Thundercaller build

[Mr G]

Wanting to make a thundercaller character, but not sure whats the best to make him. Should he go archery, sword and board, two handed. Should I multi-class or just stick with thundercaller. Thanks for any input?

[Dixon Sider]

I usually go archer. You can go mele, but you will have low BAB and feats either way. Get lingering performance ASAP, and spell penetration/enchantment focus is nice for cacaphonus call. Other than that get extra songs for feats, and possibly heighten magic later on

[jsaving]

Completely agree, you can't get your melee/ranged DPS to a decent level no matter what feats you pick as a thundercaller whereas spell pen and enchantment focus can substantially improve the effectiveness of your spells.

[dwarner]

You’re still a 3/4 BAB class, so you can do some damage if built well. There are a lot of good agile weapons in the game so all it takes is weapon finesse, outflank, and later two-weapon fighting and you’re good to go.

Even if you’re only turning on flanking for someone else and triggering outflank crit chains that’s valuable, and being in melee puts you in good position for thundering drums and crushing despair.

But once you start getting the artisans weapons you’ll be doing more than that.

[haplok]

Originally posted by jsaving:

Completely agree, you can't get your melee/ranged DPS to a decent level no matter what feats you pick as a thundercaller whereas spell pen and enchantment focus can substantially improve the effectiveness of your spells.

Eh, you can melee.
But you'll full attack much more as an archer, so I prefer the archery focus for my bards.

[nshawmc]

go skill monkey and cc enhantment buffs and just use song to stun with thundercall. dont waste feats on archery.

[nshawmc]

if you use mod to see damage output bard sucks really really really really bad compared to everything else so don't bother trying to make him do damage.

[superlovi]

Bard are ok offensively AND defensively. Sense vitals, mirror img, improved invis + power attack/courmagon/ shatter defence make them good frontliners.
Check with ineffect builds on gog forum, there is one called damaging bard that is awesome.
Bard 5, scaled fist 1, dd 4, eldricht knight 10.

Stay pure is ok too. As a thundercaller you will go high charisma/dex take a lot of "more bardic performance per day" talent and capitalize on thunder call spam ( at high lvl it does good dmg, and stuns with good DC). A bow can be a decent weapon, but really spam thunder call + song is wath you should do all day. Your party will be happy of the +4 competence bonus + stunned enemies.

[dwarner]

Originally posted by nshawmc:

if you use mod to see damage output bard sucks really really really really bad compared to everything else so don't bother trying to make him do damage.

Dual-wielding keen weapons triggers a whole lot of outflank crit chains tho.

[dwarner]

Originally posted by superlovi:

Bard are ok offensively AND defensively. Sense vitals, mirror img, improved invis + power attack/courmagon/ shatter defence make them good frontliners.
Check with ineffect builds on gog forum, there is one called damaging bard that is awesome.
Bard 5, scaled fist 1, dd 4, eldricht knight 10.

Stay pure is ok too. As a thundercaller you will go high charisma/dex take a lot of "more bardic performance per day" talent and capitalize on thunder call spam ( at high lvl it does good dmg, and stuns with good DC). A bow can be a decent weapon, but really spam thunder call + song is wath you should do all day. Your party will be happy of the +4 competence bonus + stunned enemies.

All those songs are move actions (later Swift) for pure bard, so you have standard actions free for casting/swinging

[superlovi]

Afaik there is no way to transform thunder call from standard action in swift action. "Normal" bard move action --> seift actiom progression work with song BUT NOT with thundercall.

[Dixon Sider]

I was doing massive damage with thundercallers by spamming thundercall, and using storm call every 4 rounds. The fact that its a fortitude save instead of a reflex is just massive for their DPS

[1ttffsse]

Thundercall saves get buffed I believe by spell focus: evocation, so go for that one instead of enchantment.

Thundercallers no not like multiclassing as they just king of get better with their thundercalls staying pure like alchemists do their bombs....one rogue (thug) or one vivesectionist level could be beneficial though for sneak attack+accomplished sneak attack to increase damage somewhat and thug is good on any dazzling display toon.

lingering and "extra" performance are also good feats.