Well I'm glad to see faces I recognize in game, thought I'd try and take my bard out of town and see if I could
A. Kill something other then these roltons I tested my spells on.
B. Not die in the first 10 seconds
C. Collect a few bounties.
Apparently I picked a decent time to come back, as I'll have both my fixskills now and one coming up in a few weeks in case I butcher myself.
Here's what I'm looking at and my reasoning. Welcoming any criticism.
Lochiven (at level 67), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 130 35
Shield Use.........................| 169 69
Combat Maneuvers...................| 169 69
Brawling...........................| 238 138
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 120 30
Physical Fitness...................| 169 69
Dodging............................| 90 20
Magic Item Use.....................| 70 15
Harness Power......................| 167 67
Mental Mana Control................| 90 20
Elemental Lore - Air...............| 169 69
Mental Lore - Manipulation.........| 169 69
Perception.........................| 120 30
Climbing...........................| 120 30
Swimming...........................| 70 15
Trading............................| 238 138
That is current...I remember hunting being a bit slow and rough. So in an improved state dropping trading to 0, and dropping 18 songs lets me pick up 430.
I want to stay brawler, 35 ranks is the bard song penalty for brig. I like the perks of air and manipulation over that of telepathy.
Anything I missed?
Lochiven
Oh, and if anyone knows how I can outsmart the skeleton on my pouch Ii'd love to hear it. I most certainly don't remember my password, and the macros I had it incorporated into are on a computer I don't have anymore.
Bring on the sonic raffles!
THORNBROOK
TELEMON
Re: Attempting to return-again
05/02/2011 02:38 PM CDT
How many songs do you currently have, and which society? Might have missed it.
That plan should be plenty viable, though I'd recommend seeing if you could get +6 bonus for air lore on your AdvGuild badge- that'd get you to the 75 tonis breakpoint for a total of -3 rt. With sonic flares, swinging a fist scythe in one second is a big boost over doing it in two (or swinging a a spur in one).
Where do you plan on hunting? I find target selection to be equally important as training plans.
That plan should be plenty viable, though I'd recommend seeing if you could get +6 bonus for air lore on your AdvGuild badge- that'd get you to the 75 tonis breakpoint for a total of -3 rt. With sonic flares, swinging a fist scythe in one second is a big boost over doing it in two (or swinging a a spur in one).
Where do you plan on hunting? I find target selection to be equally important as training plans.
THORNBROOK
Re: Attempting to return-again
05/02/2011 02:44 PM CDT
ah guess I left that part out. Currently have 69 bard songs. That would go to 30 MnE and 51 songs. Which maxes out sonic armor and sonic weapon I believe.
Always been in voln and would probably hunt Temple Wyneb to be near friends and my other characters.
Ya I see I'm close to the 75 rank air perk.
Oh something I forgot to ask, 1004 used to benefit from songs known with more chances to purify a gem before you'd cap it. Has that changed? That was always pretty central to my character.
Lochi
Always been in voln and would probably hunt Temple Wyneb to be near friends and my other characters.
Ya I see I'm close to the 75 rank air perk.
Oh something I forgot to ask, 1004 used to benefit from songs known with more chances to purify a gem before you'd cap it. Has that changed? That was always pretty central to my character.
Lochi
WOLFES2
Re: Attempting to return-again
05/02/2011 04:07 PM CDT
Plenty to comment on here.
Are you in Voln?
You need more swim, at least over the next 5-10 levels. 20 more ranks or more depending on where you plan to hunt.
1035 is your best friend. You need to find ways to generate more mana so you can run it as constantly as possible. 1018 and 1013 sill be your friends.
More MMC as you can get it, even if just the 4 ranks to a total of 24. I'd go to 30.
Your CMAN choices will be pretty important. Which do you have currently?
Having said all of the above, it looks like you were going for a 1030 using build with the option to use voln fu and speed brawl. You were very heavy on bardsongs for more CS and with that much manipulation lore you can tear up solo critters and groups with 1030 alike. You will be transitioning away from this to a minor degree as you seem to want to move toward swinging sonic more than using 1030. This is neither good nor bad. A 1030 voln fu build is strong, though.
It's actually a fascinating build. You have a ton more CM than needed for a 1030 voln fu build and less shield use than many pure builds, too. As for armor, there is ZERO reason not to go for more ranks, getting into chain class armors. Even the purest of bards tend to run for augmented chain as there is practically zero downside to doing so.
At this point, I might consider dropping the 20 ranks of dodge, boosting shield use and using a tower class shield. The remaining mental points could be used toward more MMC, bardsongs, perception or over training in CM.
Regardless, your current build is more than fine for using 1004 because your manipulation lore will boost it a goodly amount.
~Galenok
Are you in Voln?
You need more swim, at least over the next 5-10 levels. 20 more ranks or more depending on where you plan to hunt.
1035 is your best friend. You need to find ways to generate more mana so you can run it as constantly as possible. 1018 and 1013 sill be your friends.
More MMC as you can get it, even if just the 4 ranks to a total of 24. I'd go to 30.
Your CMAN choices will be pretty important. Which do you have currently?
Having said all of the above, it looks like you were going for a 1030 using build with the option to use voln fu and speed brawl. You were very heavy on bardsongs for more CS and with that much manipulation lore you can tear up solo critters and groups with 1030 alike. You will be transitioning away from this to a minor degree as you seem to want to move toward swinging sonic more than using 1030. This is neither good nor bad. A 1030 voln fu build is strong, though.
It's actually a fascinating build. You have a ton more CM than needed for a 1030 voln fu build and less shield use than many pure builds, too. As for armor, there is ZERO reason not to go for more ranks, getting into chain class armors. Even the purest of bards tend to run for augmented chain as there is practically zero downside to doing so.
At this point, I might consider dropping the 20 ranks of dodge, boosting shield use and using a tower class shield. The remaining mental points could be used toward more MMC, bardsongs, perception or over training in CM.
Regardless, your current build is more than fine for using 1004 because your manipulation lore will boost it a goodly amount.
~Galenok
THORNBROOK
Re: Attempting to return-again
05/02/2011 05:21 PM CDT
>Plenty to comment on here.
>You need more swim, at least over the next 5-10 >levels. 20 more ranks or more depending on where you >plan to hunt.
Swimming for both the rift pool and the swim to OTF?
>More MMC as you can get it, even if just the 4 ranks >to a total of 24. I'd go to 30.
>Your CMAN choices will be pretty important. Which do >you have currently?
With the amount of CM I have, I've got 5 ranks of feint and 4 of sweep. I preferred feinting to using song of rage and sweep is just downright useful.
>Having said all of the above, it looks like you were going for a 1030 using build with the option to use voln fu and speed brawl.
Yeah, I remember hunting pookas, miners, bonespear all using spells with an open hand to voln fu as well.
>It's actually a fascinating build. You have a ton more CM than needed for a 1030 voln fu build and less shield use than many pure builds, too. As for armor, there is ZERO reason not to go for more ranks, getting into chain class armors. Even the purest of bards tend to run for augmented chain as there is practically zero downside to doing so.
60 ranks for augmented chain if I'm reading the chart on krakiipedia correctly? I know I used to use aug chain, believe I had transitioned to brig as well I had a set of mcp...and that helped with not dying to maneuvers substantially. Now that i'm poor, augmented chain it is.
>At this point, I might consider dropping the 20 ranks of dodge, boosting shield use and using a tower class shield. The remaining mental points could be used toward more MMC, bardsongs, perception or over training in CM.
What is a good threshold to stop my current lores at. I'm seeing 75 ranks of air for tonis. Any end to manipulation?
>Regardless, your current build is more than fine for using 1004 because your manipulation lore will boost it a goodly amount.
~Galenok
Thanks for the input. Trying to absorb any new mechanics, combined with my vague memory of old mechanics, makes this rough.
Lochi
>You need more swim, at least over the next 5-10 >levels. 20 more ranks or more depending on where you >plan to hunt.
Swimming for both the rift pool and the swim to OTF?
>More MMC as you can get it, even if just the 4 ranks >to a total of 24. I'd go to 30.
>Your CMAN choices will be pretty important. Which do >you have currently?
With the amount of CM I have, I've got 5 ranks of feint and 4 of sweep. I preferred feinting to using song of rage and sweep is just downright useful.
>Having said all of the above, it looks like you were going for a 1030 using build with the option to use voln fu and speed brawl.
Yeah, I remember hunting pookas, miners, bonespear all using spells with an open hand to voln fu as well.
>It's actually a fascinating build. You have a ton more CM than needed for a 1030 voln fu build and less shield use than many pure builds, too. As for armor, there is ZERO reason not to go for more ranks, getting into chain class armors. Even the purest of bards tend to run for augmented chain as there is practically zero downside to doing so.
60 ranks for augmented chain if I'm reading the chart on krakiipedia correctly? I know I used to use aug chain, believe I had transitioned to brig as well I had a set of mcp...and that helped with not dying to maneuvers substantially. Now that i'm poor, augmented chain it is.
>At this point, I might consider dropping the 20 ranks of dodge, boosting shield use and using a tower class shield. The remaining mental points could be used toward more MMC, bardsongs, perception or over training in CM.
What is a good threshold to stop my current lores at. I'm seeing 75 ranks of air for tonis. Any end to manipulation?
>Regardless, your current build is more than fine for using 1004 because your manipulation lore will boost it a goodly amount.
~Galenok
Thanks for the input. Trying to absorb any new mechanics, combined with my vague memory of old mechanics, makes this rough.
Lochi
WOLFES2
Re: Attempting to return-again
05/02/2011 05:39 PM CDT
Rift pool I am not sure about. I think you need 25 to 30 ranks for OTF. 30-40 for the Bowels swim and 50-70 for the swim to Temple Nelemar on Teras.
Feint and Sweep are nice. Shield Bash would be useful, too, as would hamstring. I think feint is unnecessary but a lot of people get it.
60 or 90 ranks of armor. 90 if you need to use MnE in the field. Assuming you sold the mcp brig.
No reason to stop air lore. If you sing your shield you can eventually get a tower shield that has the hindrances of a med shield or buckler (I think). Singing all your gear has benefits and hazards. Manipulation, at least 75 ranks. I believe that 15 ranks for targeted 1030 and 60 ranks to simulate using an instrument at adept skill level. More is fine unless you want to get 15 ranks of telepathy lore. This would be beneficial to your build.
~Galenok
Feint and Sweep are nice. Shield Bash would be useful, too, as would hamstring. I think feint is unnecessary but a lot of people get it.
60 or 90 ranks of armor. 90 if you need to use MnE in the field. Assuming you sold the mcp brig.
No reason to stop air lore. If you sing your shield you can eventually get a tower shield that has the hindrances of a med shield or buckler (I think). Singing all your gear has benefits and hazards. Manipulation, at least 75 ranks. I believe that 15 ranks for targeted 1030 and 60 ranks to simulate using an instrument at adept skill level. More is fine unless you want to get 15 ranks of telepathy lore. This would be beneficial to your build.
~Galenok
