heavy repeater drow bard

[bobisek]

Hello i just got enough favor for drow and started 28pt drow bard character. It is my first bard and second character in game and i could use some advice from experienced players. The idea was to create caster bard (later spellsinger) equipped with heavy reapeater crossbow (maybe some stat damaging), with high UMD safrificing melee and constitution.

I used stats
str:8
dex: 18
con: 8
int: 10
wis: 8
cha: 20

My feat at lvl 1 was Skill focus UMD. Now i am on lvl 3 and i took Heavy REpeater proficiency.
Which levels bard gets another feats? Also i am quite not sure about feat selection - some people said, that it is good idea to have force of personality feat (not sure about name but it gives cha bonus to will saves instead of wisdom) which gives difference of +6 to will saves at first level, later growing even more. I am not sure about that
- it is great increase but on the other hand drow has spell resistance and bonus on enchantment spells and immunity to sleep which should balance weak will saves. Also i was thinking about some metamagic feats or spell focus enchantment. or maybe skill focus perform (does ir reallyaffect only fascinate song?). or maybe rapid reload?
Also - is difference between heavy and light repeater olny in higher dmg - so heavy is superior in all aspects? or is theres somnething else? Thank you very much for your replies.

[Riminy]

Feats for a bard are standard as any other class but fighter or monk. levels 1,3,6,9,12 and 15. Your con is awefully low and at higher levels, hit points below 200 at level 16 is poor. I can't help much with feats or such as i've never had a repeater build but do not take Skill Focus perform, although Skill Focus UMD is good though. As for a casting bard, i'd imagine you mean crowd control or healing. Bards have a more limited selection of spells compared to a sorcerer or wizard who generally make a better spellcaster. However the Bard can ofcourse can play songs for extra damage, attack bonus and a specialty. A healing bard is sometimes nice in a group to provide buffs, songs and ofcourse healing. Only weakness I see in the build is your con, and maybe your strength but that depends on the build. If repeating and casting, probably wouldn't matter. Hope this helps, Riminy.

[BoBoDaClown]

Hello i just got enough favor for drow and started 28pt drow bard character. It is my first bard and second character in game and i could use some advice from experienced players. The idea was to create caster bard (later spellsinger) equipped with heavy reapeater crossbow (maybe some stat damaging), with high UMD safrificing melee and constitution.

I used stats
str:8
dex: 18
con: 8
int: 10
wis: 8
cha: 20

My feat at lvl 1 was Skill focus UMD. Now i am on lvl 3 and i took Heavy REpeater proficiency.
Which levels bard gets another feats? Also i am quite not sure about feat selection - some people said, that it is good idea to have force of personality feat (not sure about name but it gives cha bonus to will saves instead of wisdom) which gives difference of +6 to will saves at first level, later growing even more. I am not sure about that
- it is great increase but on the other hand drow has spell resistance and bonus on enchantment spells and immunity to sleep which should balance weak will saves. Also i was thinking about some metamagic feats or spell focus enchantment. or maybe skill focus perform (does ir reallyaffect only fascinate song?). or maybe rapid reload?
Also - is difference between heavy and light repeater olny in higher dmg - so heavy is superior in all aspects? or is theres somnething else? Thank you very much for your replies.

Just looking at what you are trying to do - I would pick up empower healing for some healing grunt (+ devotion item + healing enhancements - use empower healing it once the hp benefit is efficient versus sp cost), probably rapid reload (faster reloading on xbow), toughness maybe (18 more hp in long run - and you seem short here), definitely need improved crit: ranged (not sure what level you get this - but get it as soon as you can - either level 9 or 12), and maybe spell focus/greater spell focus for CC (this isn't that viable in endgame - but useful throughout methinks).

So maybe:

6) Empower Healing
9) Rapid Reload
12) Improved Crit (Earlier if Poss)
15) Toughness

*this is lighter on the CC

I am no expert however!

And you can always swap out UMD once you get it higher enough at later levels.

Yes, Heavy Crossbow does more damage, but an extra 2 damage isn't a massive difference compared to other effects you get on the weapon. So if you pick up a real nice light repeater you might want to swap feats out (you can do this for free once).

Hope that helps

Udine

[soupertc]

I had almost the same build....it is fun to play at low level....but at higher level it's pretty boring. If ya don't mind just buffing and playing songs then it ain't bad. Your gonna find stat damge will be OK, but ur low str will be hard to get through Dam Reduction....and most mobs will be dead before you even help.

I only play my bard built like urs if I wanna break and don't wanna do much besides buff, songs and loot.

[CSFurious]

i would re-roll this build now

you need to lower that dex & raise your con

also, with 20 starting chr, i seriously doubt if you need sf:umd

i would lower that dex to 15 & raise your con with the points

take toughness as a feat because all races now get some toughness enhancements

good luck

[lazlow]

i would re-roll this build now

you need to lower that dex & raise your con

also, with 20 starting chr, i seriously doubt if you need sf:umd

i would lower that dex to 15 & raise your con with the points

take toughness as a feat because all races now get some toughness enhancements

good luck

ive got a 9th level spellsinger and i totally agree with CS, re roll. fix the con issue post haste or you will find
yourself is sorry shape. I would also start taking your spell singer feats right away, bards are little light on feats as I just got spell singer at level 9 as I took heavy repeater/weapon finesse first but to each their own. Good luck and if you dont reroll i would spend all my plat on restore pots. , IF you re roll I would highly suggest reading through these bard forums for great advice first. Been playin for nearly 2 years and I have found the bard to be the most fun and versatile imo. laters.

[Noctus]

For a Repeater STR is not relevant, as a Crossbow is not influenced by this Stat in any way. (No bonus damage, or other effects.) So neglecting this stat is the way to go.

Correct me if i am wrong, but you aim at being a caster-focused bard who also contributes with ranged combat.

This leads to some points:
1. Although SF:UMD is a nice feat, there are many better feats for your build-idea. Your UMD will be great anyway, through your high CHA.

2. Never, ever sacrifice CON on any charcter, you´l regret it dearly once your level reaches 10+. Put at least 6 buildpoints into the stat.

3. Id distribute the stats in the folwing way:
str:8
dex: 16
con: 12
int: 10
wis: 8
cha: 20
A starting 16 is absolutely sufficient to hit all the stuff reliably, as you can factor in the elf dex enhancements and also your own bard songs, which give a great bonus to to-hit.

4. Feats
Thoughness is a feat to consider, as HP is a weak point of all bards. Especially drow and elfen ones.
For your casting good feats are Spell focus and greater spell focus enchantment, as is empower Healing.
For your ranged combat EWP (Repeater) is a absolut must-have, asap. Take it at level 3. Lightor Heavy doesnt make much difference, base it on which you have better effects on the weapons you can get / already have. Also Rapid Reload is really good.
A proposal of feat distribution
1. SF: Enchantment
3. EWP (Repeater)
6. Rapid Reload
9. Empower Healing
12. Improved Critical: Ranged
15. Thoughness.

[Solmage]

Caster bard with repeater support:

1. Spell Focus: Enchantment
3. EWP (Repeater)
6. Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
9. Heighten
12. Spell Penetration
15. Greater Spell Penetration

All levelups into charisma, all spell penetration enhancements.

Gameplay: You will use your spells for crowd control, and shoot a few specialty repeaters when you're saving mana/after you cast the CC (paralyzer/smiter/banisher/puncturer - hold monster works very well with the last 3)


Repeater bard with support casting:

1. Point blank shot (required for other feats)
3. EWP (Repeater)
6. Precise Shot
9. Extend for haste and displacement
12. Improved Crit: Range (pure bards can't take it before)
15. Improved Precise shot (ditto)

This is bard that can hit multiple enemies per shot, and can be quite effective with a w/p repeater, banisher, etc, but those CC spells will leave a lot to be desired the higher up in level you go. You will end up relying mostly on fascinate for crowd control.

Just realize that ranged combat is inherently inferior to melee in terms of DPS, but it still can be fairly useful.

(It would also not be a terrible idea to swap out extend for weapon focus and just go with a warchanter for this build, as well as take down charisma a bit)

Anyway, just throwing out some ideas for feats and such.

(Edit: Forgot you also need power attack for warchanter, so you'll need a fighter or monk level thrown into the mix to get the extra feat, as well as a minimum 13 str including tomes if you do go for warchanter)