Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

Yeah, you can add some instrument through PC tools. You will see it, but for others it is slightly different.

Yep. PC Tools -> Emotes -> VFX Props -> Mandolin A, B or C (the only difference is the colours - yellow, wood and mixed respectively).

To get rid of the prop you have to click the title VFX Props in the emote page of the PC Tools.

You can also equip a shield and weapon at the same time as having the prop active

I think that might be best, then. Do Fighter instead of FotF, get Unarmed Mastery, enjoy punching. Bard 26 / Fighter 4. "Punch" with the instrument and have a shield equipped. Use an actual instrument when the situation allows for it, or for cool spell effects.

Barbarian 21/Phantom 3/Bard 3/Fist of the Forest 3...

I truly think Fighter is the way to go, personally. Bard 26 / Fighter 4. Armored Caster feat = medium armor = mithral full plate. Magical gloves of punch-faces, gold dwarf, Unarmed Mastery, lots of nifty bard abilities. Wear a shield + visual lute FX when needed.

If you go Barb heavy, though... IDK. I guess it depends on how you want to RP this character. The bard heavy setup suggests this character failed as a bard and realized that whacking people upside the head with a lute was more his thing.

I could have maxed out Perform Skill for role-play, leave charisma low, and put those points into ability scores that boost 'naked' AC.

I suppose so. It's up to you, obviously.

A shield dwarf could start with 15/14/17/10/14/8 for stats if you want to throw Ninja into the mix. +4 spell buffs would boost the AC from DEX and WIS, but not CON because FotF only uses BASE constitution. Barbarian rage will not improve your CON-to-AC, and neither will +CON magic.

With Ninja in the mix, your AC as compared to mithral full plate would be, assuming 3 points into CON during level ups: 4(DEX)+5(CON)+4(WIS)=13, which is actually better than Mithral Full Plate. BUT you can't wear a shield and keep your WIS-to-AC, which stinks. You could carry a shield wand I suppose?

I'd probably ditch the ninja levels. Could start with 16/15/18/10/8/8 and put 1 point into DEX at 4, 4 points into CON, then the remaining 2 (and epic feats) into STR. 22 base CON = +6 AC, 16+4 DEX = +5 AC... That's just as good as Mithral Full Plate, not better, and you've invested 5 stat points into defensive stats. You can wear a shield, however.

In the end, I think FotF is a trap for what you want to do. It looks good at first glance, but with mithral armor being available, you could just as easily strap on some solid mithral armor and chug a mage armor potion before prancing into a swarm of trolls or something. Plus you'd have armor optimization feats and such available to you.

I think Bard 26 / Fighter 4 is more elegant and just solid enough to work in execution. You may not have a high critting weapon, but don't dismiss the merits of having a Weapon Mastery feat when other melee bards with 26 bard levels would not. (You need 12 levels of Fighter for Slashing, Bludgeoning or Piercing Mastery; but you get Unarmed Mastery with 4 levels.)

The primary problem I have with Bard 26/Fighter 4 is that I already have one for Throwing Weapons...

Barbarian 21/Phantom 3/Bard 3/Fist of the Forest 3...

AB:
28 (BAB)
+ 12 (Strength Modifier)
+ 4 (Enchantment Bonus)
+ 4 (Combat Strike)
+ 1 (Inspire Courage)
= 49

AC:
10 (Base)
+ 4 (Dexterity)
+ 4 (Wisdom)
+ 6 (Constitution)
+ 3 (Tumble)
+ 3 (Dodge Boots)
+ 3 (Deflection Ring)
+ 4 (Armor Enchantment on Robes.)
+ 8 (Natural Armor From Epic Rage)
+ 5 (Dodge AC from Epic Whirlwind Frenzy Rage Variant.)
= 50

Damage:
1d12 (Warmace)
+ 18 (Strength modifier)
+ 4 (Enchantment Bonus)
+ 1d4 (Piercing)
+ 1 (Inspire Courage)
+ 6 (Power Attack)
+ 4 (Combat Strike)
= 42~

The damage could be higher, and it can be, since I got that maxed out UMD. Scroll of Storm Avatar? Hello!


Oh god... I am so getting banned again... if I ever create that character... Because those who really know me... will know that... This will happen...


Another day,
Walking in circles,
Haunted by memories,
I push on this wheel.

I pray to Garagos,
Grant me revenge,
And help me to answer the riddle of steel.

A shy little boy,
I couldn't protect them,
Helpless and timid,
As weak as a girl.

They butchered my people,
the dogs ate my father,
My mother beheaded,
they took my whole world.

Garagos, where is the wizard who killed my mother?
Still, I can recall his terrible gaze.

Garagos, where is the place those with iron gauntlets gather?
Garagos, if you're my god then show me the way.

I'm on the path,
chopping up bodies Hacking and slicing,
and look at me now.

With loyal friends joining my party,
Each step I take I'm fulfilling my vow.

Crush your enemies,
See them driven before you,
And hear the lamentation of the women!

(Repeat)
Garagos, show me the wizard who killed my mother.
True I've never prayed to you before.

Still, what would I give if you could help me see this through?

And if you do not listen,
Then the hell with you!

Garagos, where is the place those with iron gauntlets gather?
Garagos, if you're my god then show me the way.

Anyaaah, gnyaaaaahyaaaayaaaaa,
Yaaaaa ah aaaah ahhh,
I swear this wizard will fall 'cause,
This has begun,
They murdered them all,
I'm the last one I issue the call,
Revenge for my mom,
I pray to you Garagos!

Crush your enemies,
See them driven before you,
And hear the lamentation of the women!

Find appropriately long brown hair and a Conan face and a cool metal circlet and it'll work out just fine.

Also, studded leather bracers. Of course.

We're no longer in the territory of "I'm hitting things with my lute" but it's still hilarious.

Mechanics-wise: get a wand of sonic weapon if at all possible. Get the Bard spell that lets you increase Inspire Courage to +2. Wear a +3 CHA item to make it happen (have 8 natural charisma) if necessary. Kill all the wizards. All wizards are bad. So are clerics. Actually, all spellcasters that don't know how to carry a real (do-me) weapon need to die.