Blighted bard build ideas?

[Blametroi]

It's not a natural combination but I can't get the idea out of my head. Anyone see a way to make one playable?

 

[unbongwah]

Not convinced this is any better than pure Blightcaster wolf build but: bard 3 / Blightcaster 17 - WIS-based melee/caster with Swashbuckling and level 9 druid spells. Usual SWF feats plus however many metamagics you can take. Thorn or Hive form with your choice of Imbue. Enhancement spread is something like 40 Blightcaster / 27 Falconry / 11 Swashbuckler, I guess?

 

[Blametroi]

Seems worthy of a try. I'm not looking for optimal or eve serious reaper ability, just something weird and flavorish for HC and if it works at all, maybe some lives on my mains.

Thanks!

 

[unbongwah]

I kinda threw this together at random but I think the pieces all fit right.

HC BlightSkirmisher
17/3 Blightcaster/Bard
Chaotic Neutral Human


Level Order

1. Bard. . . . . . 6. Blightcaster. .11. Blightcaster. .16. Blightcaster
2. Bard. . . . . . 7. Blightcaster. .12. Blightcaster. .17. Blightcaster
3. Bard. . . . . . 8. Blightcaster. .13. Blightcaster. .18. Blightcaster
4. Blightcaster . .9. Blightcaster . 14. Blightcaster . 19. Blightcaster
5. Blightcaster . 10. Blightcaster . 15. Blightcaster . 20. Blightcaster


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . 32pt. . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . 4: WIS
Dexterity . . . 14. . . .14 . . . 8: WIS
Constitution. . 14. . . .16 . . .12: WIS
Intelligence. . .8. . . . 8 . . .16: WIS
Wisdom. . . . . 18. . . .18 . . .20: WIS
Charisma. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . .24: WIS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28: WIS

Skills
. . . . .Bd Bd Bd BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC BC
. . . . . 1 .2. 3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Concent . 4 .1. 1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .23
Heal. . . 2 . . 1 . . 2. 2. 2. 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Spellcr . 4 .1. 1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .23
Spot. . . 1 .1. . . . . . . . . . 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 14
Balance . 4 .1. 1 .1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
UMD . . . 4 .1. 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Jump. . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Tumble. . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .24 .6. 6 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4 .4


Feats

.1. . . . : Single Weapon Fighting
.1 Human. : Quicken Spell
.3. . . . : Maximize Spell
.5 Blight : Blightcaster Wild Shape 1: Plague Wolf
.6. . . . : Precision OR Empower Spell
.7 Blight : Minor Elemental Kin Form: Hive Keeper
.9. . . . : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
11 Blight : Minor Elemental Kin Form: Thorn Kin
12. . . . : Improved Critical: Piercing OR Slashing
14 Blight : Blightcaster Wild Shape 2: Blighted Wolf
15. . . . : Greater Single Weapon Fighting
16 Blight : Advanced Elemental Kin Form: Hive Master
18. . . . : Heighten Spell OR Empower Spell
20 Blight : Advanced Elemental Kin Form: Thorn Knight
21 Epic . : Overwhelming Critical
22 Destiny: Perfect Single Weapon Fighting
24 Epic . : Burst of Glacial Wrath
25 Destiny: Doublestrike OR Crush Weakness
27 Epic . : Epic Damage Reduction OR Intensify Spell
28 Destiny: Harbinger of Chaos OR Arcane Warrior
30 Epic . : Embolden Spell
30 Legend : Scion of: Plane of Earth
31 Destiny: Shield Mastery Specialty


Enhancements (Spent: 80 +0r +0u / Max: 80 +0r +0u AP)

Blightcaster (41 AP)

• The Cycle of Decay, Spread the Blight, Death Eater, Know the End
  1. Pick Your Poison I: Thorn Strike III, Sharp Edges
  2. Defiled Growth, Pick Your Poison II: Splinterbolt III, Sharp Edges II, Every Rose Has It's Thorn
  3. Out Break, Enveloping Swarm III, Sharp Edges III
  4. Fast Acting Poison, Poison of the Hydra, Unkindness of Ravens, Pick Your Poison III: Thorn Bloom III, Sharp Edges IV
  5. Thorns In Your Side: Poisoned Thorns, Everything Decays III, Grasping Thorns, Doomsayer

Falconry (27 AP)

• Summon Avian Companion: Raven, Ability Score: Wisdom, Well Rounded, Ability Score II: Wisdom
  1. Hunter's Knowledge, Out in Nature III
  2. Killer Instinct I, Watch the Center III, Diving Attack: Diving Attack Strike I, Action Boost - Sprint I
  3. Killer Instinct II, Strike for the Eyes: Strike I, Conditioning
  4. Deadly Instinct III, Coordinated Strikes: Coordinated Strike, Expose Weakness

Swashbuckler (11 AP)

• Confidence, Swashbuckling
  1. On Your Toes II, Blow By Blow: Melee III
  2. En Pointe III
  3. Swashbuckling Style: Skirmisher

Human (1 AP)

• Human Versatility: Damage Boost

Leveling Guide

1. Fal0 Summon Avian Companion: Raven; Fal1 Out in Nature I, II, III
2. Fal1 Hunter's Knowledge; Fal2 Killer Instinct I; Swa0 Confidence
3. Swa1 Blow By Blow: Melee I, II, III; Swa1 On Your Toes I
4. Swa0 Swashbuckling; Fal2 Diving Attack: Diving Attack Strike I; Fal2 Action Boost - Sprint I; Fal2 Watch the Center I
5. Fal3 Killer Instinct II; Fal3 Strike for the Eyes: Strike I
6. Fal3 Conditioning; Blight0 The Cycle of Decay; Blight1 Thorn Strike I, II
7. Blight1 Thorn Strike III; Blight1 Sharp Edges; Blight0 Spread the Blight; Blight2 Splinterbolt I
8. Blight2 Splinterbolt II, III; Blight2 Defiled Growth
9. Blight0 Death Eater; Blight2 Every Rose Has It's Thorn; Blight3 Sharp Edges III
10. Blight3 Out Break; Blight3 Enveloping Swarm I, II
11. Blight3 Enveloping Swarm III; Blight4 Fast Acting Poison; Blight2 Sharp Edges II
12. Blight4 Poison of the Hydra; Blight4 Unkindness of Ravens
13. Blight4 Thorn Bloom I, II, III; Blight5 Everything Decays I
14. Blight5 Everything Decays II, III; Blight5 Grasping Thorns
15. Blight0 Know the End; Blight5 Poisoned Thorns; Blight4 Sharp Edges IV
16. Blight5 Doomsayer; Swa2 En Pointe I, II
17. Swa2 En Pointe III; Swa1 On Your Toes II; Swa3 Skirmisher
18. Fal0 Ability Score: Wisdom; Fal0 Well Rounded; Fal2 Watch the Center II, III
19. Fal4 Deadly Instinct I, II, III; Fal4 Coordinated Strikes: Coordinated Strike
20. Fal4 Expose Weakness; Fal0 Ability Score II: Wisdom; Hum0 Damage Boost

I took Skirmisher for the S&B advantages but it also works with orbs, in which case you take Arcane Marauder and probably Offhand Versatility at level 18.

Low levels will be a PITA since you need 18 APs for WIS to damage + Swashbuckler. Unless maybe you frontload Blightcaster to pick up some spellcasting, then switch to bard when you're ready to melee? It's usually suboptimal not to start with your high-skill-point class; but this is a rather niche build, shall we say, so maybe BC 1-6 first to grab some SLAs and Death Eater ASAP, then add bard 1-3 for Swashbuckling later? Making this up as I go along.

 

[Blametroi]

It's usually suboptimal not to start with your high-skill-point class; but this is a rather niche build, shall we say, so maybe BC 1-6 first to grab some SLAs and Death Eater ASAP, then add bard 1-3 for Swashbuckling later? Making this up as I go along.

I've a friend in a static group on HC running a pure blight caster and we struggle to get kills before he's laid waste to everything He's a greater caster play so I know not to expect anything like what he's doing, but yeah I think starting out BC is a good plan.

Thanks again. This is looking playable for my objectives.

 

[Sholekar]

Should be able to use thorn blade for wis to hit/damage in lieu of falconry at low levels.

 

[unbongwah]

Should be able to use thorn blade for wis to hit/damage in lieu of falconry at low levels.

That's what I've been doing with my Blightcaster which is primarily a caster but also uses Thorn Blade in wolf form for melee DPS and to proc Aspect of the Shrike for the temp SPs.

 

[Thulsadoom]

Not convinced this is any better than pure Blightcaster wolf build but: bard 3 / Blightcaster 17 - WIS-based melee/caster with Swashbuckling and level 9 druid spells. Usual SWF feats plus however many metamagics you can take. Thorn or Hive form with your choice of Imbue. Enhancement spread is something like 40 Blightcaster / 27 Falconry / 11 Swashbuckler, I guess?

This is weird