Bards on holiday

[Stingae]

My main is a 32 point first life bard and in my head is likely to always be. I am about to TR her for the first time. I could redo her as a bard again with 2 more stat points and the pl benefits but if that is all I am getting I might just do another epic pl. I think I need a holiday from bardic goodness. So the question is as what?

I am a competent but time poor player so a new life even to 20 is a commitment. I am not sure that completionist is realistic in the next few years. So I guess the question really is, what past lives are going to be most useful for a return to a swashie bard in a life or two but which doesn't rely on grinding for specific gear.

I don't really care about fotm uber builds but like to feel not completely gimped (baseline - I played a h-orc Henshin through heroics before the changes and had a lot of fun!). I really want to play an aa ranger which will be my fall back option if I can find nothing with a better synergy.

Is that too wide a question?

[AzB]

My main is a 32 point first life bard and in my head is likely to always be. I am about to TR her for the first time. I could redo her as a bard again with 2 more stat points and the pl benefits but if that is all I am getting I might just do another epic pl. I think I need a holiday from bardic goodness. So the question is as what?

I am a competent but time poor player so a new life even to 20 is a commitment. I am not sure that completionist is realistic in the next few years. So I guess the question really is, what past lives are going to be most useful for a return to a swashie bard in a life or two but which doesn't rely on grinding for specific gear.

I don't really care about fotm uber builds but like to feel not completely gimped (baseline - I played a h-orc Henshin through heroics before the changes and had a lot of fun!). I really want to play an aa ranger which will be my fall back option if I can find nothing with a better synergy.

Is that too wide a question?

Do you use any stuns for coup? A fighter life would give you a little bonus to your stun dc. Rogue would give you +2 to traps, barb 10hp, and pally a bit of healing amp. Monk gives + 1 damage, and sorc would give you more sp. If you use ottos irresistable a lot, a wiz pl would give you +2 to spell pen.

None of these by itself is game breaking, so just pick whatever fits your playstyle.

[Stingae]

Do you use any stuns for coup? A fighter life would give you a little bonus to your stun dc. Rogue would give you +2 to traps, barb 10hp, and pally a bit of healing amp. Monk gives + 1 damage, and sorc would give you more sp. If you use ottos irresistable a lot, a wiz pl would give you +2 to spell pen.

None of these by itself is game breaking, so just pick whatever fits your playstyle.

Thanks. My coup comes mostly from dance fascinate or trip/dazed from the swash-buckler. Though if i am hanging rpind above 29 next time then a boost to dire charge and ice would be nice.

Hadn't thought of pen for Otto. That is tempting. Was leaning towards Pali but that puts me melee again and my henshin will be my primary alts when I want to play epics.but as a % it strikes me as scaling better to epics than most.

Given ranger has no synergy and is a radically different playstyle maybe not for my main's TR. Don't want to get stuck slogging an experiment gone wrong. Maybe I have to swallow my objection to fanaticism and go holy.