THF evasion Warchanter

[Fefnir_2011]

I'm looking for a little feedback on a bard build I'm planning on TRing into. I'd like something that I won't have to lesser or TR out of because something changed, so any suggestions to help future-proof the build and make it better are highly welcome.

Build Goals: High melee DPS, good self healing, lots of buffs, trap skills, and high survivability. I don't expect to be the best at anything but buffing and barding, but i do want to be able to bring a little bit of everything to a group.

Race: Human
Class Split: 16 Bard/2 Fighter/2 Rogue
Stat Split(34 Pt build): Str 16 Dex 8 Con 16 Int 14 Wis 8 Cha 15
Skills: Perform, UMD, Concentration, DD, Search, Open Lock, Balance, Bluff, and any leftover points into Heal.
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Insightful Reflexes, Extend, Force of Personality, IC: Slashing, Empower Healing, Quicken, Inspire Excellence, OC: Slashing, and one of Stunning Blow/Improved Sunder/Dragonmark of Finding.Gear: The usual stuff. Cleaver, eSoS eAG, black dragonscales, etc.

My main questions: Is there a better split for a melee bard with evasion? Is IR the way to go, or should i do dex instead? and what is really worth it in warchanter?

[voodoogroves]

I'm looking for a little feedback on a bard build I'm planning on TRing into. I'd like something that I won't have to lesser or TR out of because something changed, so any suggestions to help future-proof the build and make it better are highly welcome.

Build Goals: High melee DPS, good self healing, lots of buffs, trap skills, and high survivability. I don't expect to be the best at anything but buffing and barding, but i do want to be able to bring a little bit of everything to a group.

Race: Human
Class Split: 16 Bard/2 Fighter/2 Rogue
Stat Split(34 Pt build): Str 16 Dex 8 Con 16 Wis 8 Cha 15
Skills: Perform, UMD, Concentration, DD, Search, Open Lock, Balance, Bluff, and any leftover points into Heal.
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Insightful Reflexes, Extend, Force of Personality, IC: Slashing, Empower Healing, Quicken, Inspire Excellence, OC: Slashing, and one of Stunning Blow/Improved Sunder/Dragonmark of Finding.Gear: The usual stuff. Cleaver, eSoS eAG, black dragonscales, etc.

My main questions: Is there a better split for a melee bard with evasion? Is IR the way to go, or should i do dex instead? and what is really worth it in warchanter?

Well, you didn't list your INT but I'm back-guessing it must be about 14 - so it's at last 3 better than DEX ;-)

I wouldn't bank on Stunning Blow.

In addition, think more of "melee bard" not "war chanter" - many of the buffs in SS are very solid.

If you have the feat to spare or want to toss that one, Bard 15 / Fighter 1 / Rogue 4 is also an option - netting you uncanny dodge in the event you need more defenses / need to boost REF.

[Fefnir_2011]

Well, you didn't list your INT but I'm back-guessing it must be about 14 - so it's at last 3 better than DEX ;-)

I wouldn't bank on Stunning Blow.

In addition, think more of "melee bard" not "war chanter" - many of the buffs in SS are very solid.

If you have the feat to spare or want to toss that one, Bard 15 / Fighter 1 / Rogue 4 is also an option - netting you uncanny dodge in the event you need more defenses / need to boost REF.

Woops, thanks for catching that! It is 14, I need the skill points to keep everything up that i want. ;)

I had a feeling about that. I get plenty of CC from being a bard, and I probably wont have the raw strength or tactics for it.

ATM, I'm a pure melee bard with 41 pts in SS and 39 in Warchanter so i definitely get what you mean. I just didn't know what else i could drop out of warchanter and invest in my splash trees.

That isn't a split that I had considered, although it sounds like a good one since I will have an extra feat. But what would be better, that split or a 12 bard/6 fighter/2 rogue?

[voodoogroves]

15 leaves you ready for Inspire Excellence as your first epic feat, should you wish to play in epic levels. If this is just for a bard past life, you don't need that.

4 rogue just gives you bit more reflex, uncanny dodge, +1 saves vs traps, extra sneak.

Do you have the SoS / Cleaver / etc. already and are looking to leverage them - or is that a goal you're aiming for? I ask because you might also consider q-staves w/ a rogue split (extra attack speed, etc.) and Sireth.

[Fefnir_2011]

15 leaves you ready for Inspire Excellence as your first epic feat, should you wish to play in epic levels. If this is just for a bard past life, you don't need that.

4 rogue just gives you bit more reflex, uncanny dodge, +1 saves vs traps, extra sneak.

Do you have the SoS / Cleaver / etc. already and are looking to leverage them - or is that a goal you're aiming for? I ask because you might also consider q-staves w/ a rogue split (extra attack speed, etc.) and Sireth.

d'oh! yeah, I will be playing in epic levels. I plan on parking this toon in epics after this TR. I'll definitely need to stick with at least 15 bard levels then.

Yeah, I already have heroic SoS/Cleaver, just need shards to make eSoS and eAG (lol...) Otherwise I would go with q-staves. This is a toon that i recently undeleted after deleting all the gear on it, so pretty much all the good stuff she's got is weapons and eberron epics.