Half-Elf 14 Bard/ 6 Ranger Virtuoso II/DWS

[Jinxerz]

CRITIQUES/CRITICISM APPRECIATED!

This is my first planned build, which I spent about two hours on. (Not much, I know, but it was 5:00 AM and I was bored and had an idea to run with.)

So, I've planned out the meat and potatoes of this build.

I've got a solid idea of what I want, that being a caster-sniping scout who also functions as a CC Debuffer when sniping isn't possible (Or when all the casters have already died) who can also buff up the party.

That said, I'm still new to building, and this is just a base blueprint. I wouldn't likely go straight 14 and 6. (Actually more tempted to go 6 first, then 14, so I can get the Cha in for extra spells, but that's just one of the things I noticed as I was halfway through the build)

I'm completely open to suggestions here about where to take it, when to level, and what TR's I should take, if anyone can think of anything useful. I took Sorc Diletante for the UMD, but if anyone thinks there's something better to go with, I'm willing to hear ideas.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.12.01
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Bardy 
Level 20 Chaotic Neutral Half-Elf Male
(6 Ranger \ 14 Bard) 
Hit Points: 212
Spell Points: 626 
BAB: 16\16\21\26\26
Fortitude: 12
Reflex: 19
Will: 11

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats         Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 20)           (Level 20)
Strength             10                 12                   12
Dexterity            14                 18                   20
Constitution         14                 16                   16
Intelligence         13                 16                   16
Wisdom                8                 11                   11
Charisma             17                 20                   24

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 3
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 3
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 3
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 3
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 3
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 3
+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                 21                   21
Bluff                 3                  7                    7
Concentration         6                 20                   20
Diplomacy             3                  7                   11
Disable Device        n/a               n/a                   n/a
Haggle                5                 18                   18
Heal                 -1                 11                   11
Hide                  4                 28                   31
Intimidate            3                  7                    7
Jump                  0                 24                   24
Listen               -1                  0                    4
Move Silently         4                 28                   31
Open Lock             n/a               n/a                   n/a
Perform               7                 24                   33
Repair                1                  3                    3
Search                1                  3                    3
Spot                 -1                  0                    3
Swim                  0                  2                    2
Tumble                4                 21                   21
Use Magic Device      7                 30                   30

Level 1 (Bard)
Feat: (Half-Elf Dilettante) Half-Elf Dilettante: Sorcerer
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot
Spell (1): Hypnotism


Level 2 (Bard)
Spell (1): Charm Person


Level 3 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Skill Focus: Perform
Spell (1): Expeditious Retreat


Level 4 (Bard)
Ability Raise: INT
Spell (2): Hold Person
Spell (2): Suggestion


Level 5 (Bard)
Spell (1): Feather Fall
Spell (2): Scare


Level 6 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell


Level 7 (Bard)
Spell (3): Crushing Despair


Level 8 (Bard)
Ability Raise: WIS
Spell (3): Fear


Level 9 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Heighten Spell


Level 10 (Bard)
Spell (4): Dominate Person


Level 11 (Bard)
Spell (4): Otto's Sphere of Dancing


Level 12 (Bard)
Ability Raise: CHA
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons


Level 13 (Bard)
Spell (5): Mass Suggestion


Level 14 (Bard)
Spell (5): Mind Fog


Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Enchantment
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song I
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song II
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song III
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Bravery I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Bravery II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song I
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song II
Enhancement: Bard Music of Makers
Enhancement: Bard Music of the Dead
Enhancement: Bard Virtuoso I
Enhancement: Bard Virtuoso II
Enhancement: Improved Sorcerer Dilettante I
Enhancement: Improved Sorcerer Dilettante II
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Charisma I
Enhancement: Human Greater Adaptability Dexterity I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense I
Enhancement: Improved Hide I
Enhancement: Improved Hide II
Enhancement: Improved Move Silently I
Enhancement: Improved Move Silently II
Enhancement: Improved Perform I
Enhancement: Improved Perform II
Enhancement: Bard Improved Spell Penetration I
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music I
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music II
Enhancement: Bard Charisma I
Enhancement: Bard Charisma II
Enhancement: Bard Charisma III


Level 16 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: DEX
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack II


Level 17 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I


Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
Spell (1): Camouflage
Spell (1): Jump
Spell (1): Longstrider
Spell (1): Merfolk's Blessing
Spell (1): Ram's Might
Spell (1): Resist Energy
Spell (1): Summon Nature's Ally I
Spell (1): Tumble
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost II
Enhancement: Improved Sorcerer Dilettante III


Level 19 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage II
Enhancement: Improved Spot I
Enhancement: Improved Spot II


Level 20 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: DEX
Enhancement: Ranger Deepwood Sniper I

[unbongwah]

Have a look at my Bardcher thread. Short summary: AA is far better than DWS; your stats are kind of a mess; rgr 2 / ftr 2 gets you the same # of feats as rgr 6 (not counting Diehard) while leaving two lvls to spare; or go rogue 2 / ftr 2 on a HE w/rgr dilly if you're willing to give up melee almost entirely.

[Jinxerz]

Have a look at my Bardcher thread. Short summary: AA is far better than DWS; your stats are kind of a mess; rgr 2 / ftr 2 gets you the same # of feats as rgr 6 (not counting Diehard) while leaving two lvls to spare; or go rogue 2 / ftr 2 on a HE w/rgr dilly if you're willing to give up melee almost entirely.

AA will always be better than DWS so long as AA has ridiculous burst damage from Slayer Arrows and Multi-shot. However, I have doubts that AA with one prestige rank is better than DWS. You'd need to go into the tree quite a bit to unlock any worthwhile arrow imbues, would you not? Anyway, my main goal here, as I've said, isn't to be Ranged DPS. I'm looking for a Caster-sniper/Scout who can still play a reasonable role as a De-buffer. I'll agree that my stats are a bit of a mess, and that I could use more focus on dex and less on int and con, but I didn't want to be too squishy late game.

[unbongwah]

You're forgetting that elves & HEs can take the racial AA line; they don't need any rgr lvls, though the free feats certainly help out.

Also, I've played my fair share of Virtuosos; trust me, you do NOT need high base CHA for high DCs on the bard songs (Fascinate et al). Like every skill, Perform depends more on having max ranks & good gear than your base stat.

The only reason to go for high base CHA on a bard is for higher DCs on CC spells; and if that's your goal, then a pure Spellsinger is your best option. But in that case, I would drop archery entirely to focus on metamagic feats.

[bartosy]

ability points all over the place..

i can tell you one thing tho you won't land any cc spell with that kind of split and cha score in any epic even if you enthralled the mobs beforehand.. it's just gonna be way to low spell pen and spell dc wise

true you can mindfog mobs.. making you basicly a wiz pet, but why be a wiz pet if you can do the same thing they do just as well on a 20 ss ?

[honkuimushi]

I agree with the others. With only 14 levels of Bard and a moderate Chr, you won't have much luck at all with any spell based CC. If you want to CC, start with 18 Chr and put all level ups there. Go 20 Bard and take Spellsinger and the Capstone. Then you might do ok, though you still won't be as good as a Wizard. With 14 Bard levels, you'll fail most of your Spell Resistance checks at high levels and your DC will be one lower than a level 16+ Bard because you can't Highten spells to level 6. You also won't have enough feats to take both caster feats and Archer feats.

You still might be able to do some song CC, but that doesn't take a very high Chr. You would be better off speccing as an Archer with Buffs and Song CC. Also, taking almost all of your Ranger levels at the end really cripples your skills. You want to spread them out so you can take teh skills you want while they're class skills.


The most useful build is probably a Bard 14/ X 6 where 6 is Ranger, or a combination of Ranger or Fighter and Rogue. Ideally it would be a buffing Archer with Warchanter and either healing, song CC or trapping to go with it. Unfortunately, that's really Feat intensive. Finally, there isn't a much point in a scout in DDO, except maybe in Permadeath and RP groups. Even then, a Scout without trapping ability is a waste of a spot.

I would suggest putting this build on the shelf until the new enhancement system is unveiled and see what you can come up with then.