Bard Weaponage Lightning 2 vs Min 2 or Radiance 2

[Bacab]

I made this post in the "crafting section"...I am not meaning to spam multiple threads with the same content. Just after thinking about it...I realized I more/less wanted fellow Bard advice, and I should move my thread (I do not know how to do that). Anyway your thoughts and advice is appreciated....

I have a Tier 2 Min II Great Axe and I am working on turning it into a fully upgraded Min II.

I am running a 15BRD/3ROG/2FTR split Warforged Warchanter. Has "good" gear as of now. Can look me up "Atropine of Ghallanda". I am planning on TRing him once I finish his Greensteel Boots and craft a Nice HP item for him and have a Fully upgraded weapon.

I know that's just a screenshot of my toon atm...but maybe looking at my gear and etc I can get some guidance on my TR and what I am trying to accomplish. I was thinking I may go 18BRD/2ROG or a 16BRD/4FTR on his TR so I would lose 2 feats or possibly gain 1 feat. The losing 2 Feats (plus need may need Great Axe Prof) makes me think I should stick with Min II vs Lightning II. BUT if I go with the 16/4 or stick with 15/3/2 split I would have an extra feat...so maybe Lightning II?

Anyway before I sink some larges into this Alt, I was reading/researching what to do. I am giving him the +6 CHR skills Boots with bonus 150 SP on them. I will finish his weapon first though. Anyway after reading I was struck with a conundrum. Do I stick with Min II GreatAxe or go to a Lightning II GreatAxe (or Falchion). As I said Min II saves a feat (improved crit).

Here is how my gear looks at the moment...

Goggles>>>Tharne's Goggles
Bracers>>>have STR 6 item (will swap out to Tharne's Bracers when I get)
Gloves>>>Spectral Gloves and Gloves of Titan Grip (will full time the Titan Grip gloves once I get Tharne's Bracers)
Necklace>>>Cartouche (getting near 20 DQ so hoping for a Torc)
Boots>>>+6 CHR Skills and +150 SP (nearing 20 reavers and hoping for Madstone boots and will dispel rage when need to UMD)
Belt>>>GFL Item (potentially open slot once I fully upgrade my Mindsunder Docent +6 CON and Superior False Life)
Docent>Docent of Quickening and the Mindsunder Docent
Helm>>Minos Legens
Cloak>>Bard's Cloak
Melee Weapon>>>Tier 2 Min II Great Axe (I have several Status weapons and a Harry and POrtal Beater)
Ranged Weapon>>>Silver Bow (for DQ mainly and when you need ranged)
Rings>>>Reaver's Ring and Ring of Thelis
Trinket>>>Bloodstone VoM Pouch of Jerky (gonna try to farm an arrowhead and bauble)


So where should I put my HP item?

Should I just make a Lightning II Greataxe (or Falchion) instead of Min II? I do have a +3 Metalline Holy Great Axe for DR Bypassing. Is a Radiance II Falchion worth doing with 3 levels of ROG and Tharne's Goggles?

As far as the build goes,

I will probably stick with the 15/3/2 build, and GR if Warchanter 3 ever comes out and is hawt.

Also I was thinking Falchion for more Blast and Burst Effects and Radiance Effects.

I really hope I am not coming off silly or uneducated, but my main is a caster FvS (Bacab of ghallanda) and I am still not that educated at "melee". I do strive to get better at it by practicing "twitching" and dodging and evading damage with tactics. BUT I would LOVE some solid advice on what gear to shoot for. I have 3 shroud runners atm and I am not in a huge hurry to TR this guy until he is ready AKA Madstone Boots, Torc, 2 Accessory Greensteel Items and a Fully upgraded Weapon.

[Valindria]

I would make Radiance II Falchion (if improved crit was taken), but I don't think a Min II GA or Falchion would be bad.

[Henrieta]

I think you should take enough bard levels so that you can cast irresistable dance on monsters. Then you can easily beat them fascinated fools down one at a time if you are soloing. Or I guess you could always trip them.

I like the lightning strike better if you have a harry beater already. How much damage do you generally do per swing to an average non DR enemy? Whats your strength?

Put hp item on cloak, and start using ToD rings for charisma bonus instead of wearing reaver ring/thelis. Switch to bard cloak if you are fascinating ****, but then switch back.

You could always start a quest wearing the ring of thelis, buff up, using the sp bonus, then switch to another ring. I'd grind out that bauble also. It's useful as my bard currently has only around 900 sp, but he only really uses sp for buffage and the occasional otto's, and he makes it through quests/raids just fine, rarely running outta sp between shrines.

[maddmatt70]

I think you should take enough bard levels so that you can cast irresistable dance on monsters. Then you can easily beat them fascinated fools down one at a time if you are soloing. Or I guess you could always trip them.



You need 16 bard levels to get 6th level spells so the OP can not cast ottos.

[maddmatt70]

OP any chance that you are interested in slapping an Epic SOS on this character? The Epic SOS would seem to be the best weapon for you. Radiance vs. Lightning strike is a tough call. I am not really sure which is better. Do you run epics is also a question? For epics if you run with alot of stunners a x3 crit might be better. I would lean toward the lightning strike because that would seem to do more dps because you only have the three rogue levels although you do have the tharnes. You are likely to not have aggro anyway.

[Samadhi]

If your build didn't have room for imp. crit, Min II. Otherwise, having a nice boss beater for H/E is (at least in my experience) less relevant due to the increased healing duty I usually have on most of my bards.

If you do have imp crit, what is your devil beater? Generic - go for the Lit. Above average - grab the radiance.

[Terelle]

Boots>>>+6 CHR Skills and +150 SP (nearing 20 reavers and hoping for Madstone boots and will dispel rage when need to UMD)


Just wanted to let you know, you can't dispel madstone rage. There is no way to end it early aside from another character using a madstone rod on you (you cannot use them yourself while madstoned).

As a bard, it won't be a matter of dispelling madstone to umd, it will be a matter of choosing your madstone timings so that you hopefully don't need to cast/umd for at least 2 minutes before clicking that clicky.

[rage9]

Well it looks to me like it should either be the belt slot for the hp item, or scrap the tharnes bracers and get the tumble weed and do a bracer hp item.

Does that Quari forged docent have heavy fort on it? If so could go for a helm.

Probably didn't make this any easier for ya did I lol 8)

"I do have a +3 Metalline Holy Great Axe for DR Bypassing" Do you mean Holy silver? or metalline of pure good?

[Bacab]

I do and will have Improved Crit when I TR. As far as the Epic SoS...I generally do not run Epic That often. Though I am planning on doing Epic more once my Toon(s) are a little better geared.

My Harry Beater is Metalline and Holy and it Bypasses his DR, though I know a Lightning 2 would do more damage in those raids. I was gonna pair up the Tharne's Goggles and Bracers for the ghost touch, but that is situational so I could swap other stuff in/out. This guys is more of a melee and buffer. I have a Human BRD that I am leveling now, but he's way far away from being end game. That toon will be my CC specialist.

Thanks for the info on the Madstone Boots. I have never had the boots so I thought the Madstone Rod was "special" and it could be used to dispel madstone while you were madstoned...May have to reconsider picking those (if they offered at 20).

[Drekisen]

Are you making the lightning for damage or CHA.....and if so, do you have high spell dc's..........if not I would make the MIN II........it's really nice to be able to have a weapon that can get thru greater devil, demon, and Taeron's DR in one place...especially if u don't have the room to take Improved Crit.

[Terelle]

Thanks for the info on the Madstone Boots. I have never had the boots so I thought the Madstone Rod was "special" and it could be used to dispel madstone while you were madstoned...May have to reconsider picking those (if they offered at 20).

Yeah, I had thought the same.. carry a madstone rod, sweet! But unfortunately no.

I would still take the boots at 20 if offered. Well worth the burst dps when required (finishing off a boss quickly, or attacking a large group of foes shortly after buffing, so hopefully no need to cast in the near future). As a bard you can't use the boots all the time, but can't be beat when you do need them.