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E: The Singing Soldier

Posted March 30th, 2007 by Darkgolem

The Singing Soldier

Guide to Bard Enhancements

By Darkgolem

Bards are an eclectic class.  Not quite as weak or fragile as a sorcerer, but able to cast a moderate assortment of spells.  Not as effective a cleric, but able to heal allies.  Not as versatile as a rogue, but with a large selection of skills.  Hand and hand with this variety comes difficulty in choosing how to specialize.  There are so many roles for a bard to choose, it can be a complex proposal to figure how to optimize what roll you wish to play with your bard.

The Basics

A quick summary for those unfamiliar with the way enhancements work for DDO is in order.  First, you get 4 action points every level.  They are earned gradually as you work your way to your next level. You use these action points to purchase enhancements.  You much qualify for an enhancement to purchase it.  Enhancements require a certain amount of action points to already have been spent, less powerful similar enhancements and sometimes for you to have a feat, before you can purchase them.  Because of the requirements for various enhancements, you should plan on how you wish to spend your action points when you begin character creation.

Bard Enhancement UIChoosing Your Role

You definitely wish to chose a role for your bard to fill.  Bards can fill many roles, a jack of all trades (good at everything, but not the best at anything).  They can work as specialists in crowd control, they can specialize in “hypnotism” style crowd control, even against undead and constructs.  They can also be fighter types, using a combination of the correct feats and enhancements.  In addition, they can make their songs very powerful, turning their allies in to juggernauts.

The Song Master

The Songmaster is a bard who focuses in making his support songs as powerful as possible.  Loved by any party lucky enough to have one, everything is not just easier, but positively simple with a songmaster around.
  • Bard Extra Song – This multiplies the value you get from your improved song
  • Bard Inspired Attack – Perhaps one of the most powerful enhancements to your song, this is a key enhancement
  • Bard Inspired Attack – very important, but remember that if you miss, this gives no benefit, so inspired attack should be prioritized.
  • Bard Lingering Song – very useful, but probably less valuable than bard extra song, since extra song can be used just before a combat, making it's effect always relevant.

The Mezmerizer

The Mezmerizer focuses on making his or her fascinate ability as powerful, and as broad in application, as possible.  This can be a very effective role, but needs the right party to work with.  If a party can work to attack opponents one at a time, without bringing other opponents who are mesmerized into the fray, you can defeat groups of opponents much more powerful than your party.
  • Bard Extra Song – You need as many of your songs as possible for your fascinate ability to work.
  • Bard Lingering Song – When fighting opponents, you need to keep the fascinate ability as long lasting as you can, this is an important enhancement too.
  • Music of the Makers – This is necessary for you to be able to do your job.
  • Music of the Dead – This even more necessary than music of the makers, since undead are so prevalent.
  • Bard Preform – this makes your song more effective, make sure to get as much as you can.
  • Bard Charisma – like bard perform, this makes your songs more effective.

The Skald

Using song to improve combat ability, and magic to control opponents, the skald debilitates opponents then defeats them one at a time.
  • Bard Extra Song – While not as important as with other roles, you will want enough songs to buff up in difficult combats.
  • Bard Inspired Attack – Very important to supplement a low base attack bonuses.
  • Bard Balance – trip attacks are always difficult to deal with, this helps to make up for this concern.
  • Bard Concentration – casting in combat is an issue which this enhancement addresses.
  • Bard Tumble – a bard with the right feats can use tumble to assist greatly in combat.
  • Bard Song Magic – very useful to buff up a bards healing ability, key for a fighting skald.

The Enhancements

Name

Cost

Progression

Requirement

Benefit

Bard Extra Song 1

1

0

Bard level 1

You gain the ability to perform 1 additional bard song before resting.

Bard Extra Song 2

2

10

Bard level 4, Bard Extra Song 1

You gain the ability to perform 2 additional bard song before resting.

Bard Extra Song 3

3

21

Bard level 7, Bard Extra Song 2

You gain the ability to perform 3 additional bard song before resting.

Bard Extra Song 4

4

32

Bard level 10, Bard Extra Song 3

You gain the ability to perform 4 additional bard song before resting.

Bard Inspired Attack 1

2

6

Bard level 3

The use of your inspire courage grants an additional +1 attack bonus.

Bard Inspired Attack 2

4

24

Bard level 8, Bard Inspired Attack 1

The use of your inspire courage grants an additional +2 attack bonus.

Bard Inspired Attack 3

6

42

Bard level 13, Bard Inspired Attack 2

The use of your inspire courage grants an additional +3 attack bonus.

Bard Inspired Bravery 1

1

0

Bard level 1

The use of your inspire courage grants an additional +1 bonus to fear saves.

Bard Inspired Bravery 2

2

14

Bard level 5, Bard Inspired Bravery 1

The use of your inspire courage grants an additional +2 bonus to fear saves.

Bard Inspired Bravery 3

3

29

Bard level 9, Bard Inspired Bravery 2

The use of your inspire courage grants an additional +3 bonus to fear saves.

Bard Inspired Damage 1

1

3

Bard level 2

The use of your inspire courage grants an additional +1 damage bonus.

Bard Inspired Damage 2

2

22

Bard level 7, Bard Inspired Damage 1

The use of your inspire courage grants an additional +2 damage bonus.

Bard Inspired Damage 3

3

41

Bard level 12, Bard Inspired Damage 2

The use of your inspire courage grants an additional +3 damage bonus.

Bard Lingering Song 1

1

3

Bard level 2

Your beneficial songs last 20% longer than normal.

Bard Lingering Song 2

2

18

Bard level 6, Bard Lingering Song 1

Your beneficial songs last 40% longer than normal.

Bard Lingering Song 3

3

33

Bard level 10, Bard Lingering Song 2

Your beneficial songs last 60% longer than normal.

Bard Lingering Song 4

4

48

Bard level 14, Bard Lingering Song 3

Your beneficial songs last 80% longer than normal.

Bard Music of Makers

2

30

Bard level 9, Warforged Construct Thinking 3 or Bard Extra Song 4 or Lesser Dragonmark of Making or Bard Virtuoso 1

You can use this ability to fascinate constructs.

Bard Music of Dead

2

18

Bard level 7, Bard Extra Song 4 Or Bard Virtuoso 1

You can use this ability to fascinate undead.

Bard Balance 1

1

0

Bard level 1

Grants a +1 bonus to the Balance skill.

Bard Balance 2

2

10

Bard level 4, Bard Balance 1

Grants a +2 bonus to the Balance skill.

Bard Balance 3

3

25

Bard level 8, Bard Balance 2

Grants a +3 bonus to the Balance skill.

Bard Balance 4

4

40

Bard level 12, Bard Balance 3

Grants a +4 bonus to the Balance skill.

Bard Bluff 1

1

0

Bard level 1

Grants a +1 bonus to the Bluff skill.

Bard Bluff 2

2

10

Bard level 4, Bard Bluff 1

Grants a +2 bonus to the Bluff skill.

Bard Bluff 3

3

25

Bard level 8, Bard Bluff 2

Grants a +3 bonus to the Bluff skill.

Bard Bluff 4

4

40

Bard level 12, Bard Bluff 3

Grants a +4 bonus to the Bluff skill.

Bard Concentration 1

1

0

Bard level 1

Grants a +1 bonus to the Concentration skill.

Bard Concentration 2

2

10

Bard level 4, Bard Concentration 1

Grants a +2 bonus to the Concentration skill.

Bard Concentration 3

3

25

Bard level 8, Bard Concentration 2

Grants a +3 bonus to the Concentration skill.

Bard Concentration 4

4

40

Bard level 12, Bard Concentration 3

Grants a +4 bonus to the Concentration skill.

Bard Diplomacy 1

1

0

Bard level 1

Grants a +1 bonus to the Diplomacy skill.

Bard Diplomacy 2

2

10

Bard level 4, Bard Diplomacy 1

Grants a +2 bonus to the Diplomacy skill.

Bard Diplomacy 3

3

25

Bard level 8, Bard Diplomacy 2

Grants a +3 bonus to the Diplomacy skill.

Bard Diplomacy 4

4

40

Bard level 12, Bard Diplomacy 3

Grants a +4 bonus to the Diplomacy skill.

Bard Haggle 1

1

0

Bard level 1

Grants a +1 bonus to the Haggle skill.

Bard Haggle 2

2

10

Bard level 4, Bard Haggle 1

Grants a +2 bonus to the Haggle skill.

Bard Haggle 3

3

25

Bard level 8, Bard Haggle 2

Grants a +3 bonus to the Haggle skill.

Bard Haggle 4

4

40

Bard level 12, Bard Haggle 3

Grants a +4 bonus to the Haggle skill.

Bard Perform 1

1

0

Bard level 1

Grants a +1 bonus to the Perform skill.

Bard Perform 2

2

10

Bard level 4, Bard Perform 1

Grants a +2 bonus to the Perform skill.

Bard Perform 3

3

25

Bard level 8, Bard Perform 2

Grants a +3 bonus to the Perform skill.

Bard Perform 4

4

40

Bard level 12, Bard Perform 3

Grants a +4 bonus to the Perform skill.

Bard Tumble 1

1

0

Bard level 1

Grants a +1 bonus to the Tumble skill.

Bard Tumble 2

2

10

Bard level 4, Bard Tumble 1

Grants a +2 bonus to the Tumble skill.

Bard Tumble 3

3

25

Bard level 8, Bard Tumble 2

Grants a +3 bonus to the Tumble skill.

Bard Tumble 4

4

40

Bard level 12, Bard Tumble 3

Grants a +4 bonus to the Tumble skill.

Bard Lyric of Incredible Song 1

1

15

Bard level 5, Bard Lyric of Song 1

Your healing and sonic spell critical multipliers are increased by an additional 0.25, bringing your base critical multiplier for these spells to 1.75.

Bard Lyric of Incredible Song 2

2

30

Bard level 9, Bard Lyric of Incredible Song 1

Your healing and sonic spell critical multipliers are increased by an additional 0.25, bringing your base critical multiplier for these spells to 2.00.

Bard Lyric of Incredible Song 3

3

45

Bard level 13, Bard Lyric of Incredible Song 2

Your healing and sonic spell critical multipliers are increased by an additional 0.25, bringing your base critical multiplier for these spells to 2.25.

Bard Lyric of Song 1

1

7

Bard level 3

Grants a 3% chance for your healing and sonic spells to generate a critical result for 1.5 times the normal healing or damage amount.

Bard Lyric of Song 2

2

22

Bard level 7, Bard Lyric of Song 1

Grants a 6% chance for your healing and sonic spells to generate a critical result for 1.5 times the normal healing or damage amount.

Bard Lyric of Song 3

3

37

Bard level 11, Bard Lyric of Song 2

Grants a 9% chance for your healing and sonic spells to generate a critical result for 1.5 times the normal healing or damage amount.

Bard Song Magic 1

1

0

Bard level 1

Grants a 10% increase to the effectiveness of your healing and sonic spells.

Bard Song Magic 2

2

10

Bard level 4, Bard Song Magic 1

Grants a 20% increase to the effectiveness of your healing and sonic spells.

Bard Song Magic 3

3

21

Bard level 7, Bard Song Magic 2

Grants a 30% increase to the effectiveness of your healing and sonic spells.

Bard Song Magic 4

4

32

Bard level 10, Bard Song Magic 3

Grants a 40% increase to the effectiveness of your healing and sonic spells.

Bard Improved Spell Penetration 1

2

14

Bard level 5

You add +1 to your level to overcome an enemy's SR.

Bard Improved Spell Penetration 2

4

28

Bard level 8, Bard Improved Spell Penetration 1

You add +2 to your level to overcome an enemy's SR.

Bard Improved Spell Penetration 3

6

42

Bard level 13, Bard Improved Spell Penetration 2

You add +3 to your level to overcome an enemy's SR.

Bard Energy of the Music 1

1

0

Bard level 1

Grants a 20 point increase to spell points.

Bard Energy of the Music 2

2

14

Bard level 5, Bard Energy of the Music 1

Grants a 40 point increase to spell points.

Bard Energy of the Music 3

3

29

Bard level 9, Bard Energy of the Music 2

Grants a 60 point increase to spell points.

Bard Energy of Music 4

4

44

Bard level 13

Grants a 80 point increase to spell points.

Bard Charisma 1

2

2

Bard level 2

Grants a +1 increase to Charisma score.

Bard Charisma 2

4

16

Bard level 6, Bard Charisma 1

Grants a +2 increase to Charisma score.

Bard Charisma 3

6

30

Bard level 10, Bard Charisma 2

Grants a +3 increase to Charisma score.

Bard Wand Heightening 1

1

7

Bard level 3

You add +1 to the DC of your offensive wands.

Bard Wand Heightening 2

2

22

Bard level 7, Bard Wand Heightening 1

You add +2 to the DC of your offensive wands.

Bard Wand Heightening 3

3

37

Bard level 11, Bard Wand Heightening 2

You add +3 to the DC of your offensive wands.

Bard Wand Mastery 1

1

3

Bard level 2

Grants a 10% increase to the effectiveness of your wands

Bard Wand and Scroll Mastery 2

2

14

Bard level 5, Bard Wand Mastery 1

Grants a 20% increase to the effectiveness of your wands

Bard Wand and Scroll  Mastery 3

3

25

Bard level 8, Bard Wand Mastery 2

Grants a 30% increase to the effectiveness of your wands

Bard Wand and Scroll  Mastery 4

4

36

Bard level 11, Bard Wand Mastery 3

Grants a 40% increase to the effectiveness of your wands

Bard Spellsinger 1

4

16

Bard level 6, Bard Energy of Music 2 and Bard Concentration 2 or Empower Spell or Maximize Spell Or Spell Focus Enchantment or Magical Training

Your studies into magic have granted you a +2 bonus to your Concentration and Use Magic Device skills, +100 Spell Points, and the ability to expend a use of Bardic Music to grant all nearby allies a +1 morale bonus to spell DC's and a 10% morale discount on spell costs.

Bard Virtuoso I

4

16

Bard level 6, Bard Extra Song 2 and Bard Perform 2 or Skill Focus: Perform or Bard Extra Song 4 or Negotiator

Your studies into song have granted you a +2 bonus to your Diplomacy, Listen, and Perform skills, 3 extra uses of Bardic Music per rest, and your beneficial songs last an additional 10% longer. You also gain the ability to expend a use of Bardic Music to enthrall multiple enemies, fascinating them and inflicting a -2 penalty to attack rolls and Will saves even if the fascination is broken.

Bard Warchanter 1

4

16

Bard level 6, Bard Inspired Attack 1 and Bard Inspired Damage 1 or Weapon Focus: Slashing or Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning or Weapon Focus: Piercing

Your studies into war have granted you a +2 bonus to your Intimidate skill. Your Inspire Courage song gains an additional +1 to attack rolls, +2 to damage rolls, and +1 to fear saves. If you possess the Barbarian Rage ability, you gain +1 use per rest. You also gain the ability to expend a use of Bardic Music to grant all nearby allies damage reduction 5/-.


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Windows
Developer: Turbine, Inc.
Genre: Fantasy
Status: Published
Release Date: February 28, 2006
Fee: P2P
ESRB Rating: T