My attempt at a trapping Bard with focus on Crit Multipliers

[Bullytt]

This is my first go with the builder and it stopped me making a few mistakes.. but here we go.

Bit reliant on fascinate for CC for a long time which could probably be improved by switching the class level order around.

Would appreciate your thoughts:

New Build
12/6/2 Bard/Fighter/Rogue
True Neutral Drow


Level Order

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


Stats
. . . . . . . .32pt . . Tome . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . 12. . . .+5. . . .4: CHA
Dexterity . . . 16. . . .+5. . . .8: CHA
Constitution. . 12. . . .+5. . . 12: CHA
Intelligence. . 16. . . .+5. . . 16: CHA
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . .+5. . . 20: CHA
Charisma. . . . 18. . . .+5. . .


Skills
. . . . . R .B .B .B .F. R .F. F .F. F .F. 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
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Disable . 4 .1 .1 .1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 . . 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 22
Open Lo . 4 .½ .1½ 1. . .1. 1 .1. 1 . . 1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .21
UMD . . . 4 .1 .1 . . . .3. . . . . . . . .2 .2 .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .21
Perform . 2 .3 .1 . . 1 . . 1 .1. ½ . . ½ .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .19
Search. . 4 . . ½. 1½ . .3. ½ .½. . . . . .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .19
Spot. . . 4 . . ½. 1½ . .3. . . . . . . 1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .19
Spellcr . 2 .3 .1 . . . . . . . . 1 .1. 1 . . . . . 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 15
Balance . 4 . . . . . 1 .1. . . . . .1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Jump. . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Diplo . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Listen. . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Tumble. . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .44 10 10 10. 6 12 .7. 7 .7. 7 .7 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11


Feats

.1. . . . : Single Weapon Fighting
.3. . . . : Completionist
.5 Fighter: Shield Mastery
.6. . . . : Force of Personality
.7 Fighter: Knight's Training
.9. . . . : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
.9 Fighter: Weapon Focus: Slashing
11 Fighter: Dodge
12. . . . : Improved Critical: Slashing
15. . . . : Greater Single Weapon Fighting
18. . . . : Improved Shield Mastery


Spells

Sonic Blast (2), Focusing Chant (3), Expeditious Retreat (4), Detect Secret Doors (13)
Blur (12), Cure Moderate Wounds (12), Heroism (13), Hypnotic Pattern (15)
Cure Serious Wounds (15), Displacement (15), Haste (16), Good Hope (18)
Dimension Door (18), Otto's Sphere of Dancing (18), Cure Critical Wounds (19)

Leveling Guide Dro0 Spell Resistance; Hrp0 Agent of Good I; Hrp1 Traveler's Toughness I; Hrp1 Strategic Combat
Swa0 Confidence; Swa1 Tavern Shanties I; Swa1 On Your Toes I, II
Swa1 On Your Toes III; Swa2 Deflect Arrows
Swa2 Sword Dance I, II
Swa2 Sword Dance III; Swa3 Skirmisher; Swa3 Two Steps Ahead
War0 Skaldic: Constitution; War1 Enchant Weapon; Ken0 Kensei Focus: Light Blades
Ken1 Weapon Group Specialization; Ken1 Exotic Weapon Mastery
Ken0 Spiritual Bond; War1 Rough and Ready I, II, III
War2 Iced Edges I, II, III; War1 Poetic Edda I
War3 Charisma; War3 Frozen Fury I, II
War3 Frozen Fury III; Ken2 Improved Dodge I, II, III
Ken1 Reed in the Wind I; Ken0 Strike with No Thought; Ken1 Reed in the Wind II, III
War3 High Spirits I, II, III; War3 Ironskin Chant I
War3 Ironskin Chant II, III; War4 Northwind I
War4 Northwind II, III
War4 Charisma; War4 Reckless Chant I; War5 Spinning Ice I
War5 Spinning Ice II, III; War5 Kingly Recovery I, II
War5 Kingly Recovery III; War5 Howl of the North; War5 Chant of Power I
War5 Chant of Power II, III; War4 Reckless Chant II, III
Enhancements (81+1 of 80+1 AP) Errors

Warchanter (43 AP) Skaldic: Constitution Poetic Edda I, Enchant Weapon, Rough and Ready III
Iced Edges III
Ironskin Chant III, High Spirits III, Frozen Fury III, Charisma
Reckless Chant III, Northwind III, Charisma
Chant of Power III, Howl of the North, Spinning Ice III, Kingly Recovery III
Swashbuckler (16 AP) Confidence On Your Toes III, Tavern Shanties I
Deflect Arrows, Sword Dance III
Skirmisher, Two Steps Ahead
Kensei (13 AP) Kensei Focus: Light Blades, Spiritual Bond, Strike with No Thought Weapon Group Specialization, Exotic Weapon Mastery, Reed in the Wind III
Improved Dodge III
Harper Agent (9 AP) Agent of Good I Traveler's Toughness III, Strategic Combat
Know the Angles III
Drow (1 AP) Spell Resistance


Thanks for any input

Ast

[Enoach]

What I would bring up is when you are taking the 2nd Rogue Level

Taking it at level 6 means you won't benefit from the Even Int that a +4 tome would bring you to. I would recommend taking it at 9 or 11 if the +5 tome brings you to an even number.

This will help maximize your skill points and should come out in your favor.

[peng]

You can get a better crit profile than Kensei core 3 with Knight's training.

Kensei core 3 with Swashbuckling and handaxe: 15-20/x4

Kensei core 3 with Swashbuckling and light pick: 17-20/x5

Swashbuckling with Swords to Plowshares and sickle or kama: 14-20/x3

Kensei core 3 with Knight's Training and a longsword or battleaxe: 17-20/x4

[Fivetigers33]

You can't swashbuckle with any of the weapons that benefit from Knight's Training, which means you can't use a buckler while SWF with a Knight's Training weapon. And as Peng pointed out, hand axe + Swashbuckling + Strike With No Thought is going to be better than anything Knight's Training can do.

[PrinceOfAsphodel]

I can't figure out if you're Charisma based or Intelligence based. Are you trying to max both?

[Bullytt]

Hi

Going for INT to hit and damage, but enough Cha that fascinate is effective (and later freezes)

There is a bit of me that says drop rogue and go full Cha to hit Cha damage through the Fey tree. - someone must have done a Bard Kensei Fey build recently?

Any recommendations for a replacement to Knights Training?

Thanks,

Ast

[PrinceOfAsphodel]

Hi

Going for INT to hit and damage, but enough Cha that fascinate is effective (and later freezes)

There is a bit of me that says drop rogue and go full Cha to hit Cha damage through the Fey tree. - someone must have done a Bard Kensei Fey build recently?

Any recommendations for a replacement to Knights Training?

Thanks,

Ast

Ok, I have yet to play a build with both Kensei and Fey for Charisma yet. It's near the top of my to-do list. I've been using an Intelligence based trapper Bard (15/3/2) this life with a slight splash in Charisma whenever I can fit it in my item set, just for Perform skill. I don't think it's super realistic to try and be Intelligence based while still having a Charisma stat so high that freeze DCs still work in reaper. I actually think the better build is going in the opposite direction and being Charisma based for freezes while slotting or swapping Intelligence + trapping items. This way you still keep rogue levels for evasion and trapping but you're still using the superior Bard stat, Charisma. I just heard from someone earlier this week that they've had success with this idea even in high reaper. The guy said he just swapped into a Keylock Ring with an Intelligence augment and that was often enough. Go figure.

As far as a replacement for Knight's Training, Precision is the missing feat that stands out the most to me. The extra to-hit chance is nice and for a build with Swashbuckling that relies a lot on criticals for dps, the higher your fortification bypass is, the better off you'll be. Plus it can be on at the same time as Swashbuckling and Stalwart Defense (if you choose to use that). It requires a Dexterity of 13 so I like to take get my Dex to 12 at character creation and let my tome take me over. Swashbucklers should have decent Dexterity stats anyway, especially if you're going Rogue for Evasion, so this shouldn't be a problem.

[Bullytt]

Ok, I have yet to play a build with both Kensei and Fey for Charisma yet. It's near the top of my to-do list. I've been using an Intelligence based trapper Bard (15/3/2) this life with a slight splash in Charisma whenever I can fit it in my item set, just for Perform skill. I don't think it's super realistic to try and be Intelligence based while still having a Charisma stat so high that freeze DCs still work in reaper. I actually think the better build is going in the opposite direction and being Charisma based for freezes while slotting or swapping Intelligence + trapping items. This way you still keep rogue levels for evasion and trapping but you're still using the superior Bard stat, Charisma. I just heard from someone earlier this week that they've had success with this idea even in high reaper. The guy said he just swapped into a Keylock Ring with an Intelligence augment and that was often enough. Go figure.

As far as a replacement for Knight's Training, Precision is the missing feat that stands out the most to me. The extra to-hit chance is nice and for a build with Swashbuckling that relies a lot on criticals for dps, the higher your fortification bypass is, the better off you'll be. Plus it can be on at the same time as Swashbuckling and Stalwart Defense (if you choose to use that). It requires a Dexterity of 13 so I like to take get my Dex to 12 at character creation and let my tome take me over. Swashbucklers should have decent Dexterity stats anyway, especially if you're going Rogue for Evasion, so this shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for that..of course Precision :/

It does seem then if I gear right for trapping I can go with more Cha and use the Fey tree for Cha to Hit/Damage instead of dipping into harper - which would also give some extra CC early in the build for Greater Pretty Rainbow

Builder I used doesnt have Fey in there yet.. so this might be a suck it and see but it is quite exciting!

and I get a cat.