Build Advice for Favoured Soul/Blackguard

[God In Action]

The basic concept is a combat focused Favoured Soul/ BG, with 16 miniumum BG for Epic Fiendish summon (which with Greater Conjuration focus gives access to the Balor which the Fiendish Warlock gets, right?).

My options for the remaining 14 levels are either A) 10 Bard/ 4 Fighter, B) or 14 Bard. I'm not sure which would be better. Option A has the advantages of Imp. Knockdown, Weapon Specialisation, +1 AB, a little more HP, whilst Option B has 5th circle casting, more 4th circle spells, +4 Greater Magic Weapon (so I can go for the Keen/+1d4/+1d4/+1d4 enchanted weapon), longer spell durations, a few more skill points, and an earlier acquisition of the BG feats I want.

I'm leaning more towards the Option B of 14 Bard levels, even though it is relatively feat starved. Can anyone suggestion if this is the right choice, or if there is a better option C which I haven't considered?

[Thake]

"Better" in terms of..?

[God In Action]

General adventuring and killing big mean monsters.

[Yellena]

Unless it changed recently, GMW won't work on any weapons with magical properties on it.

[God In Action]

Ah. Well this changes things significantly.

EDIT: Can weapon buffing spells be casting together on the same plain weapon? I.e. GMW and Keen Edge?

[JediMindTrix]

No. The Ranger spell Blade Thirst will stack though.

[The Man of the Moon]

Unless it changed recently, GMW won't work on any weapons with magical properties on it.

Yep, didn't changed.

[msterswrdsmn]

Divine Might will stack with GMW. I'm assuming you have that if you're playing a bard/BG, right?

[God In Action]

Yes, Divine Might + Shield. Pumping Strength on gear and Charisma on stat improvements.

Now that I know GMW can't stack, I think a normal weapon will do just fine. I've gone with 10 bard/ 4 Fighter option, especially since I realised I can take the 4th fighter level in epics, and get Epic Weapon specialisation too.

[CragOneEye]

Yes, Divine Might + Shield. Pumping Strength on gear and Charisma on stat improvements.

Now that I know GMW can't stack, I think a normal weapon will do just fine. I've gone with 10 bard/ 4 Fighter option, especially since I realised I can take the 4th fighter level in epics, and get Epic Weapon specialisation too.

That's what I did as caster, was 10 BG, 4 ftr and 16 Bard, but went with normal bard so could get max AC dodge buff form his song, also was more mmm in character to go with normal bard than any other class as he was a clown. Any how I used normal weapons for him given the issue that GMW won't work on anything but bronze non-essence/enchanted weapons.

GMW won't stack with Keen, or Darkfire or the mage version of that but it will stack with all other offensive buffs so as long as they're not weapon specific but dmg and AB specific. Meaning so long as the buff will stay regardless of which weapon you use.

Also let me know if gsf conjuration works on the BG feat as am considering similar/ maybe same build for a future gnoll.

[grip]

You can put temp essances on GMW'd weapons, also.

EDIT* You can also: Cast GMW on the sword, enchant it with Keen, put a Temp Essence on it and have a very expensive temporary +5 Keen +d6 weapon.

[CragOneEye]

Forgot those two notes but yes.

[CragOneEye]

The basic concept is a combat focused Favoured Soul/ BG, with 16 miniumum BG for Epic Fiendish summon (which with Greater Conjuration focus gives access to the Balor which the Fiendish Warlock gets, right?).

My options for the remaining 14 levels are either A) 10 Bard/ 4 Fighter, B) or 14 Bard. I'm not sure which would be better. Option A has the advantages of Imp. Knockdown, Weapon Specialisation, +1 AB, a little more HP, whilst Option B has 5th circle casting, more 4th circle spells, +4 Greater Magic Weapon (so I can go for the Keen/+1d4/+1d4/+1d4 enchanted weapon), longer spell durations, a few more skill points, and an earlier acquisition of the BG feats I want.

I'm leaning more towards the Option B of 14 Bard levels, even though it is relatively feat starved. Can anyone suggestion if this is the right choice, or if there is a better option C which I haven't considered?

Any mmm ideas on what stats would be for this build/skills/feats and what have you?