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View Full Version : Input on a gestalt Bard//Scout



Ormur
2010-04-30, 07:18 PM
I'm taking part in a pretty high powered level 16 gestalt dungeoncrawl sometimes in the future and I've been jerry-building an eccentric gish/skillmonkey/Bard build. The group as currently envisioned consists of a Cleric//Paladin by a good optimizer, Druid//Wizard by a lazy optimizer and a Strenght improving template stacking War Hulk//Barbarian. We will be avoiding the crazier game breaking tricks but this is in effect an exercise in practical optimization. I got the skillmonkey role but I wanted to be a bard and also be effective in combat so this was the result.

Stats were point buy 40, plus enhancements

{table]Str|8+2
Dex|18+2
Con|14+4
Int|18
Wis|4
Cha|20+6
[/table]

{table]Class|Class|Feats
Lion totem barbarian|Bard|Weapon Finess
Ranger|Bard|
Ranger|Bard|Melodic Casting
Ranger|Bard|
Fighter|Bard|Weapon Focus - dagger (f)
Scout|Bard|Wild Cohort
Daggerspell Mage|Bard|
Scout|Bard|
Scout|Bard|Arcane Strike
Scout|Bard|Swift Hunter (sc)
Scout|Sublime Chord|
Scout|Sublime Chord|Chaos Music
Scout|Daggerspell Mage|
Scout|Daggerspell Mage|Improved Skirmish (sc)
Scout|Daggerspell Mage|Snowflake Wardance
Scout|Daggerspell Mage|
[/table]

Obviously I'm pretty much all over the place and it's been some time since I came up with the concept. I wanted to do certain things I may not be so hung up on now, like playing a bard and having an animal companion.

But the idea in combat was to start by dancing for bardic music a bit then pouncing on the next opponent for skirmish with daggers in both hand discharging previously cast touch spells with both of them from my Wiz/Sorc/Bard list and moving on to the next opponent with either another charge or a 10 ft. step to activate skirmish again. Snowflake Wardance and Slippers of Battledancing also allow me to add charisma to my attack roll twice.

I've scoured through the books for touch spells and I've found Emerald Flame Fist (7) which gives a bit of damage, Otto's Irresistible Dance (6) of course, Spectral Touch (6) which gives one negative level per touch attack for the duration, Night's Caress (5) for some [evil] constitution damage, Vulnerability (5) to reduce DR, Backlash (4) which causes spells cast next to fail and Bestow Curse (4). I can of course also take non-touch spells. Sirine's Grace (4), Ray Deflection (4) and Ruin Delver's Fortune (4) ought to be useful.

Aside from directly taking part in combat I have the Wild Cohort and I can scout, disable traps, just generally skillmonkey around and dance to buff the rest of the party.

I bought a few stat enhancing items, Slippers of Battledancing, Gloves of the Balanced Hand for the TWF feat and a Belt of Ultimate Athleticism so I can take 10 on the tumble check for 10 ft. steps. That still leave a bit for the standard WBL I suppose I'll get an enchanted mithril breastplate and some kind of magic daggers.

My question is simply, does this build stand any chance of being effective and fun to play at the power level expected and what can I do to make it better?

Pluto
2010-04-30, 07:38 PM
You have superb skills, good saves and 8th level spells. I wouldn't worry about power.

A few nitpicks though:

How are you getting Sneak Attack for Daggerspell Mage?

It sounds like you have a melee-heavy party. Anything you invest in Inspire Courage would go a long way.

You might want to use the UA Barbarian ACF that trades Rage for another Favored Enemy.

Wild Cohort is pretty weak when compared with Gestalt enemies, so you might have to be careful with that (unless the Wizard/Druid is big on the group/animal buffs).

Ormur
2010-04-30, 08:00 PM
I prodded the DM to allow skirmish to qualify for the Daggerspell Mage, it's precision damage too after all.

The hunter barbarian variant is a good idea since I don't think I'll be using rage much with my abysmal strength score. Funny thought that I'm exchanging everything that's barbarian about barbarians for variants but I just took it for the pounce.

I also think the Druid is going to exchange both the animal companion and the familiar for something else for ease of play (and deities help us abrupt jaunt if I know him right). So my poor wild cohort wouldn't be likely to get any juice from him.

Maybe I should just get rid of it and use the feat for something else.

Edit: I only get 7th level spells with six levels of Sublime Chord Spellcasting.