Quick Virtuoso Questions

[ZeroTakenaka]

I'm making a Virtuoso bard that's healing/cc spec with some melee thrown in when SP is gone or soloing. (( Melee is not a main part of my build so... >.> ))

A. How much healing does the HP regen song do per tick? (( most likely 4-5 HP per 3 seconds?))

B. Current feats: Toughness (lvl1), Extend(lvl3). I'd like to fit Power Attack in at some point. What should my feat focus be? (( thinking Empower Heal at lvl 6, lvl 9 would be... SF:Enchantment, lvl 12 would be Spell penetration, lvl 15 would be heighten, lvl 18 Power Attack or GSF: Enchantment ))

Edit: Thinking lvl 18 would be better as GSF: Enchantment.

[ZeroTakenaka]

Bump. I'm still looking for help.

[BoBoDaClown]

I'm making a Virtuoso bard that's healing/cc spec with some melee thrown in when SP is gone or soloing. (( Melee is not a main part of my build so... >.> ))
Really a spellsinger is probably better suited to a healer. I'm not trying to discourage you from virt - just letting you know in case you think the virt songs makes you a stronger healer.
A. How much healing does the HP regen song do per tick? (( most likely 4-5 HP per 3 seconds?))
I hear it is very underwhelming. A few points a tic I think.
B. Current feats: Toughness (lvl1), Extend(lvl3). I'd like to fit Power Attack in at some point. What should my feat focus be? (( thinking Empower Heal at lvl 6, lvl 9 would be... SF:Enchantment, lvl 12 would be Spell penetration, lvl 15 would be heighten, lvl 18 Power Attack or GSF: Enchantment ))
Take Maximise instead of Empower Heal - unless you take EmpH at low levels and swap it later. Take Heighten at 18. I'd probably take Quicken instead of a spell pen or spell focus.
Edit: Thinking lvl 18 would be better as GSF: Enchantment.

Feats:
1) Toughness
3) Extend
6) Emp Heal -->Swap to Maximise at a higher level.
9) Spell Foc
12) Quicken
15) PA
18) Heighten

Something like that?

Personally I'd make it a Human for the extra feat and (probably) better starting stat allocation.

Human I could take another healing feat, or improve critical, or another spell focus, or a spell pen.

[Gorbadoc]

Feats:
1) Toughness
3) Extend
6) Emp Heal -->Swap to Maximise at a higher level.
9) Spell Foc
12) Quicken
15) PA
18) Heighten

Something like that?

Personally I'd make it a Human for the extra feat and (probably) better starting stat allocation.

Human I could take another healing feat, or improve critical, or another spell focus, or a spell pen.

I'd swap Spell Focus: Enchantment with Extend. Extend first becomes useful around level 9, and with the switch you can take Spellsinger I at level 6.

Alternately, take Skill Focus: Perform at level 3 and be a Virtuoso from levels 6-12. Music of the Dead is freakishly helpful in that level range. Just swap Skill Focus: Perform for Extend or whatever when you're ready to switch to Spellsinger.

I agree about going human. Maybe 14 str, 14 con, 18 cha, remaining points wherever. Pulling out a two-hander and smacking people without any particular feats will be adequate DPS for your first dozen levels, anyway; like Bobo said, PA can wait until 15.

[BoBoDaClown]

I'd swap Spell Focus: Enchantment with Extend. Extend first becomes useful around level 9, and with the switch you can take Spellsinger I at level 6.

Yeah. I guess I don't really focus on my CC much at lower levels - just smash stuff with a great axe (maybe leading with a hypno). And I like having extend as soon as I get haste.

In saying that, my feat order is more habit than anything - I used to love extend at low levels because it reduced the reapplications of the laggy Master's Touch (not an issue anymore).

[Aashrym]

A. How much healing does the HP regen song do per tick? (( most likely 4-5 HP per 3 seconds?))

The last time I tried it out it was 2-6 per tick, every 2 seconds, with a burst at the beginning. It's very unlikely to prevent a wipe, but it will save a bit on top up resources and add up to a chunk over time.

I like it but I can definitely see the underwhelming side of it. The pro's are:

1) for 1 song it's relatively cheap on a virt
2) use it and ignore it ability. it heals no matter what else you are doing
3) nice size area to hit the party when you sing it
4) the party doesn't need to stay near you once you finish singing it

The big con is that it is a small increment of healing over a relative long period of time. It's a lot less of a selling feature and more of a small added bonus.

The better features would be enthrall, capering (for the range), and cheaper motd. And less strict feat req's.

[Gorbadoc]

Is MotD still considered cheaper for a Virtuoso? It used to be that you could unlock MotD by using Skill Focus: Perform to unlock Virtuoso, saving yourself 7 APs. Now Virtuoso II demands 3 of those 7 APs anyway, so blowing the feat only saves you 4 AP. I'm not sure why anyone would want to keep Skill Focus: Perform much past level 12. Now, at best we can say that Virtuoso shares a prerequisite with MotD and MoM.

[Irinis]

Take BoBo's advice.

Also, I take Extend earlier than Emp Heal because I usually rely on wands for healing at low levels, after grabbing Master's Touch, Expeditious Retreat, and Focusing Chant, all of which I prefer to have extended... then Blur, Rage... all more important than the early Cures.

[Aashrym]

Is MotD still considered cheaper for a Virtuoso? It used to be that you could unlock MotD by using Skill Focus: Perform to unlock Virtuoso, saving yourself 7 APs. Now Virtuoso II demands 3 of those 7 APs anyway, so blowing the feat only saves you 4 AP. I'm not sure why anyone would want to keep Skill Focus: Perform much past level 12. Now, at best we can say that Virtuoso shares a prerequisite with MotD and MoM.

It is because you can unlock it early with the feat requirement or use the AP requirements instead. But similar to the war chanter using requirements in inspired attack/damage, virts have requirements in extra song already.

Either use the feat and it's cheaper or use the virt pre requirement for the 4 more AP and take it. War chanters or spellsingers need to spend 10 AP on extra song and then 2 more on motd outside of their requirements. With virt it matches up inside the requirements for a cheaper relative cost.

[Tazarith]

Gotta Boast - My Virt is 16 and almost shroud ready. I've loved leveler her and its awesome being able to solo Offering of Blood (w/ Cleric hireling ofcourse - get Jatrina Sartosa - she's awesome) to farm Spectrals.

I HIGHLY recommend getting PA early for the extra dps. With the Korthos Anger's set and Insight gloves along with your buffs you won't have a problem hitting at all through out your leveling. (Assuming 16 starting STR. +2 STR Tome at 7th and maxium STR item) I still use the Anger's set when I see to many misses. The only time i've had to switch PA off so far has been up against the 2nd aspect in OoB. His AC must be quite high for the level.

Also, I chose the route of waiting until 10th to get Virt via AP's instead of using a feat for SF:Perform early. With feats being tight, I've been able to avoid taking IC:Slash (she's Greataxe wielding) by only using Keen weapons at this point and I've gone with the single THF feat. At 16 my crits are between 90-115 with PA on. I use mostly a +5 Keen Great Axe of PG and have tucked away for future use a SWEET +2 Silver Keen Great Axe of PG (ML6) and Garzuul's Bane from Invaders.

Level ups have been in CHA cuz I like my CC spells to hit when I want to use them (so far so good) ATM my static STR is 24 and my CHA is 36 @ 16th before buffs. Dancing Ball + Mind Fog + Glitterdust = Disco Fun

Enthrall is by far the best weapon in a Virts arsenal.

The Song of Capering is sweet to use and usually is sustaining until i've finished them off. DC ATM on that is 67 based on peform skill.

Sustaining Song is great too. A quick burst between 25-30 HP and 3-5 HP per tick after that and I'm usually topped off before you know it. With Displacement backed up by the ever constant Blur mitigating most of the damage, this song makes all the difference at the end of the fight between being needing heals or being topped off.

This being my first Bard to level-up, I've loved ever minute it. However, I'm sure i'll try out the other two prestige classes but I'm in no hurry

~TR dreams and DC wishes