The Bard's Handbook

[Growin]

Hey I was thinking about how to maximize the benefits of snowflake wardance and dragonfire inspiration.  Why isn't the two-weapon fighting line of feats mentioned? 

Silverbrow Human
1) Dragonfire Inspiration
H) Two-Weapon Fighting
3) Snowflake Wardance
6) Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting
9) Song of the Heart
9) Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
12) Words of Creation
15) Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
18)

I put in Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting so you can dual wield two Crystal Echoblades.  If your Dungeon Master allows you to have two crystal echoblade daggers or crystal echoblade shortswords then dump Oversized TWF, dump your strength modifier, and pick up two feycraft crystal echoblade daggers/shortswords.

[NeverGetDrunkButStaySober]

Random question (didn't think it deserved its own thread): are there any mechanics besides Inspire Greatness and (see MM3) Energy Charge that can grant fake hit dice?

[CrimsonDeath]

Thought I'd mention a couple of things.

Dragonfire Inspiration: Not only can the feat not grant Force damage, but if your draconic heritage has no affinity or an affinity for force (or anything else other than acid, cold, electric, fire, or sonic), the feat doesn't even do anything.  Sonic is good, though; you can get it from Battle, Emerald, Howling, Platinum, or Pyroclastic.  As near as I can tell, this would require a Sorcerer dip or the Half-Dragon race, although a Dragonborn may squeak by on Platinum dragon heritage.

Knowledge Devotion:  May want to add it to the feat section, since you mentioned it in the description of Bardic Knack and also mentioned Collector of Stories in the skills section.  (Duskblade player in our group looked at the wording and concluded that Knowledge Devotion triggers off the roll to identify an enemy, which is the roll that Collector of Stories modifies.)

Does Healing Hymn work with Cure Minor Wounds? Complete Champion mentions the bonus is to a 'roll', so wouldn't it not work? I guess it wouldn't work with Heal or Vigor, but would for Lesser Restoration and CLW.

Which one's better then? Healing Hymn + 2 Eberron Bard feats OR Fascinate, Suggestion, and Suggestion,Mass?
With limited healers in a dark campaign, I'm leaning for the former. What do you think?

I had Healing Hymn in a campaign where our primary healer was a Favored Soul trying to be a Sorcerer, and I found that singing for a minute before we tucked ourselves in for the night was terrifically useful.  Combined with Healthful Rest (since the FS was trying to heal mostly with Lesser Vigor and fast healing is "like natural healing except"), that's 4xHDxHP each night.  I considered learning Summon Elysian Thrush for 6x but thought that would be overkill as well as too much investment into a peripheral tactic.  Although it's not explicitly mentioned in the ACF description, this should also increase the rate at which ability damage heals (since it's not specifically called out as only affecting HP healed and is described as having the effect of 24 hours of rest).  This will also double with Healthful Rest or Summon Elysian Thrush, or triple with both.

[MalcolmSprye]

My current character has healing hymn.  The overnight healing is useful sometimes... but the in combat effect is what you get it for.  It allows me to use my bard, who only knows CLW, and our Champion of Gwyhwarwyf, with her one or two cure mods to act as a party healer between us (4 person party, no healer).
A couple of months after I started using it, my GM and I discovered the errata.  We both agreed that it was pretty stupid.  It took a useful, but not overpowered ability, and made it crap.  My character has Words of creation, so my GM houseruled that if I used WoC with it(taking a little non-lethal) it would work as originally written.

Also, someone mentioned bards being able to sacrifice spells for higher performances.  I can't find that in Complete Arcane.  Is there a page number for that?

[Epimetheus]

Also, someone mentioned bards being able to sacrifice spells for higher performances.  I can't find that in Complete Arcane.  Is there a page number for that?

There's a feat in PH2 called Arcane Flourish. Swift action: Expend a spell slot for 1+spell_lvl competence bonus on the next Perform check. Although I'm not sure if you mean 'higher performances' to be 'boosting perform checks'.

[Optimator]

Regarding Inspire Awe, you don't have what book it's from listed (DM, right?) and I think it's worth noting that the save DC is huuge, especially compared to Haunting Melody--probably why you put that it's good at later levels, but it could be clearer.  Combine the two for lulz, especially on a Drigesinger!   

[MalcolmSprye]

I have a question regarding one of the recommended spells: Master's Touch.
I tried searching for threads about it... there seems to be no discussion.  What weapons does this open up for a bard that make it particularly enticing?  It seems kinda iffy to me to be spending an action(even a swift one) and a spell each combat just to be able to use your chosen weapon.  Maybe I'm biased, because I'm currently overloaded on swift/immediate actions as is.

[Bortasz]

Hello I realy like this Handbook and I hope that you will end him soon.

Also I was thinking about something like this.

human Savage Bard + Bardic Knack

Str: 10
Dex: 10
Con: 14
Int: 16
Wis: 10
Cha: 16

1. Dragontouched
H. Dragonfire Inspiration
3. Requiem
ECS Bard.  Song of the Heart
6. Word of Creation
ECS. Bard Haunting Music

Badge of Valor. 1 400
Inspiration Boost Spell

Total of +5 Inspiration Courage in level 6.

9 level Feat Leadership = lots of Archers using Volley Arrows witch +7d6 damage from Fire.

Going to Sublime Cohort PrCs.

[Hitoshura]

You need Inspire Competence for Song of the Heart.

[weenog]

You also need 8 Perform ranks for Requiem.  You've got 6 at level 3.