2HF Melee Bard viable? (2024)

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• 2HF Melee Bard viable?

1. 07-18-2022,02:24 PM#1

   ZJEPane

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   2HF Melee Bard viable?

   Hi, all! It's been a good long while since I've played.

   I was wondering if the "bardbarian" of the old days is still viable. Something that can, essentially, buff and smash. I've only done three lives on this new toon, so I don't have a lot of PL feats or a great deal of rare/specialized gear, but I do have a +8 tome and the universal trees.

   Would I still splash barb? And, if so, how many levels?
   Or is it worth doing the CHA to hit/damage in one of the universal trees?

   Would love some thoughts on how to proceed. Last thing I want to do is TR into something unplayable.

   Thanks!

   Last edited by ZJEPane; 07-18-2022 at 02:31 PM.

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2. 07-19-2022,03:53 AM#2

   FuzzyDuck81

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   A 2hf warchanter bard is a very solid performer; with access to the feydark illusionist tree, you can have CHA for to-hit & damage (keeping the bare minimum STR including tomes for 2hf feats) plus some other handy boosts, which will mean your spells are, if not 100%, then at least viable in a lot of content & it'll boost your icy crowd control too.

   Race-wise there's a lot of good options - I'd suggest shifter since they can do well with their additional racial boosts while raged. Splashing a barbarian level or 2 isn't really necessary but if you do, you can stack additional rage duration & another +3 CON while raging from those trees which means you can be looking at a long-duration +10 CON clicky, pretty nifty.

   I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was, now what's it is weird and scary to me.

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   See Also

   Epic Past Life Feats - DDO wikiPast Life(Passive) damage bonus

3. 07-19-2022,02:51 PM#3

   unbongwah

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   I'll presume we're talking about CHA-based builds with Feydark Illusionist. When it comes to 2H Warchanters, you have a few options.
   

   • Bard 20 - maxes out bard benefits including WC capstone (Skaldic Scream). But lowest personal DPS since your only crit bonus from Enhancements is Howl of the North (+1 critical damage multiplier on attack rolls of 19-20). Also Feydark tree lacks CHA Battle Trance; you can take Know the Angles (INT Battle Trance) but now your build has gotten even MAD-er.
   • Bard 18 / <cleric or FvS> 1 / fighter 1 - trades Skaldic Scream for Divine Might, extra feat, and Haste Boost. [EDIT: or barb splash instead of fighter for +10% runspeed; Haste Boost can come from Vistani Knife Fighter.]
   • Bard 13 / fighter 6 / <cleric or FvS> 1 - gives up more bard stuff (level 6 spells, Victory Song, Inspire Heroics, WC freeze duration / DCs) for more feats and Strike with No Thought (+1 crit multiplier).
   • Bard 12 / barbarian 6 / FvS 2 - at this point you're mostly focused on personal melee DPS with tier-5 Frenzied Berserker (Focus Wide + Focused Wrath) and tier-2 Warsoul (Smite Weakness + Haste Boost). But you can still take Frozen Fury + Northwind. And when you get to epics, you can grab Draconic Rage ("You may now cast spells while Raging").

   
   So basically: do you want to be primarily a support toon with all the toys which pure bard brings to the table with melee DPS as a (very) secondary consideration; or primarily a solo 2H DPS toon with some bard toys to play with; or somewhere in between?

   Last edited by unbongwah; 08-05-2022 at 01:17 PM.

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4. 07-19-2022,08:49 PM#4

   ZJEPane

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   Originally Posted by unbongwah

   I'll presume we're talking about CHA-based builds with Feydark Illusionist. When it comes to 2H Warchanters, you have a few options.

   • Bard 20 - maxes out bard benefits including WC capstone (Skaldic Scream). But lowest personal DPS since your only crit bonus from Enhancements is Howl of the North (+1 critical damage multiplier on attack rolls of 19-20). Also Feydark tree lacks CHA Battle Trance; you can take Know the Angles (INT Battle Trance) but now your build has gotten even MAD-er.
   • Bard 18 / <cleric or FvS> 1 / fighter 1 - trades Skaldic Scream for Divine Might, extra feat, and Haste Boost.
   • Bard 13 / fighter 6 / <cleric or FvS> 1 - gives up more bard stuff (level 6 spells, Victory Song, Inspire Heroics, WC freeze duration / DCs) for more feats and Strike with No Thought (+1 crit multiplier).
   • Bard 12 / barbarian 6 / FvS 2 - at this point you're mostly focused on personal melee DPS with tier-5 Frenzied Berserker (Focus Wide + Focused Wrath) and tier-2 Warsoul (Smite Weakness + Haste Boost). But you can still take Frozen Fury + Northwind. And when you get to epics, you can grab Draconic Rage ("You may now cast spells while Raging").

   So basically: do you want to be primarily a support toon with all the toys which pure bard brings to the table with melee DPS as a (very) secondary consideration; or primarily a solo 2H DPS toon with some bard toys to play with; or somewhere in between?

   Thank you for spelling out these ideas. I usually play pure classes (sometimes with a level or two of splash, back in the day) but some of these deeper cuts sound much more interesting.

   I'm leaning more toward a solo 2H DPS toon with some bard toys. Mostly for solo 2H DPS, but able to contribute something to a party other than running around behind the arcanes

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5. 07-20-2022,10:43 AM#5

   unbongwah

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   Originally Posted by ZJEPane

   I'm leaning more toward a solo 2H DPS toon with some bard toys.

   Okay then I was thinking something like this.
   

   Code:

   DB Frenzied Warchanter12/6/2 Bard/Barbarian/Favored SoulTrue Neutral DragonbornLevel Order1. Bard 6. Bard 11. Barbarian 16. Bard2. Barbarian 7. Bard 12. Barbarian 17. Bard3. Favored Soul 8. Bard 13. Bard 18. Bard4. Favored Soul 9. Barbarian 14. Bard 19. Bard5. Bard 10. Barbarian 15. Bard 20. BarbarianStats 28pt 32pt Level Up ---- ---- --------Strength 17 17 4: CHADexterity 6 6 8: CHAConstitution 13 14 12: CHAIntelligence 10 10 16: CHAWisdom 8 8 20: CHACharisma 19 20 24: CHA 28: CHASkills Bd Bn Fv Fv Bd Bd Bd Bd Bn Bn Bn Bn Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bn 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ------------------------------------------------------------Heal 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 23Perform 4 4 1 1 1 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 22UMD 4 2 3 1 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 22Concent 4 2 4 1 2 2 4 19Spellcr 4 1 5Balance 4 4Tumble 4 4 ------------------------------------------------------------ 24 4 2 2 6 6 6 6 4 4 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4Feats 1 : Two Handed Fighting 3 : Power Attack 6 : Quicken Spell 9 : Improved Two Handed Fighting12 : Improved Critical: Slashing15 : Greater Two Handed Fighting18 : Empower Healing Spell OR Spell Focus: Evocation21 Epic : Overwhelming Critical22 Destiny: Perfect Two Handed Fighting OR Lasting Inspiration24 Epic : Inspire Excellence OR Burst of Glacial Wrath25 Destiny: Crush Weakness OR Elusive Target27 Epic : Epic Damage Reduction28 Destiny: Harbinger of Chaos OR Deific Warding30 Epic : 30 Legend : Scion of: Feywild OR Arborea 1 Dragon : Draconic Ancestry: White 4 FavSoul: Grace of Battle 3 Deity : Follower of: Sovereign HostEnhancements (Spent: 80 +0r +0u / Max: 80 +0r +0u AP)Frenzied Berserker (35 AP)

   • Die Hard, Frenzied Toughness, Frenzy
     1. Extra Rage III, Cracking Attack III
     2. Angry Arms III, Body Blow III, Blood Tribute III, Extra Action Boost III, Sprint Boost I
     3. Mad Munitions III, Constitution
     4. Crazy Strike III
     5. Focus Wide, Focused Wrath II, Healing or Hurt: Raging Blows

   Warchanter (26 AP)

   • Skaldic: Constitution, Weapon Training, Song of Heroism, Fighting Spirit
     1. Poetic Edda III, Enchant Weapon
     2. Arcane Shield Chant III, Iced Edges III
     3. Ironskin Chant III, Frozen Fury III
     4. Reckless Chant III, Armorer

   War Soul (10 AP)

   • Smite Foe: Melee
     1. Divine Might: Divine Might III, Sacred Touch I
     2. Smite Weakness, Haste Boost III

   Feydark Illusionist (9 AP)

   • Find Familiar: Fox
     1. Familiar's Flourish I, Illusory Weaponry
     2. Familiar's Flourish II, You've Got My Back

   Destinies

   (Spent: 52 (40 +12pdp) / Max: 52 (40 +12pdp) AP)Fury of the wild (36 AP)

   • Die Hard, Die Harder, Die Hardest
     1. Epic Strike: Adrenaline III, Mantle of Fury III
     2. Primal Scream
     3. Sense Weakness III, Wild Weapons: Strike Through III, Fury Selector: Furious III
     4. The Voice of Fury, Wade Through: Strike Through III, Force Selector: Overwelming Force III, Unquenchable Rage III
     5. Scarred by Chaos, Unbridled Fury, Nature's Fury

   Fatesinger (8 AP)

   • Fatesinger's Repertoire, Intoxicating Presence
     1. Epic Strike: The Sword Sings, Harmonic Resonance
     2. Discord: Blade of Discord

   Draconic Incarnation (8 AP)

   • Draconic Bloodline: White, Draconic Heritage
     1. Draconic Perception I, Dragonhide III
     2. Draconic Rage

   There's probably a better leveling order for maxing out the core skills but I'm too lazy to figure it out right now. Also the Enhancements are for epics once you have Draconic Rage. For heroics, skip the barbarian Rage enhancements; we don't want to block spellcasting while leveling. Since this isn't a STR-based build, we're mostly using Rage for the +10 Melee Power from Frenzy + Raging Blows as well as FotW bonuses.

   Weapons: at low levels, use whatever you want / have available. After level 12, your primary weapon should be falchion, Sword of Shadow, or anything else with 15-20 critical threat range after Improved Critical to take advantage of Focused Wrath's +2 crit multiplier bonus.

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6. 07-20-2022,01:09 PM#6

   ZJEPane

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   You are wonderful, thank you!

   I will give this a go next life.

   Yunarian of Argonnessen
   "Listen to my story. This...may be our last chance."

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7. 09-08-2022,11:58 AM#7

   zwiebelring

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   Originally Posted by ZJEPane

   Hi, all! It's been a good long while since I've played.

   I was wondering if the "bardbarian" of the old days is still viable. Something that can, essentially, buff and smash. I've only done three lives on this new toon, so I don't have a lot of PL feats or a great deal of rare/specialized gear, but I do have a +8 tome and the universal trees.

   Would I still splash barb? And, if so, how many levels?
   Or is it worth doing the CHA to hit/damage in one of the universal trees?

   Would love some thoughts on how to proceed. Last thing I want to do is TR into something unplayable.

   Thanks!

   Hello. In my opinion, splashing is like mny things in life... depending on context. After introduction to the Feydark Illusionist, a max. STR Bard seems very limited. A CHA melee Bard can use the spells very effectively while leveling, which gives great versatility, even into epics.

   However, a Half Orc Warchanter may be very good by splashing Bar. Especially with many racial action points. By splashing 1 Bar I assume a max. STR and rage uses. If your focus is on playing a Bard then I do not recommend splashing more than 1 Barbarian. 1 Bar/ 1 FvS/ 18 Brd focus on STR, stun, freezing.

   Right now I am hunting rap.s with a 1Ftr/ 1FvS/ 18 Brd build. I am very happy with it.

   Characters on Orien:
   Wanzer/ Klingtanz/ Incanta Superior/ Mercantus

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