Spells of
the Skald II
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Guide to
Level 2 Bard Spells
By
Darkgolem
Level 2 bard spells are a mixed
bag. You get more powerful spells, some of which duplicate and
amplify
the benefit of 1st level bard spells. Hypnotic pattern instead of
hypnotism, Heroism instead of focusing chant. A new player should
occasionally switch out one spell for the other, to get the feel for
what works, and what doesn't. This gives you an idea of what is
worth
using as a second level, and what is worth keeping as a first level
spell. Keep in mind that heighten spell makes lower level spells
have
as high as a dc as your highest level spell, and it is well worth
getting this feat to make sure your first level spells that require
saves are as effective as possible in this comparison.
For example, focusing chant and heroism do similar things. But if
you
examine both spells carefully, in the end,
href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=185">focusing
chant is probably
more valuable. Why? Because focusing chant is a
circumstance bonus.
This means it stacks with bard song. Heroism has a lot going for
it.
It is almost as effective as
href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=236">bard
song, and in some ways,
superior. It
works on others (focusing chant does not). But it doesn't stack
with
bard song, meaning that you get little value out of heroism cast on
party members, while you always get a benefit from focusing chant.
Look at hypnotism and hypnotic pattern. Hypnotic pattern is a
static
affect, that is, it stays in place and affects all who enter. But
keep
in mind that hypnotism, under the effects of a heighten spell, is just
as effective, and is a faster cast.
href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=75">Hypnotic
pattern takes a
fairly
long time to cast. It's a toss up in this case, but between the
two, I
tend to favor a heightened hypnotism with my bard. A bard doesn't
have
a huge list of spells, and it's important to distinguish these spells
from each other with experimentation to decide what to take for what
level.
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Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: short
School: necromancy
Components: verbal
Duration: permanent until removed
Range: medium
Save: fort to avoid
Target: foe
Rating: 2
Notes: The power of unlife renders an enemy permanently blinded. A
successful Fortitude save negates this effect. This is a fairly
useful spell, but remember that once you are noticed by an opponent,
they can cast spells upon you. However, spells that do not have
foe as
a target (instead directional, such as ray spells) can miss as the
opponent moves around to look for you. The main benefit of this
spell
is that opponents have a 50% miss chance and lose dexterity bonuses.
src="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album109/Blur.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 174px;" align="right">Blur
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: medium
School: illusion
Components: verbal
Duration: 1 minute/level
Range: short
Target: friend, self
Rating: 4
Notes: An ally's outline becomes slightly blurred, granting a 20% miss
chance. This is a great spell, it lasts a lot time, and provides
a
great benefit for a party at all levels. True sight will bypass
this
defense.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: short
School: transmutation
Components: verbal, somatic, material
Duration: 1 minute/level
Range: medium
Target: friend, self
Rating: 2
Notes: An ally becomes more graceful, agile, and coordinated, giving a
+4 enhancement bonus to Dexterity. This is nice, but most
classes at
high levels will have items to add dexterity. It is rarely useful
past
about level 7 or so.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: fast
School: abjuration
Components: somatic, verbal
Range: medium
Save: will for ½ (undead foe
Target: self, friend, undead foe
Rating: 3
Notes: Positive energy is channeled to heal moderate wounds of your
target or damage undead for 2d8 hit points +1 per caster level (max
+10). This is a more useful than cure light wounds, but still a
spell
better used as a wand. Bards do not have enough spell points for
healing using spell pools, generally.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: short
School: enchantment
Components: verbal, somatic, material
Duration: 6 seconds
Range: medium
Target: will to avoid
Rating: 1
Notes: Clouds the mind of an enemy so that it takes no actions
for 6
seconds. Creatures of 7 or more Hit Dice are not affected. Not a
very
good spell. Otto's Resistable Dance is lower level, lasts longer,
and
has no hit dice limit.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: short
School: transmutation
Components: verbal, somatic, material, focus
Duration: 1 minute/level
Range: medium
Target: self, friend
Rating: 1
Notes: An ally becomes more poised, articulate and personally
forceful, giving a +4 enhancement bonus to Charisma. Not a
absolutely
horrible spell, but once you have a charisma item that is +4, you won't
want this in your inventory. Not really useful to other party
members,
with rare exceptions.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: short
School: transmutation
Components: verbal, somatic, material, focus
Duration: 1 minute/level
Range: medium
Target: self, friend
Rating: 1
Notes: The ally gains wit, giving a +4 enhancement bonus to
Intelligence. This isn't a very useful spell. If you wish
an
intelligence buff and don't have an item, carry a couple potions,
because having this in your repertoire is a bad idea.
src="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album109/Glitterdust.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 174px;" align="right">Glitterdust
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: long
School: conjuration
Components: verbal, somatic, material
Duration:Area: 15' diameter
Range: medium
Save: will to avoid
Target: foe, positional, breakable
Rating: 3
Notes: A cloud of golden particles covers everything in an area,
causing targets to become blinded and outlining invisible creatures.
Any creature covered by the dust takes a -40 penalty on Hide checks. A
successful Will save negates the blindness portion of the spell.
This
is a handy spell, in some circumstances. While not the best of
spells,
it does assist in blinding opponents and so on. Rogues should
love this spell, because opponents without sight have no dexterity
bonus, and are thus automatically vulnerable to backstab if hit.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: fast
School: enchantment
Components: somatic, verbal
Duration: 1 minute/level
Range: long
Target: self, friend
Rating: 3
Notes: Imbues a single ally with great bravery and morale in battle,
gaining a +2 morale bonus on attacks, saves, and skill checks.
Very
handy as a spell, since it buffs allies. Note it does not stack
with
bard song, but since bard song does not affect saves (other than fear)
it still provides a benefit.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: short
School: enchantment
Components: verbal, somatic, focus
Duration: special (6 seconds/level)
Range: medium
Save: will to avoid
Target: foe
Rating: 3
Notes: The target enemy humanoid becomes paralyzed and freezes in
place. It is aware, but can take no actions for a maximum of 6 seconds
per caster level. The enemy may attempt to make a new Will save every 3
seconds. Humanoids include kobolds, goblinoids, player races except for
warforged, troglodytes, and more. Very nice spell, but remember
you
get more powerful similar spells later in levels.
Cooldown: 6 seconds
Casting Time: medium
School: illusion
Components: somatic, verbal, material
Duration:Area: 15' diameter
Range: medium
Target: foe, positional
Rating: 2
Notes: A twisting pattern of subtle, shifting colors weaves through
the air, fascinating targets within it. A successful Will save negates
this effect. Hypnotic pattern is useful, but hypnotism, if you
have
heighten, probably is an acceptable substitute.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: fast
School: illusion
Components: somatic, verbal, material
Duration: 1 minute/level
Range: long
Target: self, friend
Rating: 2
Notes: An ally becomes invisible, vanishing from sight, even from
darkvision. If he or she attacks a target, the effect is
removed.
Keep in mind that this spell has specific parts of it's nature which
are most important. One is that it does not provide true
invisibility, but instead a +20 to hide as a bonus, and second that
defensive spells do not cause it to break. So a bard can
invisibly
heal allies without breaking this spell.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: medium
School: enchantment
Components: somatic, verbal
Duration: 1 minute + (6 seconds/level)
Range: medium
Target: ally, self
Rating: 3
Notes: Causes the target to fly into a screaming blood frenzy, gaining
phenomenal strength and durability but becoming reckless. Grants a +2
morale bonus to Strength, Constitution, and a +1 morale bonus to Will
saves, but causes the target to take a -2 penalty to armor. This
is a
fun spell to stack with your normal bard buff, though many do not like
the armor class penalty enough to accept it. This is an area of
effect
in a sense.. cast it upon an ally and any allies standing on the
target will receive the benefit of this spell also.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: short
School: necromancy
Components: verbal, somatic, focus
Duration: 9 seconds/level
Range: medium
Save: will to avoid
Target: foe, positional
Rating: 1
Notes: Casts Cause Fear on multiple targets. This is a very bad
spell. At the point where you are casting this spell, it's not
very
useful. I strongly suggest avoiding it.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
Casting Time: medium
School: evocation
Components: somatic, verbal
Duration: 6 seconds (stun only)
Area: 15' diameter
Range: medium
Target: foe
Rating: 2
Notes: Blasts an area with a tremendous cacophony, doing 1d8 of sonic
damage and stunning enemies for 6 seconds. A successful Fortitude save
negates the stun. The stun affect of this song is actually quite
handy, if you have a formidable save dc, and heighten. It works
against vermin, which makes it better than it otherwise would be.
However, use it for crowd control, don't bother trying to use it for
damage dealing. Note that you have to "chase " a target, so you should
wait until it stops moving before casting it, else it will often be
outrun by opponents.
Cooldown: 3.5 seconds
Casting Time: fast
School: enchantment
Components: verbal, material
Duration: 6/seconds level
Range: medium
Target: foe
Rating: 4
Notes: Influences the actions of an enemy, allowing you to suggest it
to fight as your ally for 6 seconds per caster level. A successful Will
save negates this effect. The nice thing about this spell is
that you
know when an opponent is going to break out of a suggestion, and
furthermore, it works against all creatures that are affected at all by
enchantments, such as giants or similar.
Cooldown: 2 minutes
Casting Time: long
School: enchantment
Components: somatic, verbal
Duration: 2 minutes
Range: medium
Target: ally, self
Rating: 1
Notes: Summons a fiendish scorpion to fight for you for a brief time.
Casting this spell locks out casting any other Summon Monster spell for
2 minutes. The scorpion looks cool, but is isn't very powerful,
and
has a habit of burrowing around half the time, meaning it doesn't do
it's job of drawing agg very well.
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