Questions about the subline cord class

[dantiesilva]

I am getting ready to build a bard and was looking into the sublime cord for obvious reasons, however while reading the class I noticed that it did not say anything about advancing bardic songs like other bard classes did. Is this an oversight, or am I missing something perhaps that appeared in an errata online? As it stands I was going to plan out Bard 9 (for inspire greatness)/Virtuoso 7 (to gain song of fury)/ Sublime cord 4 to gain access to a few spells not normally available to a bard. However as I intend to make my character the main buffer of the party with a crystal echoblade for when he needs to fight. I wanted to make sure Inspire courage, and Inspire Greatness were still gaining more power as if I was a level 20 Bard for the intents of my bardic musics, or if I would stay at the level in which I stopped progressing bard.

[torrasque666]

Its not an oversight. Sublime Chord gives up progressing most of your Bardic Music in exchange for full spellcasting. You still get more uses of Bardic Music (half your Chord level), but it doesn't progress your existing abilities.

[Darrin]

Most Sublime Chord builds dip it for only 1 or 2 levels, and then use another PrC to progress its casting. If that PrC is something that progresses bardic ability (such as Virtuoso), then your bardic music only loses out on that 1 or 2 levels.

[dantiesilva]

So perhaps it would be best to go bard 9/sublime cord 1(for casting)/virtuoso 7(increasing sublime cord casting as well as bardic music abilites, as well as getting the song of fury)/ seeker of the song 3( mostly for combine songs)

[Eldariel]

Bard 9/Virtuoso 1/Sublime Chord 2/Virtuoso +8 is my favorite. All the good songs, full casting, almost full Music.

[Xethik]

Bard 9/Virtuoso 1/Sublime Chord 2/Virtuoso +8 is my favorite. All the good songs, full casting, almost full Music.

Yup. And keep in mind, you need 10 levels before getting your first level of Sublime Chord. Even more reason to put a level into Virtuoso before Sublime Chord.

[tiercel]

Bard 9/Virtuoso 1/Sublime Chord 2/Virtuoso +8 is my favorite. All the good songs, full casting, almost full Music.

A very similar alternative is Bard 5/Lyric Thaumaturge 4/Virtuoso 1/Sublime Chord 2/Virtuouso +8 ; Lyric Thaumaturge is practically free to enter for this kind of build, but it depends if you want to emphasize the casting side (with LT, gain a bit on spells, lose a bit on bardic music options) or emphasize the singing side (without LT, more bardic music goodies at mild expense of spellcasting). Either way you are basically a bard/sorcerer theurge.

If you really want Inspire Greatness, then yeah, go ahead and skip LT.

If you primarily want to be an awesome buffer, maybe with a bit of fighting, you could go just straight bard, frankly. If you go with Sublime Chord, melee isn't your thing so much as being a slightly-delayed-compared-to-sorcerer full caster who also sings. That's a mighty thing, but a different one than a warrior skald who sings and swings (optimized melee straight bard, or if you really want to buff and lead from the front, a Bardsader type build using Tome of Battle's Song of the White Raven feat.)

Note: it's good to check at what level your campaign will start and end, as always; this is especially true for theurge-type builds that take a while to come online, and Sublime Chord spellcasting only just starts at level 11. (If you have your heart set on bard/sorcerer theurgy and you're going to play at levels significantly less than 11 for any amount of time, this is another reason to consider LT: it lets you get a little taste of extra casting power before level 11.)

[dantiesilva]

The game would be starting at 9th level play so that wouldn't be an issue, nor would the normal what level will the game end as the DM has no problem playing until it dies out fully.

My only problem with taking Virtuoso past level 7 is that I really can not foresee me being able to use the dominate ability effectively that often. Though if that is the best way to keep spell progression going smoothly I guess that would be what could be best.

My intended idea is to start combat off by casting using Inspirational boost as a swift, Badge of Valor as an Immediate, and start inspire courage to give our main fighters some power behind each attack (limited to All completes except champion, PHB 1&2, Dungeonscape, cityscape, and Stormwrack). In the following rounds I would either use dispel magic to weaken our enemies (with luck through a wand) or begin inspire Greatness to incresase the duribility of our fighters even further before at last using a rod of chaining to effect all allies as possible with as many buffs as I can lay down. Keeping an Echoblade at hand just in case it is needed for melee.

While I don't want to shy away from combat, I know as a Bard I can support the team extremly well and be where I need to be rather than where I want to be ( A flanking buddy when needed, relief for another fighter, basically I am trying to fill the rolls of buffing and melee). So given the book Tome of Battle being out, the most obvious choice is off the table. However it still leaves me with plenty of options. If anyone wishes to give me any pointers I would greatly appreciate them.

[Xethik]

If you can buy feats from magical locations, Heartfire Fanner is a good option after a Sublime Chord dip. It gives full Bardic music progression and even gives you access to Bardic music you may have lost from leaving Bard early (Inspire Greatness).

I forget what the locations exactly are, but I'm fairly certain you can buy Skill Focus (Perform) from a Heward themed location. You might need to take Negotiator as a normal feat, unless there is a trick to picking it up that I'm not aware of.

[dantiesilva]

As stated above the books allowed are the complete series (minus champion), both phb. Stormwrack, dug eons cape, city scape, races of the wild, and races of destiny. Dragon magazine is not in the allowed sources.

[Nodsiu]

Is it cord or chord?

[Xethik]

As stated above the books allowed are the complete series (minus champion), both phb. Stormwrack, dug eons cape, city scape, races of the wild, and races of destiny. Dragon magazine is not in the allowed sources.

Ah, apologies. Didn't read your last post in full. War Weaver was my next recommendation, but that's in Heroes of Battle if I recall. Hm.

[dantiesilva]

Yeah while the SpC and Mic are also open, as they do not have classes I didn't think they were worth mentioning. Heroes of battle is definitely a no though, otherwise I would be making my healer build.