Probably my last Bard life...so i want it to be fun...

[Bacab]

Hi, I like to get help with builds...

Pretty soon I will be done with my current Cleric life. Its a caster and it has been fun...but once again I am itching to TR.

This toon named "Hireling" has completionist etc etc etc.

I already have 2 Bard lives. My first life was as a Warforged 15BRD/3ROG/2FTR Warchanter from 2009ish time period. He was a heavy pick user. This was super fun, but was obviously sub-optimal...but this toon ended up becoming my main.

Bard is probably my favorite class to play, so I don't want to mess this up. In fact, I actually plan on getting this to 20 and doing a few Epic TRs...and then burning a +20 Heart and Respeccing into a class that I do not enjoy, or that I am poor at playing (looking at fighter or barb...because I suck at those for the most part)

I would say about a year ago I got around to a second bard life and it was a Human 20 BRD. I was a Warchanter/Swashbuckler. I did Freezy stuff and was nailing my freeze move about 75% of the time on EE content. I did a few Epic TRs with him and the damage seemed great to me.

Also in my groups, I would fascinate and do other CC stuff.

Anyway here are the 3 options I can see doing...

A Shouting Spell Singer with lotsa CC, going full caster route. I have never played this version of a bard. I have played about 5 Sorc lives (I did a few melee lives as a WF 15SORC/5 whaterver and then +5 hearted) and 2 Wizard Lives though, so the whole nuking and CC thing I am familiar with. So my thought about this route is that it may play too similar to a Sorc or WIZ (and I still need 1 of each of those lives) Thus "wasting" my last Bard life.

I can do another Warchanter/Swashbuckler. I have a lotta named items set up for this build. Some nice Sickles and Shortswords (Shortswords for later...so I then have Improved Crit Piercing). I know this is a FUN build, but I don't want to miss out on playing a Spell Singer...if its so fun...

I have tried to make a Pure Warchanter (in the character planner) that Dual-Wields Heavy Picks, Deathnips specifically. I started farming Deathnips for my initial life, but never had them. I always thought the idea of having a STR-based Dual-wielding Deathnip user would be super fun! Only thing is, bard is tight on feats, especially when you try to fit in Completionist. Also, by being STR based, my Freezy move would be poor. Maybe a different build would be a more fun or better Dual-Deathnip user?

Anyone have experience with these builds?

Any advice? As always thanks for reading!

[Bacab]

Spellsinger: 20 Human Bard

Feats
1.Maximize
1. (Human) Empower
3. Completionist
6. PL Wizard (+1 all DCs)
9. Spell Focus Enchantment
12. Greater Spell Focus Enchantment
15. Quicken
18. Empower Healing
21. I would take those relevant Epic Spellcasting feats

Stats...
Max CHR and level ups into it.
Get CON around 16
Other stats I wouldn't think would matter that much...

Skill points are obvious...
UMD, Perform, Spellcraft, Heal, Jump, Balance etc

My enhancements would mainly be in Spellsinger. The more AP spent in Spellsinger, the more Spell Power.
Maybe get 7 AP into Swashbuckler for more songs and movement speed...maybe 8 points for Swashbuckling for when swatting things...
Maybe 3 AP into Human for Healing Amp.

For Epic Destinies, I would mainly be in Magistar or Fatesinger.

I suppose when doing super easy content (Epic Normal/Hard XP Runs), you could dabble into anything for your desired Epic Past Life.

Gear:
Thinking anything that boosts Sonic Spell Power and Devotion Items and Evocation and Enchantment DCs.

"Caster items"

[sirgog]

I did 1-20-30-20-30 with the "Count of Monte Cristo" forum build and found it effective without being ridiculously strong.

I wasn't soloing EE at level but I could contribute to group runs. With better gear it would solo EE fine.

[Bacab]

Mr Sub-Optimal!

This build I think looks fun, but I am unsure how good/bad it would be.

20 Human Bard Warchanter

Feats

1. Power Attack
1. (Human) Cleave (Cleave speeds up lowbie leveling and is needed for LD stuff)
3. Completionist
6. Two Weapon Fighting
9. Improved Two Weapon Fighting (Once I hit level 9, I would swap from a Two Handed Weapon and start Dual-wielding)
12. Improved Critical Piercing (for Deathnips)
15. Greater Two Weapon Fighting
18. Empower Healing
21. Overwhelming Critical
24. Inspire Heroics
Unsure of other feats...not a lot of time spent at level 25+

Big thing on feats would be I would probably swap from Improved Crit Piercing to Slashing at Epic Levels. I would then swap from Deathnips to Handaxes and Battle Axes so that Headman's Chop would work.

This build would mainly run in Legendary Dreadnought, Fury of the Wild, Fatesinger depending on need.

A question, back in the day if you were not proficient, you would get a -4 to hit. They then changed it so that I think its a -25% in accuracy.
My point, if you do not have Oversized TWF, do you take similar penalties? Like can I go with 2 Battle Axes or does one need to be a Handaxe?

Oh yeah...stats and stuff...

STR 16 (level ups)
DEX 15
CON 14 (or higher if possible)
INT 10 or 12
WIS ??
CHR 16 but could lower to 14 if needed?

Skills
UMD, Perform, Heal, Jump, Balance, Spellcraft, Concentration

[gummolo]

If you are still going for a caster build, feat wise, my advice is to drop empower and empower healing and take the two spell penetration feats. Have good DC but fail SR check is very discouraging. Plus, bard only having access to lvl 6 spelling,so already 3 points down on SP. Just my 2 cents

[Bacab]

I did 1-20-30-20-30 with the "Count of Monte Cristo" forum build and found it effective without being ridiculously strong.

I wasn't soloing EE at level but I could contribute to group runs. With better gear it would solo EE fine.

First off, Heyas man!

Everytime I see ya on here, I want to TR into a WF FVS!

I did a variant of the Count, I took T5 Warchanter instead of T5 Swashbuckler, but yeah I really liked it a ton.

1-20-30-20-30 on mine. I just liked the Freezy Move thing too much.

I agree, for some EEs I could solo, and some just spanked me. If I could Invis and Fascinate, I could whittle stuff down no problem. When a bunch of mobs attacked me, it roughed me up really bad.

[cru121]

If you are still going for a caster build, feat wise, my advice is to drop empower and empower healing and take the two spell penetration feats. Have good DC but fail SR check is very discouraging. Plus, bard only having access to lvl 6 spelling,so already 3 points down on SP. Just my 2 cents

Sorry but this is abysmal advice, at least in heroics. You want to have the metas so that you can fire all those tasty sonic SLAs.

Regarding the spellsinger build posted by OP, consider adding Quicken a bit earlier. Ideally at level 3 or 6.

[Bacab]

If you are still going for a caster build, feat wise, my advice is to drop empower and empower healing and take the two spell penetration feats. Have good DC but fail SR check is very discouraging. Plus, bard only having access to lvl 6 spelling,so already 3 points down on SP. Just my 2 cents

Very good point. I do have 2 Wizard Past lives and 1 Favored Soul Past life. So that helps a lot...

But if I can fit in just 1 Spell Pen, I can then get an additional +3 from Magistar and another +3 from Draconic.

I suppose I could use my Feat swap at level 20 and drop Empower for Spell Penetration then.

I think Empower and Maximize are just too helpful at low level SLA leveling.

[Bacab]

Sorry but this is abysmal advice, at least in heroics. You want to have the metas so that you can fire all those tasty sonic SLAs.

Regarding the spellsinger build posted by OP, consider adding Quicken a bit earlier. Ideally at level 3 or 6.

Yeah I wrote my response before I saw what you said.

He does have a point about at least 1 Spell Pen feat.

I didn't even think about Quicken for my SLAs, just every spellcaster that gets disco ball...I want quicken lol.

I could easily move the Spell Focus feats down and PL WIZ. Quicken at level 6 would be easy. Maybe even level 3 and put off completionist to level 6. Either way that is like maybe 3 hours of game play? (level 3 to 6)

[Avantasian]

10 bard 8 fighter 2 rogue. Tier 5 in kensei, grab the buckler enhancement in swashbuckler and the 20% hp enhancement in the stalwart defender tree. Use a handaxe. As for race, go human or PDK for the feat and the damage action boost.

[peng]

Spellsinger: 20 Human Bard

Feats
1.Maximize
1. (Human) Empower
3. Completionist
6. PL Wizard (+1 all DCs)
9. Spell Focus Enchantment
12. Greater Spell Focus Enchantment
15. Quicken
18. Empower Healing
21. I would take those relevant Epic Spellcasting feats

Stats...
Max CHR and level ups into it.
Get CON around 16
Other stats I wouldn't think would matter that much...

Skill points are obvious...
UMD, Perform, Spellcraft, Heal, Jump, Balance etc

My enhancements would mainly be in Spellsinger. The more AP spent in Spellsinger, the more Spell Power.
Maybe get 7 AP into Swashbuckler for more songs and movement speed...maybe 8 points for Swashbuckling for when swatting things...
Maybe 3 AP into Human for Healing Amp.

For Epic Destinies, I would mainly be in Magistar or Fatesinger.

I suppose when doing super easy content (Epic Normal/Hard XP Runs), you could dabble into anything for your desired Epic Past Life.

Gear:
Thinking anything that boosts Sonic Spell Power and Devotion Items and Evocation and Enchantment DCs.

"Caster items"

If going caster, I would keep maximize and empower, but drop empower healing. The exalted bard (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/445520-Exalted-Bard?p=5869407&viewfull=1#post5869407) is a pretty good example of a caster bard build. I might drop force of personality (if you can live without it) for completionist or past life wizard. For your 4 epic feats, your choices are pretty much Epic Spell Penetration, Intensify, Burst of Glacial Wrath, Ruin, Greater Ruin, and Inspire Excellence. For enhancements, I'd recommend t5 and capstone in spellsinger, and enough swashbuckler to get runspeed. If you go deep enough into warchanter, you can get some PRR and medium armor for even more PRR. Exalted angel would be your main epic destiny. Good twists include energy burst, spell pen, evocation dc, charisma (if odd), primal scream, and cocoon.

[CrackedIce]

10 bard 8 fighter 2 rogue. Tier 5 in kensei, grab the buckler enhancement in swashbuckler and the 20% hp enhancement in the stalwart defender tree. Use a handaxe. As for race, go human or PDK for the feat and the damage action boost.

Or 6 fighter 4 Rogue, and 10 bard. You exchange last two levels of fighter so you can take killer enhancement for extra double-strikes. Of course, that does diminish AP spent in Swashbuckler just to the essentials: you are stuck trading between 11+ in swash for 6+ in stalwart, though.

[Bacab]

Just going to do my Warchanter/Swashbuckler build.

Human 20 Bard...

CHR maxed, level ups into that.

Going to use different tack etc.

Going to take Warchanter Captstone and Tier 5s.

I will fit in as much Swashbuckler as I can.

Main things I have...

Old named Sickles with the 18-20 Crit Range (Sypheros, Tharkuul's, Widowblight)

I did have a question, is a Razorend (Tome of Untold Legends Short Sword) worth making? I have like 5 of 8 of those Tome Pages. I can farm up a whole set, or just look to spend some plat.

I understand that it already has Keen on it, so it wont need Improved Crit.

With that being said, I generally swap from Improved Crit Slashing to Crit at around level 21. From there I use the Drow Weaponmaster Shortsword then a Thunderforged one. I ran my first Legendary Shroud last night. Thinking I may make a Greensteel Short Sword? Iono.

I will list my feat breakdown later, gotta head to work!

BTW if anyone has any advice, please give it! Especially in regards to Epic Content!

[Bacab]

Stats...These aren't exact

STR 13
DEX 14
CON 14 or 16ish
INT 12
WIS 12?
CHR 18 +Level ups

Feats
1 Single Weapon Fighting
1 Power Attack
3 Cleave
6 Completionist
9 Improved Single Weapon Fighting
12 Imrpoved Critical (either slashing for named sickles, or Piercing for Short Swords, have considered using the Axe of the Unseen Blow as well)
15 Greater Single Weapon Fighting
18 Quicken or Empowered Heal?
21 Overwhelming Critical
24 ?
27 ?
30 ?

AP...

Will take Warchanter Capstone and Tier 5s
Will have a lot of Swashbuckler
Probably 3 AP into Human for Healing amp...but I may not...iono yet.

I will report back as I level this how it does.
I do think Precision is great btw...I just went with Power Attack and Cleave so that I can play this in LD better. This may not be optimal though...

[Thoden]

I like Razorend, for a couple of reasons: If you go PDK (and you should for a Warchanter CHA build), you can get charisma to hit AND damage (only with certain weapons though Bastard Sword, Short Sword, Greatsword, and maybe (?) Longsword), which is great for stat consolidation AND you get tactical bonuses to your freezing ice (this all comes from super-cheap and easy T1 Cormyrean Knight Training). Short Sword is a fine swashie weapon, and when you get to 23 you can use a Celestia (which is a shortsword that acts like a bastard sword).

I didn't see whether or not you had Iconics, but I assume since you spent money on Lesser Reincarnates, you have the cash for VIP (or outright purchase).

On another note, if you ever do a thrower build of any kind (for future lives), you can use Razorend in your off hand and get tendon slice on your thrown weapon (and who doesn't want a 10% chance per shot[/I] to slow targets?).

Statwise, I would dump Wisdom, and keep CON at 16. If you can squeeze a few more points for INT, you can use Know the Angles from the Harper tree to get bonus damage from your Intelligence.

[minorpenthes]

10 bard 8 fighter 2 rogue. Tier 5 in kensei, grab the buckler enhancement in swashbuckler and the 20% hp enhancement in the stalwart defender tree. Use a handaxe. As for race, go human or PDK for the feat and the damage action boost.
Why handaxe?

[cru121]

handaxes and lightpicks are the only weapons that can stack critical threat increase from Swashbuckling and critical multiplier increase from Kensai third core.

[Bacab]

Why handaxe?

I also really like headman chop

[Thoden]

I prefer Handaxes as well, but he asked about Razorend, so I gave him some suggestions in that light.

[Bacab]

I like Razorend, for a couple of reasons: If you go PDK (and you should for a Warchanter CHA build), you can get charisma to hit AND damage (only with certain weapons though Bastard Sword, Short Sword, Greatsword, and maybe (?) Longsword), which is great for stat consolidation AND you get tactical bonuses to your freezing ice (this all comes from super-cheap and easy T1 Cormyrean Knight Training). Short Sword is a fine swashie weapon, and when you get to 23 you can use a Celestia (which is a shortsword that acts like a bastard sword).

I didn't see whether or not you had Iconics, but I assume since you spent money on Lesser Reincarnates, you have the cash for VIP (or outright purchase).

On another note, if you ever do a thrower build of any kind (for future lives), you can use Razorend in your off hand and get tendon slice on your thrown weapon (and who doesn't want a 10% chance per shot[/I] to slow targets?).

Statwise, I would dump Wisdom, and keep CON at 16. If you can squeeze a few more points for INT, you can use Know the Angles from the Harper tree to get bonus damage from your Intelligence.

I didn't know about the throwing and off hand thing. That is a really good point.

Yeah I have the Iconics except, BF...really want to get it on sale, but if my BF TRs start coming up, I will buy it at full price.

For now, I am on a Cleric build and having fun. Planning on 2 ETRs if not 3? Almost level 29 now, so it had gone pretty fast.

[N-0cturn]

I can give you some advice regarding a TWF Warchanter build, since I played one which I considered a lot of fun.

What I did was 18 Bard / 1 Artificer / 1 Barbarian, Intelligence based and most enhancement point in Harper and Warchanter.

I think the feat were:

1:Insightful Reflexes (Human), Maximize
3: Power Attack
6: Cleave
9: TWF
12: iCritical
15: iTWF
18: gTWF
21: Quicken
24: Inspire Excellence

At some point I swapped Cleave for Khopesh Proficiency and Power Attack for Precision. I think it was when I wanted to use my thunderforged weapons.

Stats should habe been something like this:

Str: 12
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Wis: 8
Int: 16
Cha: 16



Reason for the splits:

Artificer: Traps, Spellpoints (Quite a few since it gives Magical Training and Bonus Spellpoints from Intelligence which is maxed), Ranged Option with a heavy Repeater (a point that I considered minor before playing the build but was one of the major fun factors. Int to damage and to hit from Harper alone make a heavy repeater into quite a decent weapon and the build even has conjure bolts as a spell)

Barb: Mostly the run Speed, but the first Ravager enhancements are quite good as well. Barbarian Power Attack help in the early levels when you run around Cleaving with THF and the first core is basically +5 damage when you have enough attack speed with TWF later on.

I just loved the versatility of the build. Traps, Freeze and Song CC, Solid Melee DPS with a decent ranged option when it is needed and the run speed can be quite ridiculous.