Support class

[invrstprkin]

Well ive been surfing the forum for a few minutes and didnt see anything on this so i thought i would ask, i was messing around with a class and for starters made a 2bard/2rogue i started with the rogue to get the points in all the lockpicking search and disable and got everything to over 10 which is only 4 under my full rogue of the same level also its a 32 point build so i was able to put points in the trait needed for the bard and came out with 40 hp i think and around 150 sp. anyway i was thinking about making a class solely for the support of a group, to pick locks and buff/minor heal when needed also i got the use magical device up so i would be focasing mainly on thrown weapons and wands

so basicially what im asking is, is this a giant no no?

also i would like to say that im going to get the next two levels in rogue so i can get the trap parts and eventually end up with like a 12 rogue/8 bard i didnt think that going 10/10 would be good that you would really have to chose one side to take the greater levels so if the opisite would be better idk. . . so im open to all suggestions

[Spangled]

Well ive been surfing the forum for a few minutes and didnt see anything on this so i thought i would ask, i was messing around with a class and for starters made a 2bard/2rogue i started with the rogue to get the points in all the lockpicking search and disable and got everything to over 10 which is only 4 under my full rogue of the same level also its a 32 point build so i was able to put points in the trait needed for the bard and came out with 40 hp i think and around 150 sp. anyway i was thinking about making a class solely for the support of a group, to pick locks and buff/minor heal when needed also i got the use magical device up so i would be focasing mainly on thrown weapons and wands

so basicially what im asking is, is this a giant no no?

also i would like to say that im going to get the next two levels in rogue so i can get the trap parts and eventually end up with like a 12 rogue/8 bard i didnt think that going 10/10 would be good that you would really have to chose one side to take the greater levels so if the opisite would be better idk. . . so im open to all suggestions

Generally, you are much more use to a group if you specialise to some extent - especially once you get to high level content. At that point you need to be able to throw out high dps via spell or weapon or be able to throw massive heals or high level buffs. As you describe it the build you are thinking of would be very weak (thrown weapons and wands are pretty useless.)

Without thinking about this too much, if you wanted to go the 12 rogue/8 bard route, then you could make an interesting Thief Acrobat/Warchanter staff build. It'd never do huge dps, but could be a lot of fun. If you made it halfling the you could also add in all the healing dragonmarks, which will (with the appropriate gear) provide decent back up or self healing:

Feats:
Power Attack (required for warchanter)
Improved Crit Blunt (for the extra damage)
Least, Lesser and Greater Dragonmarks of Healing
Maximize Spell
Empower Healing

The last two feats are always left "on" as they affect dragonmarks. If you feel short of feats (e.g. Extend spell would be nice for hastes, displacement etc.) then you could always lose a level of bard (though level 8 is quite good for warchanters) and take a level of fighter so you have 8 feats.

[Freeman]

Personally, I believe that if you aren't taking at least 14 levels of bard, it isn't worth it to take bard at all. A pure bard is an excellent support character simply for the spells and songs it can bring to a party. Any extra, either through DPS or healing, is a bonus, but you should be able to do something other than buff. A common multiclass split is 16/2/2 bard/fighter/rogue as well. The key is to get 14 levels of bard if you truly want to play the bard role in a party or raid, due to the extra bump to Inspire Courage you get at that level. And the dragonmarks of healing generally aren't worth the feats on a bard, since you are already feat-starved to begin with. Support is nice, but you need to be able to do something on your own.

Oh, and the poster above forgot that you also need Weapon Focus for Warchanter. Still, 8 bard is a bad split IMHO.

[invrstprkin]

well i played it a little bit by myself and whall i was i didnt think it really had the potential for anything, i might take it to the rogue fighter bard thing you mentioned if i keep the caracter but for right now im going to focas on the others, really was just in a mood to make something strange, but still not used to all the crazy things you have to keep in mind yet when building a new class, thanks for the advice

[ColdNapalm]

Is the 12 rogue for a PrE? If not, 2 rogue is plenty...and go the rest of it with bard. Yes DD and open locks and search will have to be raised at double cost...but bards get 6+ int skill points so you can keep all those up. Your gonna want at least 12 int or be human to raise perfrom as well to some degree and UMD is always a useful skill if you can squeeze it in. Concentration is also a must if your gonna cast in combat. But yeah for the most part...2 level of rogue is enough for traps and opening locks because the max ranks isn't lower...you just have to use more skill points. Bard is an awesome support class all on it's own.

[Kriogen]

Well ive been surfing the forum for a few minutes and didnt see anything on this so i thought i would ask, i was messing around with a class and for starters made a 2bard/2rogue i started with the rogue to get the points in all the lockpicking search and disable and got everything to over 10 which is only 4 under my full rogue of the same level also its a 32 point build so i was able to put points in the trait needed for the bard and came out with 40 hp i think and around 150 sp. anyway i was thinking about making a class solely for the support of a group, to pick locks and buff/minor heal when needed also i got the use magical device up so i would be focasing mainly on thrown weapons and wands

so basicially what im asking is, is this a giant no no?

also i would like to say that im going to get the next two levels in rogue so i can get the trap parts and eventually end up with like a 12 rogue/8 bard i didnt think that going 10/10 would be good that you would really have to chose one side to take the greater levels so if the opisite would be better idk. . . so im open to all suggestions

A now standard Bard16/Fighter2/Rogue2 has rogueish skills as high as your average pure Rogue and is at the same time very good warrior, has all relevant Bard buffs, can do some healing and even crowd control with Fascinate song.

I have a feeling you want this (Bard16/2/2), but you are doing something wrong with your char.

[SisAmethyst]

Generally, you are much more use to a group if you specialise to some extent - especially once you get to high level content. At that point you need to be able to throw out high dps via spell or weapon or be able to throw massive heals or high level buffs. As you describe it the build you are thinking of would be very weak (thrown weapons and wands are pretty useless.)

Without thinking about this too much, if you wanted to go the 12 rogue/8 bard route, then you could make an interesting Thief Acrobat/Warchanter staff build. It'd never do huge dps, but could be a lot of fun. If you made it halfling the you could also add in all the healing dragonmarks, which will (with the appropriate gear) provide decent back up or self healing...

I agree that it is better to specialize in one direction instead to try in making a Jack-of-all-trades. Well a pure Bard is this already. Anyway, I dunno, maybe its just me, but except on e.g. Fighters with plenty of Extra Feats, I never have found Dragonmarks that overall useful. There have been always other Feats that I thought to pick up first before considering a DM option.

well i played it a little bit by myself and whall i was i didnt think it really had the potential for anything, i might take it to the rogue fighter bard thing you mentioned if i keep the caracter but for right now im going to focas on the others, really was just in a mood to make something strange, but still not used to all the crazy things you have to keep in mind yet when building a new class, thanks for the advice

Be careful, the low levels sometimes give a false assumption. The breakpoint is around level 10 when mobs start to having better saves, resistance and damage. A character that worked Ok till level 10 may suddenly start to heavily decrease in its potential.
Regarding open-locks and disarm: First of, only focus on the disarm, as you can retry open-lock till you are out of tools, while if you fail a trap-box you may blow it up. Second, it may sound sad/strange, but a with just 4-6 Rogue levels you may be able to disable all traps in this game (maybe except the one in Crucible).
Generally on deep splashing on Multiclassing (more then 1 or 2 levels), you try to check out how you can fill in prestige classes you get at level 6 and 12. So if you not go 6/12 levels of bard/rogue you may not be able to take the first/second prestige Class, which usually add a good bonus.