# What is your most ridiculous, useful, 4.0 Bard Build?



## DM-Rocco (Mar 28, 2009)

What is your most ridiculous 4.0 Bard Build?

So, I was messing around with the bard trying to master all skills and here is what I came up with.  You start with a buy out on your ability scores as a 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 14.  This build works best IMO with a human because of the extra skill and feat.  Put the +2 in CHR so you stats are 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 16.  As he gains in levels I chose to increase his Intelligence and Charisma.  Then level as follows to level 20:

Feats and skills
Level 1
Acrobatics
Arcana
Athletics
Bluff
Diplomacy
Dungeoneering (human)
Streetwise (warlock – pact initiate feat) 
Religion (cleric – initiate of the faith feat)

Level 2
Retrain Arcana into heal
Arcana (wizard – arcane initiate feat)

Level 4
Retrain Arcana into History
Arcana (sorcerer – arcane prodigy feat)

Level 6
Stealth (ranger - warrior of the wild feat)

Level 8
Endurance (warlord – tactical leader feat)

Level 10
Insight (paladin – soldier of the faith feat)

Level 11
Nature (druid – initiate of the old faith feat)

Level 12
Retrain religion into Perception
Religion (invoker – acolyte of the divine secrets feat)

Level 14
Intimidate (fighter – battle awareness feat)

When I made this character in the character builder I added in the Novice power, Acolyte power and Adept power at levels 16, 18 and 20 but really you can add them earlier.  Note: trying to pick powers out for this build can be a nightmare, even if you limit it to just Intelligence and Charisma powers.  The shear number of power to chose from with the Novice power, Acolyte power and Adept power is mind-boggling.

This was just the quickest way I found to get every skill.  In addition to every skill you have multiple encounter powers from multi classing into fighter, invoker, druid, paladin, warlord, ranger, sorcerer, wizard, cleric and warlock. Three of these classes make good use of Charisma, sorcerer, paladin and warlock, so at levels 16, 18 and 20 taking Novice power, Acolyte power and Adept power would work well.  You don't need versatile master because you can just multiclass into the class you want the powers in and replace one of the above mentioned classes.

The build shines in a support role giving aid to your allies, specially if you take the right bard powers to support the party and the right at-will/encounter powers from your multiclassing.  Of course, if you have a rogue in the party or are fairly well covered in the skill area, you can make a hell of a striker/leader by decreasing your Str, Dex and Wis scores and increasing your Int, Chr and Con scores.  Then multi class into sorcerer and warlock.  They provide you with good striker powers and the bard class gives you great leader powers.

You could even focus more points into Str and Wis and Chr and take multi class feats to get access to cleric and war lord for a total leadership role.  Or even a stronger focus on Int, Wis and Chr for a more controller class by taking wizard, invoker and druid.

Many of the Bard powers can be chosen to fight at range.  This doesn’t eliminate the need for higher hit points and a high Con.  However, if your party has a striker and a defender or two in the party, having a bard that offers a variety of useful powers is truly amazing.  By giving up a few classes, and thus a few skills, you can make a hell of a ranged striker, a versatile controller or an outstanding leader or something with a taste of many useful options.

The powers you chose are really up to the needs of the party, but the hardest powers to chose are from the Novice power, Acolyte power and Adept power.  Being able to chose any power from any of your multi classes is almost a nightmare.  I admit that I didn’t get a chance to look through every power, but out of the ones I did look through I chose to swap out Song of Storms for All Must Sacrifice, Song of Sublime Snowfall for warning Shout and Confusing Chorus for Curse of the Golden Mist.

The problem with building a bard is that you could easily miss a better power and not even know it unless you know all the classes like the back our your hand.  I chose support powers for almost every bard choice, powers that let the party get some sort of a bonus or help control the battle field in the parties favor.  For the Novice power, Acolyte power and Adept power I wanted powers that either played on this or gave him a useful attack power.  Thus, I took All Must Sacrifice to aid in damaging a tough foe.  Most of the bards powers aid the party, this one takes from the party you have been aiding to do more damage.  A fair trade.  Warning Shout helps make up for doing damage to your own party members by eliminating a potential attack.  Curse of the Golden Mist could easily turn the tide of battle by tying up a difficult foe for many rounds.  With a high CHR there is a good chance that enemy will never get to do anything throughout the combat.

For the paragon path I took the planeshifter path.  It helps the group move and escape if need be.  Although, there are a lot of good options for this build.

So, here is one totally insane build with a couple of variants.  What kinds of bard builds have you come up with?  You can take your build all the way to level 30 if you want to, but I think you will find it very hard to pick your powers.  Try and stick to level 20 like I did if you find yourself having a hard time picking powers.


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## TheLordWinter (Mar 28, 2009)

While the character isn't mine, a friend is making a great bard for an upcoming campaign. The bard will have a heavy metal theme: Dragonborn, uses guitar riffs in place of vicious mockery and with the DM's permission has changed his breath weapon type to Thunder damage, so that he belts out a powerchord and the enemies simply wither and die.

His name?
DragonForce.

...you did ask for your most ridiculous Bard!


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## jasonbostwick (Mar 28, 2009)

You can't retrain the Bard's training in Arcana.



> PHB pg 28
> You can’t replace a skill if it’s required for a feat, a power, or any other attribute you have, or if it’s predetermined by your class (such as Arcana for wizards or Religion for clerics).




By the same logic, you can't retrain skill training given to you by a multi-class feat that doesn't give you a choice.


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## UngeheuerLich (Mar 28, 2009)

I tried to go for charisma 16 + 16/13 or 15/14 in either con or int and one of the atributes which you gain a bonus from your race... and multiclass so that it fits well...

When i wanted to go into melee, i usually put some points into strength because of class powers usually key on strength... and base attacks too (didn´t know about melee training)

I have not played any of them, but they seem to be fun and still viable... especially after acolyte power and swapping the at wills...

edit: of course the bards multiclassed into more than one class which shared a role/theme

gallant: fighter/paladin multiclass to be able to mark as often as possible!


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## DM-Rocco (Mar 28, 2009)

TheLordWinter said:


> While the character isn't mine, a friend is making a great bard for an upcoming campaign. The bard will have a heavy metal theme: Dragonborn, uses guitar riffs in place of vicious mockery and with the DM's permission has changed his breath weapon type to Thunder damage, so that he belts out a powerchord and the enemies simply wither and die.
> 
> His name?
> DragonForce.
> ...




Yeah, I guess I did.

That is funny.

I guess what I meant was the most broken or totally outragous, not what the R&D department intended, kind of a thing.

Plus, feel free to post any bard build, ridiculous or not.


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## DM-Rocco (Mar 28, 2009)

jasonbostwick said:


> You can't retrain the Bard's training in Arcana.
> 
> 
> 
> By the same logic, you can't retrain skill training given to you by a multi-class feat that doesn't give you a choice.




I guess I didn't see that, so this would be a house rule bard.  Really though, what DM wouldn't allow you to retrain the skill or at least give you skill focus in that skill.

Anyway, you could still get there then, simply don't take the ones that give you arcane or religion and take ones that allow you to pick from there class list.  the key is to make sure you have at least three classes that allow you to take either theivery, Endurance and stealth.  Because the bard is only missing those skills from their base class, you can still get all skills by level 14, so it still works


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## Artoomis (Apr 1, 2009)

*Here's mine*

This is the chaacter I will play, subject to changes when Arcane power comes out, or if the spirit moves me to change it.  .  This is converted over from 3.5e with as much "flavor" preserved as possible.  This, for the most part, captures that "flavor."

Vvaxaaras is a whip that is also his implement, per our house rule (the Star of Corellon, named "Implement Bonus +5" below, simulates this fact so that the power cards get printed correctly).

Multiclassing into Warlord twice is of *questionable* legality, even if allowed by Character Builder.  I plan to adjust that once Arcane Power is published in a few weeks and I have a different choice that works.

Best skill bonuses are:
Diplomacy:  +29
Streetwise: +29
Intimidate: +27
Arcana, History, and Religion are all at +22.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
Rudy, level 21
Human, Bard, Angelic Avenger, Lorekeeper
Build: Cunning Bard
Bardic Virtue: Virtue of Cunning
Pact Initiate: Pact Initiate (star pact)
Astral Vibrance: Radiant
Weapon Training: Weapon Proficiency (Bastard sword)
Background: Auspicious Birth

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 15, Con 10, Dex 14, Int 20, Wis 15, Cha 24.

Starting Ability Scores
Str 13, Con 8, Dex 12, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 16.


AC: 33 Fort: 35 Reflex: 33 Will: 34
HP: 136 Surges: 14 Surge Value: 34

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature, Arcana, Perception, Streetwise, Insight, History, Endurance, Heal, Diplomacy, Bluff, Dungeoneering, Religion, Intimidate.

FEATS
1: Ritual Caster
1: Radiant Soul
1: Inspiring Leader
2: Soldier of the Faith
4: Student of Battle
6: Pact Initiate
8: Bardic Knowledge
10: Warrior of the Wild
11: Initiate of the Faith
12: Whip Training
14: Melee Training (Charisma)
16: Paragon Defenses
18: Sly Dodge
20: Avenging Spirit (retrained to Supreme Inspiration at Level 21)
21: Epic Fortitude

POWERS
1, At-Will: Vicious Mockery
1, At-Will: Misdirected Mark
1, At-Will: War Song Strike
1, Encounter: Blunder
1, Daily: Stirring Shout
2, Utility: Inspire Competence
3, Encounter: Dissonant Strain
5, Daily: Song of Discord
6, Utility: Allegro
7, Encounter: Deflect Attention
9, Daily: Forceful Conduit
10, Utility: Illusory Erasure
13, Encounter: Foolhardy Fighting (replaces Blunder)
15, Daily: Confusing Chorus (replaces Stirring Shout)
16, Utility: Elegy of the Undefeated
17, Encounter: Shout of Evasion (replaces Foolhardy Fighting)
19, Daily: Encircling Dance (replaces Forceful Conduit)

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Healer's Shield Light Shield (heroic tier), Ring of Tenacous Will (epic tier), Boots of Striding (heroic tier), Mac-Fuirmidh Cittern +1, Gloves of Agility (heroic tier), Lens of Descernment (heroic tier), Skeleton Key (heroic tier), Eternal Chalk (heroic tier), Restful Bedroll (heroic tier), Hunter's Flint (heroic tier), Escape Tattoo (heroic tier), Everlasting Provisions (heroic tier), Handy Haversack (heroic tier), Implement Bonus +5, Assassinbane Feyhide Armor +4, Ioun Stone of Perfect Language (epic tier), Unguent of Darkvision (paragon tier) (10), Absence Amulet +4, Bracers of Mental Might (heroic tier), Belt of Vim (heroic tier), Vvaxaaras Whip +5

RITUALS
Glib Limerick, Fastidiousness, Tenser's Floating Disk, Last Sight Vision, Lullaby, Traveler's Chant, Knock, Shadow Bridge, Song of Sustenance, Tenser's Lift, Tune of Merriment, Aria of Revelation, Waterborn, Arcane Mark, Comprehend Language, Amanuensis, Make Whole, Seek Rumor, Enchant Magic Item, Discern Lies, Disenchant Magic Item, Duplicate, Fey Passage, Rope Trick, Secret Page, Pyrotechnics, Arcane Lock, Dark Light, Delay Affliction, Cure Disease, Mordenkainen's Ascent, Leomund's Secret Chest, View Location, Seal Portal, Status, Reverse Portal
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======


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## NMcCoy (Apr 2, 2009)

[Re|cross]posted from here.


> If you're willing to seriously dilute your ability scores (yes, I know, decidedly non-optimal), you can multiclass a Bard into Fighter, give him Polearm Momentum, and hand him a Songblade Glaive. His implement powers are now "polearm attacks", and bards get lots of slides:
> Blunder gets even more blundery when your enemy falls on his face.
> Impelling Force drops a nice prone present in your ally's lap.
> Enemies trip over themselves trying to flee you when you perform a Satire of Bravery on them.
> ...


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## DM-Rocco (Apr 6, 2009)

NMcCoy said:


> [Re|cross]posted from here.




where are all those feats/powers from?


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## DM-Rocco (Apr 6, 2009)

Artoomis said:


> This is the chaacter I will play, subject to changes when Arcane power comes out, or if the spirit moves me to change it.  .  This is converted over from 3.5e with as much "flavor" preserved as possible.  This, for the most part, captures that "flavor."
> 
> Vvaxaaras is a whip that is also his implement, per our house rule (the Star of Corellon, named "Implement Bonus +5" below, simulates this fact so that the power cards get printed correctly).
> 
> ...




I was giving up hope that anyone would post a bard.  This build seems kind of cool.  Make him a her dressed in tight leather and a whip and what is not to like 

Okay, I'm sure that was not your intention, but still 

As to being able to take Warlock twice, I don't think that is possible, even if the character builder lets you.


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