Finally a bard I really love to play!

[Rickpa]

Bard was a class I had given up on. I'd make a drow bard with 20 charisma, and 10s everywhere else, and by level 5 I was sick of being a 2nd rate caster, and a 4th rate everything-else.

I had a slot open after I deleted a level 15 paladin that was never really that much fun after level 10, and he was becoming even less fun. As an experiment, I decided to imagine a bard that played like an arcane paladin. I know they are the master race, but I just can't make myself play a dwarf. That's fine, because bards don't get to use axes as a class skill anyway, so all a dwarven bard really has over another race is constitution... and toughness enhancements. Bards do get long-sword, and rapier enhancements though... and that's exactly what a bard can use! So I didn't make the stock warchanter dorf. I made a warchanter elf!

As I have said before, I deleted my past bards at level 5. I made an elven warchanter bard, and like lightning, she's level 9! She has 1 damage enhancement, and 2 attack enhancements for longswords. Along with an inspire courage that gives a +5 to hit, and +4 to damage, and focusing chant, I can buff my to hit to 20 plus! I still keep the Good Hope on everyone, so when the songs expire, people still have something going. I do try to keep up on the songs though!

When I charted this build a month and a half ago, this is what it looked like:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 2.85
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Kandro
Level 16 True Neutral Elf Female
(16 Bard)
Hit Points: 132
Spell Points: 635
BAB: 12\12\17\22
Fortitude: 6
Reflex: 14
Will: 16

                 Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats         Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 16)           (Level 16)
Strength             15                 16                   16
Dexterity            16                 16                   18
Constitution         12                 12                   12
Intelligence         10                 10                   10
Wisdom                8                  8                    8
Charisma             16                 20                   23

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 1

                 Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills        Base Skills        Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 16)          (Level 16)
Balance               3                  4                    5
Bluff                 3                  6                    6
Concentration         1                 11                   12
Diplomacy             7                 25                   25
Disable Device        n/a               n/a                   n/a
Haggle                6                 25                   25
Heal                 -1                 -1                   -1
Hide                  7                 12                   12
Intimidate            3                  6                    6
Jump                  3                 10                   10
Listen                3                  3                    5
Move Silently         3                 12                   12
Open Lock             n/a               n/a                   n/a
Perform               7                 25                   25
Repair                0                  0                    0
Search                0                  0                    2
Spot                 -1                 -1                    1
Swim                  3                  3                    3
Tumble                4                  5                    5
Use Magic Device      7                 25                   25

Level 1 (Bard)
Skill: Diplomacy (+4)
Skill: Haggle (+3)
Skill: Hide (+4)
Skill: Listen (+4)
Skill: Perform (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Force of Personality
Spell (1): Hypnotism
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song I
Enhancement: Elf Melee Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music I

Level 2 (Bard)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+2)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (1): Master's Touch
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song I
Enhancement: Bard Balance I
Enhancement: Bard Charisma I

Level 3 (Bard)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
Spell (1): Charm Person
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Bravery I
Enhancement: Bard Wand Mastery I

Level 4 (Bard)
Ability Raise: CHA
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (2): Blur
Spell (2): Suggestion
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage I
Enhancement: Elf Melee Attack I
Enhancement: Bard Concentration I

Level 5 (Bard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (1): Otto's Resistable Dance
Spell (2): Hold Person
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music II

Level 6 (Bard)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Bravery II

Level 7 (Bard)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (2): Cure Moderate Wounds
Spell (3): Good Hope
Spell (3): Haste
Enhancement: Warchanter I

Level 8 (Bard)
Ability Raise: CHA
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (3): Crushing Despair
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song II
Enhancement: Bard Charisma II

Level 9 (Bard)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack II

Level 10 (Bard)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (3): Charm Monster
Spell (4): Otto's Sphere of Dancing
Spell (4): Hold Monster
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity II

Level 11 (Bard)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (4): Dimension Door
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage II
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song II

Level 12 (Bard)
Ability Raise: CHA
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons

Level 13 (Bard)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (4): Freedom of Movement
Spell (5): Greater Heroism
Spell (5): Mind Fog
Enhancement: Bard Charisma III

Level 14 (Bard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (5): Mass Suggestion
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack III

Level 15 (Bard)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Heighten Spell
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage III

Level 16 (Bard)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Spell (6): Cure Moderate Wounds, Mass
Spell (6): Otto's Irresistable Dance
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music III
Enhancement: Bard Wand Mastery II

[geezee]

Not a very strong build. Drow gets 2 more build points. Einer Mals's TWF spellsinger is much better at melee, and a little better at casting. If you are set on elf because you have a great longsword collection, you should take IC: slash instead of pierce.

[jarlaxle_dourden]

Bard was a class I had given up on. I'd make a drow bard with 20 charisma, and 10s everywhere else, and by level 5 I was sick of being a 2nd rate caster, and a 4th rate everything-else.

Glad you are having fun with it ...

I recently rolled up a warchanter dorf and I have to tell you ... it is a blast.

I have a rogue bard and a pure bard as well but this is a totally different playstyle.

I can believe how good the warchanter can be as a THF. Mine actually outkills my THF Fighter Dorf in the same quests.

Have fun with yours ...

[Aurochys]

I have a Drow Warchanter, perfect class for me as well. Able to self heal, buff the party, melee reasonably well, UMD, etc. Gives me plenty of options. Still not the best at any one thing though, but I can live with that. As a Drow, I am pretty squishy however. Just got him to GiantHold and I have to be very careful about drawing aggro.

Nothing ground breaking, at 11 I have:
1 - TWF
3 - WF:Pierce
6 - Power Attack
9 - ITWF
Imp Crit Pierce is planned next

Dwarf Warchanter seems to be pretty popular too, but I dont have 32pt builds unlocked yet and it seems like the extra points would really come in handy for that type of build.

[Lizardgrad89]

Glad you are having fun with it ...

I recently rolled up a warchanter dorf and I have to tell you ... it is a blast.

I have a rogue bard and a pure bard as well but this is a totally different playstyle.

I can believe how good the warchanter can be as a THF. Mine actually outkills my THF Fighter Dorf in the same quests.

Have fun with yours ...

No doubt.

Thelonious is a Oversized TWF Dwarven Warchanter (with Fighter and Wizard splashes), +5 Dwarven Axes in both hands (maxed to hit and damage), and between my maxed Song of Courage, and Song of Greatness, plus rage, Focus, Haste, I'm getting nearly +30 to hit on both hands. Couple that with being self reliant for blur, displacement, resistances and stoneskins and you got yourself one tough little dorf.


I think he's only a hair behind my pure fighter dorf, and Gundahar isn't self-reliant at all.

If Thelonious meets expectations at 16, Gundy might become a casualty to the slot shortage.

[jarlaxle_dourden]

No doubt.

Thelonious is a Oversized TWF Dwarven Warchanter (with Fighter and Wizard splashes), +5 Dwarven Axes in both hands (maxed to hit and damage), and between my maxed Song of Courage, and Song of Greatness, plus rage, Focus, Haste, I'm getting nearly +30 to hit on both hands. Couple that with being self reliant for blur, displacement, resistances and stoneskins and you got yourself one tough little dorf.


I think he's only a hair behind my pure fighter dorf, and Gundahar isn't self-reliant at all.

If Thelonious meets expectations at 16, Gundy might become a casualty to the slot shortage.

Alas for the Gund

[Lizardgrad89]

Bard was a class I had given up on. I'd make a drow bard with 20 charisma, and 10s everywhere else, and by level 5 I was sick of being a 2nd rate caster, and a 4th rate everything-else.

Bard will never be first rate casters. Buff and CC with a little healing is the Bard's fate, other than the songs.

However, I found that a nice build is the Drow Repeater Bard.

18 Charisma and 8 Wisdom, but take Force of Personality feat.
16 Dexterity - to bump up the range to-hit.
10 Int - don't really need more.
14 Strength 12 Con (No build is perfect)

At lower levels, you can rack up a lot of kills from a safe distance, and keep your eyes open for paralyzers, wounders, etc for the high end stuff. Believe me, a Bard that can buff up a party, cast CC, then paralyze the MOBS that save against the CC while acting as a back-up healer is a potent ally for any group.

I have found this to be a fun build so far.

[Lizardgrad89]

Alas for the Gund

Wouldn't happen soon, I have a mule that could be deleted first, and I have several toons with a lot of grinding ahead of them. Maybe there will always be enough slots so he gets kept. I hate to think of the time, energy and plat spent getting him to 13.

Still, I don't really need multiple melee Dwarves...

[Rickpa]

The way things are going, Improved Critical: Slashing may be where I end up. If I ever start pulling decent rapiers, I will respec for piercing, but until such a time, I will go with the flow.

Another reason to go Elf... I have some schweet longbows!