The Lovable Scoundrel

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By Ralsu



The Lovable Scoundrel is a bard 7/rogue 5 build designed to take full
advantage of the rogue's knack to removing traps while using the bard's
songs and spells to enhance combat effectiveness. The Scoundrel does
the most damage by joining fights after they've begun, landing Sneak
Attacks and darting along to another foe.



The first couple of levels come as rogue so that the Scoundrel will get
many skills and Evasion. The middle levels focus on bard so that the
Scoundrel can learn useful spells. The finals levels of rogue add
another 1d6 to Sneak Attack, which the Scoundrel can use fairly
effectively because of the Weapon Finesse Feat and plenty of good buffs.



Low Charisma means that the Lovable Scoundrel is poor at crowd control.
Thus, songs and spells that focus on charming enemies are a low
priority. In the end, the Scoundrel provides a party with the utility
of a rogue, a dash of damage, and some very useful buffs.

Character Snapshot

Race: Human



Starting Abilities:

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 16

Constitution: 10

Intelligence: 16 (+1 at Levels 4, 8, and 12 = 19)

Wisdom: 10

Charisma: 10



Notes:
The Scoundrel will benefit from wearing one item that adds +2 to DEX
and another item that adds +3 to INT. INT is the focused stats so that
Disable Device never fails. DEX is the next most important so that the
Scoundrel can land blows in combat and Open Locks. CHA items are
unnecessary, as the Scoundrel will either learn Eagle's Splendor or
carry wands for the spell.



Hit Points: 92 at Level 12



Saves (Enhancements and Feats
included):

Fortitude: 4

Reflex: 13

Will: 7



Class/Racial Features:

• Bardic Music: At Level 1, a bard gains the ability to use songs
  to soothe the wild beast (Fascinate) or motivate her party to greater
  deeds in combat (Inspire Courage; +1 vs. charm and fear effects and +1
  on attack and weapon damage; this benefit increases to +2 at Level 8).
  At Level 3, she can sing to provide a party member with greater success
  in using skills (Inspire Competence; +2 to all skill checks). At Level
  6, she can even use song to turn a foe into an ally (Suggestion). At
  Level 9, the bard can Inspire Greatness (+2 attack bonus, +1 Fortitude
  save bonus, and temporary hit points) with her song. The bard's ability
  to sing is based on her Perform skill and, if planned incorrectly, she
  could find herself unable to sing that new song.
• Bonus Feat at Level 1: Humans are quick studies. This manifests
  in the form of an extra Feat at character creation.
• Disable Device: Once she finds a trap, the rogue is the only
  class that can use Disable Device to attempt to disarm the trap.
• Evasion: At Level 2, a successful Reflex save to avoid damage
  results no damage instead of half damage.
• Extra Skill Points: To represent the quickness with which humans
  learn, all humans get 4 extra Skill points at Level 1 and 1 extra Skill
  point each additional level.
• Sneak Attack (3d6): A rogue who flanks a target can deal
  additional 1d6 damage in the form of a Sneak Attack. Of course, this
  may cause the enemy to turn its attention on the rogue. The damage from
  Sneak Attack increases by 1d6 for each odd-numbered level of rogue.
• Trap-finding: Rogues are the best class at finding even the most
  difficult traps.
• Uncanny Dodge: In DDO, this is an active Feat that grants a
  temporary bonus to AC and Reflex saves that becomes available at Level
  4.
• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Proficient with all simple weapons,
  plus the long sword, rapier, short bow, hand crossbow, sap, and short
  sword. They can wear light armor with no fear of arcane spell failure
  and can use any shield other than a tower shield.

Feats (in the order selected): href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Exclusive_Screenshots&id=Otto_s_Resistible_Dance&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="Otto's"
src="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/Exclusive_Screenshots/Otto_s_Resistible_Dance.sized.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 188px;" align="right">

Dodge

Skill Focus: Disable Device

Weapon Finesse

Extend Spell

Mobility

Luck of Heroes



Notes:
Dodge and Mobility greatly add to the Scoundrel's survival chances
while Weapon Finesse ensures that the Scoundrel can land hits. These
three Feats are crucial to the build. Skill Focus is added insurance to
see to it that the Scoundrel can always
succeed at Disabe Device. Extend Spell makes Rage and Good Hope last
longer, saving on the Scoundrel's modest spell point pool. It could be
exchanged for a combat Feat if desired. Luck of Heroes boosts all
saving throws by +1 and combines with Good Hope to give the Scoundrel
some good protection from those annoying enchantments that incapacitate
players, but other Feats will fit here, too. Use your discretion.



Skills: The most important
Skills are Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Use
Magic Device. These should be maximized at every chance. The Scoundrel
will get ample Skill points for other useful Skills. Balance and Tumble
are good selections. Haggle saves money on wands of Cure spells.
Perform need not be above a 3, the minimum rank fro a bard to use
Inspire Courage. Train in others as you see fit. My Scoundrel ended
with the skills noted below (Ability modifiers, Feats, and Enhancements
included):



Balance 23

Bluff 20

Concentration 18

Diplomacy 10

Disable Device 32

Haggle 20

Heal 5

Hide 28

Intimidate 5

Jump 18

Listen 5

Move Silently 28

Open Lock 28

Perform 8

Repair 9

Search 14

Spot 5

Swim 5

Tumble 13

Use Magic Device 20



Combat:

BAB 8

Bardic Music and Weapon Finesse will have the Scoundrel hitting enough
to contribute to damage, but this build is not a killing machine. Even
with a good selection of items and wands to buff with, the Scoundrel
will be a little bit squishy. Combat should involve stealth and liberal
use of Tumble. Let the fighters hit things first so the Scoundrel can
Sneak Attack them.



Enhancements:
style="font-weight: bold;">
Human Versatility V (+5 to all Skill checks)

Rogue's Action Boost II (temporary boosts to attack, armor class, or
rogue skills)

Skill Ingenuity III (+5 to Disable Device and Open Lock)

Skill Stealth III (+5 to Hide and Move Silently)



Spells (in the order selcted):

Level 1 Bard Spells: Remove Fear, Cure Light Wounds, Otto's Ressitible
Dance, Expeditious Retreat

Level 2 Bard Spells: Invisibility, Rage, Soundburst, Glitterdust OR
Eagle's Splendor

Level 3 Bard Spells: Cure Serious Wounds, Good Hope



Notes:
The Scoundrel has little business dabbling with crowd control with that
low Charisma score. Still, Otto's might still remove a minotaur from a
battle for a few seconds it the Scoundrel buffs with Eagle's Splendor
first. The low spell points should be just enough to keep up some
useful buffs (Expeditious Retreat, Rage, Good Hope). Once Remove Fear
has ceased to be useful, it can be exchanged--but there isn't a whole
lot that will be more useful.

---

Detailed Progression by Level

-Level 1:

• Class trained: rogue
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow
• Feats: Dodge, Skill Focus: Disable Device

-Level 2:

• Class trained: rogue
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow

-Level 3:

• Class trained: bard
  
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow
• Feat: Weapon Finesse
• Spell: Remove Fear

-Level 4: href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Exclusive_Screenshots&id=redfang_s_chamber&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="redfang's chamber"
src="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/Exclusive_Screenshots/redfang_s_chamber.sized.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 188px;" align="right">

• Class trained: bard
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow
• Ability: Intelligence +1
• Spell: Cure Light Wounds

-Level 5:

• Class trained: bard
  
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow
• Spell: Otto's Resistible Dance
  

-Level 6:

• Class trained: bard
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow
• Spells: Invisibility, Rage

-Level 7:

• Class trained: rogue
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow

-Level 8:

• Class trained: bard
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow
• Ability: Intelligence +1
• Spells: Expeditious Retreat, Soundburst

-Level 9:

• Class trained: bard
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow
• Feat: Mobility

-Level 10:

• Class trained: bard
• Skills: max max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock
  and UMD; others as points allow
• Spells: Glitterdust OR Eagle's Splendor, Cure Serious Wounds,
  Good Hope
  

-Level 11:

• Class trained: rogue
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow

-Level 12:

• Class trained: rogue
• Skills: max Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and
  UMD; others as points allow
• Feat: Luck of Heroes OR Melee Feat (Spring Attack suggested)
  
• Ability: Intelligence +1

Tactics: Use Bardic Music to add to BAB, especially when the party is
melee-heavy or fighting a hard-to-hit boss. Your bard spells allow for
some healing, but take advantage of your Use Magic Device Skill and use
wands for top-off healing.



You'll want togive your party buffs as much as possible; it's what
makes the Scoundrel "lovable." Combined with the Extend Spell Metamagic
Feat, Remove Fear will be very handy until Level 4 or 5. Expeditious
Retreat, Rage, and Good Hope will be your staples in the higher levels.



With a very low CHA, you may find crowd control spells spotty. Eagle's
Splendor from the 2nd level spell set can give you a +4 CHA boost to
get those tougher mobs with Otto's. Use Soundburst to dirupt enemy
casters or buy yourself some time when swarmed.

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