Divine Lightning (Bard 26 / Cleric 12 / Rogue 2)

[Orion]

Build commentary:

Bard and cleric comprise some of the strongest classes in the game – most notably Bard’s ability to lower enemy AC with Curse Song, raise AC with haste and Bard Song (+9 dodge AC) and Cleric’s ability raise AB to the cap (through Divine Power / Divine Favor) along with boosts to damage through Darkfire, Divine Favor and Divine Might.

Here I join both together in a character that has dual Bard / Cleric spell books, along with a small amount of Rogue for skills and evasion, which with 285 skill points boosted by Bard Song (+9 to 15 to skills) should be a very enjoyable character to play.

Travel Domain is chosen for the ability to have lots of Haste & Extended Haste spells to cast each day, but Healing (empowered healing and potions) and Animal Domain (empowered summons) could work very well too. Strength domain could be also good for extra divine power casts / day (thanks TheSquid for mentioning).

Statistics with +5 weapon/shield/full plate/ring/amulet/boots and capped (+12) stats, expertise, bard song and other spell buffs active. There are 5 attacks per round, +57/+52/+47/+57/+52. Darkfire weapon damage +1d6+6 fire is not visible and should also be added.

Build details:

Bard(26), Cleric(12), Rogue(2), Human.

Non-lawful alignment only

STR: 14 (24)
DEX: 8
CON: 14
WIS: 14 (16)
INT: 14
CHA: 14 (16)

Human: (Quick to Master)
01: Bard(1): Expertise, Weapon Proficiency Martial
02: Cleric(1): Domain Travel, Domain Protection
03: Cleric(2): Extend Spell
04: Cleric(3): STR+1, (STR=15)
05: Cleric(4)
06: Cleric(5): Power Attack
07: Cleric(6)
08: Cleric(7): WIS+1, (WIS=15)
09: Cleric(8): Divine Might
10: Cleric(9)
11: Cleric(10)
12: Cleric(11): WIS+1, Blind Fight, (WIS=16)
13: Cleric(12)
14: Bard(2)
15: Bard(3): Weapon Focus: Scimitar
16: Bard(4): STR+1, (STR=16)
17: Bard(5)
18: Bard(6): Curse Song
19: Bard(7)
20: Bard(8): STR+1, (STR=17)
21: Bard(9): Epic Weapon Focus: Scimitar
22: Bard(10)
23: Bard(11)
24: Bard(12): CHA+1, Epic Prowess, (CHA=15)
25: Bard(13)
26: Bard(14)
27: Bard(15): Armor Skin
28: Bard(16): CHA+1, (CHA=16)
29: Rogue(1)
30: Rogue(2): Great Strength I, {Evasion}, (STR=18)
31: Bard(17)
32: Bard(18): STR+1, (STR=19)
33: Bard(19): Great Strength II, (STR=20)
34: Bard(20)
35: Bard(21)
36: Bard(22): STR+1, Great Strength III, (STR=22)
37: Bard(23): Lasting Inspiration
38: Bard(24)
39: Bard(25): Great Strength IV, (STR=23)
40: Bard(26): STR+1, Epic Skill Focus: Perform, (STR=24)

Hitpoints: 344
Skillpoints: 285
Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 22/27/19
Saving Throw bonuses: Spells: +1
BAB: 25
AB (max, naked): 36 (melee), 25 (ranged)
AC (naked/mundane armor/shield only): 19/30
Spell Casting: Bard(6),Cleric(6)
Alignment Changes: 0

Concentration 43(45), Disable Trap 31(35), Discipline 43(50), Listen 20(23), Lore 0(28), Open Lock 6(5), Perform 43(56), Search 21(23), Set Trap 5(6), Spellcraft 3(5), Tumble 40(39), UMD 27(30)

01: Concentration(4), Disable Trap(1), Discipline(4), Listen(4), Open Lock(1), Perform(1), Set Trap(1), Spellcraft(1), Tumble(4), UMD(4),
02: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(2), Save(2),
03: Concentration(1), Save(6),
04: Concentration(1), Save(10),
05: Concentration(1), Save(14),
06: Concentration(1), Save(18),
07: Concentration(1), Save(22),
08: Concentration(1), Save(26),
09: Concentration(1), Save(30),
10: Concentration(1), Save(34),
11: Concentration(1), Save(38),
12: Concentration(1), Save(42),
13: Concentration(1), Save(46),
14: Concentration(1), Discipline(13), Listen(5), Perform(3), Tumble(13), UMD(13), Save(5),
15: Concentration(1), Discipline(1), Perform(3), Tumble(1), UMD(1), Save(5),
16: Discipline(1), Tumble(1), UMD(1), Save(9),
17: Discipline(1), Tumble(1), UMD(1), Save(13),
18: Discipline(1), Perform(3), Tumble(1), UMD(1), Save(14),
19: Discipline(1), Tumble(1), UMD(1), Save(18),
20: Discipline(1), Perform(3), Tumble(1), UMD(1), Save(19),
21: Discipline(1), Tumble(1), UMD(1), Save(23),
22: Tumble(1), UMD(1), Save(28),
23: Perform(3), UMD(1), Save(31),
24: UMD(1), Save(37),
25: Save(44),
26: Perform(3), Save(48),
27: Perform(3), Tumble(5), Save(47),
28: Perform(5), Save(49),
29: Disable Trap(30), Open Lock(5), Search(21), Set Trap(4),
30: Listen(5), Save(6),
31: Discipline(7), Perform(5), Save(1),
32: Perform(3), Tumble(5),
33: Discipline(2), Listen(4), Perform(1),
34: Concentration(2), Discipline(4), Perform(1),
35: Concentration(4), Discipline(1), Listen(1), Perform(1),
36: Concentration(5), Discipline(1), Perform(1),
37: Discipline(1), Perform(1), Tumble(5),
38: Concentration(5), Discipline(1), Perform(1),
39: Concentration(5), Discipline(1), Perform(1),
40: Concentration(4), Discipline(1), Listen(1), Perform(1),

[Aquarius]

Great build, love it!

[Slammy90]

Following this build for a co-op run of the main games campaign with some friends, really enjoying it so far and how much I can buff everyone, thank you very much for posting it here.

For 5th level instead of taking another level of Cleric, would I be able to take the second level of Bard early to get access to Level 1 spells (Primarily Identify) to help me and my group identify magic items we find rather than paying for Lore potions or Merchant costs, and then continue following the guide as normal?

[Orion]

Hi Slammy90, thanks for commenting. Definitely can take one Bard level at character level 5 (also get an extra bard song/day and some tumble AC/UMD) as and take a cleric level at level 14 to get to Cleric 12. You’d need to adjust the skill progression.

Cleric does grant a lot of power (ie Darkfire, Divine Power, Divine Favor, Summon Creature) so I did prioritise it early.

[Author]

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