Need Help Optimizing my Barty for my Static Group

[Failedlegend]

To start I'll say since I started playing in a static group it's become about 80% of my play time partly because playing alone sucks but mostly because no one cares if you bring a Cleric10/Wizard10 as long as you have fun and your not a jerk . I say this because I know daring to make a Bard have less than 15 Lvls will get alot of negative feedback and I'd like to avoid that in favor of optimizing the build I want to play.

That said the Arty levels are taken early to get Insightful Damage, Endless Fusillade and Elemental weapons ASAP, also the skills fit easier with less cross-classes than by level 8 I'll have 22 Int (18+2 tome+2 lvls) making the extra cross-class skills less of an issue.

This builds focus will be buffing and repeater damage, the rune arm is mostly ignored (mainly because I always forget to use it anyways although can't complain about the extra equipment slot) and the construct will solely be used to pull levers and smash boxes as well as some roleplaying stuff you guys won't care about.

ED wise I'll most likely go Shadowdancer for better damage, Evasion, trap skills boost, threat reduction,etc...but I'm open to suggestion.


Question though...how important is Charisma to a buffer bard?

So without further adieu here's the build.

Skezid Mudbuffer Halfling Bard14/Arty6 (Spellsinger2/BattleEngineer1)

Str 8
Dex 18 (+3 Tome = 21 = Combat Archery)
Con 10
Int 18 (lvl ups here)
Wis 8
Cha 10

Skills:  DD, Search, UMD, Perform, Spot, OL, Concentration (In order of importance)

Lvl Order: Arty 1, Bard 2, Arty 2 - 7, Bard 8 - 20

1 Point Blank Shot
3 Precise Shot
5A SF: UMD (Swap to Maximize at higher levels)
6 Extend
9 Rapid Shot
12 IC: Ranged
15 Toughness
18 Improved Precise Shot
ED Shadowdancer
21 Combat Archery or Empower
24 Empower or Combat Archery

Spells (at 20)
Bard
1 DSD, Focusing Chant, Exp-Retreat, Feather Fall
2 Rage, Blur, Invisibility, CMW
3 Displace, Haste, Crushing Despair, Charm Monster
4 FoM, DD, CCW, Otto's Sphere
5 Greater Heroism, Shadow Walk, CLW (Mass)

Arty
1 Conjure Bolts, Resist Energy, Enchant Armor
2 Elemental Weapons, CMW (Mass Potion)
3 Insightful Damage

[Lonnbeimnech]

Question though...how important is Charisma to a buffer bard?
[/CODE]

It's not, dump it.

Max int, have enough dex to pick up IPS at 15 and enough con to not die

Artis get a free feat at level 8, worth considering a 12/8 split. But that means no mass cure light and using scrolls for GH, not a huge loss imo.

[Failedlegend]

It's not, dump it.

Max int, have enough dex to pick up IPS at 15 and enough con to not die

Artis get a free feat at level 8, worth considering a 12/8 split. But that means no mass cure light and using scrolls for GH, not a huge loss imo.

IPS is taken at 18 due to BAB requirement and the reason for 14 bard instead of 12 is the better Inspire Courage

[unbongwah]

Has Combat Archery been fixed yet? Last time I checked, it still wasn't providing the correct +1[W] bonus.

[Failedlegend]

Has Combat Archery been fixed yet? Last time I checked, it still wasn't providing the correct +1[W] bonus.

No idea but it will be a LONG time until we hit epic lvls so hopefully by than it will be fixed, if not ill just take something else if only temporarily

[Failedlegend]

Another question does anyone know how the Curative Admixture Healing Spells (ie. Curative Admixture: CMW) interact with your Arty Level, Spell Power, Maximize,Artificer Knowledge: Potions, etc.?