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1 year ago ::
Jan 05, 2012 - 6:00PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Jul 23, 2003
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Well I have made a decision about one of my characters, I am going to use the retraining rules in LFR to retrain him to a Skald. The Skald fits more with the character concept when I created the character and I have no "essentials" type characters, so that lets me try that line. The thing is, if my only real attack is a melee basic, I would like it to be more interesting. I'm looking for ideas, feats weapons etc, that can make my melee basic seem more than just a melee basic. I did find hammer shock and I like that, but I'm sure there is more I can do. Below is what my character will look like when it hits 13 (I'm still 110 xp from 13) The items are fixed, as that is what I have currently (although I am paying to upgrade my hammer) I do have a found item slot that I can use when I level as well. thanks for any suggestions you might have. EDIT: I just realized I also have a bunch of rituals and a Circlet of mental onslaught that didn't make my list of equipment as I was making the rebuilt character. Sterm Copperforge
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====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Sterm Copperforge, level 13
Dwarf, Bard (Skald), Master Skald
East Rift (East Rift Benefit)
Theme: Ordained Priest
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 14, CON 17, DEX 11, INT 14, WIS 9, CHA 21
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 11, CON 12, DEX 10, INT 13, WIS 8, CHA 18
AC: 28 Fort: 26 Ref: 23 Will: 28
HP: 89 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 24
TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +13, Diplomacy +18, Endurance +15, Intimidate +18, Religion +15, Streetwise +16
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +6, Athletics +8, Bluff +12, Dungeoneering +10, Heal +6, History +9, Insight +8, Nature +6, Perception +6, Stealth +6, Thievery +6
POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Ordained Priest Attack: Smiting Symbol
Dwarf Racial Power: Dwarven Resilience
Bard Utility: Skald's Aura
Bard Feature: Words of Friendship
Bard Attack 1: Cautionary Tale
Bard Attack 1: Disruptive Words
Bard Attack 1: Bolstering Speech
Bard Attack 1: Jinx Shot
Diplomacy Utility 2: Master Diplomat
Bard Attack 3: Echoing Weapon
Bard Attack 5: Haunting Tune
Bard Utility 6: Song of Conquest
Bard Attack 7: Urge to Victory
Bard Attack 9: Exposure of Weakness
Endurance Utility 10: Reactive Surge
Master Skald Attack 11: Inspiring Success
Master Skald Utility 12: Assured Skill
Bard Attack 13: Dimensional Step
FEATS
Level 1: Battle Berserker
Level 2: Words of Wrath
Level 4: Superior Will
Level 6: Bludgeon Expertise
Level 8: Ritual Caster
Level 10: Superior Fortitude
Level 11: Hammer Shock
Level 12: Shield Mastery
ITEMS
Summoned Chainmail +3 x1
Collar of Recovery +3 x1
Dwarven Thrower Warhammer +3 x1
Cherished Ring x1
Belt of Vigor (paragon tier) x1
Preservation Shield Light Shield x1
====== End ======
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1 year ago ::
Jan 06, 2012 - 3:08AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Oct 28, 2010
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Suggest you go into the main D&D forums and take a look in CharOp, particularly at the Bard's guide. That will be a much better way to get optimisation ideas and advice.
As a general rule, though, I would suggest a couple of things: MCing Fighter is probably better than Berzerker; ideally with Battle Awareness, but qualification for that is tough for a non-STR, non-WIS class. Use a Light Blade (probably a Rapier) rather than a Hammer - for two reasons. The first is accuracy - your at-will aura effects don't work unless you hit. The second is better feat support - you're not making any use at all of the secondary effect of Bludgeon Expertise here, so Light Blade will more than make up for the drop in damage from Warhammer to Rapier. Then, you can take Deft Blade at Paragon to further boost your accuracy.
As a Dwarf, you might also want to consider ignoring the Skald feature that allows you to choose to use CHA for your MBAs, and just go ahead and keep STR instead, since you can get your attack stat higher that way.
Look at Guardian theme - the extra MBA is very nice.
Look at Auspicious Birth and Born Under a Bad Sign backgrounds, the extra HP is VERY useful on a melee leader.
Finally, it's a little chessy, but always worth bearing in mind, that LFR's liberal rebuilding rules allow you to tailor your ability scores to your level - you should be able to clear up those odd numbers and give yourself an extra +1 somewhere.
I'd also be inclined to DEX rather than INT - initiative is important.
So there are a few ideas.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 06, 2012 - 8:58AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Nov 23, 2003
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Skald is already martial, so he doesn't have to MC Fighter for Deft Blade. Or Impaling Spear.
(As a Dwarf, I'd suggest building a skald as a Str/Cha build, where Str is the main attack stat. Look for a spear that you can get access to via Dwarven Weapon Training, and use Impaling Spear for silly accuracy with a big weapon. Don't know if the much better MBA damage is worth losing access to bard encounter powers, but it's what I'd give a try).
But yeah: Charop Forum.
"Nice assumptions. Completely wrong assumptions, but by jove if being incorrect stopped people from making idiotic statements, we wouldn't have modern internet subculture." Kerrus
Practical gameplay runs by neither RAW or RAI, but rather "A Compromise Between The Gist Of The Rule As I Recall Getting The Impression Of It That One Time I Read It And What Jerry Says He Remembers, Whatever, We'll Look It Up Later If Any Of Us Still Give A Damn." Erachima
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1 year ago ::
Jan 06, 2012 - 4:41PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Jul 16, 2002
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The thing is, if my only real attack is a melee basic, I would like it to be more interesting.
Wlecome to the wonderful world of 3e... err, I mean Essentials. 
Sorry WOTC, you lost me with Essentials. So where I used to buy every book that came out, now I will be very choosy about what I buy. Can we just get back to real 4e? Check out the 4e Conversion Wiki. 1. Wizards fight dirty. They hit their enemies in the NADs. -- Dragon9 2. A barbarian hits people with his axe. A warlord hits people with his barbarian. 3. Boo-freakin'-hoo, ya light-slingin' finger-wigglers. -- MrCelcius in response to the Cleric's Healer's Lore nerf
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1 year ago ::
Jan 08, 2012 - 2:48AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Oct 28, 2010
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Skald is already martial, so he doesn't have to MC Fighter for Deft Blade. Or Impaling Spear.
(As a Dwarf, I'd suggest building a skald as a Str/Cha build, where Str is the main attack stat. Look for a spear that you can get access to via Dwarven Weapon Training, and use Impaling Spear for silly accuracy with a big weapon. Don't know if the much better MBA damage is worth losing access to bard encounter powers, but it's what I'd give a try).
But yeah: Charop Forum.
True.
Still worth MCing Fighter for Battle Awareness though.
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1 year ago ::
Feb 03, 2012 - 12:07PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Aug 10, 2007
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The Purple Dragon theme gives some MBA options.
Dan Anderson
@EpicUthrac
Living Forgotten Realms Calimshan Writing Director
Living Forgotten Realms Epic Writing Director
Meet me at TotalConfusion:
http://www.totalcon.com/RolePlaying.html
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