What can a bard do against Undead ?

[Aerendil]

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I am a new (lvl 5) spellsinger who wanted to try soloing a few quests. I was asking about undead CC in reference to doing solo quests. I know my bard job, in a group, is to support the group with songs, buffs & CC and let them take out the undead in group/guild quests, and add any melee weapons I might carry.

At that level, I'd suggest throwing out a Glitterdust perhaps and then wading into melee or heal as necessary. Nothing too special.
Slashing weapons for zombies; blunt for skeletons.

Pure good / Holy weapons tend to work extremely well here. If you run Delera's quests, you *must* have a pure good or flametouched weapon to damage those ghostly-looking skeletons.

Otherwise, that's about it.
Keep your songs up at all times if you can; try to keep the SP-reduction song up for big fights (for your casters as well as for you); and keep everyone buffed.

[pappo]

Keep your songs up at all times if you can; try to keep the SP-reduction song up for big fights (for your casters as well as for you); and keep everyone buffed.

Thanks for the reply Aerendil, and everyone else who contributed.

I don't have glitterdust as a spell now, but I do have scrolls.

You mention a SP-reduction song ?? I only have two songs now (Inspire Competence and Inspire Courage), besides Fascinate. Do I get more as I level up or will I get more when I pick up the Spellsinger I enhancement ?

[Murderface]

use displacment and go to town and attack. if your finnese then use disruptors if not gub maces work fine too

[elgranmago13]

The SP reduction song comes from the spellsinger enhancement (lvl 6).

[JetEskimo]

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I am a new (lvl 5) spellsinger who wanted to try soloing a few quests. I was asking about undead CC in reference to doing solo quests.

Heh, I *totally* remember that feeling. No haste, no displacement, no CC... you feel totally neutered. Everyone wanting to run Delara's and you with that dreaded, useless feeling of a half-hearted healer with a couple of songs to sing.

I'd recommend trolling the AH in hopes of finding a weapon for use against the undead (holy/puregood/elemental). You still won't be able to be the CC monster that you're used to, but at least you'll be able to knock some skulls between healing and singing.

I never liked the undead before, but it wasn't until I started playing a bard that I truly learned to loathe them.

[kelabb]

Pull out their lute and taunt them into submission with a rousing rendition of "Staying Alive"

[pappo]

The SP reduction song comes from the spellsinger enhancement (lvl 6).

Ok, thanks. I just made level 6 today. Now I need to get the 4 AP's I need for Spellsinger.

[Halaryel]

Try look at scroll of halt undead or such scroll.. against mindless undead there is no save possible (for them)

bard should have high UMD...so no probleme to cast it.

against boss undead, find a blunt+good weapon, and pray it dies before you do, but you should be help by the other undead you halted or controlled.

[Aashrym]

Besides the Music of the Dead, some small effect with soundburst, and a club, what can a Bard throw against undead

Glitterdust works against undead. UMD wizzie/cleric scrolls/wands. Buff up and hit them works well enuff too

EDIT: If you are taking healing spells and using items/feats/enhancements to improve those you can deal direct damage to undead. I don't normally do it that way until mass cure light and mass cure moderate and as part of the party healing but it is also an option. If you are going spellsinger and focusing on CC then glitterdust and UMD are probably your best bet.

[dr_cheeseball]

One of the possible end rewards from tangleroot gorge is a club with perform and, I think, 3 charges per rest of command undead. While this isn't an inherent class ability, my bards have enjoyed the command undead clicky a bit.

[pappo]

One of the possible end rewards from tangleroot gorge is a club with perform and, I think, 3 charges per rest of command undead. While this isn't an inherent class ability, my bards have enjoyed the command undead clicky a bit.

I will have to run tangleroot again and look for that end reward. Thanks.

[GeneralDiomedes]

Buy some wands of Web? Undead usually have low reflex saves. Also, Powdered Blood gives web wands as a reward.

[Tuney]

I should mention the 'command undead flute' is infact from Delara's.

[dr_cheeseball]

I should mention the 'command undead flute' is infact from Delara's.

If this is in reference to the club I suggested I really thought it came from trg, but it may have been delera's. Run them both alot and they do sort of blur together.

[smilinJ]

so how about constructs?.. basically same boat there?

[RobinofSpiritwood]

Having difficulties in the Desert against the Undead there, with my Spellsinger. I got some gear that helped:

1) A Cursespewer & a Disruptor. They fail the Disruptor check more when cursed. Got them on 2 shortbows, and now many die before closing in to melee. Poor effect on Mummy Avengers, good on mindless Undead.
2) Halt Undead clickie- replaces Fascinate/Otto's & brilliantly works with ranged Disruptor
3) Command Undead clickie - replaces Charm, very low fail rate on skellies- especially good on Eternal Wizards
4) Disease Immunity item- blocks one component of Mummy Rot, and I have Rem Curse spell for the other.
5) Visor of the Flesh Render Guards-> DeathWard clickie
6) +5 Holy/Righteous melee weapon, with the usual buffs- reduced missing and improved plain damage is better than PG's 3.5 average damage add, but a Greater Undead bane is probably better than that. Melee isn't my thing- I just use a (cheap) longsword.
7)Fire Guard feedback armour + Ring of Resonance - adds a little to melee

That will help any class, not just bards. Some Bard specific stuff next-

7) Superior Potency IV item plus CSW spells = fair damage, useful setup works to heal self & party at same time.
8) Shout + Major Sonic Lore item + Sup Potency item - hard to target it in a scramble, very range dependent but it can crit for over 100 points
9) Greater Heroism buff- blocks the freezing up from Fear

[Tsuarok]

use invisibility and walk past them... or just exp. retreat and run past... you can usually just ignore them and complete the quests much faster

[learst]

If I'm feeling particularly useless (even after buffing the other parties and being back-up healer), I throw a mass light wound/cure critical wounds on the undead. Oh, I'm a spellsinger btw. Next time I'm thinking of going virtuoso and getting music of the maker/dead.

[pappo]

If I'm feeling particularly useless (even after buffing the other parties and being back-up healer), I throw a mass light wound/cure critical wounds on the undead. Oh, I'm a spellsinger btw. Next time I'm thinking of going virtuoso and getting music of the maker/dead.

I am up to Level 8 now, and a Spellsinger, and with my Golden Cartouche from Delera's my UMD is at 23 so lvl 3 scrolls are working 95% of the time. I can use Halt Undead and Glitterdust scrolls to slow them / blind them and a +2 Holy Heavy Mace of Pure Good to finish them off.

Thanks to all for the inputs.