race: Human
Subrace: "Shard" (secret Beyond UltraRare)
- FC: Bard
- DEX +4, CON +4, CHA +4, free feat: Lasting Inspiration, free feat: Extra Music, free feat: Lingering Song, increased base movement rate - very fast
Stats:
Str 9 - [27 at 2x w/ +14 item]
Dex 14 (18) - [36 at 2x w/ +14 item]
Con 12 (16) - [34 at 2x w/ +14 item]
wis 8 - [26 at 2x w/ +14 item]
int 14 - [32 at 2x w/ +14 item]
cha 17 (21) - [64 at 2x w/ +14 item]
*Note: however it can be difficult to fit all the +14 stats into the gears, so mostly you will have +12 except for chosen stats.
* The reason im doing a odd number, because the build gets an extra feat if starting with 18 charisma (due to not being able to take epic spell focus before LL as a bard), if I do 17, and take an extra Great charisma, I can add 2 points to dex for an extra ac and help make dex check better. 9 str for the same reason.
Level Progression : 39 bard -> 1 pally
L1-20
Feats:(taken in the order listed).
stats: all goes to charisma
Artist
Curse Song
SF : Illusion
GSF : Illusion
SF: Necromancy
SF: Transmutation
Metamagic: Extended Spell
GSF: Necromancy
L21-40 (all stats goes to charisma)
Feats: (taken exactly in the order listed)
Armor skin
GSF: Transmutation
SF: Enchantment
GSF: Enchantment
SF: Evocation
GSF: Evocation
Spell penetration
Greater Spell Penetration
Epic spell penetration
Epic skill focus: perform
Great Charisma I, II, III
L41-60 (all stats goes to charisma)
ESF: Illusion
ESF: Enchantment
ESF: Evocation
ESF: Transmutation
ESF: Necromancy
LSF: Illusion
Legendary Artist
*read Conjuration book.
*Eat charisma Artifact. Note: If you can demi quickly, i would strongly suggest you switch to con arti instead, and shuffle the stats a bit, as it will not only make you more steady and be able to tank a lot of instant death stuff, the Breathe also help tremendously in boss fight. A mistake I made myself.
Skills:
Concentration max
Discipline max
Parry max
Perform max
Persuade max
Listen max (optional, can replace with heal for healing circle, or craft armor for +2 to ac) After some consideration, decided to go with healing.
Tumble 60
Lore ~40
UMD ~25
AC: 131 with Girding at 2x if you have +14 dex item and asmo shield.
Spell selections and way to use them:
Level 1:
Expeditious Retreat
Amplify (-30% immunity to sonic, great when used together with bard cloud, this may need to be spammed if used on high conceal foes due to no listen).
Joyful Noises (used mainly to dispel enemy buff song after their bard is dead, have to redo song/curse tho, can also be used in the coil when run out of HMR, but again, need redo curse/song)
Appraisal Touch (really cool spell, with song you can easily reach +50 skill bonus to appraisal, can also buff party when shopping at stygia)
Silver Tongue (buff persuade, self-explanatory)
Grease (used to slow enemies down, but dont count on get the KD due to poor dc).
Level 2:
Deafening Clang (for those with multiple weapons, ask which they need this on, usually people want to keep one weapon without for the sonic-heal paragons)
Endure element
Ghostly Visage
Know Vulnerabilities
Clarity (I use this quite a bit when people get confused dazed or stunned)
Level 3:
GMW (for those runs with no cleric, +13 enhancement is better than none)
Displacement(Auto caster#1, your main line of defense when wearing uro armor or echoes of creation, also can cast extended version on strength tanks or clerics for 55% conceal)
Remove curse (used on party getting mazed, such as in abos)
Remove Disease (used to remove disease like effects, such as those in POM, swarm master, and mephistopheles)
Bestow curse (use extended version on high SR things such as Narz, Advespa, PF, Mal, Hamatulas, green golems and paragon mobs)
Treasure Scent (self-explanatory)
Level 4:
Shout (in the odd situation when you need to break out of a wall).
Stone Shatter (can used to destroy items, or construct, but due to poor dc, not used much)
Legendary Lore (buff your lore high enough for TS to work better)
Shadow Conjuration (for the darkness spell for ely)
Level 5:
Ethereal Visage (I keep this just in case, but this can replaced if you have uro/echoes and some backup of those for limbo/shredding).
Mind Fog (I dont find myself using this very often due to poor dc).
Wail of Doom (use this often especially when the cleric isnt doing a lot of prayer, primary targetting cluster of Insta-able mobs, like machines, fumes, you need to bestow curse the high SR stuff for this to work etc)
Lesser Mind Blank (self-explanatory)
Healing circle (have this on at all time to help with party healing)
Mass cure moderate wounds (spam this when dealing with mobs with kb things mixed in there, you can use the !opt to toggle healing circle to do the same thing)
Level 6:
Lesser Spell Mantle (useful in places like abos or POM)
Energy Buffer (Auto caster #2)
Mass Clairaudience/Clairvoyance (buff the party to give them some bonus to listen if not maxed by items - keep in mind this dont last long).
Mass Cure Serious wounds (ill spam this first before spamming the Level 5 spell in tough fight while things does party-wide damage)
Shades (for Stoneskin, gives you 20/+15 soak when wearing CL ego), also useful for Wall of Fire)
Song Points allocation:
Buff song:
AB - L51 (+4 is probably enough if party get IoF, but i got plenty points so +6 for +14 weapon)
AC - L63 (maxed)
Damage - L57 (maxed)
Saves - L11 (whatever leftover points dump here)
Skills - L63 (Maxed)
Curse song:
AB: L51 (-6)
AC: L55 (-7)
Damage: L19 (only put leftover points here)
Saves L63 (maxed)
Skills L60
- Changed name of the build to give it a bit of RP flavor. (also due to the use of Lliira's augumenter)
- Updated build info
- Added Spell Selection and uses
- Added Song point allocations
- This character is now 2x and will be soon 3x.
The lack of bards is getting on my nerve lately and i decided to make one myself. So heres the build.
Special thanks for Jean Helix, Test, and Many Bard Gurus who have helped me understand the class and provided me with many insightful advices.
Pros:
Works well for non-demi.
Dependable defense - 131 AC with Girding and 85% Conceal with Lliira's Ego item (80% without). 20/+15 soak (with ego). - 36 dex at double demi, can tank most dex check foes in hell other than malabranches. (can tank non-para malabranche with Asmo belt if you choose to)
Single Level Splash -> Be able to get full 85% conceal with Lliira's Augumented Items (bard CL ego)
but even without it, 80% conceal and 131 AC (with girding at 2x demi) is still reasonable defense.
6 bard epics, legendary focus to illusion.
can max bard song level (L63 song) with artist and legendary artist
Max radius for epic auras with 60 charisma
Decent saves with pally splash
Almost always have 127 Perform (to reach L63 song requirement) - 124 at Nessus with 1x penalty).
Have Bard cloud epic - very very very cool epic for most hell boss fight like asmo fight.
Cons:
Biggest drawback of this build is you lose Pally saves in Ely as all classes with Pally Splash.
Not a DC build, so most spell cast will be buff or no-saves spells. but SP is reasonably well with epic SP and bestow curse.
Not a uni-tank (but defense is quite reasonable).
Base Race: Human
Subrace: "Shard" (secret Beyond UltraRare)
- FC: Bard
- DEX +4, CON +4, CHA +4, free feat: Lasting Inspiration, free feat: Extra Music, free feat: Lingering Song, increased base movement rate - very fast
Stats:
Str 9 - [27 at 2x w/ +14 item]
Dex 14 (18) - [36 at 2x w/ +14 item]
Con 12 (16) - [34 at 2x w/ +14 item]
wis 8 - [26 at 2x w/ +14 item]
int 14 - [32 at 2x w/ +14 item]
cha 17 (21) - [64 at 2x w/ +14 item]
*Note: however it can be difficult to fit all the +14 stats into the gears, so mostly you will have +12 except for chosen stats.
* The reason im doing a odd number, because the build gets an extra feat if starting with 18 charisma (due to not being able to take epic spell focus before LL as a bard), if I do 17, and take an extra Great charisma, I can add 2 points to dex for an extra ac and help make dex check better. 9 str for the same reason.
Level Progression : 39 bard -> 1 pally
L1-20
Feats:(taken in the order listed).
stats: all goes to charisma
Artist
Curse Song
SF : Illusion
GSF : Illusion
SF: Necromancy
SF: Transmutation
Metamagic: Extended Spell
GSF: Necromancy
L21-40 (all stats goes to charisma)
Feats: (taken exactly in the order listed)
Armor skin
GSF: Transmutation
SF: Enchantment
GSF: Enchantment
SF: Evocation
GSF: Evocation
Spell penetration
Greater Spell Penetration
Epic spell penetration
Epic skill focus: perform
Great Charisma I, II, III
L41-60 (all stats goes to charisma)
ESF: Illusion
ESF: Enchantment
ESF: Evocation
ESF: Transmutation
ESF: Necromancy
LSF: Illusion
Legendary Artist
*read Conjuration book.
*Eat charisma Artifact. Note: If you can demi quickly, i would strongly suggest you switch to con arti instead, and shuffle the stats a bit, as it will not only make you more steady and be able to tank a lot of instant death stuff, the Breathe also help tremendously in boss fight. A mistake I made myself.
Skills:
Concentration max
Discipline max
Parry max
Perform max
Persuade max
Listen max (optional, can replace with heal for healing circle, or craft armor for +2 to ac) After some consideration, decided to go with healing.
Tumble 60
Lore ~40
UMD ~25
AC: 131 with Girding at 2x if you have +14 dex item and asmo shield.
Spell selections and way to use them:
Level 1:
Expeditious Retreat
Amplify (-30% immunity to sonic, great when used together with bard cloud, this may need to be spammed if used on high conceal foes due to no listen).
Joyful Noises (used mainly to dispel enemy buff song after their bard is dead, have to redo song/curse tho, can also be used in the coil when run out of HMR, but again, need redo curse/song)
Appraisal Touch (really cool spell, with song you can easily reach +50 skill bonus to appraisal, can also buff party when shopping at stygia)
Silver Tongue (buff persuade, self-explanatory)
Grease (used to slow enemies down, but dont count on get the KD due to poor dc).
Level 2:
Deafening Clang (for those with multiple weapons, ask which they need this on, usually people want to keep one weapon without for the sonic-heal paragons)
Endure element
Ghostly Visage
Know Vulnerabilities
Clarity (I use this quite a bit when people get confused dazed or stunned)
Level 3:
GMW (for those runs with no cleric, +13 enhancement is better than none)
Displacement(Auto caster#1, your main line of defense when wearing uro armor or echoes of creation, also can cast extended version on strength tanks or clerics for 55% conceal)
Remove curse (used on party getting mazed, such as in abos)
Remove Disease (used to remove disease like effects, such as those in POM, swarm master, and mephistopheles)
Bestow curse (use extended version on high SR things such as Narz, Advespa, PF, Mal, Hamatulas, green golems and paragon mobs)
Treasure Scent (self-explanatory)
Level 4:
Shout (in the odd situation when you need to break out of a wall).
Stone Shatter (can used to destroy items, or construct, but due to poor dc, not used much)
Legendary Lore (buff your lore high enough for TS to work better)
Shadow Conjuration (for the darkness spell for ely)
Level 5:
Ethereal Visage (I keep this just in case, but this can replaced if you have uro/echoes and some backup of those for limbo/shredding).
Mind Fog (I dont find myself using this very often due to poor dc).
Wail of Doom (use this often especially when the cleric isnt doing a lot of prayer, primary targetting cluster of Insta-able mobs, like machines, fumes, you need to bestow curse the high SR stuff for this to work etc)
Lesser Mind Blank (self-explanatory)
Healing circle (have this on at all time to help with party healing)
Mass cure moderate wounds (spam this when dealing with mobs with kb things mixed in there, you can use the !opt to toggle healing circle to do the same thing)
Level 6:
Lesser Spell Mantle (useful in places like abos or POM)
Energy Buffer (Auto caster #2)
Mass Clairaudience/Clairvoyance (buff the party to give them some bonus to listen if not maxed by items - keep in mind this dont last long).
Mass Cure Serious wounds (ill spam this first before spamming the Level 5 spell in tough fight while things does party-wide damage)
Shades (for Stoneskin, gives you 20/+15 soak when wearing CL ego), also useful for Wall of Fire)
Song Points allocation:
Buff song:
AB - L51 (+4 is probably enough if party get IoF, but i got plenty points so +6 for +14 weapon)
AC - L63 (maxed)
Damage - L57 (maxed)
Saves - L11 (whatever leftover points dump here)
Skills - L63 (Maxed)
Curse song:
AB: L51 (-6)
AC: L55 (-7)
Damage: L19 (only put leftover points here)
Saves L63 (maxed)
Skills L60