Bard lvl20 Virtuoso and Arcane Archer

[Humdurgeon]

Here is a build of been playing with for a Bard Virtuoso. I only have the charcter up to lvl9. It's been working out great with the Enthrallment and music of the dead. A holy power bow helps too. The bow helps with the distance. I went with darkleaf breasplate armor to keep up AC. Nicked longsword and flaming mace with a +4 heavy shield when melee is necessary. A heal boost item is good too. I actually gimped con in my build and have it at 8 and went with an 18 cha., here I swapped that stat. HP hasn't been a problem with AC, songs and spells to compensate.

Well, enjoy

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Virtuoso 
Level 20 True Neutral Elf Male
(20 Bard) 
Hit Points: 140
Spell Points: 797 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 6
Reflex: 16
Will: 11

                  Starting            Ending          
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats        
(28 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 20)        
Strength              9                  9            
Dexterity            18                 18            
Constitution         10                 10            
Intelligence          8                  8            
Wisdom                8                  8            
Charisma             17                 22            

                  Starting            Ending          
                 Base Skills        Base Skills       
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 20)        
Balance               4                  4            
Bluff                 3                  8            
Concentration         0                  0            
Diplomacy             7                 31            
Disable Device       n/a               n/a            
Haggle                7                 31            
Heal                 -1                 -1            
Hide                  4                  4            
Intimidate            3                  8            
Jump                 -1                 -1            
Listen               -1                 -1            
Move Silently         4                  4            
Open Lock             n/a               n/a           
Perform               7                 31            
Repair               -1                 -1            
Search               -1                 -1            
Spot                 -1                 -1            
Swim                 -1                 -1            
Tumble                8                 27            
Use Magic Device      7                 31            

Level 1 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Negotiator
Spell (1): Charm Person
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song I
Enhancement: Bard Perform I
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music I


Level 2 (Bard)
Spell (1): Otto's Resistable Dance
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song I
Enhancement: Bard Charisma I


Level 3 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot
Spell (1): Cure Light Wounds
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack I
Enhancement: Bard Song Magic I


Level 4 (Bard)
Spell (2): Blur
Spell (2): Suggestion
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song II
Enhancement: Bard Perform II


Level 5 (Bard)
Spell (1): Expeditious Retreat
Spell (2): Cure Moderate Wounds
Enhancement: Bard Improved Spell Penetration I


Level 6 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons
Enhancement: Bard Music of the Dead
Enhancement: Bard Virtuoso I


Level 7 (Bard)
Spell (2): Invisibility
Spell (3): Good Hope
Spell (3): Haste


Level 8 (Bard)
Spell (3): Displacement
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Force Arrows
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage II
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer I


Level 9 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Rapid Shot
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack II
Enhancement: Bard Music of Makers


Level 10 (Bard)
Spell (4): Freedom of Movement
Spell (4): Otto's Sphere of Dancing
Spell (3): Cure Serious Wounds
Enhancement: Bard Charisma II


Level 11 (Bard)
Spell (4): Break Enchantment
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Acid Arrows
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song II
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +2 Arrows


Level 12 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Manyshot
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage III


Level 13 (Bard)
Spell (4): Hold Monster
Spell (5): Mass Suggestion
Spell (5): Mind Fog
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack III


Level 14 (Bard)
Spell (5): Greater Heroism
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Explosive Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +3 Arrows


Level 15 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
Enhancement: Bard Charisma III


Level 16 (Bard)
Spell (1): Focusing Chant
Spell (5): Shadow Walk
Spell (6): Mass Charm Monster
Spell (6): Otto's Irresistable Dance
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Attack I


Level 17 (Bard)
Spell (2): Rage
Spell (6): Heroes Feast
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Force Burst Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Terror Arrows
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song III
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +4 Arrows


Level 18 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Heighten Spell
Spell (3): Crushing Despair
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song IV


Level 19 (Bard)
Spell (6): Mass Cure Moderate Wounds
Spell (4): Cure Critical Wounds
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Song Magic II


Level 20 (Bard)
Spell (5): Greater Dispel Magic
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Slaying Arrows
Enhancement: Bard Musical Prodigy
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +5 Arrows

[Visty]

10con is still to low, esp as you dont have evasion

also your bows wont do much damage as you dont have bow strenght
and just using it to hope for the slayer arrow go off is a too heavy investment in feats and enhancements imo

better use those feats taken for AA for something useful and stick with some debuffing bows, cursespewing, shattermantle, statdamage

[Chai]

I would start the con at 14 minimum. Bards dont get enough feats to be good pure arcane archers. The good ones Ive seen splashed.

Feats I would recommend:

1 Weapon focus ranged
1 Point blank shot
2 bow str - which requires power attack
1 rapid shot
1 imp crit ranged
1 many shot
1 precision
1 improved precision


These last 2 allow you to damage all mobs in a straight line according to the shot. A 20 ranger AA can hose an entire room of mobs down with this when it looks like its getting ugly. Beholders in the sub, exploding firey death bats, hallway fights in sins,

Getting all these feats means splashing at least 1 level of fighter. If you want caster feats, make it 2 or more levels of fighter. Even then your melee is sword and board only, and with 9 str and no weapon finesse, will not be effective for anything other than hiding behind a shield.

Most non spell singer bards dont put alot into cha. You cant dump it because you want to be able to cast, but a middle of the road cha score allows you to cast, as well as up str and con.

[sigtrent]

You don't need 18 dex, its only 4 build points you save to 16 but that could help with con. Bards especially can lax off a bit on their main combat stat since the song bonus is so strong.

While damage with the bow is not so great without much strength and all that, its enough to be something interesting you do in addition to being a strong bard. I think that's a fine way to go for something a bit different so long as strong casting is maintained.

[unbongwah]

1 precision
1 improved precision

I presume you mean Precise Shot and Improved Prec Shot; Precision is a different feat altogether and there is no "Improved Precision." When talking about builds, it's important to be, well, precise.

OP - it's an interesting idea, but I think you're spreading yourself too thin:

- You're a pure bard with near-max CHA and a fair number of CC spells, but you're not a Spellsinger and Heighten is your only DC-boosting metamagic, which you don't take until lvl 18. I've never played a pure CC spellcaster before; but from what I've read about them, I think you'll have trouble landing your CC spells at higher levels & difficulties. And a CC spell which doesn't land is just wasted mana.

- Without Bow STR (and good STR), Precise Shot, and Imp Prec Shot, your ranged DPS will be subpar, especially late-game. You didn't even take most of the elven bow enhs, unless I missed them.

- As others have pointed out, your HPs are really low: CON 10 and no Toughness on a pure bard? Hope you're either very good or very lucky when it comes to aggro management, because I have a feeling it will be all too easy to one-shot your character.

My recommendation would be a ranger 2 / fighter 2 / bard 16 Virtuoso: give up on CC spells (except Otto's Irresistible) and rely on bardsongs for CC; get a bunch of free feats (3 from rgr, 2 from ftr) plus martial weapons and all armor & shield proficiencies to boost your combat performance. Take a build like OldAquarian's Violin or my own and adapt it to Virtuoso. You give up a lot of SPs, unfortunately, but since you won't be casting CC spells at all until endgame, you won't need as many. And you'll have ~50% more HPs, do more ranged and melee damage, and may be able to take an extra metamagic feat or two, depending on your priorities.