Starting a Bard

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=Starting a Bard=

The bard is a perfect addition to any party, a competent scout, warrior and spellcaster. Bards offer strong team buffs and can help shore up a team's shortcomings whatever they may be. Although bards rarely enjoy the spotlight, they will always be active in every situation. This is a fun and satisfying class to play.

All bards with enough ranks in Perform have access to bardic music, the bard's signature. Inspire Courage is a long-lasting team buff, and available at 1st level. Fascinate is an extraoridinarily powerful charm, also available at 1st level. Additional levels brings additional buffs and charms of increasing power and utility.

Races
Human: Bards are a skilled class, so the extra skill points are welcome and can give you some flexibility on your starting INT score. The bonus feat helps define your bard's focus early.

Elf: The DEX bonus is very useful to bards, while the CON penalty hurts bards a bit less. Elven bards make exceptional scouts, and can begin play with a longbow.

Halfling: Lots of benefits here, while the STR penalty can be minimized by working as a ranged combatant. Halfling Hero's Companion has synergy with the buffing nature of a bard.

Dwarf: The CHA penalty hurts a bit, but can be overcome. Multiclassing as a fighter or barbarian pays dividends here.

Warforged: Again, the CHA penalty sets you back a bit, but as with dwarves, multiclassing sets you apart from the rest.

Drow: Racial bonuses to CHA, INT, and DEX more often than not outweigh the penalty to CON.

Abilities
The primary (casting) stat for a bard is Charisma. Dexterity and Intelligence are probably next highest priorities, then Constitution and Wisdom. This order can change if you choose to dedicate yourself more to one aspect or another.

Here is a stat block for a balanced starting build:

STR: 12 (+1) DEX: 14 (+2) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 10 (+0) WIS: 8 (-1) CHA: 16 (+3)

Combat-minded bards will raise STR and CON and drop DEX, INT and CHA. Those focused on magic (casting and UMD) may drop STR, DEX or INT for a boost to CHA. Bards who prefer to buff and emergency heal will sacrifice points in CHA to bolster other stats.

The enhancement Bard's Charisma adds +1 Charisma at 2nd level, +2 at 5th, and +3 at 8th. (This will likely go to +4 at 11th when the level cap is raised.) Bards focused on magic, or dwarf and warforged bards, will want to take this enhancement if their charisma-10 is lower than their highest level possible spell.

The ability adds at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th will usually be placed in Charisma or Strength depending on the style of the Bard.

Spells
At 1st level you get just one spell. I'd recommend either Cure Light Wounds or one of the control spells like Hypnotism, Sleep, or Otto's Resistible Dance. The self-heal is nice early, and always welcome in any party. The control spells can save a lot of damage before it needs healing.

Bard spells might be categorized as Charms, Restoratives and Utility spells. Charms are powerful control spells (Hypnotism, Charm Person, Sleep, Otto's Resistible Dance, Fear). Restoratives are heals, buffs and status removers (Cure Light Wounds, Remove Fear). Utility spells are more situational (Detect Secret Doors, Expeditious Retreat). Bards with a lower CHA may want to concentrate on their Restoratives and Utility spells, which do not rely on a DC. The Charms offer powerful control possibilities that no bard should be entirely without. Most bards select a mix of Charms and Restoratives. Those with Spell Focus (Enchantment) and a lot of charms are not to be trifled with.

Skills
All bards should keep their Perform skill maxed, since their bardic music requires a minimum number of Perform ranks.

Past that, it's pretty wide open how you spend your points. You can reach big scores with the "face" skills (Bluff, Diplomacy and Haggle). Hide and Move Silently are class skills for the scouting types. Concentration is a good choice. Melee bards like the Tumble skill. All adventurers benefit from Spot, Listen, Jump, Swim and Heal. And bards excel at the Use Magic Device skill, which increases your flexibility greatly. Bear in mind that max ranks in UMD and a good CHA score will allow a bard roughly a 50% chance to activate an item with the same caster level as the bard.

Feats
So many good choices here. For combat, Dodge, Point Blank Shot and Rapid Reload are good (not as of Mod 10). Mental Toughness helps bolster your spell points. Skill Focus (UMD) is valuable (but a Bard should have sufficient UMD skill without it). Concept builds or those leaning towards multiclassing may find value in the +2/+2 skill feats or the Spell Focus feats. The two metamagic feats most suitable for Bards are Extend Spell and Heighten Spell, though neither should be taken as a starting feat. Extend Spell is extremely useful for party buffing, while Heighten is more useful for CC. Do not bother taking Martial Weapon Proficiency, which can be had better by multiclassing. Additional armor feats have almost no value. Many combat feats are unavailable at 1st level since bards have a +0 BAB.

Enhancements
Bards have some tough choices to make here, since bards spend time doing a little of everything. The enhancements which affect their songs are good choices. The Devotion enhancements make your heals as powerful as with the Empower Healing Spell metamagic feat without the extra SP cost. Energy of Music is almost identical to the Mental Toughness feat. No bad choices here, though Inspired Bravery and the skill enhancements are generally lower on the list than the rest. (This has changed with the introduction of the Warchanter PrE, for which Inspired Bravery II is a prerequisite.)

Consider Extra Song, Lingering Song and Bard's Charisma for sure. The Inspired Damage and Inspired Attack enhancements are good choices for buffers and combat oriented bards, but are available later. Magic-focused bards may prefer Devotion, Energy of Music or Skill Magic.

Of the three Bard PrEs available, Warchanter is by far the most popular as of Update 1. Virtuoso is almost never taken, and Spellsinger has seen its usefulness drop. The role of the Warchanter is a topic of some debate, with some players insisting that Bards should focus on their role of party buffer, while other demand that Warchanters contribute directly to party DPS.

A Bard focusing on healing should consider taking all ranks of Wand Mastery, as Bard Wand Mastery provides a 75% increase to effectiveness of wands and scrolls.

Multiclassing
If you find a strong lean in your bard build, you might consider multiclassing. Bards take exceptionally well to multiclassing, and with any other class. Due to alignment restrictions, bards may not multiclass as paladins (or monks).

The Charlatan - Add 1 or 2 levels of rogue for superior utility. Pros: Gain sneak attack and access to Disable Device and Open Lock, additional skill points, evasion at rogue 2 Cons: Attack progression reduced slightly, potential skill points crunch, delayed access to more powerful bardic spells and music Notes: This combo sacrifices melee for ultimate dungeon utility and a lot of gawdy skill modifiers.

The Adventurer - Add 1 or 2 levels of fighter for improved overall balance. Pros: Improved Attack progression, Fort saves, and HP; bonus feat and more weapon proficiencies Cons: Delayed spell and music access Notes: A fast way to cover a bard's primary weaknesses (melee and Fort saves). Take at 2nd level for fast access to Weapon Focus, an Exotic Weapon, Weapon Finesse, or to jump start or complete a longer feat chain. Ranger can work here as well, with less flexibility combat-wise but better skill points.

The Mystic - Add 1 level of wizard or sorcerer for improved spellcasting Pros: Big boost in SP, additional spell options, many items can be used without UMD Cons: Delayed bard spell and music access, useful spell list is fairly short, Arcane Spell Failure chance on sorc/wiz spells. Notes: Stick with Abjuration, Divination and Transmutation spells for maximum life from your new spells. This combo opens up the potential for metamagic feats. Choose wizard for more flexibility, sorcerer for more power. Warning: If you plan to reach level 20, multiclassing will hurt your offensive magic capabilities, due to the loss of the Bard capstone enhancement

The Lyrist - Add 1 level of cleric (or druid) for superior buffing Pros: Big boost in SP, bolstered Fort save, cast all spells in light armor, large selection of spells, turn undead, some items can be used without UMD Cons: Attack progression slowed slightly, need a fair WIS score, turning ability fades over time, delayed access to bardic spells and music Notes: This one is about buffing, not healing. Bless and Protection from evil never go out of style Warning: If you plan to reach level 20, multiclassing will hurt your offensive magic capabilities, due to the loss of the Bard capstone enhancement

The Skald - Add 1 level of barbarian for superior melee Pros: Improved Attack progression, Fort saves, and HP; more weapon proficiencies, fast movement, rage ability Cons: Delayed spell and music access Notes: Another nice combo, plus a cool name! 4 skill points is nice. Perfect for dwarves or warforged.

The Bard has a lot going for it, and is a terrific choice to run your entire career or mix with any other class. Best of luck!

Sample build
Halfling Bard:
 * 10 str
 * 16 dex
 * 14 con
 * 10 int
 * 8 wis
 * 16 cha

Bonus points into cha.

Feats:
 * 1 Rapid Reload
 * 3 EWP: Hvy Repeater
 * 6 Mental Toughness
 * 9 Imp Mental Toughness

Spells:
 * 1 CLW, Otto's Dance, Remove Fear, Expeditious Retreat
 * 2 Suggestion, CMW, Hold Person, Sound Burst
 * 3 Good Hope, Haste, Crushing Despair, Dispel Magic
 * 4 Hold Monster, Dominate Person, Cure Critical*, Break Enchantment*

Enhancements:
 * Song +attack
 * Song +damage
 * bard cha
 * +40% healing

Skills:
 * Tumble
 * UMD
 * Haggle
 * Diplomacy
 * Concentration
 * Perform

Ranged Support Bard
Human
 * Str 12
 * Dex 14
 * Con 14
 * Int 10
 * Wis 10
 * Cha 15

Drow changes: Str 12 (4), Dex 16 (6), Con 12 (6), Int 12 (2), Wis 12 (4), Cha 16 (6)

32 Pt: Con 14 (or 12 for Elf), Wis 12

Skills:
 * Perform
 * Tumble
 * Use Magic Device
 * Concentration
 * Haggle
 * Balance
 * Diplomacy (or Jump if you, like me, have trouble remembering to hit the diplomacy button)

Class Progression:
 * Bard 1: Rapid Reload, Point Blank Shot
 * Brd 1/Ftr 1: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Repeating Crossbow, Light or Heavy)
 * Brd 2/Ftr 1: Precise Shot

This build is greatly enhanced if you already have a Repeating Crossbow to send over. Other tactical recommendations include dragging many of your stacks of crossbow bolts to your action bar so that you can keep better track of your ammo.

Ultimate all-rounder bard
Guess what - the bard that can do everything. Although this build is based mostly on healing, it can do all of the main roles of a bard - heal, melee, ranged and buff

Elf - dex bonus useful, longbows for more damage, Elven attack bonus in new Enhancements. Loss of con isn't too bad as the bard shouldn't have agro STR: 12 (+1)- decent melee ability, but can be buffed to be much better - songs, then heroism, and enhancements DEX: 16 (+3)- decent ranged ability, can be made higher with buffs and enhancements CON: 12 (+1)- you run in after the fighter, thus don't have agro. Otto them if you do INT: 10 (+0)- 6 skill points a level WIS: 8 (-1)- With the new Force of Personality feat, you have no need for Wisdom CHA: 16 (+3)- spell points - yum

Lvl 1 feat - Empower Healing Lvl 3 feat - Mental Toughness Lvl 6 feat - Extend Spell Lvl 9 feat - Force of Personality Lvl 12 feat - Skill Focus (UMD) Lvl 15 feat - Improved Mental Toughness From the lvl 1 feat, you can see that the bard is meant to be a healer from the beginning, but with the right items and buffs (which, luckily, you can provide) you can do anything. Annoying kobold sorcerer? Facinate it. Undead? Buff up, grab a longsword/mace. Or heal them to death. Cleric dead? UMD the raise dead scrolls.

The skills I'd go for are: Concentration, Use Magic Device, Tumble, Jump and (pick two more.) All useful, and being able to use any weapons, armour and scrolls is a huge boost over other people.

With this build [which I use, look for Sabrial on DDO Europe], with the right gear and enhancements, you can heal in the 350's with CCW, without being just a healbot. Take a vorpal longsword with you, a banisher, a smiter, etc, and you can get quick kills on almost anything, without needed a high strength to do so. Also, with the new spell, Master's Touch, you can wield almost any weapon in the game, without penalty. So the bards have things going for them now.