PATHFINDER’S SKALD

The Skald is one of the so- called “hybrid” classes that first appeared in the Advanced Class Guide, where the idea was to mix two other classes together to create something entirely new. Skalds are warrior poets, capable of inciting rage in their allies while standing at the front row of battle. They are a very versatile class, akin to both its parent classes, the Barbarian and the Bard. Herein I will present five builds that will showcase the power of these Warrior Poets.

The Base Skald

A classic Skald build that one would expect, versatile yet clearly melee focused.

Class

Skald 20

Race

We will pick Half-Orc, put that floating +2 into Charisma as we will need it as a fairly MAD class, and we will be taking the Sacred Tattoo Alternative Racial Feature.

Ability Scores

Round up Strength if odd, then everything in Charisma.

15Point-Buy

Str 14/Dex 10/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 16

20Point-Buy

Str 15/Dex 11/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 17

25Point-Buy

Str 15/Dex 13/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 18

Traits

Fate’s Favored double our Sacred Tattoos luck bonus to all saving throws, which is just a massive yes. Reactionary gets us a neat +2 to Initiative and going first means we get the show rolling faster.

Favored Class Bonus

We are standing shoulder to shoulder with our melee companions, we will need more HP.

Skills

Acrobatics to better maneuver across the battlefield, Perception as it is the most rolled skill in the game, Intimidation because we are a Half-Orc Skald and Perform(Sing) as we need to inspire our allies with words of enragement.

Feats by Level

1-Skald’s Vigor

Skald Bonus-Scribe Scroll

3-Power Attack

5-Expanded Spell Kenning

7-Lingering Performance

9-Cornugon Smash

11-Greater Skald’s Vigor

13-Weapon Focus(Battleaxe)

15-Dazzling Display

17-Shatter Defenses

19-Improved Initiative

Power Attack is a no-brainer for a strength based melee character, and since Raging Song counts as Bardic Performance for feats, Lingering Performance is another must. Skald’s Vigor and its Greater version give you (and eventually your allies) Fast Healing while you maintain your Raging Song which is absolutely bonkers. Expanded Spell Kenning requires some explanation. See, starting level 5, Skald gain an ability called Spell Kenning, which 1/day(and more as we level) we can cast any spell on the bard, cleric or wizard spell list.

This. Is. Wildly Overpowered. Sure it doesn’t happen often, but any spell on these lists is completely and utterly ridiculous. So how is Expanded Spell Kenning playing into this? Oh well it only adds to the lists you can pluck a spell from both the Druid and the Witch Spell Lists.

So, once per day, you can pretty much cast any spell in the damned game. Congratulation. This feat is broken. Oh yeah and since we are using Intimidation and Power Attack, might as well go grab Cornugon Smash and Shatter Defenses as if we needed more methods to obliterate the system.

Rage Powers

3-Lesser Beast Totem

6-Beast Totem

9-Superstition

12-Greater Beast Totem

15-Come and Get Me

18-Animal Fury

So, not only are you granting all your allies claw attacks and a bite attack, you can grant your entire party friggin Pounce. Your melee combattant allies will want to kiss you on the mouth. Add to that Superstition for extra saving throws and this build is already completely and utterly ridiculous and we haven’t even touched on spells yet.

Spells

1-Read Magic, Mending, Prestidigitation, Detect Magic, Cause Fear, Cure Light Wounds
2-Spark, Weaponwand
3-Open/Close, Expeditious Retreat
4-Heroism, Mirror Image
5-Cure Moderate Wounds
6-Shatter
7-Clarion Call, Haste, Displacement
8-Blink
9-Cure Serious Wounds
10-Sound Burst, Dimension Door, Break Enchantment
11-Feather Fall, Cure Critical Wounds
12-Freedom of Movement13-Crushing Despair, Archon’s Trumpet, Greater Bladed Dash
14-Umbral Weapon, Song of Discord
15-Release the Hounds
16-Mass Ghostbane Dirge, Dance of a Thousand Cuts, Greater Shout
17-Fear, Heroes Feast
18-Overwhelming Presence
19-Music of the Spheres
20-Heroic Finale, Sonic Form

Equipment

A Battleaxe, a Heavy Shield and the best medium armor you can afford.

Final Thoughts on the Build

This build is so strong. It does a little bit of everything and with Spell Keening whatever you cannot do as well you can get very close to becoming an expert due to just how vast your spell repertoire becomes with this ability. That, with the ability to give downright insane combat bonuses to all your team (yourself included) like Rage, Haste, Pounce and Fast Healing almost all at once. Yeah, this build is downright broken.

N’Orc FC

So, we did a half-orc build. But what if we wanted to make the ultimate Orcish Fan of his own team, and he himself a strong combattant?

Introducing the Wardrummer Archetype. Because Cmon Orcs, git sum Goals.

We will also be taking the Pit Fighter PrC because when your team can’t “bring it home”, sometimes you gotta do it yourself.

Our Leveling should look something like this:

Classes

Skald 10/Pit Fighter 10

Race

We are going Full Orc here. Dayrunner Alternative Racial Feature as Light Sensitivity is not great.

Ability Scores

Round up Constitution if odd, then everything in Strength.

15Point-Buy

Str 16/Dex 10/Con 13/Int 8/Wis 8/Cha 14

20Point-Buy

Str 18/Dex 10/Con 14/Int 8/Wis 8/Cha 14

25Point-Buy

Str 20/Dex 10/Con 14/Int 8/Wis 8/Cha 14

Traits

Reactionary for more initiative, Maestro of the Society for more Raging Song rounds each day as our Charisma is a bit low

Favored Class Bonus

Common N’Orc, git sum hps.

Skills

We need Intimidation, Perform(Act and Percussion) too, leaving us with pretty much nothing else.

Feats by Level

1-Skald’s Vigor

3-Power Attack

5-Lingering Performance

7-Weapon Focus(Greatclub)

9-Dazzling Display

11-Cornugon Smash

13-Shatter Defenses

15-Intimidating Prowess

17-Reckless Rage

19-Iron Will

Yes we are also doing a Power Attack, Cornugon Smash, Shatter Defenses build, with the usual suspects Skald’s Vigor and Lingering Performance fears around too.

Rage Powers

3-Superstition

6-Intimidating Glare

9-Terrifying Howl

Simple, bonuses to Saving Throw, more intimidation.

Pit Fighter

So, Pit Fighter gives us Rage, but also allows us to make any fight a Performance Fight, and also gives us a bunch of Dirty Trick feats and abilities. Also, a high BAB which is most welcomed.

Spells

1-Ghost Sounds, Detect Magic, Spark, Summon Instrument, Carrion Call, Cure Light
Wounds
2-Unwitting Ally, Compel Hostility
3-Prestidigitation, Delusional Pride
4-Summon Monster II, Cure Moderate Wounds
5-Umbral Weapon
6-Heroism
7-Summon Monster I, Haste, Cure Serious Wounds
8-Summon Monster III9-Displacement
10-Shatter, Freedom of Movement, Cure Critical Wounds

Equipment

A Greatclub, a Drum and the best armor you can afford.

Final Thoughts on the Build

This build is friggin hilarious, and while you do lose higher level spells, you make up for it in frontline combat capability and survivability. Between your massive Intimidation, your Showmanship and your War Drumming, Engerland is damned sure to bring it back home at long last.

The Dragon Viking

A Conqueror build, once again using fear, and the fiery might of dragons to defeat any enemies in its path.

We are taking the Dragon Skald Archetype and we are getting into the Dragon Disciple

Prestige Class as soon as we can. Our levelling should look like this:

Classes

Skald 5/Dragon Disciple 10/Skald +5

Race

We’re going Human on this one. Floating +2 goes to Charisma.

Ability Scores

Throw everything in Charisma.

15Point-Buy

Str 14/Dex 10/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 16

20Point-Buy

Str 14/Dex 14/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 16

25Point-Buy

Str 14/Dex 14/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 18

Traits

Maestro of the Society for extra Raging Song rounds, Armor Expert to decrease our Armor check penalty.

Favored Class Bonus

We will eventually get d12 hp as a spellcaster. We can afford to put this in Skills.

Skills

We need Perform(Dance, Sing), along with Perception, Knowledge(Arcana), Use Magic Device and Profession(Sailor).

Feats by Level

1-Skald’s Vigor

Human Bonus-Lingering Performance

3-Extra Performance

5-Expanded Spell Kenning

7-Multiattack

Dragon Disciple Bonus

7-Power Attack

9-Reckless Rage

Dragon Disciple Bonus 10-Improved Initiative

11-Greater Skald’s Vigor

13-Extra Performance

Dragon Disciple Bonus 13-Toughness

15-Flyby Attack

17-Hover

19-Extra Performance

Skald’s Vigor, Lingering Performance, Expanded Spell Kenning and Power Attack being the usual suspects, lets focus on the other feats. Multiattack is great as when we use our Claws from Dragon Disciple, we also get a Bite attack, qualifying us for this feat, allowing us to mix Iterative Attacks and Natural Attacks with great effect. As we gain wings, Flyby Attack and Hover grant us great mobility on the battlefield.

Rage Powers

3-Superstition

16-Lesser Hurling

19-Hurling Charge

Once again, bonus to Saving Throws, and the ability to throw a throwing weapon as part of a charge in addition to the charge’s standard attack.

Dragon Disciple

So we get all kinds of goodies from this. D12 HDs, claws and bite, Breath Weapon, massive bonuses to Str and Con, Natural Armor, Blindsense, a pair of Wings and the ability to shift into a friggin ‘dragon twice a day. Oh and we also continue leveling our spellcasting.

Spells Gained by Level

1-Detect Magic, Read Magic, Spark, Prestidigitation, Obscuring Mist, Cause Fear
2-Mage Hand, Cure Light Wounds
3-Mending, Alter Winds
4-Scare, Mirror Image
5-Fog Cloud
6-N/A
7-Track Ship
8-Mage Armor, Carrion Call, Haste, Cure Serious Wounds
9-Mad Monkeys
10-Resist Energy
11-Liquefy
12-Fly, Urban Step, Freedom of Movement, Cure Critical Wounds
13-Identify, Dimension Door14-Fear
15-Shout
16-Invisibility Sphere, Ki Shout, Greater Heroism
17-Suggestion, Shadow Evocation
18-Song of Discord
19-Shocking Image, Greater Shout, Overwhelming Presence
20-Free Swim, Animate Objects

Equipment

A Heavy Pick, A Heavy Shield and the best medium armor you can afford.

Final Thoughts on the Build

Between all the goodies that you gain as a Skald and the ability to turn into a dragon, let alone your massive ability scores given via Dragon Disciple, and your wide variety of spells that includes healing, buff, blasting, battlefield control and debuffs, you are a true force of nature that is going to be a great addition to any party, and doubly so in an aquatic campaign.

Calamity Dancer

We now know for a fact that Skalds are a really, really strong class, more than capable on the frontline, as a face, and as a spellcaster. But what if we were to involve Demons into the picture?

Introducing the Demon Dancer Archetype along with the Demoniac Prestige Class. Our Levelling should look like the following:

Class

Skald 7/Demoniac 10/Skald +3

Race

We will do a Pitborn Tiefling, for extra Strength and Charisma from the get go. Also, thematically really appropriate.

Ability Scores

Round up Constitution and then everything into Charisma.

15Point-Buy

Str 16/Dex 10/Con 13/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 16

20Point-Buy

Str 16/Dex 14/Con 13/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 16

25Point-Buy

Str 16/Dex 14/Con 13/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 18

Traits

Maestro of the Society will help with lower Raging Music rounds, Reactionary will help with Initiative.

Favored Class Bonus

We will take the additional HP for this one.

Skills

We need Intimidate, Knowledge(Planes) and Spellcraft, leaving us only one spot for Perform(Dance).

Feats by Level

1-Skald’s Vigor

3-Power Attack

5-Demonic Obedience

7-Iron Will

9-Cornugon Smash

11-Lingering Performance

13-Expanded Spell Kenning

15-Intimidating Prowess

17-Reckless Rage

19-Improved Initiative

Skald’s Vigor, Power Attack, Lingering Performance and Expanded Spell Kenning are pretty darned self-explanatory. Lots of Intimidate and Power Attack means Cornugon Smash, which we double down on with Intimidating Prowess. Reckless Rage makes our Power Attack in Rage even stronger, but the showcase here is Demonic Obedience. We choose one Demon Lord to worship and by doing a one hour ritual each day, we get that Demon Lord’s Obedience’s power, and eventually up to three boons given by them.

Demoniac

Energumen, which lasts a few rounds each day, gives us a Profane Bonus to a stat of our choice and a few other bonuses, but makes us Confused once the effects finish unless we succeed on a DC 25 Will Save, but we can bypass that by entering into the effect of Protection from Evil or Protection from Chaos effect.

We also gain our Demon Lord’s boons at a much earlier rate. Choose your Demon Lord according to what you want to do. I highly recommend Pazuzu, Baphomet and Jezelda personally.

We also become able to Summon Demons 1/Day which is a fairly strong ability. Finally we can turn into a Demonic Form ourselves, granting us a fly speed, Telepathy, a bunch of elemental resistances and even a DR. We can stay in this form 1 minute per Caster Level each day which is massive.

Rage Powers

3-Superstition

6-Fiend Totem

19-Greater Fiend Totem

Superstition is our regular no-brainer, and as a Demon Dancer, we automatically get Fiend Totem and Greater Fiend Totem as part of the Archetype, even if we do not fulfill their conditions. Fiend Totem makes all of our allies while raging grow spikes that deal damage to enemies attacking them in melee. Greater Fiend Totem makes every enemy that is good or neutral around us while raging shaken without a saving throw. That alone is completely ridiculous. But if the creature is hood, it also takes 2d6 damage. That. Is. Very. Stong.

Spells Gained by Level

1-Ghost Sounds, Mage Hand, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Charm Person, Cause Fear
2-Read Magic, Cure Light Wounds
3-Sift, Summon Monster I
4-Scare, Summon Monster II
5-Cure Moderate Wounds
6-Alter Self
7-Clarion Call, Haste, Summon Monster III
8-N/A
9-Cure Serious Wounds
10-Assume Appearance
11-Mirror Image, Dimension Door, Summon Monster IV
12-Dancing Lantern, Freedom of Movements
13-Cure Critical Wounds
14-Calamitous Flailing, Summon Monster V, Crime Wave
15-Allegro, Death Pact
16-Foe to Friend
17-Greater Assume Appearance, Summon Monster VI, Animate Objects
18-Charm Monster, Eyebite
19-Life of Crime
20-Mind Fog

Equipment

Pick a Glaive and the best Medium Armor you can afford.

Final Thoughts on the Build.

With the ability to get a final bonus on Str of +12(+16 if we chose Baphomet as our Demon Lord) while under the effects of both Inspire Rage and Energumen, our melee attacks are not to be trifled with. We can absolutely demolish things in melee, summon demons to our help in battle, shaken our enemies left and right and cast good buff spells and debuff our enemies. We are the heralds of calamity and with us, doom follows.

The Noble Lord

So, I am not going to lie here, I had the idea of this build by reading the Noble Scion Prestige Class. So we are going to build a Nobleman, well educated, capable both with the sword and with the spells, who can lead his allies into battle as much as weave his way in Court.

Important Note Concerning Court Poet

RAW, as we lose Inspire Rage in exchange for Insightful Contemplation, we can no longer use the Rage Powers that we gain. The RAI, or Rule as Intended, after digging comments from the development team on Paizo’s forums, is that Insightful Contemplation counts as Inspire Rage for all intents and purposes. We are using this interpretation with this build. Be warned.

We will be taking the Archetypes Battle Scion and Court Poet, along with the Noble Scion Prestige Class. Our levelling should look like this:

Classes

Skald 10/Noble Scion 10

Race

Human, for a few reasons. Put that floating +2 in Charisma.

Ability Scores

Put everything in Charisma.

15Point-Buy

Str 14/Dex 10/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 16

20Point-Buy

Str 14/Dex 10/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 18

25Point-Buy

Str 16/Dex 10/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 10/Cha 18

Traits

Noble Born(Surtova) lets us deal +2 damage while our enemy is Flat-Footed while using a Light or One Handed Weapon. Reactionary gives us a +2 to Initiative.

Favored Class Bonus

So, humans get an alternative FCB for the Skald that is identical to the Bard’s. Namely, we can learn an additional spell each level as long as that spell is at least one level lower than our highest spell level. So we are doing just that.

Skills

We need 2 points in Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive, and 5 Points in Knowledge(Nobility). So we will take those, but otherwise will focus on Intimidate, Diplomacy, Perform(Sing), Acrobatics and Use Magic Devices.

Feats by Level

1-Skald’s Vigor

Human Bonus-Noble Scion(Scion of War)

3-Weapon Focus(Longsword)

5-Expanded Spell Kenning

7-Dazzling Display

9-Shatter Defenses

11-Greater Skald’s Vigor

Noble Scion Bonus 12-Leadership

13-Lingering Performance

Noble Scion Bonus 14-Improved Dirty Tricks

15-Extra Performance

Noble Scion Bonus 16-Improved Steal

17-Improved Initiative

Noble Scion Bonus 18-Persuasive

19-Toughness

Noble Scion gives us our Charisma to Initiative which is great and Shatter Defenses work well with our Noble Born Trait. Otherwise, the usual suspects.

Rage Powers

So, as a Battle Scion, we can instead choose 3 Combat Feats and grant them to ourselves and all our allies when using Insightful Contemplations. So here they are:

3-Power Attack

6-Cornugon Smash

9-Lunge

Now not only do we get to Power Attack and Cornugon Smash our enemies into shaken, but all of our team gets to do that too! 😀

Noble Scion

So, Noble Scion more or less kills our Spellcasting starting level 11 all the way to level 20. We do however get the Leadership feat from it. We also get technically two choices from Dilettante Studies but let’s be honest here, we are taking twice the increase in Spellcasting from Skald here.

Spells

1-Lullaby, Ghost Sounds, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Cure Light Wounds,
Sleep
2-Dancing Lights, Light, Charm Person
3-Haunted Fey Aspect, Mage Hand, Silent Image
4-Carrion Call, Cure Moderate Wounds, Mirror Image
5-Darting Duplicate, Suggestion
6-Disguise Self, Ally Across Time
7-Ears of the City, Animal Messenger, Glibness, Haste
8-Detect Thoughts, Cure Serious Wounds
9-Aristocrat’s Nightmare, Claim Identity
10-Enthrall, Scrying, Dimension Door, Cure Critical Wounds
15-Enhance Water, Freedom of Movements
19-Break Enchantment

Equipment

A Longsword, a Shield and the best Medium Armor you can afford.

Final Thoughts on the Build.

This build buffs both Spellcasters and Fighters, turn you into an incredibly power social character, without gimping your own combat abilities in the slightest and with great social and combat spells, with a massive list of spell known, you are a fantastic support build that can truly elevate your team to the top.

Oh, and also Leadership. Because Leadership is broken.