Playing a Barbarian/Skald

[Evil Dad]

Not sure if this is the right forum or not, so apologies if it isn't.

I would like to play a Wildelf Barbarian/Skald, but there are a few points that would be really useful to have cleared up.

1. Should I become a Bard before being a Skald? or would a Skald be a more natural progression for a Barbarian than a Bard?

2. Does a Skald learn any spells like a Bard? it doesn't say, so I am assuming not

3. What is the attack table used for the Skald? i.e. same as Bard or are they more warrior?

4. What are the main save?  Reflex + Will?

5. What happens after L10?

6. Could I train as a Bard, become a Skald, then continue my Bardic training?

7. Is it possible to alternate Bard/Skald levels?

8. Seeing as the Dragon summons you to Layonara, is it feasible to start on a different continent or is it always assumed you start on Mistone?

9. Finally, are wildeleves present in all deep forests? or are there certain areas that i should concentrate my bio on?

Sorry, for all the questions, but I want to make this character as in-depth as possible and any help you can give me would be appreciated.

[Vincent]

If the Skald requires perform ranks (I think it does), then you have to have at least 1 level of bard, since it's the only class that can take Perform.

[Evil Dad]

You are so right on that one.  Silly me!  For some reason I thought I might be able to learn it as a cross-class skill.  Well at least I know I will have to be a Barb(x)/Bard(x)/Skald(x) now.

[GhostWhoWalks]

Lets see...


1. Should I become a Bard before being a Skald? or would a Skald be a more natural progression for a Barbarian than a Bard?
 
You would need to be a bard for a short time to get the 6 ranks in perform.


2. Does a Skald learn any spells like a Bard? it doesn't say, so I am assuming not
 
None of the NWN PrC's have a seperate spell list. You're just improving on whatever spell lists you already have.


3. What is the attack table used for the Skald? i.e. same as Bard or are they more warrior?
 
If I remember they use the middle progression, the same as clerics and rogues and bards. I could be wrong... it's been a while since I made them.

4. What are the main save?  Reflex + Will?
 
Fort and Reflex I think... I don't actually have access to the files right now. And I honestly don't remember. Fort for the toughness of the class and reflex for the light fleetfootness of the tribal warriors they hail from. At least... that's what I probably was thinking when I made them. Hehe.

5. What happens after L10?
 
Nothing. You go back to Bard or Barb.

6. Could I train as a Bard, become a Skald, then continue my Bardic training?
 
You kinda have to. Skalds are only a 10 level PrC.

7. Is it possible to alternate Bard/Skald levels?

As long as the overall progression is close, you shouldn't have a problem.

It should be possible to be a 5/5/10 Barb/Bard/Skald.

How you wanted to accrue those levels would be up to you, neither the bard nor the barb have a class restriction about not being able to level after leaving the class.

I always kinda thought Barbarians should... but there isn't one.

I made the class, so I'm happy to answer questions about it.

It's been a year or more though, so... I'm hazy on a lot.

[Evil Dad]

Thanks for the great answers that clears up quite a few points.

2. Does a Skald learn any spells like a Bard? it doesn't say, so I am assuming not

None of the NWN PrC's have a seperate spell list. You're just improving on whatever spell lists you already have.

Does this mean that for each level of skald, my bard spells improve? or do my bard spells just stay how I left them until I take another level of bard?

6. Could I train as a Bard, become a Skald, then continue my Bardic training?

You kinda have to. Skalds are only a 10 level PrC.

7. Is it possible to alternate Bard/Skald levels?

As long as the overall progression is close, you shouldn't have a problem.

Just to clarify ... would I have to gain all skalds levels then return to a bard or can I go Bard(1)/Skald(1), Bard(2)/Skald(2), etc ?

thanks very much for all the great info

[GhostWhoWalks]

I don't remember what the ratio is, I think it's +1 Bard spell level every other Skald level.

So a level 10 Skald level 10 bard would have the spell progression of a level 15 Bard, but the duration and effects of a level 10 bard.

Yes, it means you could flip/flop between skald and bard once you met the class requirements of the skald class.

It takes a 6 perform and a +6 AB. So a bard/barb combo would get you to those reqs quickest.

[Vellyn]

Don't forget that the PrC has to be approved through a CDQ though. I found that out when I made my Priest who was to be an undead slayer ... I had tried to write it into my bio

[Evil Dad]

Yeah, I had thought of that.  I am thinking that I will need a CDQ to go from a barbarian to a bard, as that isn't a natural transition and you suddenly go from killing things to singing.   I don't mind doing another CDQ for the skald as it adds a nice bit of depth to the character.

I am thinking my elf will come from the northern forests of Dregar.  Does everyone generally use Tolkein Elvish for their names?  I am quite keen to start playing this character now.  All I have to do is write the bio

Thanks for all the help eveyone

[EdTheKet]

Evil Dad - 8/29/2005 10:35 PM Does everyone generally use Tolkein Elvish for their names?

  Some do. Others use this:
  http://www.chriswetherell.com/elf/
  or this:
  http://myth-drannor.net/DlabraddathNet/z-Cormanthyr/Name%20generator.htm

[lonnarin]

Tolkienish elven makes for some very good names.  The man was a genius; one of my prized possessions is a leatherback elven and dwarven dictionary published in the 60s..

Oh, and Farros is 3 lvls of skald so far and hasn't had any new bard spells since becoming one.  Right now its just the bardsong effects that improve every 2nd lvl.  He no longer scares deafens and blinds himself anymore, so he sees things looking up despite that.

[Variable]

I generally use grey company elven here: www.grey-company.org
  But it is basically expanded Tokien Elven i believe

[Rayenoir]

Some of us decide to just be creative and make a name that sounds vaguely elven.

[Talan Va'lash]

Grey company elvish is quite good.  Tolkien didn't flesh out some of the language that you'd need to acctually use it practically.  I much prefer tolkien (or the mostly tolkien based grey company) to some of the other attempts that arent based as solidly.  Tolkien was a... grr, cant remember what its called... Guy Who Studies Languages Professionally.  His languages are pretty ridiculously based in a fictional evolution with various factors influencing their development.

For example, the high elves were sundered from the grey elves (tolkien history, has nothing to do with layo) and the languages drifted apart.  Grey elven is Sindarin, which is what I use (put together with some grey company which i think is based on sindarin.)

-Wild Tangent the Uber Dork

[Evil Dad]

I found a very good elven dictionary online.  I will edit with the URL when I find it again.  It is updated and maintained for forgotten realms, but is based on Tolkiens language. Very good indeed.

I am not too worried about bard spells, when levelling as a Skald, it's just nice to know and helps when planning what level to multi-class from.

[Harloff]

From my discussions with Meizter/Geir (the only skald i have seen online) I have understood that you don't get additionel spells as skald the duration might be affected i don't think he has tested that. In that way i think a skald is more related to the rouge no spells and your perform level is defined only by your bard level, but i might be wrong on that.

-Harloff