Post by Raj on Aug 11, 2013 7:13:25 GMT
Tired of shouting for the elusive bard that nobody wants to play (you included)? Tired of barding, and dieing painfully when forced to do it? Are you a tank type but you read all my posts and finally realized tanks are useless?
Play a fattie!
Ninja Edit: Screen taken at level 75, but STR 1 handed variant using heavy mace + large shield (unlike the 2 handed that was already posted), this is the 'new' recommended version, check the post below for the little feat changes, also consider a liira ego item increases concealment by 5% in this screenshot.
You get to play a high survivability frontline tank with self buffing abilities and party support; it will be easy to find a spot in all end game runs.
Build Concept:
This bard CC warchanter has most of the advantages a standard bard has.
* The song reaches level 63, much like a pure bard: 21 bard levels + 20 LL + (18/2) DD + 10 song edits + 3 artist = 63 song/curse level, with points invested as follows:
* Your warcry provides +8 vs kd checks (a pure bard reaches +10, a splashed one +9); it's easier to use than UUU, just cast before spawning, the effect lasts for 10 rounds, 20 if extended.
* Your song removes fear effects, and provides 5 rounds lasting feat-level fear immunity against things that bypass fear immunity provided by items (Graz'zt, Dream Larvae, Death Knights, Deathless Champion, etc)
* Your Joyful Noise spell provides 1/2 turn(s) of silence immunity; it has a very short range so ask people to gather around you when in Nessus (only run where this is truly important atm).
As you can see, you can provide the standard song/UUU/DoD/HMR bard basic duty, a bit nerfed but easier to manage than aoe epics and the effects don't drop if you die. You're lacking crit immunity for the party from Dirge of Deathless but this is where your tanking duty comes to play.
* You have very high ac, coupled with 75-80% concealment, and can make the standard (dc 40-44) kd checks with ease; you are crit immune thanks to warcry and can wear any light armor/small shield w/o spellfailure, that means good imms compared to a standard bard.
* You can safely turn on the Draw Foes ability and look how all monsters turn their attenction to you (it's like using a 136 dc taunt effect); is it bad? does it scare you? go play a archer you wuss! You can stand in the middle of a mass taking very little damage and keeping your caster mates safe, while cursing the enemies and looking cool.
About the party support, you do things standard bards can only dream about:
* You provide Instruments of Faith, Girdling of the Faithful and Death of Magic, all three very powerful divine/arcane epic spells.
* Your Haste spell gives one extra attack to yourself but expecially to your tank mates (limited to those who don't use Tenser effects).
Spellcasting? Forget the DC spells, you're not going to invest in spell focii and spell penetration feats for the limited warchanter spell list, but there's something you can do as well.
* This warchanter casts as a level 41 bard some useful spells like lesser mind blank, neutralize poison, break enchantment, and in the abyss remove curse, iron grasp and protection from evil come handy as well.
So far all good right? Well, there're some negative effects or I woudn't have posted the build, you never know when and where the nerfbat hits!
< Your damage is lackluster, even with all the build perks: you're a dex based tank afterall; that being said you have fighter weapon specialization, self-song and warcry raising your base dmg so it's not like playing a dex bard or a gnomish inventor, just don't expect to tear through the enemies with ease, you're the tank, not the dps. You haven't a good critical range/multiplier so focus on critical immune foes.
< Compared to a standard ''caster'' bard you provide less utility to the party, because you lack all the fancy paragon spells and your casting abilities are limited to self/ally buff only; you need a proper druid in the party to drop SR because you can't use bestow curse or persuade skill to lower SR like a good bard does.
< You're the aggro, so gear is important, and levels/demi iterations are as well; it's a build for rich boys, sorry to say that, but a open race can't do the job well enough and you really need to stockpile immunity rings and the like. This is the same for all tanks anyway, if you are new and short on gear I suggest you to play casters in order to farm your first good items. I might include a UR version in future anyway.
Dwarf Shard
Starting Abilities
After Subrace Edits
Levels 1-10 bard; 11-28 DD (qualifies for warchanter quasi at level 26); 29 fighter; 30-40 bard
Stats: all in dexterity; if you're reincarnating from a 2xdemi, can put 2 points into strength
Feats:
Shard bonus ones: Lasting Inspiration, Extra Music, Lingering Song
1) Artist
3) Dodge
6) Toughness
9) Still Spells
at 10: change allignment to lawful to become DD
12) Weapon Finesse
15) Weapon Focus (light mace/light hammer)
18) Greater Weapon Focus
21) Epic Weapon Focus
24) Improved Critical
24) (bonus DD) Armor Skin
27) Great Dexterity I
28) (bonus DD) Epic Prowess
29) (bonus fighter) Epic Weapon Specialization
at 29: change allignment back to chaotic to progress as bard again
30) Curse Song
33) Great Dexterity II
36) Great Dexterity III
39) Great Dexterity IV
at 41: read a tome of epic spell focus: illusion
42) Legendary Weapon Focus
45) Legendary Weapon Specialization
48) Extend Spells
51) Legendary Spell Focus: Illusion
54) Epic Will
at 55, use a constitution artifact (Orb of Dragonkind)
at 56, pandect of choice: Disarm/Improved Disarm
57) Legendary Disarm (if you lack the pandect/this isn't a reincarnation from a demigod toon, then take epic fortitude instead)
60) Legendary Artist
lvl 60Abilities, +14 gear
63) Paragon Weapon Focus
66) Paragon Weapon Specialization
69) Paragon Anchoring
72) Waterbreathing
75) Levitation
78) Paragon Disarm/another survivability or saves feat
lvl 80Abilities, demigod, +16 gear
There're many variabiles in regard to saves, suffice to say they're high enough at this stage of the module (all at 65+); for future edits, can modify those last three paragon feats to get them higher.
Skills:
max listen, perform, craft armors, craft weapons, discipline, tumble.
leftovers in concentration (5-10ish shall suffice with high con/skill bonus from song and gear), UMD (10 ranks enough, it would be just for the odd scroll), pickpockets
Final AB +109 at 80, a realistic buffed score for 60 pre-demi would be 97/98
Final AC 143; demi stats/paragon levels don't raise it because dexterity is capped by ligh armor, withouth asmo arti you aim at 140 with self girdle.
75% concealment from displacement, 80% with a CL ego
Spells
Level 1
Expeditious Retreat your speed buff, but feel free to ask druids and clerics for FoM because your is not as good as a pure caster one
True Strike +4 stacking ab thanks to 41 CL, can be extended
Joyful Noise your anti-silence source
Sticky Fingers after song/curse, you can pickpocket some potions from enemies
Magic Weapon New! for the DEX based version, this provides a solid physical damage buff due to recent edits. It does nothing for the STR version so pick whatever there.
Level 2
Ghostly Visage your panic button after unexpected death; don't cast it with draw foes activated, won't work
Clarity great disable removal (cures daze, sleep, confusion, stun etc etc)
Endure Elements 6% elemental immunity, better than nothing right?
Deafening Clang sonic buff everybody wants
Iron Grasp mobs in abyss/hide/aboleths disarm, you have high enough discipline, your caster mates don't
Level 3
Keen Edge you can keen slashing weapons only, plus your own bludgeoning weapon
Haste it has no visible vfx but the bonus attack lasts 1 round/level, if you cast this and displacement at the same time, they fade at the same time
Magic Circle vs Allignment (vs Evil) protects against Death Knights in Abyss, don't bother cast anywhere else (for now)
Displacement your main buff, cast extended and keep a eye on it
Remove Curse to remove maze/icy prison spells
Level 4
Remove Poison provides poison immunity to your noob mates who can't cover it with gear/arti
Break Enchantment removes nasty Bigby spells
Warcry your signature spell, cast before every spawn you expect to see kd-spam enemies, and just keep active on yourself for the added damage
-nothing else worth cast, pick random spells, cast extended displacement/haste here-
Level 5
Improved Heroisim +3 stacking ab for yourself
Lesser Mind Blank standard protective spell
-nothing else worth cast, keep these slots for extended warcry-
Level 6
Least Spell Mantle doesn't soak many spells but can be a lifesaver, and it's not like you have great spells at this level
Energy Buffer an elemental reducion spell quite useful while levelling up, but don't rely exclusively on it at high levels
-nothing else, pick funny looking spells-
Play a fattie!
Ninja Edit: Screen taken at level 75, but STR 1 handed variant using heavy mace + large shield (unlike the 2 handed that was already posted), this is the 'new' recommended version, check the post below for the little feat changes, also consider a liira ego item increases concealment by 5% in this screenshot.
You get to play a high survivability frontline tank with self buffing abilities and party support; it will be easy to find a spot in all end game runs.
Build Concept:
This bard CC warchanter has most of the advantages a standard bard has.
* The song reaches level 63, much like a pure bard: 21 bard levels + 20 LL + (18/2) DD + 10 song edits + 3 artist = 63 song/curse level, with points invested as follows:
AB | AC | Damage | Saves | Skills | |
Song | 28 (+2) | 63 (+4) | 63 (+8/+16self) | 3 (+1/0/1) | 63 (+21) |
Curse | 61 (-4) | 33 (-2) | 5 (-2) | 63 (-4/4/5) | 63 (-21) |
* Your warcry provides +8 vs kd checks (a pure bard reaches +10, a splashed one +9); it's easier to use than UUU, just cast before spawning, the effect lasts for 10 rounds, 20 if extended.
* Your song removes fear effects, and provides 5 rounds lasting feat-level fear immunity against things that bypass fear immunity provided by items (Graz'zt, Dream Larvae, Death Knights, Deathless Champion, etc)
* Your Joyful Noise spell provides 1/2 turn(s) of silence immunity; it has a very short range so ask people to gather around you when in Nessus (only run where this is truly important atm).
As you can see, you can provide the standard song/UUU/DoD/HMR bard basic duty, a bit nerfed but easier to manage than aoe epics and the effects don't drop if you die. You're lacking crit immunity for the party from Dirge of Deathless but this is where your tanking duty comes to play.
* You have very high ac, coupled with 75-80% concealment, and can make the standard (dc 40-44) kd checks with ease; you are crit immune thanks to warcry and can wear any light armor/small shield w/o spellfailure, that means good imms compared to a standard bard.
* You can safely turn on the Draw Foes ability and look how all monsters turn their attenction to you (it's like using a 136 dc taunt effect); is it bad? does it scare you? go play a archer you wuss! You can stand in the middle of a mass taking very little damage and keeping your caster mates safe, while cursing the enemies and looking cool.
About the party support, you do things standard bards can only dream about:
* You provide Instruments of Faith, Girdling of the Faithful and Death of Magic, all three very powerful divine/arcane epic spells.
* Your Haste spell gives one extra attack to yourself but expecially to your tank mates (limited to those who don't use Tenser effects).
Spellcasting? Forget the DC spells, you're not going to invest in spell focii and spell penetration feats for the limited warchanter spell list, but there's something you can do as well.
* This warchanter casts as a level 41 bard some useful spells like lesser mind blank, neutralize poison, break enchantment, and in the abyss remove curse, iron grasp and protection from evil come handy as well.
So far all good right? Well, there're some negative effects or I woudn't have posted the build, you never know when and where the nerfbat hits!
< Your damage is lackluster, even with all the build perks: you're a dex based tank afterall; that being said you have fighter weapon specialization, self-song and warcry raising your base dmg so it's not like playing a dex bard or a gnomish inventor, just don't expect to tear through the enemies with ease, you're the tank, not the dps. You haven't a good critical range/multiplier so focus on critical immune foes.
< Compared to a standard ''caster'' bard you provide less utility to the party, because you lack all the fancy paragon spells and your casting abilities are limited to self/ally buff only; you need a proper druid in the party to drop SR because you can't use bestow curse or persuade skill to lower SR like a good bard does.
< You're the aggro, so gear is important, and levels/demi iterations are as well; it's a build for rich boys, sorry to say that, but a open race can't do the job well enough and you really need to stockpile immunity rings and the like. This is the same for all tanks anyway, if you are new and short on gear I suggest you to play casters in order to farm your first good items. I might include a UR version in future anyway.
Dwarf Shard
Starting Abilities
Strength | 14 |
Dexterity | 14 |
Constitution | 16 |
Wisdom | 08 |
Intelligence | 14 |
Charisma | 12 |
After Subrace Edits
Strength | 14 |
Dexterity | 18 |
Constitution | 20 |
Wisdom | 08 |
Intelligence | 14 |
Charisma | 16 |
Levels 1-10 bard; 11-28 DD (qualifies for warchanter quasi at level 26); 29 fighter; 30-40 bard
Stats: all in dexterity; if you're reincarnating from a 2xdemi, can put 2 points into strength
Feats:
Shard bonus ones: Lasting Inspiration, Extra Music, Lingering Song
1) Artist
3) Dodge
6) Toughness
9) Still Spells
at 10: change allignment to lawful to become DD
12) Weapon Finesse
15) Weapon Focus (light mace/light hammer)
18) Greater Weapon Focus
21) Epic Weapon Focus
24) Improved Critical
24) (bonus DD) Armor Skin
27) Great Dexterity I
28) (bonus DD) Epic Prowess
29) (bonus fighter) Epic Weapon Specialization
at 29: change allignment back to chaotic to progress as bard again
30) Curse Song
33) Great Dexterity II
36) Great Dexterity III
39) Great Dexterity IV
at 41: read a tome of epic spell focus: illusion
42) Legendary Weapon Focus
45) Legendary Weapon Specialization
48) Extend Spells
51) Legendary Spell Focus: Illusion
54) Epic Will
at 55, use a constitution artifact (Orb of Dragonkind)
at 56, pandect of choice: Disarm/Improved Disarm
57) Legendary Disarm (if you lack the pandect/this isn't a reincarnation from a demigod toon, then take epic fortitude instead)
60) Legendary Artist
lvl 60Abilities, +14 gear
Strength | 28/30 |
Dexterity | 56/54 |
Constitution | 32 |
Wisdom | 22 |
Intelligence | 28 |
Charisma | 30 |
63) Paragon Weapon Focus
66) Paragon Weapon Specialization
69) Paragon Anchoring
72) Waterbreathing
75) Levitation
78) Paragon Disarm/another survivability or saves feat
lvl 80Abilities, demigod, +16 gear
Strength | 38 |
Dexterity | 62 |
Constitution | 40 |
Wisdom | 30 |
Intelligence | 36 |
Charisma | 38 |
There're many variabiles in regard to saves, suffice to say they're high enough at this stage of the module (all at 65+); for future edits, can modify those last three paragon feats to get them higher.
Skills:
max listen, perform, craft armors, craft weapons, discipline, tumble.
leftovers in concentration (5-10ish shall suffice with high con/skill bonus from song and gear), UMD (10 ranks enough, it would be just for the odd scroll), pickpockets
Final AB +109 at 80, a realistic buffed score for 60 pre-demi would be 97/98
Final AC 143; demi stats/paragon levels don't raise it because dexterity is capped by ligh armor, withouth asmo arti you aim at 140 with self girdle.
75% concealment from displacement, 80% with a CL ego
Spells
Level 1
Expeditious Retreat your speed buff, but feel free to ask druids and clerics for FoM because your is not as good as a pure caster one
True Strike +4 stacking ab thanks to 41 CL, can be extended
Joyful Noise your anti-silence source
Sticky Fingers after song/curse, you can pickpocket some potions from enemies
Magic Weapon New! for the DEX based version, this provides a solid physical damage buff due to recent edits. It does nothing for the STR version so pick whatever there.
Level 2
Ghostly Visage your panic button after unexpected death; don't cast it with draw foes activated, won't work
Clarity great disable removal (cures daze, sleep, confusion, stun etc etc)
Endure Elements 6% elemental immunity, better than nothing right?
Deafening Clang sonic buff everybody wants
Iron Grasp mobs in abyss/hide/aboleths disarm, you have high enough discipline, your caster mates don't
Level 3
Keen Edge you can keen slashing weapons only, plus your own bludgeoning weapon
Haste it has no visible vfx but the bonus attack lasts 1 round/level, if you cast this and displacement at the same time, they fade at the same time
Magic Circle vs Allignment (vs Evil) protects against Death Knights in Abyss, don't bother cast anywhere else (for now)
Displacement your main buff, cast extended and keep a eye on it
Remove Curse to remove maze/icy prison spells
Level 4
Remove Poison provides poison immunity to your noob mates who can't cover it with gear/arti
Break Enchantment removes nasty Bigby spells
Warcry your signature spell, cast before every spawn you expect to see kd-spam enemies, and just keep active on yourself for the added damage
-nothing else worth cast, pick random spells, cast extended displacement/haste here-
Level 5
Improved Heroisim +3 stacking ab for yourself
Lesser Mind Blank standard protective spell
-nothing else worth cast, keep these slots for extended warcry-
Level 6
Least Spell Mantle doesn't soak many spells but can be a lifesaver, and it's not like you have great spells at this level
Energy Buffer an elemental reducion spell quite useful while levelling up, but don't rely exclusively on it at high levels
-nothing else, pick funny looking spells-