Need help to revive pure drow bard

[StrixAluco]

My bard has been parked at lvl 20 longer than I remember (since sometime before the enhancement pass when 20 was cap), but I think the time may finally have come to revive her through a LR. She will stay a first life pure bard drow, but apart from that I haven't much clue as to which direction to take her. She was formerly known as a far too squishy warchanter, so she might be revived as a spellsinger instead though she will never have any past lives nor the best equipment or tomes (only what she can pick up, which is now +2 to all abilities and some equipment that was acceptable back when she was active). I do enjoy the support role, but my connection isn't reliable enough to play the primary healer.
Can any of you who knows how to play a bard well and how bards have done in the past years with the new cap, destinies and the enhancement pass suggest how I should go about with the LR? I have looked at the recent drow bard builds I could find on the forum, but they seem to rely on past lives and tomes that is beyond my reach. Which feats, ability and skill distribution, spells, enhancements etc could make my little bard viable again?

Thank you in advance!

[wktd_one]

My bard has been parked at lvl 20 longer than I remember (since sometime before the enhancement pass when 20 was cap), but I think the time may finally have come to revive her through a LR. She will stay a first life pure bard drow, but apart from that I haven't much clue as to which direction to take her. She was formerly known as a far too squishy warchanter, so she might be revived as a spellsinger instead though she will never have any past lives nor the best equipment or tomes (only what she can pick up, which is now +2 to all abilities and some equipment that was acceptable back when she was active). I do enjoy the support role, but my connection isn't reliable enough to play the primary healer.
Can any of you who knows how to play a bard well and how bards have done in the past years with the new cap, destinies and the enhancement pass suggest how I should go about with the LR? I have looked at the recent drow bard builds I could find on the forum, but they seem to rely on past lives and tomes that is beyond my reach. Which feats, ability and skill distribution, spells, enhancements etc could make my little bard viable again?

Thank you in advance!

what server are you on? I am on cannith, come look me up I have a first life ee capable cc bard. I am the guild leader of Misanthrope. All of my toons are called meanman or a alt spelling of same. I will help you, I have a drow bard spell singer with a dc of 118=d20 for my fascinate and enthrallment. I can dance and charm anything. I would gladly help ya out

[MadCookieQueen]

My bard has been parked at lvl 20 longer than I remember (since sometime before the enhancement pass when 20 was cap), but I think the time may finally have come to revive her through a LR. She will stay a first life pure bard drow, but apart from that I haven't much clue as to which direction to take her. She was formerly known as a far too squishy warchanter, so she might be revived as a spellsinger instead though she will never have any past lives nor the best equipment or tomes (only what she can pick up, which is now +2 to all abilities and some equipment that was acceptable back when she was active). I do enjoy the support role, but my connection isn't reliable enough to play the primary healer.
Can any of you who knows how to play a bard well and how bards have done in the past years with the new cap, destinies and the enhancement pass suggest how I should go about with the LR? I have looked at the recent drow bard builds I could find on the forum, but they seem to rely on past lives and tomes that is beyond my reach. Which feats, ability and skill distribution, spells, enhancements etc could make my little bard viable again?

Thank you in advance!

A few thoughts...more like opinions.

I would just TR her and get the Bard past life (active PL feat You have +1 to all Charisma based skills, +1 to the DC's of your Enchantment spells, and can Inspire Courage three times per rest. (Activate this bard ability to rally your companions, giving them a +1 morale bonus to saves against fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls before enhancements.)). You're at 20 might as well. Then you can increase your build points and that might help bring you into alignment with some of the builds.

If you're talking an LR +20 (the free one)...change her over to a different class for the past life feat and then TR <--- I did this. But you'll have to plan for what kind of Bard you want in advance. Sometimes you just can't get around doing a TR train to get the toon a bit stronger and gear towards it.

If none of that sounds fun or you have a regular LR (no class changes) then I would sit down with the Character planner and do what you can to tweak a build you like to fit what you have. then post your ideas here and let people help guide you.

But yeah...at this point I would do a lot of planning and thinking before doing anything ^^

If you need help in general game play of a Bard...look me up on Ghallanda (if you're there) be more than happy to help you work out strategies.


Good luck and game on!

[StrixAluco]

Unfortunately (in this case) I'm on Khyber, though I might have to come pay you a visit :)

So now I have been playing around with the character planner for a while, but I'm still in doubt as to what to do to her. I have also been getting inspiration from the Soza build though it is out of this characters league as she while doing her LR+0 is limited to first live drow pure bard with +2 tomes (can't afford anything more atm). I know the first couple of TRs makes a big difference and she got her LR+20 heart in the bank, but it will take years before I get around to level her up again if she TR so I figure I might as well try to keep her viable at epic levels instead of parking her in the Harbour.

What I have in mind so far is:
Race: Drow (fixed)
Class: 20 bard (fixed)
Alignment: True neutral

Str: 10 (+2 tome)
Dex: 10 (+2 tome)
Con: 14 (+2 tome)
Int: 10 (+2 tome)
Wis: 8 (+2 tome)
Cha: 20 (+2 tome)

Skills: Balance (rest), Concentration (max), Diplomacy (max), Haggle (max), Heal (max), Perform (max), Tumble (1), UMD (max)

Feats (will LR at 20, so order until then doesn't matter):
1: Empower Healing Spell
3: Quicken Spell
6: Heighten Spell
9: Spell Focus Enchantment
12: Greater Spell Focus Enchantment
15: Maximize Spell
18: Force of Personality
21: Inspire Excellence
24: Epic Spell Focus: Enchantment
26: Lasting Inspiration
27: Epic Reputation
28: Epic Spell Power: Positive

As for spells the builds on the forums doesn't seem to include any inspiration so apart from some of the basic buffs I'm pretty lost here.

As for (easy to obtain) gear I'm also rather clueless as I'm not up to date on this, I just know that her possessions are highly likely to be outdated.

I would appreciate any inputs on this build, especially the feats as I have very limited experience with casters including not really knowing which metamagics to use when, but also spells and cheap gear to get her rolling again.

[MadCookieQueen]

If your only goal is to be the buff/healing support person in the party then I think overall you've got a good basis. ^^

~~~~

Gear!

I'm not listing out named gear just the stats you are looking for.

Basics include but are not limited to:

+10 CHA
+3 Insightful CHA
+1 Exceptional CHA
+20 perform
+5 enchantment mastery
+144 Devotion
+15 Heal
Superior Healing Lore
+10 CON
+3 Insightful CON
+1 Exceptional
+20 Bluff
+20 Diplomacy
+2 good luck
+10 Resistance
+225 SP Item
+50 Hit Points

Try to get as close as you can...those are optimal...don't think you have to wear these all the time...some are just great for swapping.

~~~~


Math section!

I pulled these form another bard post...these are the uber numbers...you'll need to do some subtraction to accomodate your build/gear/tomes/etc.

Max (reasonable) Sustainable Charisma: 72 (20 drow + 2 racial tree + 2 spell singer tree + 2 warchanter tree +2 capstone + 7 level ups + 5 tome + 3 insight + 1 enchantment +11 item + 1 litany + 2 inspire excellence + 6 ED ability increases + 1 Echos: Arcane +1 Echos: Divine +1 Glitter of Fame +1 epic feat + 2 ship + 2 yugo)


Add +2 for completionist (however I will calculate based on a a 72 cha)




Evocation DC (sound burst): 68 (10 base + 6 spell level +2 Majesty + 31 cha + 1 wiz pl + 3 sorc pl + 3 feats + 5 item + 2 augment crystal + 3 Evo Specialist + 2 precise casting + 1 Marigold Crown + 1 Spell song trance)




Enchantment DC: 69 (10 base + 6 spell level +2 Majesty + 31 cha + 1 wiz pl + 1 bard pl + 3 feats + 5 item + 2 augment crystal + 3 Enchantment Specialist + 1 Marigold Crown + 1 Spell song trance + 2 Prodigy +1 Enchant lore)


The Enchantment and Evocation may seem high but they are not no fail in EE content. If EE is not your thing...don't sweat it.


Really hope this is helping.

Good luck!

[Pehtis]

Unfortunately (in this case) I'm on Khyber, though I might have to come pay you a visit :)

So now I have been playing around with the character planner for a while, but I'm still in doubt as to what to do to her. I have also been getting inspiration from the Soza build though it is out of this characters league as she while doing her LR+0 is limited to first live drow pure bard with +2 tomes (can't afford anything more atm). I know the first couple of TRs makes a big difference and she got her LR+20 heart in the bank, but it will take years before I get around to level her up again if she TR so I figure I might as well try to keep her viable at epic levels instead of parking her in the Harbour.

What I have in mind so far is:
Race: Drow (fixed)
Class: 20 bard (fixed)
Alignment: True neutral

Str: 10 (+2 tome)
Dex: 10 (+2 tome)
Con: 14 (+2 tome)
Int: 10 (+2 tome)
Wis: 8 (+2 tome)
Cha: 20 (+2 tome)

Skills: Balance (rest), Concentration (max), Diplomacy (max), Haggle (max), Heal (max), Perform (max), Tumble (1), UMD (max)

Feats (will LR at 20, so order until then doesn't matter):
1: Empower Healing Spell
3: Quicken Spell
6: Heighten Spell
9: Spell Focus Enchantment
12: Greater Spell Focus Enchantment
15: Maximize Spell
18: Force of Personality
21: Inspire Excellence
24: Epic Spell Focus: Enchantment
26: Lasting Inspiration
27: Epic Reputation
28: Epic Spell Power: Positive

As for spells the builds on the forums doesn't seem to include any inspiration so apart from some of the basic buffs I'm pretty lost here.

As for (easy to obtain) gear I'm also rather clueless as I'm not up to date on this, I just know that her possessions are highly likely to be outdated.

I would appreciate any inputs on this build, especially the feats as I have very limited experience with casters including not really knowing which metamagics to use when, but also spells and cheap gear to get her rolling again.

Pretty solid build. Mine is also pure drow (lvl25 atm) and is not too dissimilar. Skills I didn't bother withe heal (you heal just fine with Maximise alone) and haggle (it really doesn't give you that much extra), and went for survivable skills like jump (you use it a lot) and listen. Feats are about right (I have Extend but agree Empower Heal is better choice).

The capstone spells Heal and Wail Banshee makes you a powerhouse. For the rest of the spells just follow your spell focus. Just make sure you have the best enchant/spell pen item available for level. Frozen Fury in Warchanter tree is must as you will land it often (its your melee CC). Also max the racial Enchantment Lore (at 3rd rank gives +1 dc's) and go for the Dark Fire (it does good purple damage on works on bosses just nicely).

Hope this helps.

[BoBoDaClown]

I have also been getting inspiration from the Soza build though it is out of this characters league as she while doing her LR+0 is limited to first live drow pure bard with +2 tomes (can't afford anything more atm).

So you should - that build rocks! Anywho...

Soza was a first-life, endgame build for many years. I TRed her for the first time about a year ago because my playtime had shifted and I wasn't able to group with the same people.

So, you absolutely do not need past lives to make that build work, especially with the new exalted angel destiny tree. The soundburst on the Exalted Angel tree gains no benefit from pastlives. So twist it as soon as you can, and you will have a very high DC, AOE, stun, with the same DC cap as any pastlife character bar a completionist (who will have +1 DC)

Past lives and how to get around them:
-Wizzy and Bard past lives add a potential +2 DC at the cost of two feats. +2 DC is useful but not a deal breaker. In all likelihood it means you will have to through debuffs more frequently. My favourite was a unmetad cheap hyno, followed by a Hold Monster. Mind Fog is also a useful AOE debuff, as it essentially allows you to 'double dip' on their saves.

Wizzy Pastlives = +6 spell pen. This is highly useful, but on a bard you have the best workaround (enthrall/capering/potentially siren's song). Your spell pen is going to be high enough for almost all content except for Drow, and in Drow heavy quests you will rely on enthrall. You can even whip out an improved shattermantle weapon to reduce a dangerous mobs SR, and then Ottos Irresistible.

The tomes and what not you will simply collect as you play; everybody started somewhere with gear.

If Soza was first life right now:
Con: 14
Cha: 20 - all level ups

Feats in no particular order:
1) Empower Healing
3) Spell Focus Enchant
6) GSF Enchant
9) Spell Pen
12) Spell Pen
15) Heighten
18) Quicken
21) Inspire Excellence
24) Epic Spell Penetration
27) Epic Spell Focus Enchant
26) Lasting Inspiration
28) Forced Escape (haven't played around with this yet-looks good)

Running in Exalted Angel
-gives you soundburst (which you can twist when in other destinies)
-gives you another MCMW, great because it gives you a third mass on a healing rotation

Common Twists:
-+3 spell pen from Draconic or Magister
-Cacoon
-+3 enchant DC from Magister

You will now have a bard with high enchant DCs, very high Soundburst DCs, decent spell penetration

Alternatively, you could replace the spell pen feats with maximise/empower to work with some destiny SLAs, but that would be a different build, and your spell pen might be lower to the level where you will miss on some non drow mobs.

Note: this build shines in difficult content. In most eh/en content, it doesn't shine, because CC and healing isn't needed, just more DPS

Some feedback on the build you posted below:

[BoBoDaClown]

I do enjoy the support role, but my connection isn't reliable enough to play the primary healer.


The problem with this is that healing is a major role of any such bard. With such a bard, it is either to heal, CC, or both. If you can't heal, and their is already good CC in the group, you don't bring a lot. Have you tried healing much? How bad your connection is would obviously have an impact, but healing is generally pretty easy; it's just about maintaining attention




Str: 10 (+2 tome)
Dex: 10 (+2 tome)
Con: 14 (+2 tome)
Int: 10 (+2 tome)
Wis: 8 (+2 tome)
Cha: 20 (+2 tome)

lookd good

Skills: Balance (rest), Concentration (max), Diplomacy (max), Haggle (max), Heal (max), Perform (max), Tumble (1), UMD (max)

looks good

Feats (will LR at 20, so order until then doesn't matter):
1: Empower Healing Spell
3: Quicken Spell
6: Heighten Spell
9: Spell Focus Enchantment
12: Greater Spell Focus Enchantment
15: Maximize Spell If CC is your thing - I would work in Spell Pen, since it it first life, if you want some DPS from your destiny SLAS, fair enough
18: Force of PersonalityNot needed. Get harper pin, forced escape, FOM, and learn to avoid CC. I can't remember dying from not having FOM
21: Inspire Excellence
24: Epic Spell Focus: Enchantment
26: Lasting Inspiration
27: Epic Reputation Not needed.your perform will be through the roof anyway. Pick up Spell Pen for CC. Or if you want dps SLAs, grab Empower to match up with maximise
28: Epic Spell Power: Positive This is what I initially chose, but am experimenting with forced escape. Extra healing is always good

As for spells the builds on the forums doesn't seem to include any inspiration so apart from some of the basic buffs I'm pretty lost here.

I tend to avoid offering too much advice on spells/enhancements, cos they are easy to change anyway. What I have loaded atm:
1: Detect Secret Doors, Exped Retreat, Feather Fall, Hpno, Masters Tiuch (could prob switch out)
2: Blur, Hold Person (good to double cast with Hold Monster to grab two), Rage, Invis, one more
3: Crushing Despair, CSW, Desplace, Good Hope, Haste
4: CCW, DDoor, FOM, Hold Monster, DiscoBall
5: Mass CLW, Dispel, GH, Mass Suggest, Mindfog
6: Mass CMW, Heal, Heroes Feats, Mass Charm Monster, OID, Wail


As for (easy to obtain) gear I'm also rather clueless as I'm not up to date on this, I just know that her possessions are highly likely to be outdated.


Some ideas off the top of my head. I may have missed stuff. Most of this can be grabbed on the AH. I have included a couple of harder items, but outlined that they are harder:

CC
Charisma item (easy to acquire)
+3 Insightful Charisma (easy-Spidersilk robes off AH)
+1 exceptional (moderate)
+1 Profane (hard-litany)
+enchant DCs (easy off AH and sages gear)
+spell pen (easy off AH and sages gear)
-improved shattermantle item
Greensteel Conc Opp Spell Point Item (time consuming to get) I think some eveningstar/druids gear may also offer some elemental spell points
Archmagi item

Healing:
Devotion/Healing Lore (easy-AH and sages gear)

'DPS'
Pretty worthless, but dual disruptors/Elyd Edge/vorpals can be useful, all easy to get except for Elyd Edge. Can get a seeker item, deadly items, to add a bit to your not worth it dps, if you can fit it. I duel wield these effect weapons when I want to pretend to hit things, or my caster sticks.

Survival
Con item, insightful/exceptional con/HP item/vitality item -most of these can be purchased on AH, although tod set is useful for con and might be harder for you to get
Greensteel Conc Opp Hit Point Item (time consuming to get) I think some eveningstar/druids gear may also offer some elemental hit points
Resistance Item (Deaths Locket is easy to get and offers you resistance, deathblock and neg level abosrption) + Dex Item
Fortification
Dodge
Ghostly

DON'T FORGET YUGO - run the TOD flagging quests on elite (one on hard) and you have grabbed +1 DC and +48 HPs. Unless my spells are landing 95% and I'm not getting hit, I perma keep yugo charisma and HPs up

I would appreciate any inputs on this build, especially the feats as I have very limited experience with casters including not really knowing which metamagics to use when, but also spells and cheap gear to get her rolling again.Advice above

If you need more advice, feel free to PM me on here or Soza on Thelanis