Shadow Bard -- INT Based Shadar Kai

[MadCookieQueen]

Flavor:



The Plane of Shadow hosts many creatures, terrifying and powerful they meld into darkness, rising in the depths of your nightmares. Don't blink. Otherwise you'll miss seeing the blade in your chest.

Even the Plane of Shadow has music, it's haunting melodies leave a sense of despair but makes you listen to it's beauty in all the dark places.

Rare is the Shadow Bard and it is rarer to see one before the final moment, but the music will stay with you for always.

Notes:

I apologize if the math is a little off...I'm very flattered that I received several PMs about this build and if it was going to be refined. So I strove to get this done.

I will work on getting some DPS estimates done.

I went Shadow Dancer because at the end of the day if you are INT based melee...it really is the best sphere to match that. If you go Legendary Dreadnaught (blitz is nice) swap out Extra Action Boost for INT, you'll be down 2 INT but your melee power will go up.

For New Players: You will want to drop CHA to 12 and get DEX to 13, as I'll assume no tomes and 13 DEX is necessary for Precision. Your Epic Destiny will be a bit tricky as you'll need to keep sphere hoping to get it in order, however max out Fatesinger first so you can take Lasting Inspiration. If you find yourself having a difficult time with survivability via keeping yourself healed, I would take the metamagic feats earlier (I mark where you could swap around for them). This will boost your healing capabilities which will mean the difference between life and death.

As always...thank you and let me know!


Class:Bard 15 / 2 Rogue / 3 Fighter (RBBBBBBBFBBFFRBBBBBB)
Race: Shadar-Kai


Abilities:

STR: 29/33 (+8 base +6 tome +2 litany +1 globe +8 item +2 insightful +2 ship/+2 song +2 potion)
DEX: 33/37 (+12 base +6 tome +2 litany +1 globe +8 item +2 insightful +2 ship/+2 song +2 potion)
CON: 38/40 (+14 base +6 tome +1 enh +2 litany +1 globe +10 item +2 insightful +2 ship/+2 song +2 potion)
INT: 54/58 (+18 base +6 tome +7 levels +1 enh +2 litany +1 globe +11 item +3 insightful +2 ship/+2 song +2 potion)
WIS: 29/33 (+8 base +6 tome +2 litany +1 globe +8 item +2 insightful +2 ship/+2 song +2 potion)
CHA: 37/41 (+13 base +6 tome +2 litany +1 globe +11 item +2 insightful +2 ship/+2 song +2 potion)

Feats:

Passive Past Life: Paladin x3, Fighter x3, Bard x3
ETR: Doublestrike x3, Brace x3, Colors x3, Enchant Weapon X3, Energy Critical x3
Base: SWF (1), Insightful Reflexes (3), Precision (6), Shield Mastery (9), Quicken or Improved Shield Mastery (12), gSWF (15), Improved Shield Mastery or Quicken (18), Inspire Excellence or Maximize or Emp. Heal (21), Overwhelming (24), Maximize or Emp. Heal or Inspire Excellence(27)

Fighter: iSWF (9), IC Piercing (12)
Destiny: pTWF (26), Lasting Inspiration (28)

Enhancements:
Swashbuckler 39 AP:

C : Confidence (1), Swashbuckling (1), Uncanny Dodge(1), Panache(1)
I: On Your Toes III (3), Blow by Blow III (3)
II: Fast Movement (2), Action Boost Doublestrike III (6), Sword Dance III (6)
III: Elegant Footwork (2), Style (1), Resonant Arms (6)
V: Thread the Needle (2), Exploit Weakness (2), CDG (2)

Spellsinger 4 AP:

C: Spellsinger(1)
I: Lingering III (3)

War Chanter 8 AP:

C: CON (1)
I: Rough and Ready III (3), Poetic I (1)
II: Action Boost: Sprint III (3)

Harper 12 AP:

C: Agent of Good I (1), INT 1 (2)
I: Strategic Combat (2), Harper Enchantment (2)
II: KtA III (3)
III: Strategic Combat II (2)

Kensai 4 AP:

C: Light Blades (1)
I: Action Boost Haste (3)

Stalwart Defender 13 AP:

C: Toughness (1), Stalwart Defense (1)
I: Improved Stalwart Defense, Durable III (3), Random point somewhere
II: Improved Stalwart Defense, Resiliant III (3), Instinctive I (1)
III: Greater Stalwart Defense, Tenacious III (3)

Skills:

Max: Perform, UMD, Disable, Search, Concentrate, Balance at 23 ranks; Heal at 11. Extra points where ever.
Perform: 73 (+15 CHA, +23 Ranks, +8 epic, +4 tome, +2 luck, +4 GH, +1 profane (spider mask), +3 ship +20 Item)
UMD: 51 (+15 CHA, +23 Ranks, +8 epic, +2 tome, +2 luck, +4 GH, +1 profane (spider mask), +3 ship)
Disable: 95 (+24 INT, +23 Ranks, +8 epic, +4 tome, +2 luck, +4 GH, +1 profane (spider mask), +3 ship +20 Item +6 exceptional)
Search: 95 (+24 INT, +23 Ranks, +8 epic, +4 tome, +2 luck, +4 GH, +1 profane (spider mask), +3 ship +20 item +6 exceptional)
Heal: 59 (+11 WIS, +11 Ranks, +8 epic, +4 tome, +2 luck, +4 GH, +1 profane (spider mask), +3 ship +15 Item)

Core Stats:

HP: 936/992 (+157 levels, +80 epic, +392 CON +10 draconic, +40 false life, +15 autogrant, +33 pl, +20 vitality +156 Stalwart / +448 buffed Con)
SP: 1047 (+400 base, +372 CHA, +250 item, +25 ship)
Positive Spell Power: +392/+318 (+138 Devotion +59 heal skill +15 guild +150 maximize, +45 Universal/-75 Empower Heal)
Healing Amp: 255% ((30 pally PLs +20 guild +45 +60) +100) / 100
PRR: 125 ( +18 PLs +31 enh +30 sheltering +20 SM +36 armor)
Fort: 185% (130 Item + 40% brace for impact +15% ship)

Saves:

Fort: 61 (8 base + 4 epic + 16 CON + 4 morale +11 resistance + 2 luck + 3 competence + 3 ship +1enh ship + 3 brace + 2 brace for impact -4 yugo pot)
Ref: 77 (13 base + 4 epic + 22 INT + 4 morale +11 resistance + 2 luck + 3 competence + 3 ship +1enh ship + 3 brace + 2 brace for impact)
Will: 58 (10 base + 4 epic + 11 Wis + 4 morale +11 resistance + 2 luck + 3 competence + 3 ship +1enh ship + 3 brace + 2 brace for impact)

Epic Destiny -- Shadow Dancer

I: Acrobatic (2), INT (2)
II: Lithe (3), INT (2)
III: Grim Precision III(3), Meld into Darkness II(2), Shrouding Strike III(3), INT (2)
V: Executioner Strike III (3), Sealed Soul (2)
Twists: Sense Weakness (4), Legendary Shield Mastery(2), Brace for Impact (1), Extra Action Boost (1)

Gear:

Trinket: Epic Litany [eldrich saves ritual] (Green: Good Luck +2 | Yellow: Draconic Soul Gem) | PLIS
Head: Dragon Masque (Yellow: STR +8 | Colorless: +2 iSTR )
Neck: Shroud of the Ardent (Green: WIS +8 | Yellow: iWIS +2)
Goggles: Intricate Field Optics +3iINT (Yellow: Blindness Immunity | Green: )
Bracers: Bracers of Twisting Shade
Body: Flawless Shadow Dragonhide: Shadow Killer (Green: Golemn's Heart |Blue: False Life 40)
Cloak: Mysterious Cloak: 45 HA and 25 MRR (Green: iCON +2 | Colorless: Vitality)
Ring: Epic Beholder (Green: DEX +8 | Yellow: iDEX +2 )
Ring: Heatlh +10, Dodge +10
Boots: Epic Boots of the Innocent (Green: concentration +15 | Yellow: Heal +15)
Gloves: EE Backstabbers (Yellow: Anthem Colorless: Open Lock +15 )
Belt: Epic Chord of Reprisals (Green: Globe of Imperial True Blood | Yellow: iCHA +2) | Skullduggery Kit
Quiver: Epic Quiver of Alacrity
Weapon: Thunder Forged Rapier 1st Degree Burns/Dragon’s Edge/Mortal Fear (Orange: Meteoric Star Ruby | Red: Devotion 138 | Colorless: )
Shield: Epic Swashbuckler (Blue: )

[DrWily]

I have to say, you've done a really nice job. If I hadn't already TR'd I'd probably be running this instead.

[silinteresting]

oh a very Tricky build.

your friend sil

[unbongwah]

Question: have you messed with Vanguard at all with this build? I like the defensive & offensive benefits of VG; in particular, I want to know how high of a DC one can get with Stunning Shield, since it's based on your highest stat (in this case INT) and KtA should boost it further (as well as Stunning, Combat Mastery, etc.).

[MadCookieQueen]

Question: have you messed with Vanguard at all with this build? I like the defensive & offensive benefits of VG; in particular, I want to know how high of a DC one can get with Stunning Shield, since it's based on your highest stat (in this case INT) and KtA should boost it further (as well as Stunning, Combat Mastery, etc.).

I can honestly say I haven't thought too much of Vanguard in this particular build. I was more concentrating on using the sharp pointy stick than the shield to the face.


I would almost be inclined to do a full vanguard bard then...which might break my sacred rule of 15 bard levels but I could see a 12 bard / 4 FVS / 4 Fighter Vanguard with ameloiating strike, some swashbuckler, vanguard and stalwart working out rather well.

Or drop the Swash for a larger shield and sword and add in some of the ice WC abilities.

either method would have merits in one form or the other.

You'd go CHA based (Ice attacks, divine might, spell points) with Divine Might fueling it (effectively your STR would go through the roof)...even if you go Drow the best you could do would a 5% ASF on heavy armor (no eldritch knight) so you may not want to try for that.

Yeah I'd really have to sit down and play with this one.

[unbongwah]

I've been experimenting with CHA-based PDK SWF bards, similar to the Ice Baron but with ftr 3 splash for defensive stance & Vanguard. The idea being that (A) Stunning & Exceptional Combat Mastery bonuses affect WC DCs as well as Stunning Shield; (B) CKT should apply to WC as well as VG DCs; (C) KtA should stack with CKT for extra DPS & DCs; and (D) VG DCs are based on your highest stat, in this case CHA, which is also what effects base WC DCs too. So: CHA & INT as your primary stats, CON, enough DEX to take Precision (or enough STR to take Power Atk), ditch WIS. Plus going CHA-based means decent DCs on Energy Burst; freeze mobs w/Spinning Ice, then blast `em w/Energy Burst. Only downside is you're stuck with short swords for CKT bonuses, but plenty of them to choose from.

Enhancements are pretty tight: 11 APs SB for Skirmisher, 33 APs WC for Spinning Ice, 13 APs VG for Stunning Shield + Follow Up, 13 APs SD for Gtr Defensive stance (+6 CON or +20% HPs), 3 APs PDK for Dmg Boost & CKT, 7 APs Harper for KtA.

Alternatively, you could ditch SWF to go THF/TWF w/CKT weapons, which frees APs from SB to go elsewhere; and can take Armorer to use med armor for more PRR/MRR. This could work well if you had, say, eSOS with Dun'Robar Seal of Stunning.

But this has all been theory-crafting on my part, with a little experimentation on an testbed alt; haven't really put it into practice yet.

[MadCookieQueen]

I am derailing my own thread here a bit and I apologize to me.

Disclaimer: These are initial thoughts based on very messy white board calcs...I warn everyone that my quick thinking and what I ultimately settle on could be very different directions...but this is a starting point.


Different trains of thought for any direction...the APs are ridiculously tight. I went 4 here for Weapon Specialization, which really is about half of the bonus from Claw Set.

14 Bard / 4 Fighter / 2 Rogue -- Swashbuckler SWF INT based Human (8 STR, 12 DEX, 16 CON, 18 INT, 8 WIS, 14 CHA) RBFRBBBBFFBFBBBBBBBB

Vanguard - 17 AP
Stalwart - 13
Ken - 4
Harper - 12
SB - 34 (sorry no CDG on this)

Feats(in quasi order) SWF & IR(1 H), SM & Precision (3 f), Weapon focus: Pierce (6), iSWF & iSB (9 f), IC: Pierce & Weapon Specialization (12 F), gSWF (15), iSM (18), Overwhelming (21), Quicken (24), Maximize or Emp Heal (27)
destiny: pTWF (26), Lasting Inspiration (28)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

16 Bard / 3 Fighter / 1 FVS -- Warchanter Large Shield, Medium Armor, Bastard Swords, CHA Based but DM will jack the STR which will feed your Stunning Shield (16 STR, 8 DEX, 16 CON, 8 INT, 8 WIS, 18 CHA). BFFvSBBBBBBBBFFBBBBBBB

You will need to have a 36 point build capabilities and at least a +1 STR tome.

Because I'm looking at the Ice Attacks from Warchanter I opted for more bard (+1 DC) to help.

Vanguard - 17 AP
Stalwart - 13
Ken - 4
WP - 4
SS - 4
WC - 38

Feats THF, PA, (1 H), Exotic B-Swords (2 F), SM (3), iSB (6), iTHF (9), IC; Slashing & iSM (12 F), gTHF (15), Emp Heal (18), Overwhelming (21), Quicken (24), Inspire excellence (27)
Destiny: pTWF (26), Tactician (28)



I'm going to play around with both of these and hopefully put something more robust into it's own thread.

for now...this is what my whiteboard, coffee and my brain came up with in about an hour.

[voodoogroves]

I am derailing my own thread here a bit and I apologize to me.

Disclaimer: These are initial thoughts based on very messy white board calcs...I warn everyone that my quick thinking and what I ultimately settle on could be very different directions...but this is a starting point.


Different trains of thought for any direction...the APs are ridiculously tight. I went 4 here for Weapon Specialization, which really is about half of the bonus from Claw Set.

14 Bard / 4 Fighter / 2 Rogue -- Swashbuckler SWF INT based Human (8 STR, 12 DEX, 16 CON, 18 INT, 8 WIS, 14 CHA) RBFRBBBBFFBFBBBBBBBB

Vanguard - 17 AP
Stalwart - 13
Ken - 4
Harper - 12
SB - 34 (sorry no CDG on this)

Feats(in quasi order) SWF & IR(1 H), SM & Precision (3 f), Weapon focus: Pierce (6), iSWF & iSB (9 f), IC: Pierce & Weapon Specialization (12 F), gSWF (15), iSM (18), Overwhelming (21), Quicken (24), Maximize or Emp Heal (27)
destiny: pTWF (26), Lasting Inspiration (28)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

16 Bard / 3 Fighter / 1 FVS -- Warchanter Large Shield, Medium Armor, Bastard Swords, CHA Based but DM will jack the STR which will feed your Stunning Shield (16 STR, 8 DEX, 16 CON, 8 INT, 8 WIS, 18 CHA). BFFvSBBBBBBBBFFBBBBBBB

You will need to have a 36 point build capabilities and at least a +1 STR tome.

Because I'm looking at the Ice Attacks from Warchanter I opted for more bard (+1 DC) to help.

Vanguard - 17 AP
Stalwart - 13
Ken - 4
WP - 4
SS - 4
WC - 38

Feats THF, PA, (1 H), Exotic B-Swords (2 F), SM (3), iSB (6), iTHF (9), IC; Slashing & iSM (12 F), gTHF (15), Emp Heal (18), Overwhelming (21), Quicken (24), Inspire excellence (27)
Destiny: pTWF (26), Tactician (28)



I'm going to play around with both of these and hopefully put something more robust into it's own thread.

for now...this is what my whiteboard, coffee and my brain came up with in about an hour.

Loving this; may lift a bit to use myself!

[Arlathen]

Loving this; may lift a bit to use myself!

It's about time you got back in this game, Voodoo. May the theory building never end.

[voodoogroves]

Amen!

I've got one more rogue life of one of my characters, and then she's going to spend time as either a monk or a bard ... and this kind of thing is right up her alley!

[MadCookieQueen]

Amen!

I've got one more rogue life of one of my characters, and then she's going to spend time as either a monk or a bard ... and this kind of thing is right up her alley!

If you decide to go Bard and want to use either of those Vanguard options, can you give me a day or two to finish them up?

[voodoogroves]

If you decide to go Bard and want to use either of those Vanguard options, can you give me a day or two to finish them up?

It'll be weeks before that character is ready ;-)

I'm still "sorting" and trying to remember stuff on my various characters anyway.

BTW, did Sprint Boost move to T2 on bards at some point? Did it used to be T1?

[MadCookieQueen]

It'll be weeks before that character is ready ;-)

I'm still "sorting" and trying to remember stuff on my various characters anyway.

BTW, did Sprint Boost move to T2 on bards at some point? Did it used to be T1?

I don't' recall if it was moved with the Bard pass or if it's in the same position as when the initial enhancement pass went through. My memory only goes back so far ^^

[1Soulless1]

I don't' recall if it was moved with the Bard pass or if it's in the same position as when the initial enhancement pass went through. My memory only goes back so far ^^

Hi there again MCQ, I stole your build again...I played around with a few of the ehn's in heroics because I didn't have a buckler...but...its been pretty solid the only problem I had so far in heroics was RTWD I got 2 ghaele's champs on the first pull...it didn't end well..... I just hit lvl 20 and ill let you know how it works on epics... I don't think it has the prr for EE's at lvl ( low lvl like20 etc etc I usually save the vons for epic for my first run through on a iconic toon).... but i've been able to trap anything in the game so far with out a problem.

I should be capped in the next day or so, so...yeah, thank you for posting I need 2 more SK lives im thinking some kind of rogue mechanic next life I have a lot of nice repeaters kicking around and a fully upgraded needle...


btw this is how I felt on this toon pretty bad ass

[MadCookieQueen]

OH WOW!

Loving that song.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With dodge and displacement and light armor, elite epics will still be challenging but you should roll through hard and normal. Just remember to play her like a knife fighter, you'll be jumpy but decent twitch skills (jump in...stabby stab stab and then out before the counter attack), you should manage it just fine.

Thank you for letting us (as in the Bard community not some weird royal us) know how she's performing and yeah...champion ghaeles in RwtD...suck!


Good luck with the repeater build! I hear they are lots of fun.

[1Soulless1]

OH WOW!

Loving that song.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With dodge and displacement and light armor, elite epics will still be challenging but you should roll through hard and normal. Just remember to play her like a knife fighter, you'll be jumpy but decent twitch skills (jump in...stabby stab stab and then out before the counter attack), you should manage it just fine.

Thank you for letting us (as in the Bard community not some weird royal us) know how she's performing and yeah...champion ghaeles in RwtD...suck!


Good luck with the repeater build! I hear they are lots of fun.

She's doing ok in EE's so far I just hit lvl 24 almost about 25, im respecing my ehn's to match yours and see how it works. I like the fact she dishes out good dps but you have to play smart. I can't play it like my barb sit there an take it like champ for the team.

I am impressed tho can't wait to see her with a lvl 26 TF shortsword ( I prefer shortswords to rapiers, I dunno seems to do more dps....sadly I don't have a balazadire or a celestia... but razorend ripped heroics to pieces, and so far the drow shortsword is pretty bueno. Maybe a lvl 24 TF blank...I might make one of those up....im also interested to see how light picks work with her. More thoughts to ponder....

BTW I love that you put songs on your builds.....and Bolt Thrower is rather bueno

[Thromheart]

What kind of spells are you using as you level bard?

[MadCookieQueen]

What kind of spells are you using as you level bard?

Standard spell selection:

Bard: Focusing Chant, Cure Light Wounds, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Cure Moderate Wounds, Rage, Blur, Invisibility, Cure Serious Wounds, Good Hope, Displacement, Haste, Freedom of Movement, Dimension Door, Cure Critical Wounds, Shout, Greater Heroism, Mind Fog, Cure Light Mass

[voodoogroves]

Standard spell selection:

Bard: Focusing Chant, Cure Light Wounds, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Cure Moderate Wounds, Rage, Blur, Invisibility, Cure Serious Wounds, Good Hope, Displacement, Haste, Freedom of Movement, Dimension Door, Cure Critical Wounds, Shout, Greater Heroism, Mind Fog, Cure Light Mass

Do you find you use the lower level cures? I've not, but then again I've also not played in a long while.

[1Soulless1]

Beuno build, at lvl cap she preformed flawlessly.... I had most of the end game gear kicking around (no T3 TF SS tho) but very EE capable. Fun to play for a easy bard PL MCQ. And yes for some reason I like shortswords better then rapiers....meh, whatever works for you I reckons