Playing the Bard

Playing a bard character in either D&D or Pathfinder has often been laughed at.  Who could blame anyone for that.  The Bard has long been thought to be "the Crappy Class" and has Never been taken seriously.
   Those who mock, I have notice, are never truly "role players."  The Bard, in my opinion, is the ultimate Role Playing class.  No other class that I can think of offers more opportunities  to interact with other player characters or non-player characters that the GM might throw at you.  Sure their class abilities aren't the greatest, their spells are limited and non-damaging and they usually can't hit the broad side of a barn from four feet away.  But using their abilities to interact with the world is great fun!
    I have recently decided that when my Bard uses one of his Bardic Performance abilities that requires a song or a poem that I would actually use a song or a poem.  My gaming group has enjoyed this very much and it adds a bit of flavor and role play to the game.
    when I want to "inspire courage" for instance, I don't simply say "I use 'inspire courage,' everyone gets +1 to....."   I say (or sing) "the minstrel boy to the war is gone, in the Ranks of Death you will find him, his Fathers sword he hath girded on and his wild harp slung behind him.  Land of Song said the Warrior bard, though all the world betrays him.  One sword at least they rights shall guard one faithful harp shall praise thee." or some other similar song.
     If I use my Bardic Knowledge to find out information on some specific person or event, i don't just spout back out what the GM told me, I put my own little flare on it.  I chronicle our journeys, and use what I have written to perform in a tavern in our next stop.  If your GM is any good, he will reward you for making the game more immersive and fun for all involved by giving you just a little more information, or maybe a little extra boost to your Bardic Performance for the extra effort involved.
    S, While the Bard's abilities may not help too much in the combat sense, and he definitely won't be slaying any Dragons any time soon, he Will help with interacting in the game world and add that little extra touch of immersion that you might be lacking with the typical Fighter, Wizard, Cleric, Rogue party.

Battle Report: Tomb Kings

Ok, so this was my first game with the new TK's. I know, it took a while for me to get my first game in, but hey I work three jobs and have a pregnant wife, so time is limited. 
My list was (roughly) 
50 Skeleton Warriors 
Spears, Light armour, FC 
20 Skeleton Bowmen 

7 chariots 
FC 
30 Tomb Guard 
FC, Banner of the Undying Legion 
2 Scorpions 
1 Necrolith Colossus (Bone Giant) 
Casket of Souls 
SSC 
Skull of the Foe 

Tomb King 
Golden Death Mask, Armour of Fortune, Shield 
Grand Heirophant Kateph 

Lich Priest Lv. 2 Nehekahran lore 
scroll of mighty incantations 
lichpriest Lv. 2 Lore of Light 
Dispel Scroll 
The visionary SC 
Tomb Prince 
great weapon, 

His list was....pretty crazy. He was practicing for Ard Boyz this weekend, but I wasn't since I didn't play in round one (had to work) 

30 Phoenix guard 
Banner of sorcery 
Teclis 
Prince 
BSB 
Banner of the world Dragon 
Charadryn 
Korhil 
lv2 wizard 
and the rest was Sea guard, and ALL of the chatacter went into the unit of seaguard with the war banner. 
oh, and a five man unit of Shadow Warriors that he forgot about. 

I believe the prince had the folding fortress, which was set up in his right flank. we played the second mission. Both of his units were set up in his right flank, with his seaguard in the tower. Most of my units were set up in the middle except my skellies which went in my right flank(and never saw combat) 

He went first, and didn't move at all. He couldn't shoot me with his sea guard as I was too far away, but he got some spells off. Not too much. 
I played fairly reserved. moved up a little, but I was very cautious with my movement. I wanted the charge with my Chariots. Bone Giant was moving up the right flank. I used Desert wind to move him closer, and I tried a few other incatations, which were dispelled. SSC misfired and rolled a 3. 

Turn 2. he move his phoenix guard a little, got mystifying myasma off on my Chariots (but not with irrisistable force) so I took my chance and used the grand Heirophants Scroll that forces a toughness test. He failed it, but not on a 6, so he couldn't cast for the rest of the turn, but he didn't take wounds:( 
My go, I manouver a little more with the chariots, trying to get a charge next turn on the phoenix guard. Move my Bone Giant up so I might be able to combo charge with the Chariots. still forgot about the scorpions. 

Turn 3 
He moved his seaguard out of the tower, because he new I wasn't going to get anyplace near that tower. He shot my TG a little. Got Myasma off again on my TG this time (he thought I'd charge the seaguard), but failed a spell, so Teclis couldn't cast again. Miscast with his other guy, didn't do much. 
I charged the phoenix guard with my chariots, and (due to a lucky roll of 11) my Bone Giant just got in. I devastated the PG. I took No wounds and teft all but three there. they broke and I ran them down. SSC, now able to fire again shot at the seaguard, took out about 8, but they had the prince in there for Ld. 10. They passed their test. 

Turn 4 
He was still trying to get me to charge his seaguard so that he could stand and shoot. he moved to 5" away form them and still tried to shoot them. I just brought the casualties back in my turn. he cast myasma on them again and dropped all three stats by three. that hurt. he also cast Mind razor onto his seaguard unit (after moving the BSB out during the movement phase). 
I flipped my Chariots around and brought out my scorpions. one died due to rolling a 2 on the mishap chart. I cast the Incatation that adds an extra attack and extra shot on the .higher level of 18+ with the Scroll of mighty incantations. I miscast, and killed four archers, but brought back my Tomb Guard. I also put the 5+ ward on the TG. SSC misfired again, but rolled a six. 

Turn 5 
He finally charged my Temple Guard. He cast Myasma again on them and we were about to fight the combat when my wife called. SHE WAS IN LABOR. I swept all of my minis into the box as fast as I could and dashed out of there. His unit would have obliterated my TG, but that would have put it at a draw. 

My Wife gave birth to our fist son, and first child at 2:30pm the next day (16 hour Labor) May 20th 2011. 8 lbs 15 oz 21 inches long. Both mother and Son are doing great. 

He had a hard time choosing which spells to stop. Magic phase is key to new TK's. Love the Chariots, and the necrotechs, especially the Visionary. all in all, not too bad for my first go

And the Legions Amassed

Well, I'm still working on my Tomb King Army.  I have all of it assembled, and I am working on paining them.  Since I am a huge University of Utah fan, I have decided to paint the army crimson and white.  Right now I have working on the core of my army, a unit of 50 Skeleton Warriors armed with spears and light armour.  This unit will typically be deployed in Hoard Formation and used as an anvil unit to tarpit enemy units and keep them in place until they can be hit by either my Chariots or my tomb Guard in the flanks.
   My Current list (around 3,000 point as that is the common points limit in my area) is this:
Tomb King (currently taking suggestions on names) Usually equipped with the Golden Death mask and either a magic weapon or a ward save.  I like the Golden death mask, not because of the Terror (though that is nice) but because any unit within 6" of the Mask cannot use the Generals "inspiring Presence" rule or the Battle Standard Bearers "hold your Ground special rule" which means the Fear and Terror caused by the Unit he is in will have a better chance of going off.  It also means that any Unit defeated by his unit in combat will break MUCH easier.
   Grand Hierophant Khatep.  I find this special character facinating.  He has the Lore Master ability, which will make sure I have every spell in the Lore of Nekehara, His Scroll of the Cursing Word, though a bit situational, is great for stopping that Lv. 4 wizards magic phase and possibly killing the wizard as well.  I really like to use this against Teclis.
    Lich Priest Lv. 2 with Dispel Scroll
    Lich priest  Lv. 2 with Neffera's scroll of mighty incantaions
    Ramhotep the visionary.  Possibly the best Special character in the book, or atleast the most useful for the points.  Giving the unit he is in Frenzy AND hatred is great.  Giving one Construct unit to re-roll armour saves is great as well.
    Tomb Prince, sometimes on a chariot, sometimes on foot.  Usually has the Armour of Silvered Steel for a good save
     Core Units go like this.
    50 Skeleton Warriors with Full Command and Light armour and spears (the Crimson Legion).  massed in hoard formation and a great anvil.  I usually stick the king in there to make them Ws 6!
     6 Chariot (7 if the prince is on foot).  No champion so that the Prince can be in the front.  These guys hit HARD!!  they wiped out a big unit of Phoenix guard in one turn,
     20 archers, no upgrades.  when used with the Incantation of Righteous Smiting they can pump out some damage.
    Special
    30 Tomb Guard.   Usually in hoard formation,  Full command and no upgrades.    I like putting Ramhotep in this unit,  so i'm thinking about putting Halberds on them since they can't use the Parry save when they have frenzy.
     Rare.
     Casket of Souls
     Heirotitan 
     Screaming Skull Catapult with Skull of the foe.


Now, that doesn't add up to 3,00 pts, but that's because I like room for flexibility,  I've used some tomb Scorpions in the past and have been thinking about using the War Sphinx.  I think I might like another Screaming Skull Catapult as well.  Choices, Choices.

More Pathfinder

Well, it's been a while since my last post about Pathfinder, so here we go.  My last post was about a campaign Big Game was running where my Swashbuckler defeated several monsters all by himself.  Well since then, turns out the entire thing was a dream (I hate it when GM's pull that).  Turns out we were all rally slave gladiators.  Well we played a few sessions, then we all died.  In a truly Epic fashion I might say.  So it fell to Full Time to start his campaign.  I decided to play an Elf Bard in this one named Elendil Starshard.  He's a pretty basic Bard, starting at level one.
    For my second Character, I decided to play a classic character from my past.  He is a Dwarf fighter named Hendel, named after one of my favorite characters from one of my favorite books "The Sword of Shannara."  He wears full plate armor, and carries a Dwarven War Axe and a Heavy Steel shield.  the basic premise for him in combat is to use his War Axe double handed and deal out as much damage as possible while using the Power Attack feat.  When he gets low on HP, he pulls out is shield and starts to fight defensively.
   Full Time set us up, as he usually does in his campaigns, as part of the City Guard.  What a bard is doing in the City guard, I have no idea.  We were sent out on several missions and then told to investigate the new alleged Thieves guild in the city.
    We investigated, traced it back to a ships first mate who was smuggling stuff in.  The captain said it was the  first mates Brother in another city that was the contact.  so we decided to go get the brother in another city by hitching a ride on the smuggling ship.  Apparently this was NOT part of Full Times plan.  Big Game and I have a pretty long history of screwing with Full Times campaigns.