Bard Cman Training

[Darcthundar]

Any advice on what Cmans a bard should train in?

Thanks

[Whirlin]

What weapon type do you use?

[Skip]

What weapon type do you use?

one thing I think I've learned is that as a bard you only really need one solid offensive combat maneuver.

For sword and board, prolly shield bash, for pole arms you can go with either Trip or Charge, but I would recommend Charge, a little higher risk with 7 sec RT but substantially higher reward with a pretty much guaranteed knockdown.

whatever you choose I would get it up to at least 3 ranks ASAP and then work on passive abilities like combat movement, combat focus, cunning defense, etc.

But thats just been my strategy. If anyone else has a better idea, I'm as interested at the OP...still trying to figure all this stuff out myself.

[Whirlin]

Bard CMAN Selection
For Melee Bards
There are a few offensive CMANs that are kinda built for the different builds:
Polearms can use Charge
Sword and Board can use Shield Bash
TWC could benefit slightly from Spin Attack...?
Brawling Bards really don't get much benefit in the CMAN department offensively, all those good mastery skills are monk/rogue.

After capping out your best offensive CMAN, there's a lot of points to put towards defensive ones:
Bandits use Cheapshot, Tackle, Hamstring, Feint, Subdual Strike, Sweep...
Of course, Defensive CMANs include:
Combat Focus (+2 TD)... Effect relatively weakened due to Song of Noise to prevent spells.
Combat Movement (+2 DS)
Cunning Defense (+3 Combat Maneuver Defense)

Then of course, if you're a group hunter or MA'er, there's always Side-by-side... which is basically AS/DS boost when in groups.


From the sticky bard guide.

[Anebriated]

Step 1: cman focus
Step 2: ???
Step 3: profit

[Jeril]

This is what people tend to use with twc as long as they don't go blunts:
R>cman help hamstring
Skill Name: Hamstring
Mnemonic: hamstring
Hostile: Yes
Stamina Cost: Base 15 (-5 Rank 1, -3 Rank 2)
Other Requirements: A slashing weapon (that is not twohanded).
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Rangers, Bards.

Blunt users are just fucked! And they'd probably want to use sweep I guess
Skill Name: Sweep
Mnemonic: sweep
Hostile: Yes
Stamina Cost: Base 12 (-6 Rank 1, -4 Rank 2, -2 Rank 3).
Other Requirements: None
Available to: Rogues, Rangers, Bards, Monks.

[Vagabondbard]

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Combat Movement cmovement 2
Combat Focus focus 5
Dirtkick dirtkick 2
Shield Bash sbash 2
Sweep sweep 2
Feint feint 5
Charge charge 3
Cheapshots cheapshots 2
Subdual Strike sstrike 3
Side by Side sidebyside 3
Cunning Defense cdefense 5

Available Combat Maneuver Training Points: 1


The only cman I use is Feint. I change these slightly as one CMan begins to annoy me more than others...right now dirtkick annoys me the most.

GBB