18 Bard / 2 Fighter Repeater Build

[Fefnir_2011]

I'm interested in building a bard. Really, what I want is a Bardificer, but I don't own arti so I'll have to make due.

Goals
Support character, specifically: Provide party buffs, be able to adequately CC and heal EN, perhaps EH quests. In raids, be able to fill the roles of ranged DPS, CC, or off-healer on easier difficulties, mostly off-healer on the harder content.

While leveling, be able to be the sole source of healing or CC in elite quests, while still contributing ranged DPS. Eventually, I will TR this toon into a bardificer, but I'd like to gather the gear and toon experience in the meantime.

In order to fulfill these goals, I feel like my optimum choice is going to be 18 Bard / 2 Fighter for the extra feats and attack prowess, with Spellsinger to provide extra capabilities on the casting end. I'm still capable of being talked into going pure bard, or Warchanter. However, I've seen a lot of Warchanters in my time and I'd like to try something unusual and unique.

Stats
Str 8
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 8
Wis 8
Cha 18

Level ups into Charisma. Primary stat focuses on Charisma, then Dexterity, then Constitution.

Feats
1 Spell Focus: Enchantment
1 Toughness
2 Rapid Reload (Fighter)
3 Extend
6 Point Blank Shot
9 Rapid Shot
11 Improved Critical: Ranged (Fighter)
12 Heighten
15 Spell Penetration
18 Greater Spell Penetration
21 Inspire Excellence
24 Epic Spell Penetration

I tried to pick out some feats that would help me both with CC and with ranged. However, I don't really know much about what it takes to heal on a bard, and it's been a while since I played any ranged toon. Some other feats I considered were Empower Healing, Quicken, and Precision, but I don't know what will help me the most in my goals.

Skills
UMD
Perform
Concentration
Balance
Bluff
Haggle

Typical skills list, any extra points going into Jump or what have you.

Gear

Here's where I really am stumped. I have a nice collection of repeaters, and the pieces for the Epic Silver Slinger and the Hellfail. The only other things I could think of was:

Blue Dragonscale Leather Armor
Epic Shimmering Pendant
Torc
ePhiarlan Mirror Cloak

Any help you can provide, especially when it comes to feat selection and gear layout, would be most appreciated.

[unbongwah]

In general, trying to mix CC spells with melee / ranged DPS on a bard is a losing proposition, because you're pulling your build in two different directions. A pure max-CHA Spellsinger already starts behind the CC curve compared to, say, an Enchant-specced Archmage; splashing costs you the capstone and Spell Pen and probably feats, making it even worse.

Also, it doesn't look like you took heavy repeater prof.; was your plan to use hvy xbows? Because their low fire rate (combined w/your lack of arty DPS buffs like Rune Arms & Insightful Dmg) pretty much condemns their DPS to "abysmal."

My suggestion would be to look to my Bardchers for inspiration on how you might adapt one to repeaters. Rather than CC spells, I'd go for a mix of buffs, heals & ranged DPS; you'll still have Fascinate for CCs and if you go Virtuoso you'll also have Enthrallment & Song of Capering. For epic feats I'd aim for Inspire Excellence and Combat Archery (reqs. base DEX 21 so you have to plan accordingly).

[Fefnir_2011]

EDIT: Just editing this post for my actual final feat list, for those curious about what I'm doing.

In general, trying to mix CC spells with melee / ranged DPS on a bard is a losing proposition, because you're pulling your build in two different directions. A pure max-CHA Spellsinger already starts behind the CC curve compared to, say, an Enchant-specced Archmage; splashing costs you the capstone and Spell Pen and probably feats, making it even worse.

Yeah, I know i should consider going the min-max route if I expect to have good CC at the end of it. I'm mostly worried about the trip up, as without any weapon DPS I'm kind of stuck hiding in the shadows till I can actually CC and heal effectively.

Also, it doesn't look like you took heavy repeater prof.; was your plan to use hvy xbows? Because their low fire rate (combined w/your lack of arty DPS buffs like Rune Arms & Insightful Dmg) pretty much condemns their DPS to "abysmal."

Nah, I'm just not smart enough to know that repeaters are EWP. I thought they fell under MWP, so I'd have to take a feat for that.

My suggestion would be to look to my Bardchers for inspiration on how you might adapt one to repeaters. Rather than CC spells, I'd go for a mix of buffs, heals & ranged DPS; you'll still have Fascinate for CCs and if you go Virtuoso you'll also have Enthrallment & Song of Capering. For epic feats I'd aim for Inspire Excellence and Combat Archery (reqs. base DEX 21 so you have to plan accordingly).

Hmmm, so perhaps more of a pure ranged focus would be better? Dump my spell feats for stuff like IPS? If I did that, I'm thinking:

Stats
Str 8
Dex 18
Con 16
Int 10
Wis 8
Cha 12

With levelups into Dex, although I could back Con down to 14 and bring Int up to 12 and Cha to 14. Ideally I'd be using helf, but I don't have that either.

Feats

• EWP: Heavy Repeater

• Toughness

• Rapid Reload

• Precise Shot

• Point Blank Shot

• Improved Precise Shot

• IC: Ranged

• Extend

• Rapid Shot

• Precision

• Inspire Excellence

• Combat Archery

Puts me more decidedly into ranged DPS and healing, although I don't know if that's the optimal feat selection. Luckily Virtuoso doesn't require any feats.

Alternatively, I could ditch 2 feats and go pure or 18/2 with rogue. I imagine I could get rid of Quicken and Empower Healing for that, exchanging better heals for trap skills. Again, I don't know how much those 2 feats are needed to raid heal on a bard though.

RE: level split, I had someone point out to me that 16 Bard/2 Fighter/2 Rogue is fairly viable as well, at least for now. I still ended up going 18/2 because of the enhancement pass coming up, though.