Spellsinger will be good for hardcore, it's a heroic monster

[Strimtom]

Hello everyone. I am Strimtom. With the recent spell buffs I decided to play through each of the new spellcasters ad brand new first life characters, with no items or stats from other characters transferred in. Just use what I find, as if I was starting fresh on a brand new server. As a result, this is the first of many experiments into the world of spellcasting Post U48.4. Lets get started with... the bard!




So to answer the question on you might be wondering...

Why half orc Spellsinger?

I asked my twitch chat to help me figure out what race to play and they wanted half orc. As a result, I figured why not test the character with this bit of a challenging option made present. However, I found that even though my stats were lower, I almost never ran out of SP and my spells were landing all through heroics up to level 20 while playing almost exclusively on reaper mode (I did 2 quests on elite after level 4, the rest were reaper.)

My conclusion is that bard spellsinger is very very strong for heroics and is a great starter for anyone looking to start DDO. I'll post the exact build that I used below, as well as the items I would use if I was at level cap in case you wanted to get started.

**IMPORTANT NOTE**
This is a half orc build since this is what I played. This build is 100% better as a gnome or drow or dragonborn or aasimar or tiefling/scoundrel, as long as you either take colour spray from gnome or spend the 11 points for colour spray from feydark illusionist if you have it.

Character name: 
Classes: 20 Bard, 10 Epic
Race: Half-Orc· · · · · · ·Alignment: Neutral

· · ·Start Tome Final · · ·Incorp:· · 10% · · ·Displacement:· · 0%
Str:· · 10· · 0 · ·12 · · ·HP:· · · ·1381 · · ·AC:· ·109
Dex:· · ·8· · 0 · ·10 · · ·PRR: · · · 149
Con:· · 16· · 0 · ·56 · · ·MRR: · 114/100 · · ·+Healing Amp:· ·115
Int:· · 12· · 0 · ·40 · · ·Dodge: · 12/29 · · ·-Healing Amp:· ·110
Wis:· · ·8· · 0 · ·14 · · ·Fort:· · · ·0% · · ·Repair Amp:· · ·120
Cha:· · 16· · 0 · ·84 · · ·SR:· · · · · 0 · · ·BAB: · · · · · · 15
DR: 0\-
Immunities: Fear, Crushing Despair, Waves of Fatigue, Waves of Exhaustion, Sleep, Fatigue, Freedome of Movement

Class and Feat Selection
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Level Class · · · · · ·Feats
1 · · Bard(1) · · · · ·Standard: Maximize Spell
2 · · Bard(2) · · · · ·
3 · · Bard(3) · · · · ·Standard: Quicken Spell
4 · · Bard(4) · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
5 · · Bard(5) · · · · ·
6 · · Bard(6) · · · · ·Standard: Spell Focus: Evocation
7 · · Bard(7) · · · · ·
8 · · Bard(8) · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
9 · · Bard(9) · · · · ·Standard: Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
10· · Bard(10)· · · · ·
11· · Bard(11)· · · · ·
12· · Bard(12)· · · · ·Standard: Force of Personality
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
13· · Bard(13)· · · · ·
14· · Bard(14)· · · · ·
15· · Bard(15)· · · · ·Standard: Spell Focus: Enchantment
16· · Bard(16)· · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
17· · Bard(17)· · · · ·
18· · Bard(18)· · · · ·Standard: Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
19· · Bard(19)· · · · ·
20· · Bard(20)· · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
21· · Epic(1) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Arcane Insight
22· · Epic(2) · · · · ·
23· · Epic(3) · · · · ·
24· · Epic(4) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Master of Music
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
25· · Epic(5) · · · · ·
26· · Epic(6) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Toughness
27· · Epic(7) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Inspire Excellence
28· · Epic(8) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Toughness
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
29· · Epic(9) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Deific Warding
30· · Epic(10)· · · · ·Epic Feat: Wellspring of Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Legendary: Scion of the Plane of Air

Skills
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Skill Points· · ·28 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·7
Skill Name· · · ·01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20· Total Buffed
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Balance · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 16.0
Bluff · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 53.0
Concentration · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 51.0
Diplomacy · · · · 4 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 81.0
Disable Device· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 31.0
Haggle· · · · · · 4 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 76.0
Heal· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 18.0
Hide· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 21.0
Intimidate· · · · 2 ·½· ½ ·½· ½ ·½· ½ ·½· ½ ·½· ½ ·½· ½ ·½· ½ ·½· ½ ·½· ½ · · ·11.0 · 64.0
Jump· · · · · · · 4 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 40.0
Listen· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 23.0
Move Silently · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 21.0
Open Lock · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 16.0
Perform · · · · · 4 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 83.0
Repair· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 31.0
Search· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 31.0
Spell Craft · · · 4 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 54.0
Spot· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 18.0
Swim· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 17.0
Tumble· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 16.0
Use Magic Device· 4 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 81.0
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Available Points· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·1
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Enhancements: 80 APs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Half-Orc - Points spent: 6
 1 Core ·(1) Orcish Fury I
 2 Tier1 (1) Stubborn
 3 Tier1 (1) Stubborn
 4 Tier1 (1) Stubborn
 5 Tier1 (1) Mighty Sundering
 6 Tier2 (1) Lock Bash
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Spellsinger - Points spent: 44
 1 Core ·(1) pellsinger
 2 Tier1 (1) Studies: Magical Studies
 3 Tier1 (1) Studies: Magical Studies
 4 Tier1 (1) Studies: Magical Studies
 5 Tier1 (1) Sonic Blast
 6 Tier1 (1) Sonic Blast
 7 Tier1 (1) Sonic Blast
 8 Core ·(1) Music of the Sewers
 9 Tier2 (2) Marigold Crown: Violet Marigold Crown
10 Tier3 (2) Spell Song Trance
11 Tier3 (2) Charisma I
12 Tier3 (1) Shout
13 Tier3 (1) Shout
14 Tier3 (1) Shout
15 Core ·(1) Music of the Dead
16 Tier2 (1) Spell Like Ability: Reverberate
17 Tier2 (1) Spell Like Ability: Reverberate
18 Tier4 (2) Song of Arcane Might
19 Core ·(1) Music of the Makers
20 Tier4 (2) Frolic
21 Tier4 (2) Sustaining Song
22 Tier4 (2) Charisma II
23 Tier4 (1) Spell Penetration: Arcane Aid
24 Core ·(1) Virtuoso
25 Tier5 (2) Advanced Musical Studies
26 Tier5 (1) Prodigy
27 Tier5 (1) Prodigy
28 Tier5 (2) Spell Song Vigor
29 Tier5 (1) Horn of Thunder
30 Tier5 (1) Horn of Thunder
31 Tier5 (1) Horn of Thunder
32 Core ·(1) Maestro of Life and Death
33 Tier4 (1) Spell Penetration: Arcane Aid
34 Tier4 (1) Spell Penetration: Arcane Aid
35 Tier2 (1) Spell Like Ability: Reverberate
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Warchanter - Points spent: 23
 1 Core ·(1) Skaldic Rage / Skaldic Constitution: Skaldic Constitution
 2 Tier1 (1) Rough and Ready
 3 Tier1 (1) Rough and Ready
 4 Tier1 (1) Rough and Ready
 5 Tier1 (1) Inspired Bravery
 6 Tier1 (1) Inspired Bravery
 7 Tier1 (1) Inspired Bravery
 8 Tier2 (1) Arcane Shield Chant
 9 Tier2 (1) Arcane Shield Chant
10 Tier2 (1) Arcane Shield Chant
11 Core ·(1) Weapon Training
12 Core ·(1) Song of Heroism
13 Tier3 (2) Ability I: +1 Charisma
14 Tier3 (1) Balad Melody: Ironskin
15 Tier3 (1) Balad Melody: Ironskin
16 Tier3 (1) Balad Melody: Ironskin
17 Tier3 (1) High Spirits
18 Tier3 (1) High Spirits
19 Tier3 (1) High Spirits
20 Core ·(1) Fighting Spirit
21 Tier4 (2) Ability II: +1 Charisma
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Swashbuckler - Points spent: 7
 1 Core ·(1) Confidence
 2 Tier1 (1) On Your Toes
 3 Tier1 (1) On Your Toes
 4 Tier1 (1) On Your Toes
 5 Tier1 (1) Tavern Shanties
 6 Tier2 (2) Fast Movement
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Active Destiny Tree
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Magister - Points spent: 24
 1 Core ·(0) Arcane study I
 2 Core ·(0) Arcane study II
 3 Core ·(0) Arcane study III
 4 Core ·(0) Arcane study IV
 5 Core ·(0) Arcane study V
 6 Core ·(0) Arcane Spellsurge
 7 Tier1 (2) Ability I: +1 Charisma
 8 Tier1 (1) Impregnable Mind
 9 Tier1 (1) Impregnable Mind
10 Tier2 (2) Ability II: +1 Charisma
11 Tier2 (1) Spell School Specialist: Spell School Specialist: Evocation
12 Tier2 (1) Spell School Specialist: Spell School Specialist: Evocation
13 Tier2 (1) Spell School Specialist: Spell School Specialist: Evocation
14 Tier3 (1) Spell School Augmentation: Spell School Augmentation: Evocation
15 Tier3 (1) Spell School Augmentation: Spell School Augmentation: Evocation
16 Tier3 (1) Spell School Augmentation: Spell School Augmentation: Evocation
17 Tier4 (1) Spell School Familiarity: Spell School Familiarity: Evocation
18 Tier4 (1) Spell School Familiarity: Spell School Familiarity: Evocation
19 Tier4 (1) Spell School Familiarity: Spell School Familiarity: Evocation
20 Tier3 (2) Ability III: +1 Charisma
21 Tier5 (1) Master of Spell School: Master of Spell School: Evocation
22 Tier5 (1) Master of Spell School: Master of Spell School: Evocation
23 Tier5 (1) Master of Spell School: Master of Spell School: Evocation
24 Tier4 (2) Ability IV: +1 Charisma
25 Tier6 (1) Arcane Tempest
26 Tier1 (1) Impregnable Mind
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Twists of fate - 18 of 25 Fate points spent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Twist 1 - Tier 3: Divine Crusader: Empyrean Magic
Twist 2 - Tier 2: Draconic Incarnation: Precise Casting: Conjuration / Evocation: Draconic Incarnation: Evocation
Twist 3 - Tier 1: Primal Avatar: Rejuvenation Cocoon
Twist 4 - Tier 1: Exalted Angel: Endless faith

Spells· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · School· · · · ·DC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bard Spells
L5: Hold Monster, Mass· · · · · · · · · · · Enchantment · · 92
L6: Heal· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Conjuration · · 82
L6: Wail of the Banshee · · · · · · · · · · Necromancy· · · 82
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Equipped Gear Set : Standard
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Armor · · · · The Legendary Leaf Mail
· · · · · · · +15 Enhancement Bonus
· · · · · · · Exceptional Universal Spell Lore +10%
· · · · · · · Exceptional Universal Spell Power +20
· · · · · · · Physical Sheltering +54
· · · · · · · Parrying +10
· · · · · · · Eminence of Autumn
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Belt· · · · · Strap of Autumn Leaves
· · · · · · · Intelligence +22
· · · · · · · Magical Sheltering +59
· · · · · · · Natural Armor Bonus +22
· · · · · · · Magical Efficiency 10%
· · · · · · · Eminence of Autumn
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
· · · · · · · Blue: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Yellow: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Boots · · · · Legendary Deepsnow Boots
· · · · · · · Insightful Constitution +10
· · · · · · · Quality Constitution +5
· · · · · · · Freedom of Movement
· · · · · · · Fortitude Save +17
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Bracers · · · Legendary Cold Iron Bracers
· · · · · · · Ghostly
· · · · · · · Protection +17
· · · · · · · Vitality +72
· · · · · · · Quality False Life +20
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Cloak · · · · Legendary Magewright's Cloak
· · · · · · · Wizardry +453
· · · · · · · Enchantment Focus +9
· · · · · · · Insightful Enchantment Focus +5
· · · · · · · Masterful Magewright
· · · · · · · Nearly Finished (Charisma EIQ): +5 Quality Charisma
· · · · · · · Blue: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Yelloe: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Gloves· · · · Legendary Deadringers
· · · · · · · Profane Spell Focus II
· · · · · · · Spell Penetration +9
· · · · · · · Wizardry +440
· · · · · · · Insightful Wizardry +220
· · · · · · · Eminence of Autumn
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Goggles · · · Legendary Collective Sight
· · · · · · · Quality Resistance +4
· · · · · · · Temperance of Belief
· · · · · · · Nearly Finished (SDCIWC): +21 Charisma
· · · · · · · Nearly Finished (Ins SDCIWC): +10 Insightful Charisma
· · · · · · · Blue: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Helmet· · · · Faedark Faerielights
· · · · · · · Faeryfire Curse
· · · · · · · Illusory Death 3
· · · · · · · Quality Wizardry +110
· · · · · · · Magical Efficiency 10%
· · · · · · · Eminence of Autumn
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Necklace· · · Legendary Amber Pendant
· · · · · · · Spell Focus Mastery +7
· · · · · · · Insightful Spell Focus Mastery +4
· · · · · · · Quality Necromancy Focus +2
· · · · · · · Insightful Sheltering +27
· · · · · · · Eminence of Autumn
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Ring1 · · · · Legendary Ring of Spring's Storms
· · · · · · · Lightning Lore +31%
· · · · · · · Magnetism +214
· · · · · · · Sonic Lore +31%
· · · · · · · Resonance +214
· · · · · · · Eminence of Spring
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Ring2 · · · · Legendary Spinneret
· · · · · · · Spell Lore XV
· · · · · · · Quality Potency
· · · · · · · Quality Spell Focus mastery II
· · · · · · · Spell Penetration VII
· · · · · · · Legendary Slavelords Set Bonus: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Trinket · · · Bottled Rainstorm
· · · · · · · Quenched
· · · · · · · Insightful Power of the Frozen Storm +109
· · · · · · · Quality Power of the Frozen Storm +54
· · · · · · · Fire Resistance +83
· · · · · · · Eminence of Autumn
· · · · · · · Blue: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Green: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Weapon1 · · · Lilting Song
· · · · · · · Damage and Type 5[1d6+2] + 15 Bludgeon, Magic
· · · · · · · Critical Threat Range 20 x2
· · · · · · · +15 Enhancement Bonus
· · · · · · · Resonance +202
· · · · · · · Sonic Lore +29%
· · · · · · · Evocation Focus +8
· · · · · · · Enchantment Focus +8
· · · · · · · Trace of Madness: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Red: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
Weapon2 · · · The Heart of the Prince
· · · · · · · +15 Orb Bonus
· · · · · · · Lifeblood of the Undead Prince
· · · · · · · Constitution +21
· · · · · · · Energy Siphon X
· · · · · · · Ghostly
· · · · · · · Eminence of Winter
· · · · · · · Purple: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Mythic: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Reaper: Empty augment slot
· · · · · · · Sentient Weapon Personality: Sentient Jewel of Blackrazor
· · · · · · · Filigree 1: Sanctified Fervor/Reverberation: +2 Charisma
· · · · · · · Filigree 2: Sanctified Fervor/Reverberation: +2 Charisma
· · · · · · · Filigree 3: Reverberation: Charisma
· · · · · · · Filigree 4: Eye of the Beholder: Charisma
· · · · · · · Filigree 5: Eye of the Beholder: MRR
· · · · · · · Filigree 6: Eye of the Beholder: Spellpower
· · · · · · · Filigree 7: Eye of the Beholder: Will
· · · · · · · Filigree 8: Otto's Irrevocable Power: Charisma
· · · · · · · Filigree 9: Otto's Irrevocable Power: Constitution
· · · · · · · Filigree 10: Otto's Irrevocable Power: Spell Power
· · · · · · · Filigree 11: Otto's Irrevocable Power: PRR
· · · · · · · Filigree 12: 
· · · · · · · Filigree 13: 
· · · · · · · Filigree 14: 
· · · · · · · Filigree 15: 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[cru121]

as long as you either take colour spray from gnome

I think Gnome's color spray is using INT for DCs so it doesn't really help spellsingers much.

It's strange for much did the devs miss the point with the bard. What people asked for was help with late heroics and epics, but instead, we got buffs in early heroics.

[Wizard1406]

Nice, caster bard finally viable, not just as a buff bot? Now do epics please, how does the damage hold up with mob HP so much increased and no lvl 7/8/9 spells? Does any destiny help with that? Spellsinger Destiny seems a weird sonic damage / melee hybrid, tailored for swash bards and melees in general since it has the highest MP buff

[Seph1roth5]

I got a SS to 20 last hcl and loved it. Was enchantment focused CC with tons of buffs (obviously) and a bit of warchanter so I could single target freeze if necessary. With fascinate, irresistable dance, and warchanter freeze, it was easy to lock down reapers (not sure if all 3 worked on them) and there was tons to do. I might not have been much dps but I'm sure parties were more than happy to have healing/cc/buffs more than someone else swinging a sword around.

[Shadospawn]

Nice write up... thanks! So many options now for Bard, I am loving it. If up to you what race would you have started?

Also what quests did you find the need to drop back to Elite? I had to yesterday on Fresh Baked Dreams. The dang hags were both champs and landing ridiculous damage.

[Strimtom]

Nice, caster bard finally viable, not just as a buff bot? Now do epics please, how does the damage hold up with mob HP so much increased and no lvl 7/8/9 spells? Does any destiny help with that? Spellsinger Destiny seems a weird sonic damage / melee hybrid, tailored for swash bards and melees in general since it has the highest MP buff

I have been talking to others who have been going all in on bard, but the main epic destinies are draconic incarnation for the electric energy burst and breath + critical multiplier, and magister for the extra max caster level and the bonus to all DCs so wail works in R5+ Feywild/Sharn. Both are great, it's just your single target DPS isn't perfect so bosses take a while. Clears the heck out of rooms though.

Nice write up... thanks! So many options now for Bard, I am loving it. If up to you what race would you have started?

Also what quests did you find the need to drop back to Elite? I had to yesterday on Fresh Baked Dreams. The dang hags were both champs and landing ridiculous damage.

I would have done drow or tiefling or dragonborn or anything that gave a bonus to charisma instead of a minus. +2 DCs during the levelling process and more SP is noticible.

I can't remember off hand, I think I scaled back Best Laid Plans in Sharn because of all of the constructs, and into the mists the first time since I did it at level 10 (**** wisps). Didn't need to scale back invaders so I know it's not too bad :P

[Leatherneck]

Nice gear list.
A couple of pieces I would change:
Swap Legendary Battleworn Medal for the Bottled Rainstorm for +5 Quality Charisma. Besided the 6pc Autumn set bonus the Bottled Rainstorm doesn't do much for the build.
Swap Duskbone Ring for the Ring of Springs Storms. This still gives you the 6pc Autumn set bonus and a few more HP (+12 Profane Lifeforce). The Spring Storms ring is kinda redundant with the Lilting Song anyway (only 2% more sonic lore and 12 more resonance).
I would swap in Hands of the Dawn Healer trinket and lose the +5 quality Charisma if I was going to be healing.

[KoobTheProud]

I think Gnome's color spray is using INT for DCs so it doesn't really help spellsingers much.

It's strange for much did the devs miss the point with the bard. What people asked for was help with late heroics and epics, but instead, we got buffs in early heroics.

Early heroics are generally a throwback to a different era, with significant differences in terms of player power vs monsters.

Late heroics and epics can be on the same plan also however a lot of the newer content features HP bloat for mobs.

Then you have Reaper which of course is a completely different meta which shares nothing at all with it's non-Reaper counterparts.

[Magdragons]

If you were to add trapping skills, how would you change the build?

[Seph1roth5]

I got a SS bard to 20 last hcl, forget what race lol, some sort of iconic because I was going to tr him to 1 and go for 5k and realized I'd have to hit 30 first so I just made a new char.

I like the sonic spell boosts that came out but I prefer straight enchanter focus. I don't want to get in shout range lol.

[darkniteyogi]

What DPS does this build have? Does it have Cha to damage or does it do any melee? Or is all of its damage only from spells? Are Bard spells now enough to do enough DPS like Sorcs? How does it go toe to toe with Beholders in Invaders?

[Blase]

If you were to add trapping skills, how would you change the build?

Int to 12 will get you 7 skills points/level as a bard, which is enough for Search/Disable/Perform/Spellcraft/UMD.

Clearly, you'll need to splash either rogue or artificer, and you're losing the capstone so you might as well figure a two level splash. Rogue gets you evasion, and Arti gets you a rune arm and a lever puller. Personal preference there.

Personally, I'm going Scoundrel for Ash Imprisonment - it's a life saver when you need that champ cc'ed and he resists the masshold and the dancing sphere somehow. Perfom + d20 is **** hard to resist and the only complaint I have is that it doesn't work on reapers.

I'll splash rogue at level two, and be happy with the ability to find and disarm traps. Thanks to GH and Bard song, you'll be able to get traps as long as you have an intel item and you keep semi-current on a search/disable item. Added bonus, the racial tree bases give sonic spell power.

[voxson5]

Strimtom,

Please bring back Mesingsongs in HC for the memes

[eldersinger]

As someone who's looking to make an evocation-first spellsinger for my next life I'm looking at this build style and am a little unclear. Can anyone explain to me why we've not selected Empower as a feat? Does it not stack with Maximize?

[Halciet]

[darkniteyogi]

Ok. Sound Blast and Shout as SLA's. So Bard is similar to a Sorcerer now in Sla's (Sonic Savant). I don't even recall when they gave them these SLA's, but the damage should be good.

Sonic Blast: Spell-Like Ability: Sonic Blast. Activation cost: [6/5/4] SP. Cooldown: [12/8/4] seconds. Metamagic Feats can be used at no additional cost. Bug: Description incorrectly lists the damage as 1d6+2 per caster level, up to caster level 10. The damage actually matches the Sonic Blast spell (1d6+1 per caster level, max 8)

Shout: Spell-Like Ability: Shout. Activation cost: [15/12/9] SP. Cooldown: [12/9/6] seconds. Metamagic Feats can be used at no additional cost.
AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 3	Progression: 10	No requirements

So, Soundburst SLA is cooldown 4 seconds, and regular level 1 spell is NO SAVE with a 2 second cooldown.

No need to even swing a weapon?

[PrinceOfAsphodel]

As someone who's looking to make an evocation-first spellsinger for my next life I'm looking at this build style and am a little unclear. Can anyone explain to me why we've not selected Empower as a feat? Does it not stack with Maximize?

You're right, they do stack. If Empower was left out of a build, it's probably because the build creator didn't think it was more important than other feats. Empower isn't super commonly taken just because it doesn't scale as well as Maximize. As a Spellsinger, you will run into a level in the game where enemies have too much HP for you to kill quickly with sonic magic, so landing stuns and holds with high Evocation and Enchantment DCs will be more important. Empower isn't strong enough to solve this problem so the bonus it provides for gameplay is actually quite a bit less than what it seems.

[darkniteyogi]

As someone who's looking to make an evocation-first spellsinger for my next life I'm looking at this build style and am a little unclear. Can anyone explain to me why we've not selected Empower as a feat? Does it not stack with Maximize?

Bear in mind OP is using a half-orc so that is -2 to Cha, and takes 2 feats each for Evocation and Enchantment. So if you make a human, you would already have as high a DC as his Half-orc and he is using 2 feats just to get it as high as a human. Personally, I would definitely take both Maximize and Empower.

[Montegue]

You're right, they do stack. If Empower was left out of a build, it's probably because the build creator didn't think it was more important than other feats. Empower isn't super commonly taken just because it doesn't scale as well as Maximize. As a Spellsinger, you will run into a level in the game where enemies have too much HP for you to kill quickly with sonic magic, so landing stuns and holds with high Evocation and Enchantment DCs will be more important. Empower isn't strong enough to solve this problem so the bonus it provides for gameplay is actually quite a bit less than what it seems.

I'm noticing this right now, even before 20. I took Empower and for a handful of levels (15-18) it was absolutely boss, but monster HP is already sort of catching up and I'm considering a swap to Spell Focus. I'm also doing a bit of a Swashy hybrid, though, taking the SWF feat line to play the toon a bit like an EK.

[Blase]

You can rock your way all the way to twenty with the SLA's. Shout and Horn of the Thunder deal quite a bit of damage, especially to held monsters.

Personally, I did a bit of SWF, as the Illusionist enchancement tree gives me cha to hit/damage, perma sheild, perma blur, and an force weapon that scales with my level, as well as greater color spray.

I'm honestly waiting for them to nerf the low hanging fruit in that tree.

Being able to masshold/dance monsters, toss a couple of max/quickened aoe's and then quickly dice down anything thats left standing is a powerful combo.