The Shieldsinger 15/3/2 Dwarven Intimibard

[karl_k0ch]

Preface: Due to the Changes to Intimidate and the Shield Mastery Feats of Update 9, this build will be outdated soon.
It's not FUBAR, but I am putting the redesign of the build and the leveling of this character on hold until the dust has settled. I will probably keep the stat spread, drop the Improved Shield Mastery Feat as well as the DR enhancements, using Intimidate as a Hate enhancing tool for a DAxe + Shield hate tank.

Addendum to the Preface: As of Update 10, I have decided that I won't roll this character in this form. He is stuck at level 13, though. So I am going to cap him as a 16/2/2 warchanter, but due to a mediocre starting Dex, I will not be able to acquire the popular TWF feats. What I am going to do is to take the full THF line, and to keep the (first) Shield Mastery feat. The result is a decent, versatile THF bard, which can turtle up in hairy situations and still deliver decent damage due to DAxes getting a benefit off the THF line. Another option, if you have the appropriate gear, is to go the AC route, taking CE and Dodge at levels 15 and 18.
I will not try to get a capped intimidate since the options to generate enough hate are too limited on this build (only mediocre DPS, no further inherent hate enhancements.)

The build which I going to roll is the following, in short:

16 Str (all level ups here)
14 Dex
16 Con
12 Int
8 Wis
12 Cha.

1 Rog
2-3 Bard
4 Fighter
5-9 Bard
10 Rogue
11-13 Bard
14 Fighter
15-20 Bard

Feats:
1 Toughness
3 Power Attack
4 WF: Slash
6 Extend
9 Shield Mastery
12 IC: Slash
14 THF
15 ITHF
18 GTHF

Skills: Maxed UMD, Perform, DD, Search. Decent ranks in Spot, OL and Intimidate.

-----

As a spin-off of this thread, I realized that it's really hard (but doable) to make a Warchanter who has a good intimiscore, can shield-tank, has Evasion, good AC and can handle traps. So I decided to drop one of these, namely AC.

The build achieves the following:

• Full Warchanter II song arsenal, including Fascinate and AC song
• Maxed Search and Disable
• very good shield blocking DR (around 32-46, depending on shield)
• good DPS (also in epics) thanks to songs and axe enhancements
• Potential to get intimidate into the 70s
• Option to Feat-swap (2 feats) him into a build similar to Purgatory's Ûberchanter

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.7.1
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 True Neutral Dwarf Male
(2 Fighter \ 3 Rogue \ 15 Bard) 
Hit Points: 330
Spell Points: 472 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 14
Reflex: 15
Will: 11

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             16                    24
Dexterity            14                    17
Constitution         16                    20
Intelligence         12                    14
Wisdom                8                    10
Charisma             12                    16

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills        Base Skills        Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 20)          (Level 20)
Balance               6                 11                   15
Bluff                 4                  6                    6
Concentration         3                  5                    5
Diplomacy             1                  3                    3
Disable Device        5                 25                   25
Haggle                1                  3                    3
Heal                 -1                  0                    0
Hide                  2                  3                    3
Intimidate            5                 26                   36
Jump                  7                 11                   11
Listen               -1                  0                    0
Move Silently         2                  3                    3
Open Lock             6                  9                    9
Perform               n/a               26                   26
Repair                1                  2                    2
Search                5                 25                   27
Spot                  3                  4                    4
Swim                  3                  7                    7
Tumble                3                  4                    4
Use Magic Device      5                 26                   26

Level 1 (Rogue)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Bluff (+3)
Skill: Disable Device (+4)
Skill: Intimidate (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)
Skill: Search (+4)
Skill: Spot (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 2 (Bard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Perform (+5)


Level 3 (Bard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 4 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Intimidate (+3)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons


Level 5 (Bard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1.5)
Skill: Perform (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)


Level 6 (Bard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1.5)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell


Level 7 (Bard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 8 (Bard)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 9 (Bard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Shield Mastery


Level 10 (Rogue)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+6)
Skill: Search (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 11 (Bard)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Perform (+2)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 12 (Bard)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons


Level 13 (Bard)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 14 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+4)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Shield Mastery


Level 15 (Bard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Perform (+2)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Bullheaded


Level 16 (Bard)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Disable Device (+2)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 17 (Bard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 18 (Bard)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Skill Focus: Intimidate


Level 19 (Bard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 20 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+5)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack III
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Bravery I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Bravery II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Bravery III
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage III
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song I
Enhancement: Bard Warchanter I
Enhancement: Bard Warchanter II
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Attack I
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Attack II
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Damage I
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Damage II
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution I
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution II
Enhancement: Dwarven Shield Mastery I
Enhancement: Dwarven Shield Mastery II
Enhancement: Dwarven Shield Mastery III
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Improved Intimidate I
Enhancement: Bard Charisma I
Enhancement: Bard Charisma II
Enhancement: Rogue Dexterity I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Bard Wand and Scroll Mastery I
Enhancement: Bard Wand and Scroll Mastery II

Critique is much appreciated.

HP Breakdown:

20 Base
20 Fighter
18 Rogue
90 Bard
22 Toughness
30 Enhancements
160 Con (+8 Mod = 26 Con = 16 base + 2 enh + 2 tome + 6 item)
20 Minos
10 Draconic
45 Shroud
30 GFL
-----
465 HP standing

20 rage
20 Ship Buff
40 Madstone
---
545 HP situational

Bonuses not included: +3 tomes, 3rd enhancement tier, +7 con, exceptional con +1, +2.


Saves (assuming 12 dex, 18 con (with enh), 8 wis and +2 tomes and +6 items)

15 Bard 5/9/9
3 Rogue 1/3/1
2 Fighter 3/0/0
Stats 8/5/3
Luck 2/2/2
Superior Stability 6/6/6
GH 4/4/4
Ritual 1/1/1
----
Total 30/30/26

not included: Ship Buffs, Potions, epic resistance bonuses.

pure Blocking DR:

9 (base for bab 15)
3 (divine power or madstoned)
6 feats
3 enhancements
6/7/12/15 shield (Skyvault/Light and Darkness/Epic Kundarak Shield/Lorrik )
----
27/28/33/36 Blocking DR, depending on shield

On top of this: 5/- DR from Warchanter Song or 10/Adamantine from Stoneskin.

projected AC breakdown (as of U10)


10 base
5 Natural
5 Deflection
4 Insight
4 Dodge
2 Dodge
7 dex (24 dex = 14 base + 2 tome + 7 item + 1 enhancement)
8 armor
1 ritual, armor
1 +7 slot, armor
8 shield (epic K)
1 ritual shield
1 +7 slot, shield
4 morale, bard
---
61 AC, standing

sustainable buffs:

1 haste
1 ship dex
2 ship natural
1 haste guard
---
66 AC sustainable. With PA switched on.