Haggle Bard - Mississippi Queen

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Is diplomacy even needed?

Toughness and diplomacy are purely optional. I prefer both, based on how I play the game.

I will buck the recent trend of giving up toughness despite it's changes. Toughness and epic toughness still stacks and is mighty effective in this style of bard. A dead bard don't play rock n roll.

[maizotome]

That sounds like a fun topic but please do that in another thread. This thread is about building a bard haggle toon that is an effective in the battlefield and off. She never was about solely maxing haggle.

I will comment in that thread, as I am interested in seeing the result. But, this thread will remain about building Mississippee Queen, and having fun playing bards.

Ok, just.. my main is a bard, i love them since PnP expirience 15 years ago..>.< And i can't imagine any other toon better than bard(except maybe monk, but hey..they always were cheat-like) to familiarize yourself with DDO. But... u have that "Haggle" word in the thread name... and even Negotiator Feat(+2) and Skill Focus Haggle(+3) are barely compensate all those Haggle points other builds can get. No offense, i've actually build a bard for my girlfriend by your build,and i observe ur build for few years..Just thought that if u have a Haggle-topic, we can discuss it here too..As a lot of players who are interested in haggle twinks are visiting this thread. While most of players don't care about haggle at all..

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Ok, just.. my main is a bard, i love them since PnP expirience 15 years ago..>.< And i can't imagine any other toon better than bard(except maybe monk, but hey..they always were cheat-like) to familiarize yourself with DDO. But... u have that "Haggle" word in the thread name... and even Negotiator Feat(+2) and Skill Focus Haggle(+3) are barely compensate all those Haggle points other builds can get. No offense, i've actually build a bard for my girlfriend by your build,and i observe ur build for few years..Just thought that if u have a Haggle-topic, we can discuss it here too..As a lot of players who are interested in haggle twinks are visiting this thread. While most of players don't care about haggle at all..

I very much welcome discussion on the many ways to build bards, and alter the Mississippee Queen build to someone's playstyle choices. But your proposal of building a haggle toon that isnt even a bard is just off topic not only in the thread so much as the entire Bard or specialist sections.

As far as haggle goes, once someone takes the time to figure out the current max haggle for bards, Id be very interested in sharing that with the bard community.

Turbine has granted haggle abilities to other classes, and anyone that maxes CHA and picks CHA in their epic destiny can go to town on haggle nowadays.

Again, I appreciate that you've followed my thread for so long, but the point of building Mississippee was to prove that a toon that maxed out haggle could still PLAY a kick ass game of DDO... in addition to assisting my guild and friends out getting the best values on gear, healing supplies, scrolls, anything vendorable. The key however was to make her extremely effective in the field as well, not just sit at the login screen until I needed her.

Nowadays even I do not see the value in going balls to the wall in haggle any longer. There really is too much fun stuff for bards to be doing. Still, a bard CAN go balls to the wall haggle and STILL be effective, whereas it would be immersion breaking for me to mix up any other classes to try to beat out the Pure bard just to say "HEY I GOT MORE HAGGLE!" but has gimped themselves to blithering smithereens.

[maizotome]

<sup>I very much welcome discussion on the many ways to build bards, and alter the Mississippee Queen build to someone's playstyle choices. But your proposal of building a haggle toon that isnt even a bard is just off topic not only in the thread so much as the entire Bard or specialist sections.

As far as haggle goes, once someone takes the time to figure out the current max haggle for bards, Id be very interested in sharing that with the bard community.

Turbine has granted haggle abilities to other classes, and anyone that maxes CHA and picks CHA in their epic destiny can go to town on haggle nowadays.

Again, I appreciate that you've followed my thread for so long, but the point of building Mississippee was to prove that a toon that maxed out haggle could still PLAY a kick ass game of DDO... in addition to assisting my guild and friends out getting the best values on gear, healing supplies, scrolls, anything vendorable. The key however was to make her extremely effective in the field as well, not just sit at the login screen until I needed her.

Nowadays even I do not see the value in going balls to the wall in haggle any longer. There really is too much fun stuff for bards to be doing. Still, a bard CAN go balls to the wall haggle and STILL be effective, whereas it would be immersion breaking for me to mix up any other classes to try to beat out the Pure bard just to say "HEY I GOT MORE HAGGLE!" but has gimped themselves to blithering smithereens.</sup>

You are 100% Right! And non-gimped Haggle character is actually an ideal situation, right as it was be4 U19. It's a shame for Turbine to not add any Haggle bonuses on Bards. It's a madness actually, isn't it?
BTW, with a sonic spellpower from Perform.. how should we actually "Nuke" this days? Also Wail with Heighten up to 6 level only.. Are u satisfied only with "Heal" and SP/HP Songs and some +SP(as u can compare +songs with +sp enhancements in usefulness) in our tree?

BTW this is my Drow 18 bard/2 rogue build, if i could share it here. Without planner..Microsoft Excel + Screenshots - my only way to plan builds((

[SirValentine]

A discussion of skills U19:

UMD: 51 Max. (Mass Heal requires 52 UMD roll. Even if you roll a 1, you will not fail.) Id lower Mississippee's UMD by 8 and bank em for other U19 powered skills.

51 is enough for Mass Heal, but there are tougher scrolls you need a 59 for. Deadly Weapons comes to mind. Sometimes it's handy to be able to scroll that.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

51 is enough for Mass Heal, but there are tougher scrolls you need a 59 for. Deadly Weapons comes to mind. Sometimes it's handy to be able to scroll that.

This is very true. My in-game live MQ no fails on Deadly Weapon, and every other scroll in the game... However, everything is a trade off. I just happen to believe in max UMD on my bards.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

BTW, with a sonic spellpower from Perform.. how should we actually "Nuke" this days? Also Wail with Heighten up to 6 level only.. Are u satisfied only with "Heal" and SP/HP Songs and some +SP(as u can compare +songs with +sp enhancements in usefulness) in our tree?((

Im a firm believer in stacking abilities. Such as Mindfog when CC is challenged - CC of choice - Dirge - Siren's Song... choice of empower and/or maximize are options here but I prefer empower healing to be the better healer. CC > sonic on bards in most situations so max sonic all you can but don't change your build too much or you may gimpify it

[Outlandman]

The best class for haggling is no longer bard. It is sorc (fire savant) can get +6 haggle from a tier 1 enhancement.

I am going to +20 my hagglebard (exp stoned to lvl 16, no longer questing) to the following

Rogue 1 (so haggle is a class skill, also 4AP in acrobat gives +3 for charming)
Monk 3 (shintao negotiation +3, monkey form +2 at lvl 3, cha upgrade)
sorc 12 (can cast GH, gets +6 haggle from intensity and cha upgrades)

OK, so I realize now that this wont work because of alignment requirements. I'd have to use my +20 to shed all bard levels, then change alignment, then use a +3 heart to get monk. Feh.

New plan:

2 rogue levels so I can get mechanic skill boost +6 instead of human +4
4 sorc levels so I can get intensity and +2 cha from fire tree.
rest bard

at lvl 6 bard, there is a core warchanter enh that gives me a GH song, and I'm going after +2 cha from warchanter tree

enhancements:
AP human tree
1 human versatility
2 human adapt (cha)
3 action surge (cha)
3 skill focus (haggle)
1 skill focus (for prereq)
2 skill mastery
12 total

acrobat
1 acrobat core
3 charming

mechanic core
11 skill boost (+6) (5 prereq, 6 AP to buy)

fire savant
12 intensity and charisma (+1) including prereqs

bard
22 GH song and charisma (+2) including prereqs

61 AP total needed

my charisma:
18 base
4 level ups
2 tome
2 shipbuff
5 equipment
3 action surge
1 human adapt.
3 class-based emhancements

38 total (fully boosted)

haggle skill:
14 cha bonus
19 skill ranks
13 equipment
5 ship buff
2 negotiator feat
3 skill focus feat
1 focusing chant
4 greater heroism
6 intensity
3 charming
6 mechanic skill boost
3 human skill focus
1 human skill mastery
1 luck bonus Voice of the Master

81 total (fully buffed)

to get one more AP I'll have to use the extra XP thingies I get from my daily rolls on this toon until he gets that one more rank.

[Backley]

4 sorc levels so I can get intensity and +2 cha from fire tree.
...
fire savant
12 intensity and charisma (+1) including prereqs

You mention taking 4 levels of Sorc to allow +2 CHA from Fire Savant Enhancement tree, but only actually fit in +1 with APs. So, 1 less level of Sorc?

My current plan for my Haggle Bard's 4th (and probably final) life (1 PL Rogue, 2 PL Bard - one of which wasn't really needed and I should have used my +20 LR to swap it for something else before TR):
Human (for extra Feat, Enhancements Skill Boost for +4 Haggle, Human Adaptability for +1 CHA, Skill Focus Negotiator for +3 Haggle, Action Surge for +3 CHA during Skill Boost, Skill Mastery for +1 Haggle; total +10 Haggle, don't think any other race beats that)

1 Barbarian (for Ravager Tier 1 Enhancement Ritual Scarring for +3 Haggle vs Rogue's Mechanic +2 larger Skill Boost)
3 Sorcerer (for Fire Savant Tier 1 Enhancement Intensity for +6 Haggle and Tier 3 Enhancement +1 CHA)
16 Bard

EDIT: Or I might go for Completionist (+2 CHA and +2 Haggle for +3 Haggle total) and 3 Epic Past Lives in Martial sphere for 3x Skill Mastery (+3 Haggle).

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

You mention taking 4 levels of Sorc to allow +2 CHA from Fire Savant Enhancement tree, but only actually fit in +1 with APs. So, 1 less level of Sorc?

My current plan for my Haggle Bard's 4th (and probably final) life (1 PL Rogue, 2 PL Bard - one of which wasn't really needed and I should have used my +20 LR to swap it for something else before TR):
Human (for extra Feat, Enhancements Skill Boost for +4 Haggle, Human Adaptability for +1 CHA, Skill Focus Negotiator for +3 Haggle, Action Surge for +3 CHA during Skill Boost, Skill Mastery for +1 Haggle; total +10 Haggle, don't think any other race beats that)

1 Barbarian (for Ravager Tier 1 Enhancement Ritual Scarring for +3 Haggle vs Rogue's Mechanic +2 larger Skill Boost)
3 Sorcerer (for Fire Savant Tier 1 Enhancement Intensity for +6 Haggle and Tier 3 Enhancement +1 CHA)
16 Bard

EDIT: Or I might go for Completionist (+2 CHA and +2 Haggle for +3 Haggle total) and 3 Epic Past Lives in Martial sphere for 3x Skill Mastery (+3 Haggle).

Nice!

[Arachno-san]

Well, I finally settled on my enhancements for U19 Mississippee. Gone are the haggle niceties beyond max haggle skill points - if you get too greedy, you'll miss out on the new candy. And this 'Cajun Lady' loves sweet thangs as much as dresses that shine!



Warchanter Enhancements:

Skaldic Rage
Poetic Edda II
Action Boost I

Pardon Les...just wondering how you got to Warchanter Action boost I. It needs 5 points spent to unlock and SR + PEII only equal 3 points. Am I missing something? Also, the only AB I see that low is sprint...is that correct? Other than that, thanks.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

The Cajun Lady of Eberron proper is still alive and well! My build has changed little up until very recently, to take advantage of modern day DDO game mechanics. Whats great is I still play Mississippee the same way as I did before, except now she is a sonic powerhouse, which allows for faster soloing and top tier group capabilities.

Im still testing whats going to work best at end game.... so for now just wanted to say: BARDS ARE BACK BABY!!

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

So for you pure bards out there, what's everyone playing?

[Laangg]

The Cajun Lady of Eberron proper is still alive and well! My build has changed little up until very recently, to take advantage of modern day DDO game mechanics. Whats great is I still play Mississippee the same way as I did before, except now she is a sonic powerhouse, which allows for faster soloing and top tier group capabilities.

Im still testing whats going to work best at end game... will post the new build in a few days..... so for now just wanted to say: BARDS ARE BACK BABY!!

I just started playing again and tracked down this thread to update my copy of MQ. Looking forward to the update!

[huntdawumpus]

So for you pure bards out there, what's everyone playing?

I'm playing a Missippee Queen build with feats as layed out post U19. Got her up to level 24 and decently equipped. She's a blast to play, and I'd love to see how you've changed the build for the last updates.

Sophiajhagl on Sarlona.

[Jinxtah]

Just throwing in my support. Looking forward to seeing the update sometime soon

I began playing again a couple of days ago after taking a break for 1½ years, and I was sad to see this build wasn't updated. I began playing a bard, but quickly abandoned it, and decided to wait for and update to this one. I've pm'ed Leslie, and he (or she) said he (or again, she) was working on it and it would be updated within a couple of weeks or so.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Oh yeah, recent updates have been very kind to this build. Hell there are even MOAR ways to go than before thanks to epic destinies and the new enhancements. Expect to see the new update in a few days !

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Well, enough of the silence! What is that I hear in the background... it's too late....



Mississippee is back! Time to get lost... in song...

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Mississippee Queen U24

Well gosh its been almost 5 YEARS... since throwing my first Otto's on Mississippee. I'm really excited to get into discussing what the bard community thinks of where DDO is now with Spellsinger bards. This post however will contain what I've been building and playing up to today.

STATS:

Just one change from the original build. I swapped strength and con.

STR - 14
DEX - 8
CON - 16
INT - 8
WIS - 8
CHA - 18

ENHANCEMENTS:



Race Enhancements:

Action Surge CHA III
Improved Recovery III
Dont Count Me Out III
Heroism
Greater Heroism

Swashbuckler Enhancements:

Confidence
Blow by Blow I
Cutting Jibes I

Spellsinger Enhancements:

Haunting Melody I
Magical Studies III (100 sp, granted: magical training feat, echos of power)
Lingering Song III
Flickering I
Reverberate III
Wand & Scroll Mastery III
Yellow Merigold Crown
Spell Song Trance
Enthrallment I
Sustaining Song
Spell Song
Song of Arcane Might
Spell Penetration III
Prodigy III
Advanced Magical Studies III
CHA II
Spell Song Vigor
Mass Hold

Epic Destiny




FEATS:

Toughness
(Human Bonus) Empower Healing Spell
Spell focus: Enchant
Extend
Spell Penetration
Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
Heighten
Greater Spell Penetration
Inspire Excellence
Epic Spell Penetration
Lasting Inspiration
Epic Spell Power Sonic

[pappo]

Mississippee Queen U24

Well gosh its been almost 5 YEARS... since throwing my first Otto's on Mississippee. I'm really excited to get into discussing what the bard community thinks of where DDO is now with Spellsinger bards. This post however will contain what I've been building and playing up to today.

Do you have any gear recommendations ? When I ran your original Haggle Bard, I was in robes all the way to 20, and did almost no DPS except from spells. I mostly ran around with dual scepters with potency/lore for devotion / enchantment and sonic.