Bardic Archer

[Coldin]

I figured I'd repost this build now that I'm seeing how it performs in the end game.

Basically, it's a pretty fun build to play. It does what I originally intended Lenton to do, and that makes me pretty satisfied.

He performs best in the more open quests because there he can keep the mobs off his back. Most of the close quarters areas, the build suffers a little, but the various CC spells can keep him alive long enough for the rest of the party to dispose of the mobs.

Damage output is of course way below a typically ranger, but it's a generally safe and steady DPS. Plus, using the bow usually gives me time to get off some CC spells before the melee monsters get too close. Manyshot has come in very handy too. Basically, for those situations where I'm in over my head, I can activate it and take most monsters down. And with DP scrolls being readily available, I can get just as many arrows as a normal ranger does with manyshot.

Spellcasting is of course a little on the weak side, especially compared to an average bard. All I had room for was Mental Toughness to qualify for Spellsinger. So, no extend for buffs or CC. No Heighten for spell DCs. No Spell Focus or Spell Penetration. That being said, I'm still getting by fairly well with a 30 Cha and taking the Spell Pen. Enhancements. They don't land as often as I wish they did, but I can still charm Elder Beholders, so I'm pretty happy.

With the wand/scroll use, various buffs and CC spells, maxed out songs, and adequate ranged combat, Lynton is definitely what I wanted to get out of my Bard. Now I just need to make level 15 and see what all the fuss is over Imp. Precise Shot. :)


Btw, the current Lynton has used a +2 Dex tome, a +2 Cha tome, and a +1 Str tome. He has also not taken Arcane Archer, as he does not, and will not meet the pre-reqs for it. Arcane Archer was just the backup plan had Lynton never used a +2 Dex tome. And with quivers just on the horizon, 100% returning arrows aren't all that appealing anymore.

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Bardic Archer
Level 16 Chaotic Good Elf Male
(16 Bard)
Hit Points: 116
Spell Points: 845
BAB: 12\12\17\22
Fortitude: 5
Reflex: 14
Will: 9

Starting Ending Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 16) (Level 16)
Strength 9 9 9
Dexterity 17 18 19
Constitution 10 10 10
Intelligence 14 14 14
Wisdom 8 8 8
Charisma 17 22 24

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 1
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 1

Starting Ending
Base Skills Base Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 16)
Balance 4 4
Bluff 6 21
Concentration 4 19
Diplomacy 6 21
Disable Device n/a n/a
Haggle 8 26
Heal -1 -1
Hide 4 4
Intimidate 4 7
Jump 3 18
Listen 3 18
Move Silently 4 4
Open Lock n/a n/a
Perform 8 26
Repair 2 2
Search 2 2
Spot -1 -1
Swim -1 -1
Tumble 8 14
Use Magic Device 8 26

Notable Equipment
Ring: Dextrous Ring
Ring: Ogre Power Ring
Cloak: Charismatic Cloak

Level 1 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+2)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Diplomacy (+2)
Skill: Haggle (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Listen (+4)
Skill: Perform (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+4)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot

Level 2 (Bard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Level 3 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Rapid Shot

Level 4 (Bard)
Ability Raise: CHA
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Level 5 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Level 6 (Bard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Mental Toughness
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song I
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song II
Enhancement: Spellsinger I
Enhancement: Bard Concentration I
Enhancement: Bard Concentration II
Enhancement: Bard Lyric of Song I
Enhancement: Bard Song Magic I
Enhancement: Bard Song Magic II
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music I
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music II
Enhancement: Bard Charisma I

Level 7 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Level 8 (Bard)
Ability Raise: CHA
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+2)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Level 9 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+2)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Manyshot

Level 10 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Level 11 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Level 12 (Bard)
Ability Raise: CHA
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Precise Shot
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage III
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song III
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Elf Ranged Attack I
Enhancement: Elf Ranged Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Charisma II

Level 13 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Level 14 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Level 15 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons

Level 16 (Bard)
Skill: Bluff (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Listen (+1)
Skill: Perform (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack III
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song IV
Enhancement: Elven Enchantment Resistance I
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer I
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +2 Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +3 Arrows
Enhancement: Bard Spell Penetration I

[Sunlily]

He performs best in the more open quests because there he can keep the mobs off his back. Most of the close quarters areas, the build suffers a little, but the various CC spells can keep him alive long enough for the rest of the party to dispose of the mobs.
Yeah, you're gonna notice that. I see you've taken to the 'Jump' skill as well. While not necessarily as useful in open areas, you're gonna love having it in dungeons when you can jump on top of all kinds of things and perch - if that's how you're going to play.

I wonder if Sunlily was an inspiration for that in some regard. :D (just wondering)

Now I just need to make level 15 and see what all the fuss is over Imp. Precise Shot.
I see you're planning on taking additional ranged feats so that's why you don't have additional "bard-useful" feats. I don't know if you're going to be pulling as much aggro as Sulily can (especially vs. a favored enemy), but what you're going to have to watch out for is the enemies you hit that haven't been hit by anyone else yet. Good thing you've got Jump!

The only combat oriented feats Sugarlily has are ones related to the minimum requisites for Arcane Archer. She's going to have a little bit of ranged combat and a larger focus on support / auxiliary healer (wand & bard magic enhancements).

Arcane Archer was just the backup plan had Lynton never used a +2 Dex tome. And with quivers just on the horizon, 100% returning arrows aren't all that appealing anymore.


Kinda sounds like your original plan for Lynton is what I'm going to do with Sugarlily (even with quivers coming out).

[Coldin]

Yeah, you're gonna notice that. I see you've taken to the 'Jump' skill as well. While not necessarily as useful in open areas, you're gonna love having it in dungeons when you can jump on top of all kinds of things and perch - if that's how you're going to play.

I wonder if Sunlily was an inspiration for that in some regard. :D (just wondering)



Well, not so much Sunlily, as I just always like having a good jump skill. It's just one of the most useful skills there is to take. I think one of the reasons I don't like playing cleric and paladins that much is because they can't raise up their jump skill. Makes them very frustrating to play.


I see you're planning on taking additional ranged feats so that's why you don't have additional "bard-useful" feats. I don't know if you're going to be pulling as much aggro as Sulily can (especially vs. a favored enemy), but what you're going to have to watch out for is the enemies you hit that haven't been hit by anyone else yet. Good thing you've got Jump!

No, I can only pull aggro away when I turn on manyshot, and that's rarely. Yeah, I may fit in one more caster-oriented feat at level 18, but that all really depends on what gets added between now and then.


Kinda sounds like your original plan for Lynton is what I'm going to do with Sugarlily (even with quivers coming out).

More like what I came out with with Lenton (with an "e"). Not super-ranged focus, just using it as a way to damage enemies in between buffs, cc, and healing. It just got a bit boring to me at end-game.

[kruggar]

since u dont have str i strongly suggest u go repeaters...

u will have almost the same ROF from bows except the manyshot.