Ranged Bard

[jillora]

Does anyone know a good ranged bard build that focuses on healing and crowd control?

We are starting a static group and going for the whole roles thing and no one wants to do cc or ranged, so I'll do it and combine the two plus do backup healing in a pinch. I know I could do full ranger for cc and use paralyzing arrows for cc and the healing that comes with it, but I'd also like to do buffs. Honestly, we have enough dps in the group so ranged damage isn't that important. The ranged is just to pull enemies and shoot arrows at stuff when needed.

Plus i reckon I can find more ways to improve my enchantment dc with bard so the paralyzing arrows work reliably. Anyone have a build so I don't need to think?

[Maelphistez]

We have a Reaper static group that runs between 4 - 7 skulls. Our principal CC is a 1/2Elf Bard Spellsinger. Between the Elf AA tree and Bard CC, he does a great job of charms/holds/fascinate for mass CC, then swaps to Para arrows to lock down any mobs that are running loose. I'd highly suggest you go that route as it is very effective.

[jillora]

We have a Reaper static group that runs between 4 - 7 skulls. Our principal CC is a 1/2Elf Bard Spellsinger. Between the Elf AA tree and Bard CC, he does a great job of charms/holds/fascinate for mass CC, then swaps to Para arrows to lock down any mobs that are running loose. I'd highly suggest you go that route as it is very effective.
I like that better. I just finished making a build using the character planner and somehow messed it up, I was going for 11rgr and 9brd. Oh well. Now trying out an elven aa, means giving up the halfling dm, but that's all good.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 4.36.102
DDO Character Planner Home Page https://github.com/DDOCharPlanner/DDOCharPlannerV4/releases

Kaybee Kells
Level 20 Neutral Good Halfling Female
(12 Ranger / 8 Bard)
Hit Points: 224
Spell Points: 407

BAB: 18/18/23/28/28
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 27
Will: 15

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 20)
Strength 10 10
Dexterity 20 30
Constitution 14 15
Intelligence 8 8
Wisdom 14 14
Charisma 8 8

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Skill Ranks Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 20)
Balance 0 10
Bluff 0 -1
Concentration 0 3
Diplomacy 0 3
Disable Device n/a n/a
Haggle 0 -1
Heal 0 7
Hide 4 14
Intimidate 0 -1
Jump 2 2
Listen 2 5
Move Silently 2 12
Open Lock n/a n/a
Perform n/a n/a
Repair 0 -1
Search 0 -1
Spellcraft 0 -1
Spot 0 2
Swim 0 0
Tumble n/a n/a
Use Magic Device n/a n/a

Level 1 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot
Enhancement: Halfling - Halfling Luck (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Arcane Archer (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Far Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Increased Empathy (Rank 1)

Level 2 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Conjure Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Corrosive Arrows (Rank 1)

Level 3 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Least Dragonmark of Healing
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Increased Empathy (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Spellsinger (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Lingering Songs (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Lingering Songs (Rank 2)

Level 4 (Bard)
Enhancement: Halfling - Jorasco Dragonmark Focus (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Favored Protection (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Increased Empathy (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Improved Weapon Finesse (Rank 1)

Level 5 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Halfling - Jorasco Dragonmark Focus (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Morphic Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Empathic Healing (Rank 1)

Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Precision
Enhancement: Halfling - Dexterity (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Halfling - Lesseer Dragonmark of Healing (Rank 1)

Level 7 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant
Enhancement: Halfling - Halfling Luck (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Halfling - Jorasco Dragonmark Focus (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Elemental Damage (Rank 1)

Level 8 (Bard)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Force Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Empathic Healing (Rank 2)

Level 9 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Maximize Spell
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Music of the Sewers (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Lingering Songs (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Charlatan (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warchanter (Brd) - Skaldic Constitution (Rank 1)

Level 10 (Bard)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Terror Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Dexterity (Rank 1)

Level 11 (Bard)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Force Arrows (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Force Arrows (Rank 3)

Level 12 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Elemental Damage (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Paralyzing Arrows (Rank 1)

Level 13 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Aimed Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Dexterity (Rank 1)

Level 14 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Metalline Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Banishing Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Dexterity (Rank 1)

Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Enchantment
Enhancement: Halfling - Dexterity (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Halfling - Greater Dragonmark of Healing (Rank 1)

Level 16 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Elemental
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Inferno Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Inferno Shot (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Elemental Damage (Rank 1)

Level 17 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Arrow of Slaying (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Final Strike (Rank 1)

Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Aligned Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Favored Hunter (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Favored Hunter (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Favored Hunter (Rank 3)

Level 19 (Bard)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Runebow (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Yellow Marigold Crown (Rank 1)

Level 20 (Bard)
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Flicker (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Wand and Scroll Mastery (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Spellsinger (Brd) - Spell Song Trance (Rank 1)

[BandVP]

Kaybee Kells
Level 20 Neutral Good Halfling Female
(12 Ranger / 8 Bard)
Hit Points: 224
Spell Points: 407




The HP points is really low. You will die alot xD

[psykopeta]

Kaybee Kells
Level 20 Neutral Good Halfling Female
(12 Ranger / 8 Bard)
Hit Points: 224
Spell Points: 407




The HP points is really low. You will die alot xD

that's without gear, same as sp is low

to the OP, i think the suggestion is going pure bard enchant focused(which boosts your paralizing arrows) and just takr the arrows from racial, i mean, spellsingers rock cc'ing in reaper, grabbing 8 lvls wouldn't be very good with bard thingies, CC, heal nor buffs, you would be most time busy so bow would be for ocasional pewpewing

[Sgt_Hart]

Does anyone know a good ranged bard build that focuses on healing and crowd control?

We are starting a static group and going for the whole roles thing and no one wants to do cc or ranged, so I'll do it and combine the two plus do backup healing in a pinch. I know I could do full ranger for cc and use paralyzing arrows for cc and the healing that comes with it, but I'd also like to do buffs. Honestly, we have enough dps in the group so ranged damage isn't that important. The ranged is just to pull enemies and shoot arrows at stuff when needed.

Plus i reckon I can find more ways to improve my enchantment dc with bard so the paralyzing arrows work reliably. Anyone have a build so I don't need to think?

Notes: Bard CC is Heavily focused on fascinate(remember that hitting fascinated things can and eventually will break fascinate.), so get an Anthem item. While dong Regen is something I wanted, Via tree is necessitates 18 bard, and.. Not what I'm gonna plan for. I say the same of improved precise shot, but you can easily shuffle around starting dex/wis and a couple level up points to get it, if you wish. Indeed! Wis is highest, it's going zen archery for wisdom as DC/Damage with para arrows, which explains: Twists of fate, Marigold crown, Banishing/Smiting arrows(Each of those is 1 moar DC), and the spell focus feats.

Frankly, using Bard songs to fascinate things is one of their best uses, alongside sustaining song. Fasciante also explains the max points into perform. Get an item for that too as it directly effects fascinate DC. I apologize that I didn't bother to tabulate enchantment DC as I went, but at 20+Wis mod+Ench DC, It's safe to say para arrows will not be insignificant.

Stay frosty is also selected as a shiradi stance, for it's slow effect. I'd highly recommend a Shimmering (crippling) arrowhead out of weapon shipment in amrath as well, and potentially a LGS Salt bow if planning to play into the later epic levels. A (Slavelords) Wis/Wis/Spell focus mastery/Accuracy item would also be useful, but you can probably get away with grabbing the new ring(Chieftan) outta Tethy Mines.

I personally also like a Dex/Dex/Tendon slice/Armor Pierc Item as well. You are still using Dexterity to hit. It is still lower than "ALL OF IT" hence, the ranks into Awareness, If you can't hit, Paralyze arrows autofail. As the saying goes "You can’t miss fast enough to win."

You'll also note CC spell selection is lacking, this is augment at 20+ with Soundburst(Which will use Wis for DC), Whistler, Pin, Stay frosty, and nerve venom.

Yes, it's a painful amount of EpiDes grinding on a new first life, Blame Turbine/SSG for never learning Account-wide-grinds are preferable to Forever-grinds on a per character basis.


Test Case
14/6 Bard/Ranger
Chaotic Good Elf


Level Order

1. Bard 6. Ranger 11. Bard 16. Bard
2. Ranger 7. Ranger 12. Bard 17. Bard
3. Ranger 8. Bard 13. Bard 18. Bard
4. Ranger 9. Bard 14. Bard 19. Bard
5. Ranger 10. Bard 15. Bard 20. Bard


Stats
28pt 32pt Level Up
---- ---- --------
Strength 8 8 4: WIS
Dexterity 15 16 8: WIS
Constitution 12 13 12: WIS
Intelligence 10 11 16: WIS
Wisdom 17 17 20: WIS
Charisma 10 10 24: WIS
28: WIS

Skills
B R R R R R R B B B B B B B B B B B B B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
------------------------------------------------------------
Perform 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 23
UMD 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 23
Heal 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 22
Spot 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20
Listen 4 4
Jump 4 4
------------------------------------------------------------
24 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6


Feats

1 : Point Blank Shot
2 Ranger : Favored Enemy: Undead
3 : Zen Archery
6 : Precision
6 Ranger : Favored Enemy: Construct
9 : Weapon Focus: Ranged
12 : Improved Critical: Ranged
15 : Spell Focus: Enchantment
18 : Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
21 Epic : Overwhelming Critical
24 Epic : Great Ability: Wisdom
26 Destiny: Lasting Inspiration
27 Epic : Blinding Speed
28 Destiny: Doubleshot
29 Destiny: Harbinger of Chaos
30 Epic : Great Ability: Wisdom
30 Legend : Scion of: Feywild


Spells

Bard

Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Grease, Remove Fear
Blur, Rage, Invisibility, Summon Monster II
Good Hope, Haste, Dispel Magic, Cure Serious Wounds
Dimension Door, Cure Critical Wounds, Freedom of Movement, Shout
Greater Heroism, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Greater Dispel Magic


Ranger

Jump, Ram's Might



Enhancements (80 AP)

Elf-Arcane Archer (42 AP)

Arcane Archer, Morphic Arrows, Metalline Arrows, Aligned Arrows, Shadow Arrows, Mystical Archer

Conjure Arrows, Energy of the Wild III, Corrosive Arrows, Awareness III
Force Arrows III, Elemental Damage
Terror Arrows, Elemental Damage, Wisdom
Banishing Arrows, Paralyzing Arrows, Smiting Arrows, Wisdom
Arrow of Slaying, Final Strike, Runebow



Spellsinger (22 AP)

Spellsinger

Studies: Musical III, Lingering Songs III
Sharp Note III, Flicker III, Wand and Scroll Mastery III, Marigold Crown: Yellow
Charisma
Sustaining Song



Elf (15 AP)

Elven Accuracy, Elven Dexterity

Aerenal Weapon Training
Aerenal Weapon Training, Arcanum II
Arcane Archer



Deepwood Stalker (1 AP)

Far Shot


Leveling Guide

Elf0 Elven Accuracy; Elf1 Aerenal Weapon Training; Spl0 Spellsinger
Spl1 Lingering Songs I, II, III; DS0 Far Shot
Spl1 Studies: Musical I, II, III; (Bank 1 AP)
Elf0 Elven Dexterity; Elf2 Arcanum I
Elf2 Aerenal Weapon Training; Elf2 Arcanum II
Elf3 Arcane Archer; eAA0 Arcane Archer
eAA1 Conjure Arrows; eAA1 Energy of the Wild I, II
eAA1 Energy of the Wild III; eAA1 Awareness I, II, III
Spl2 Flicker I, II, III; Spl2 Wand and Scroll Mastery I
Spl2 Wand and Scroll Mastery II, III; eAA2 Force Arrows I
eAA2 Force Arrows II, III
eAA3 Terror Arrows; eAA3 Wisdom
eAA1 Corrosive Arrows; eAA4 Paralyzing Arrows
eAA4 Wisdom; eAA0 Morphic Arrows; eAA0 Metalline Arrows
eAA0 Aligned Arrows; eAA4 Smiting Arrows; eAA4 Banishing Arrows
eAA5 Final Strike; eAA5 Arrow of Slaying
eAA5 Runebow; eAA2 Elemental Damage
eAA3 Elemental Damage; Spl2 Marigold Crown: Yellow; Spl2 Sharp Note I
Spl2 Sharp Note II, III; Spl3 Charisma
Spl4 Sustaining Song
(Bank AP)
eAA0 Shadow Arrows
(Bank AP)
(Bank AP)
eAA0 Mystical Archer



Destiny (24 AP)

Shiradi Champion

Stay Frosty II, Healing Spring III, Illusion of Well Being I, Wisdom
Pin II, Wisdom
Otto's Whistler II, Wisdom
Wisdom
Track III, Nerve Venom III


Twists of Fate (15 fate points)

School Specialist: Enchantment (Tier 2 Magister)
Soundburst (Tier 2 Exalted)
Precise: Evocation (Tier 2 Draconic)



If properly employed, you've

gone into Advanced graphics and set Object Draw Distance to ultra high, as this controls the rendering of hostile monsters and you want to be the first to see them, hit them, and pull them in.
Actually do that.
Target whichever monster happens to be leading the pack.
Continuously re-target whichever monster happens to be leading the pack. (You want them to clump up.)
Train your friends to attack the paralyzed one. (Phrases like "Come on you morons, Green is safe, Smack the one in the green bubble." And "If it's standing there stupidly, not hurting anything, you can ignore it, it's safe." should probably not be used based on personal experience. Or at least not while the microphone is active.)
When they close to range with friendly forces, Fascinate.
It's now a game of Painting the active target with Paralyze arrows.
Feels like Running Ye Olde Vision of Destruction, doesn't it? (Anecdote: I rolled up Hartosong as a Bardcher for puppy charming when VoD was endgame, and one could capstone both Elven AA, and Bard spellsinger Tree.)

[unbongwah]

Kaybee Kells
Level 20 Neutral Good Halfling Female
(12 Ranger / 8 Bard)
Not to be too pedantic, but this isn't really a bard build; it's an archer who sacrifices the DPS from the last two rgr cores for a few bard goodies, like bonuses to Enchantment / Paralyzing DCs.

Which is fine if that's what you want, but it's not really what you said you wanted in your OP:

Does anyone know a good ranged bard build that focuses on healing and crowd control?

I know I could do full ranger for cc and use paralyzing arrows for cc and the healing that comes with it, but I'd also like to do buffs.
What's missing are the higher-lvl heals & buffs. So the first question is: how many bard lvls are necessary to acquire what you want?

http://ddowiki.com/page/Bard

Bard 15 is necessary if you want access to all bardsong buffs; that gets you Inspire Heroics plus access to Inspire Excellence epic feat. Then there's the question of which Cure spells you want: CCW is bard lvl 10; MCLW is bard lvl 13; MCMW is bard lvl 16; Heal from SS capstone requires pure bard.

Once you know which bard abilities you want, that establishes the minimum # of bard lvls you need, which in turn helps zero in on a more specific build. EDIT: it also establishes how many build resources you can afford to invest into archery.

[Grace_ana]

I'd probably do something like this:


Ranged Spellsinger
15/5 Bard/Ranger
True Neutral Human


Level Order

1. Ranger 6. Bard 11. Bard 16. Bard
2. Ranger 7. Bard 12. Bard 17. Bard
3. Ranger 8. Bard 13. Bard 18. Bard
4. Ranger 9. Bard 14. Bard 19. Bard
5. Ranger 10. Bard 15. Bard 20. Bard


Stats
32pt Level Up
---- --------
Strength 8 4: DEX
Dexterity 18 8: CHA
Constitution 14 12: CHA
Intelligence 8 16: CHA
Wisdom 8 20: CHA
Charisma 16 24: CHA
28: CHA

Skills
R R R R R B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
------------------------------------------------------------
Perform 2 ½ ½ ½ ½ 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 23
Spot 4 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 23
UMD 2 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 23
------------------------------------------------------------
12 3 3 3 3 6 6 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
24 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6


Feats

1 : Point Blank Shot
1 Human : Precision
1 Ranger : Favored Enemy: Elemental
3 : Dodge
5 Ranger : Favored Enemy: Undead
6 : Spell Focus: Enchantment
9 : Improved Critical: Ranged
12 : Manyshot
15 : Improved Precise Shot
18 : Quicken Spell
21 Epic : Overwhelming Critical
24 Epic : Spell Penetration
26 Destiny: Epic Spell Power: Sonic
27 Epic : Blinding Speed
28 Destiny: Doubleshot
29 Destiny: Deific Warding
30 Epic : Epic Reflexes
30 Legend : Scion of: Feywild


Spells

Bard Charm Person, Sleep, Focusing Chant, Merfolk's Blessing
Blur, Soundburst, Invisibility, Suggestion
Charm Monster, Deep Slumber, Displacement, Good Hope
Cure Critical Wounds, Dimension Door, Otto's Sphere of Dancing, Freedom of Movement
Greater Heroism, Mass Suggestion, Mind Fog
Ranger Jump

Enhancements (80 AP)

Spellsinger (51 AP) Spellsinger, Music of the Sewers, Music of the Dead, Music of the Makers Studies: Magical III, Lingering Songs I, Sonic Blast III
Suggestion III, Wand and Scroll Mastery III, Marigold Crown: Yellow
Shout III, Spell Song Trance, Charisma
Sustaining Song, Spell Penetration III, Song of Arcane Might, Charisma
Song of Capering, Advanced Studies: Magical III, Prodigy III, Spell Song Vigor, Mass Hold III
Arcane Archer (29 AP) Arcane Archer, Morphic Arrows Conjure Arrows, Energy of the Wild III, Corrosive Arrows
Force Arrows III, Inferno Shot III, Elemental Damage
Terror Arrows, Soul Magic, Wisdom
Paralyzing Arrows, Wisdom

Ranger first gets you the freebie feats you need for ranged. This is 32-point because I didn't want to assume past lives, but if you have more build points, tomes, etc. put them into wisdom, charisma, and constitution, probably in that order. Wisdom will affect your AA CC, charisma will affect your bard spells. Obviously you'd want gear for those three stats as well as probably dex for your to-hit. Spells are what I would take but not necessarily in order. I tossed in the skill points you'd need; anything else is what you think is important.

Human got you an extra feat, you could definitely shift points around to take some heal amp in the human tree. Elf doesn't get you anything because you already have access to the AA tree with ranger. If you wanted to go pure bard, you'd need AA, but it's more of a stretch unless you have past lives and tomes.

Also, I did this pretty quick, but I'm sure if there are errors or things I'm overlooking unbongwah will fix them :)