Looking for bard multiclass options

[marinersfan]

Hello,

I'm trying to map out my next life (pretty casual player, typically 2-3 lives per year). I played what ended up as 18 bard/2 rogue, used mostly as a song buffer/sonic damage slinger on hardcore league and had a lot of fun with all the utility (and killed lots with the shout SLA's) and am looking to do something similar. I feel lately I've had trouble finding trappers in random pugs and all my static group friends have been gone on a very long break.

Here's what I'm hoping to accomplish:

1) trapper
2) song buffs (will take T5 spellsinger for the sp regen song, almost definitely)
3) respectable dps via sonic damage. I doubt I'll ever swing my weapon
4) healer in a pinch
5) survivable - I figure healing song + evasion + displacement should keep me up most of the time
6) quick sprint to 30, maybe a couple ER, then TR. Probably running mostly R1 content. I might do a bit of raiding (if pugs are up), but otherwise not an endgame build. I want to get a human PL, though could be convinced to switch and run tiefling instead

Have:
1) quite a lot of gear, just unsure what to use
2) +8 supreme tome
3) couple of PL's, nothing notable. I will have the +10% spell crit chance from arcane EPL

I'm looking for some specific advice, as my build knowledge isn't great:
1) would I see more benefit by splashing in a third class? I'd be more interested in increasing dps, rather than increasing survivability
2) are there specific gear sets that would be great for a bard? I have all content except saltmarsh. As it stands I'm planning to re-use most of my sorc gear, including esoteric initiate lvl 15 set even though it's not ideal to wear a robe.
3) what ED's would be best here? I'm currently running a sorc split between draconic + shiradi. I use dragon breath and shiradi mantle and the dps is very good. I'll have to decide if I want something similar here, or try out fatesinger. Input from those with more ED experience would be appreciated.

Right now my plan is to invest mostly in spellsinger tree, but may also try feydark illusionist, which I haven't used before. I think I might want to get the feywild dreamer set from the soulsplitter content if I want to invest heavily in illusionist. Build will be high cha, rest of points probably in con, then int (trapping and may take insightful reflexes).

[Artos_Fabril]

1) would I see more benefit by splashing in a third class? I'd be more interested in increasing dps, rather than increasing survivability
2) are there specific gear sets that would be great for a bard? I have all content except saltmarsh. As it stands I'm planning to re-use most of my sorc gear, including esoteric initiate lvl 15 set even though it's not ideal to wear a robe.
3) what ED's would be best here? I'm currently running a sorc split between draconic + shiradi. I use dragon breath and shiradi mantle and the dps is very good. I'll have to decide if I want something similar here, or try out fatesinger. Input from those with more ED experience would be appreciated.

Right now my plan is to invest mostly in spellsinger tree, but may also try feydark illusionist, which I haven't used before. I think I might want to get the feywild dreamer set from the soulsplitter content if I want to invest heavily in illusionist. Build will be high cha, rest of points probably in con, then int (trapping and may take insightful reflexes).

1) Generally, diluting casting classes any more than absolutely necessary is a reduction in damage, in particular since you intend to get your damage exclusively from casting. If you were picking up evasion in Shadowdancer, you might go 1rog/1wiz for the free metamagic and take core1 from EK, or 1rog/1barb for the runspeed, but if you don't have 11 DP to spare for Shadowdancer, or if you want evasion much earlier, splashing a third level outside of bard probably doesn't gain you enough to offset your losses.

2) Feywild Dreamer does give you the option for the Feycraft Mail light armor instead of a robe.

[marinersfan]

1) Generally, diluting casting classes any more than absolutely necessary is a reduction in damage, in particular since you intend to get your damage exclusively from casting. If you were picking up evasion in Shadowdancer, you might go 1rog/1wiz for the free metamagic and take core1 from EK, or 1rog/1barb for the runspeed, but if you don't have 11 DP to spare for Shadowdancer, or if you want evasion much earlier, splashing a third level outside of bard probably doesn't gain you enough to offset your losses.

2) Feywild Dreamer does give you the option for the Feycraft Mail light armor instead of a robe.

Thanks for the input. I was figuring 18 bard would be best but wasn't sure if another small splash into something like fvs would be a net gain. I don't know most of the classes well enough to know where the best low-hanging fruit is.

Caster level is something that's always been kind of confusing to me, and wasn't sure how much of a loss 1-4 additional splash levels would affect me. Sounds like probably not worth it, which is fine. Simpler build sounds good to me.

I'll probably look at getting that fey gear, though not excited. I ran Soul Survivor once and heartily disliked it!

[Hobgoblin]

i know you said that you want traps. how dead set are you on that? the capstone is pretty nice and in epics ur gonna want all the dc you can get. also having heal as a spell is so nice

[unbongwah]

1) trapper
2) song buffs (will take T5 spellsinger for the sp regen song, almost definitely)
3) respectable dps via sonic damage. I doubt I'll ever swing my weapon
4) healer in a pinch

Artificer 1 / bard 19 is the easiest way to fulfill your first three goals. Artificer instead of rogue lets you take metamagic feat(s) at level 1 so you don't waste any; plus it gives Magical Training free which saves 3 APs (woo) and grants repeater proficiency which you could use at low levels.

You miss out on Heal spell from the Spellsinger capstone but that's the price you pay to be a trapper / healer bard.

5) survivable - I figure healing song + evasion + displacement should keep me up most of the time

Evasion requires a decent investment into Reflex saves, otherwise it's useless. Since this is a CHA-based caster build (as opposed to DEX- or INT-based), I think you'd be better off relying on MRR. Fortunately medium armor is free from Artificer so add drow Arcane Fluidity + Sapphire of Spell Agility, perhaps, rather than spending 22 APs on Warchanter's Armorer.

[marinersfan]

Yes, pretty set on trapping next life

I've never played artificer. Would I see any benefit from lugging around a rune arm with 1 level of arty? I was debating putting some points into int and maybe taking insightful reflexes, but feats will be tight.

Medium armor build w/out evasion is a good idea to consider.

I can live without heal... hopefully xD

[unbongwah]

Would I see any benefit from lugging around a rune arm with 1 level of arty?

No because you need Artificer 2 to equip Runearms. Not that bard 19 is that exciting but I don't see much point in going bard 18 / Arty 2 instead unless you're making some sort of Swashbuckling Inquisitive, maybe?

I can live without heal... hopefully xD

You'll have Boast, Cure spells, and/or Sustaining Song in heroics; plus access to ED abilities like Renewal in epics so you should be fine.

[Hobgoblin]

Yes, pretty set on trapping next life

I've never played artificer. Would I see any benefit from lugging around a rune arm with 1 level of arty? I was debating putting some points into int and maybe taking insightful reflexes, but feats will be tight.

Medium armor build w/out evasion is a good idea to consider.

I can live without heal... hopefully xD

you cant get rune arms till 2 arti. the benifit is minimal - as i think i read you were wanting to be caster the main thing that it would give you is another slot for sets mist fey etc

ok ya so you still get heal scrolls and other decent cures....and 19 bard doesnt give you much. u are already losing cap, so take it down to 18 and get 2 arti.

med armor is nice and you can get rid of the asf either through wc or augs

and you can get some hp from rmm tree

i just dont know what else to put in for classes 19 bard isnt much but not much else gets you anything either.

[marinersfan]

Good stuff, thank you.

Doubt I'll take 2 artificer then. I do have a handful of rune arms sitting in bank for "someday", but probably not this one.

Wondering if it may be worth taking:
18 bard/1 artificer/1 wizard - I'd get an extra metamagic feat this way, easy access to shield spell, +15 hp from tier 1 EK enhancement.
18 bard/1 artificer/1 fighter - similar, extra feat?

The reason I want to run a trapper is that I have a ton of quests I barely know and want to solo and learn them better this coming life. Figure a trapper will help with that

Thanks

[unbongwah]

18 bard/1 artificer/1 wizard - I'd get an extra metamagic feat this way, easy access to shield spell, +15 hp from tier 1 EK enhancement.

Probably makes the most sense if you've got Feydark Illusionist so you can take You've Got My Back: "...the Shield spell now provides +10 Physical Resistance Rating, and the Nightshield spell now provides +10 Magical Resistance Rating." Also Improved Mage Armor gives +10% AC free.

[Enoach]

I've done:
18/2 bard/rogue using Spell Singer + Inquisitive - Great buffing, no issue trapping, good healing and can leverage sonic (I tend to go this route on HC as it doesn't need a lot of gear to perform well)
14/4/2 bard/arti/rogue using Spell Singer + Great xBow - Lots of buffs, no issue trapping, lots of healing options and sonic damage + Rune Arm - This can be tricky leveling up in skill placement but very solid

Bard and Rogue are both great classes for multi-classing many of their strongest boosts are low to mid-level achieved.

[marinersfan]

Probably makes the most sense if you've got Feydark Illusionist so you can take You've Got My Back: "...the Shield spell now provides +10 Physical Resistance Rating, and the Nightshield spell now provides +10 Magical Resistance Rating." Also Improved Mage Armor gives +10% AC free.

This seems likely what I'll end up doing. That's a nice cheap boost to survivability. Once I finish the fey saga I'll get Feydark Illusionist unlocked and be primed to take 30.

Enoach,
Inquisitive builds I've thought about a lot also. I've never run one but could see it being fun, and certainly checks most of my wants. Maybe that'll be my next life. Torn between inquisitive and alchemist next. Gear-wise I'm much better situated to nuke