Post by darkwaffle on Dec 18, 2011 6:22:12 GMT
What you're building...
The Essentials
How To Build It
How To Level It
Spell Selection
You can take whatever spells you find useful, but here's the ones I'd recommend most.
Features
Your Epic Spells
Elf Explained
Rogue Duty
Why build this way?
The End Result
[tr][td]Str[/td][td]8[/td][td]20[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dex[/td][td]32[/td][td]44[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Con[/td][td]8[/td][td]20[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Int[/td][td]18[/td][td]30[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Wis[/td][td]8[/td][td]20[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Cha[/td][td]32[/td][td]44[/td][/tr]
[/table]
[li]AC = 10 + Armor + Armor Base + Shield + Shield Base + Dodge + Deflection + Natural + Dex Mod + Tumble AC + Feats
[/li][li]10 + 15 + 1 + 14 + 2 + 20 + 16 + 16 + 17 + 12 + 2 = 125 (Large Shield & Aria of the Unfaltering)[/li][/ul]
How to Sing
The Bard's Order of Operations
[li]Curse Song - Substantial decrease to enemy saves, attack bonus, armor class, and skills. Many runs will have you, the bard, spawn the enemies by running forward, cursing the spawn, and then dragging them back to your party. Try to keep all enemies cursed if possible, but prioritize bosses, elite enemies, superior enemies, and mini-bosses.
[/li][li]Epic Auras - When you're spawning, pre-emptively activating Dirge of the Deathless and UUU will help you survive, but you don't need them 100% of the time. You'll begin to learn which mobs will knockdown (necessitating UUU) and which mobs are the big baddies, necessitating Dirge.
[/li][li]Bard Song - Provides your party with large bonuses to attack bonus, armor class, skills, and damage. Try to sing for them after resurrection and always after resting.
[/li][li]Assist KDed Teammates & Resurrection - This character doesn't have much offensive presence, but you can more than make up for it by fulfilling your 'Utility' duties. Keeping other players alive and on their feet can do more for your party than just about any other spell or ability can. If they're dead, use a resurrection scroll. If they're just knocked down, "Assist" them using your Radial Menu -> Special Abilities -> Main Class -> Assist Other. Hotkeying this is a very good idea.
[/li][li]Wail of Doom - A cone effect spell that lowers enemy saves and attack bonus. Note that this does not stack with Prayer, so don't worry with it much if you have a Cleric casting prayer on the spawns. You have low spell penetration, don't be afraid to cast it multiple times on groups of enemies.
[/li][li]Bestow Curse - Lowers enemy SR, very short range. This build should be pretty tanky though, so you'll be able to stay close to the enemies if you so choose. Single target only, so normally you'll probably only bother using it on bosses, elite enemies, superior enemies, or mini-bosses.
[/li][li]Buffs - between spawns or after someone is resurrected, buff them as you see fit. Your most useful buffs tend to be Bard Song, Displacement, Deafening Clang, Greater Magic Weapon, and Iron Grasp. Everyone
needs Song, and most of your tanks and clerics will appreciate Displacement because they tend to lack high self-concealment.
[/li][li]Many enemies inflict vulnerabilities, meaning you'll start to take more and more damage from them over time. Restore yourself often, and if you see a tank taking a lot of hits or healing constantly, restoring them can help.[/li][/ul]
Gearing Up (in rough order of priority)
Going Rogue
Looking Forward
Questions and comments are welcome.
Remember, you'll find that simply being willing to learn and polite will get you a long way with most players here.
The Essentials
- 125+ AC
- 80% Concealment
- 127 Open Lock, 127 Disable Trap, 127 Search
- 63+ all saves
- Transmutation, Illusion, and Necromancy Bard Epic Spells
- 127 Perform, Level 63 Song & Curse
- Dex Tank even without UUU
- Full UMD access to scrolls
How To Build It
- Character Creation
Race: Elf
Gender: Male (Must be male, Drow is a unique subrace in that the stats given to males and females differ.)
Subrace: "Drow"
Class: Bard
Feat: "Artist"Creation With Subrace Str 9 8 Dex 16 16 Con 11 8 Int 16 18 Wis 8 8 Cha 15 17
How To Level It
- Because Bard requires a non-lawful alignment and Paladin requires a "Lawful Good" alignment, levelling this character will require shifting your alignment in order to take your paladin level. The easiest way to do this is likely to simply reach level 38 Bard, then alter it to take your paladin levels and just remain Lawful Good; it won't make a difference. If you need to know how, try asking around in-game. Or if you're feeling frisky, grab your wallet and see what you can find in the Crypts.
Also note that, technically, you can take a Paladin level pre-epic for a net +1 Fort, -1 Reflex/-1 Will which is probably preferable, but frankly doesn't make much difference.Level Class Ability Points Feats Skills 1 Bard Artist 2 Bard 3 Bard Curse Song 4 Bard +1 Charisma 5 Bard 6 Bard Metamagic: Extend Spell 7 Bard 8 Bard +1 Charisma 9 Bard Spell Focus: Transmutation 10 Bard 11 Bard 12 Bard +1 Charisma Spell Focus: Illusion 13 Bard 14 Bard 15 Bard Greater Spell Focus: Transmutation 16 Bard +1 Charisma 17 Bard 18 Bard Greater Spell Focus: Illusion 19 Bard 20 Bard +1 Charisma 21 Bard Armor Skin 22 Bard 23 Bard Bard: Lasting Inspiration 26 Perform 24 Bard +1 Charisma Great Dexterity 1 25 Bard 26 Bard Bard: Great Charisma 1 27 Bard Great Dexterity 2 30 Use Magic Device 28 Bard +1 Charisma 29 Bard Bard: Great Charisma 2 30 Bard Great Dexterity 3 31 Bard 32 Bard +1 Charisma Bard: Great Charisma 3 33 Bard Great Dexterity 4 34 Bard 35 Bard Bard: Great Charisma 4 36 Bard +1 Charisma Great Dexterity 5 37 Bard 38 Bard Bard: Great Charisma 5 41 Discipline
41 Perform
41 Tumble39 Paladin Great Dexterity 6 40 Rogue +1 Charisma 43 Open Lock
43 Disable Trap
43 Search
5 Set Trap41 Bard 42 Bard +1 Dexterity Epic Spell Focus: Illusion 43 Bard 44 Bard +1 Dexterity 45 Bard Legendary Spell Focus: Illusion 46 Bard +1 Dexterity 47 Bard 48 Bard +1 Dexterity Epic Spell Focus: Transmutation 49 Bard 50 Bard +1 Dexterity 51 Bard Epic Skill Focus: Search 52 Bard +1 Dexterity 53 Bard 54 Bard +1 Dexterity Epic Skill Focus: Disable Trap 55 Bard 56 Bard +1 Dexterity 57 Bard Legendary Artist 58 Bard +1 Dexterity 59 Bard 60 Bard +1 Dexterity XYZ 63 Discipline
63 Open Lock
63 Disable Trap
63 Search
63 Tumble
63 Perform
27 Concentration - Note: Almost all characters will make use of a "Legendary Tome of Knowledge" which will grant your character a one free Epic Spell Focus feat when used at level 41+. These tomes are acquired from the Ssithrak run, so they're quite easy to come by. The build, as laid out, makes use of a Necromancy Tome; but if you happen to come by an Illusion or Transmutation tome, feel free to adjust the feat selection accordingly.
Spell Selection
You can take whatever spells you find useful, but here's the ones I'd recommend most.
- Level 1
- Expeditious Retreat - Makes you much faster.
- Mage Armor - AC bonuses, great for summons and keeping Dodge AC up.
- Joyful Noise - Dispels silence, song, and curse song on targets in area.
- Expeditious Retreat - Makes you much faster.
- Level 2
- Iron Grasp - Prevents disarm.
- Ghostly Visage - Short term Greater Sanctuary effect.
- Deafening Clang - Sonic weapon damage bonus.
- Clarity - Prevents a mind effect, dispels negative mind effects.
- Iron Grasp - Prevents disarm.
- Level 3
- Displacement - Concealment.
- Bestow Curse - SR decrease, sometimes inflicts a powerful curse.
- Remove Curse - Removes curse effects, often used to when party members become "Mazed".
- Remove Disease - Removes disease effects, such as those inflicted by Advespa.
- Displacement - Concealment.
- Level 4
- Stone Shatter - Crumble type spell, useful against constructs and destroyable objects.
- Improved Invisiblity - Low conceal, but being able to become invisible is useful while levelling pre-40.
- Stone Shatter - Crumble type spell, useful against constructs and destroyable objects.
- Level 5
- Wail of Doom - A prayer effect on enemies, reducing saves and AB.
- Lesser Mindblank - A more powerful version of Clarity; longer duration.
- Improved Heroism - Dodge AC, bonus AB, and temporary HP. Nice buff.
- Wail of Doom - A prayer effect on enemies, reducing saves and AB.
- Level 6
- Energy Buffer - Large elemental damage resistance.
- Shades - Summon Shadow is probably your best summon, and Wall of Fire gives you access to a "Wall". Additionally gives you access to some Cold and Fire damage, and damage reduction from Stoneskin.
- Mass Clairaudience/Clairvoyance - Provides increase to Listen for party members, making them less affected by enemy conceal.
- Summon Creature VI - Useful when your Shadow summon cannot be used (It deals negative damage, which heals some enemies) or you need a specific elemental damage type.
- Energy Buffer - Large elemental damage resistance.
Features
- Spell Focus Transmutation, Illusion, and Necromancy - Acquiring Epic Spell Focus in these schools will allow you to unlock your epic spells in each of those schools.
- Transmutation provides "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken" which will give your character perfect knockdown immunity and gives your party a better chance of making those saves as well.
- Illusion provides "Possum's Farce" which will automatically resurrect you and a certain number of party members (based off your Charisma).
- Necromancy provides "Dirge of the Deathless" which gives you and your party critical hit immunity in a small area, and critical hit reduction and fear immunity in a large area.
- Transmutation provides "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken" which will give your character perfect knockdown immunity and gives your party a better chance of making those saves as well.
Your Epic Spells
- For each "Epic Spell Focus" a Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorceror, or Wizard attains, that character can then acquire an Epic Spell token with various effects. They're quite powerful and you can read all about them here.
To acquire these tokens however will require a trip to the Ruined Arcane Academy; keep an eye on interserver chat and the run shouts because you'll often see people advertising the run for the tag or offering players to port in and grab the unused 'runes'.
Elf Explained
- Elves have a unique racial ability here on Higher Grounds that allows them to raise skills of their secondary or tertiary classes as though they were 'class skills' in legendary levels, but it comes at an increased cost. This means that even though this character is a Bard control class, it will still be able to attain the much needed 63 points in Open Lock, Disable Trap, and Search. These points become expensive though, costing three points per rank, which is the reason such high Int is necessary.
Rogue Duty
- Open Lock, Disable Trap, and Search
- Open Lock - Most importantly, allows you to open locked chests found throughout Hell and Abyss, and occassionally in Legendary Level areas. A few doors too. Loot in these chests can sometimes be extremely good.
- Disable Trap - Many of these loot chests also have a trap that must be disarmed before opening them.
- Search - Allows you to find secret items and hidden areas; secret items can be gear or crafting items in most cases. Valuable stuff.
- Open Lock - Most importantly, allows you to open locked chests found throughout Hell and Abyss, and occassionally in Legendary Level areas. A few doors too. Loot in these chests can sometimes be extremely good.
Why build this way?
- In addition to the ability to make a pretty fair tank, you'll also allow your party to cover the essential 'bard' and 'rogue' roles all in one character. This is valuable because it both nets you more loot and also means that your party doesn't require a traditional 'rogue' which, frankly, tend to be pretty lackluster characters. This character essentially opens up a party slot for another, in my opinion, more valuable member.
Further, your high Dexterity score will allow you to tank Narzugons, Advespas, Erinyes, and Malebranches all quite safely, which can be valuable if your party lacks another dex tank or you need to conserve your epic auras.
The End Result
[tr][td]Str[/td][td]8[/td][td]20[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dex[/td][td]32[/td][td]44[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Con[/td][td]8[/td][td]20[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Int[/td][td]18[/td][td]30[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Wis[/td][td]8[/td][td]20[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Cha[/td][td]32[/td][td]44[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Base | Geared (+20) | |
Fort | 43 | 63 |
Reflex | 61 | 81 |
Will | 49 | 69 |
[li]AC = 10 + Armor + Armor Base + Shield + Shield Base + Dodge + Deflection + Natural + Dex Mod + Tumble AC + Feats
[/li][li]10 + 15 + 1 + 14 + 2 + 20 + 16 + 16 + 17 + 12 + 2 = 125 (Large Shield & Aria of the Unfaltering)[/li][/ul]
How to Sing
- Bard Song
- AC
- Skills
- AB
- Damage
- Saves
- AC
- Curse Song
- Saves
- Skills
- AC
- AB
- Damage
- Saves
The Bard's Order of Operations
[li]Curse Song - Substantial decrease to enemy saves, attack bonus, armor class, and skills. Many runs will have you, the bard, spawn the enemies by running forward, cursing the spawn, and then dragging them back to your party. Try to keep all enemies cursed if possible, but prioritize bosses, elite enemies, superior enemies, and mini-bosses.
[/li][li]Epic Auras - When you're spawning, pre-emptively activating Dirge of the Deathless and UUU will help you survive, but you don't need them 100% of the time. You'll begin to learn which mobs will knockdown (necessitating UUU) and which mobs are the big baddies, necessitating Dirge.
[/li][li]Bard Song - Provides your party with large bonuses to attack bonus, armor class, skills, and damage. Try to sing for them after resurrection and always after resting.
[/li][li]Assist KDed Teammates & Resurrection - This character doesn't have much offensive presence, but you can more than make up for it by fulfilling your 'Utility' duties. Keeping other players alive and on their feet can do more for your party than just about any other spell or ability can. If they're dead, use a resurrection scroll. If they're just knocked down, "Assist" them using your Radial Menu -> Special Abilities -> Main Class -> Assist Other. Hotkeying this is a very good idea.
[/li][li]Wail of Doom - A cone effect spell that lowers enemy saves and attack bonus. Note that this does not stack with Prayer, so don't worry with it much if you have a Cleric casting prayer on the spawns. You have low spell penetration, don't be afraid to cast it multiple times on groups of enemies.
[/li][li]Bestow Curse - Lowers enemy SR, very short range. This build should be pretty tanky though, so you'll be able to stay close to the enemies if you so choose. Single target only, so normally you'll probably only bother using it on bosses, elite enemies, superior enemies, or mini-bosses.
[/li][li]Buffs - between spawns or after someone is resurrected, buff them as you see fit. Your most useful buffs tend to be Bard Song, Displacement, Deafening Clang, Greater Magic Weapon, and Iron Grasp. Everyone
needs Song, and most of your tanks and clerics will appreciate Displacement because they tend to lack high self-concealment.
[/li][li]Many enemies inflict vulnerabilities, meaning you'll start to take more and more damage from them over time. Restore yourself often, and if you see a tank taking a lot of hits or healing constantly, restoring them can help.[/li][/ul]
Gearing Up (in rough order of priority)
- Aria of the Unfaltering - Set item from the Uroboros area; this is the only item I would describe as a "must have" given it's unique properties. Essentially, armor and shields normally provide a large decrease to the concealment you receive from Ethereal Visage. This item allows you to still wear a shield and receive full concealment when casting Displacement on yourself instead. Even without it, you can still wear robes and find one of the many 'caster' shields in the module and use Ethereal Visage effectively.
- Mordenkainen's Disjunction / Breach Immunity (Only needed on certain runs, don't be afraid to ask. Not being dispelled keeps your concealment up, keeping your concealment up is paramount to your survival.)
- +14 Dex, +14 Con, +14 Cha items
- Item with "Immunity: Poison" - Mostly just important in Hell and Abyss, prevents certain enemies from instantly killing you with their poison.
- Armor pieces with increased Elemental and Physical % Immunities
- Armor pieces with increased AC values
- Elemental and physical resistances (30/- and higher ideal)
Going Rogue
- Thieves Tools' +15/+18/+21/+24 - These tools will be needed to open all Hell level chests, and will also make it easier for you to open Legendary Level chests earlier.
- Sense Materia - Set rings with +10 Search on them, very easy to obtain. You may have to ask in-game, but try starting at the "Mysterious Fountain."
- Guildmaster's Glint - A set amulet available in the Maze, difficult to find but buying one in the Bazaar chat shouldn't be too difficult. You may also want to check the Markets.
- Pad's of Cruamros Trickfoot - Not your only option, but this armor gives you a solid bonus to Disable Trap, Open Lock, and Search all in one piece of equipment.
- Embroidered Augmenter - These augments provide you with "Skill Focus: Search" and are not especially difficult to come by. If you have access to SF:Search through gear, you can actually drop ESF:Search in your build and still reach the crucial 127 Search cap.
Looking Forward
- There are many UR and BUR subraces which would be of benefit to this build, though they will also require some re-tooling of the ability points especially, and meeting the high Int requirement can be problematic; but, even some secret ones could fit nicely. Unfortunately your choices are a little limited by the necessity of an "Elf" base race, but keep your eye out for the following possible upgrades...
Secret- Illithid
- Rakshasa
- Shade
- Wraith
Ultrarare- Planewalker
Beyond Ultrarare- Genie
- Undying
- Salamander
- Shard
Beyond Ultrarare Gearing- Echoes of Creation - A set armor available from the 7th level of Hell, Maladomini. This is essentially your Aria of the Unfaltering on steroids, superior in every way and quite exceptional.
- Heavenly Haunt's Necklace - 17 AC & Confusion Immunity (necessary for some bosses and enemies)
- Visor of Vigilance - Str/Wis/Cha, and prevents enemies from having +2 AB when flanking you.
- Harp of the Axerian Grandmaster - An item dropped by Tiamat on the first level of Hell; provides you with many spell slots, Shadow Shield, and uses of Epic Warding. Bards don't need a lot of spellslots, so just this item should be enough.
- Inspiration - BUR bard belt, gives you some spell slots and allows you to use a Mass Resurrection ability once per day. Excellent item in clutch situations.
- Orb of Dragonkind - Constitution Artifact, +2 con permanently, and perfect "Poison" immunity; awesome artifact if you find yourself tanking often.
- Mask of Vhaerun - Dexterity Artifact, +2 dex permanently, and perfect "Blindness" immunity; useful, probably slightly harder to come by than a Con artifact but will also give you +1 AC.
- BUR Shields - Very strong items, look for those with increased Elemental Immunities. Large shields are "Benediction", "Bastion of Cormyr", "Arcadian Fire", and "Shattered Innocence." Try to find one with unchanged "Arcane Spell Failure %". It won't make or break you, but failing spells is quite annoying.
- Rings - Extremely important pieces of gear, rings tend to cover your elemental immunities in large chunks. Look for any with high percentages and try to cover Fire/Acid/Elec/Cold/Sonic as much as possible.
- Illithid
Questions and comments are welcome.
Remember, you'll find that simply being willing to learn and polite will get you a long way with most players here.