Feat selections for a Strength bard

[CrimsonMist]

I tried to make a bard, without knowing what custom feats we actually have activated for bards.

Would anyone care to look over the feat selection because I know nothing about bards and I think I might be able to make a mess of one?

I'd like to keep Bard(30) if I can! I'm also keen to leave the ability scores as they are. Jack of all trades, right?

Planning on wearing a Chain shirt + Cat's Grace until I manage to get some Mithral Chainmail...

[matelener]

Looks great, just one crucial feat is missing: Lingering Song. I'd replace Weapon Focus or Knockdown.

Consider taking also One Weapon (custom BG feat)

[chad878262]

I'll echo matelener that it's a very good start. A few comments:

1. You can get your skills situated by changing Race to Human and just leave the level 1 bonus feat blank. That way you will show the correct skill points in your plan, if you want to fully map out your skills.
2. Curse song should really come as early as possible if you are leveling up from 1. I personally would take curse song at 3 and lingering song at 6 since those two will help you level up all the way from early on up to 30.
3. Between your strength and spells, you won't have issues hitting things, so Weapon Focus can absolutely be dropped in favor of Lingering Song.
4. I agree with matelener that One Weapon might have more usefulness than Knockdown, though it is kind of a toss up... +1 AC and situational AB/AC increase when not using a shield vs. a decent weapon against spell caster mobs. If you like KD I say stick with it.
5. Based on personal experience bards don't necessarily need PA/IPA for attack and damage, so you could think about dropping them for Toughness/Steadfast or KD/IKD and One Weapon, but again this is personal flavor and it's fine as is.
6. You could consider dipping 4 Rogue since you are build for Mithral Chainmail anyway. This grants evasion and you can drop 2 Great Strength Feats to get Epic Prowess/Expose Weakness. This will of course require you to pick up practiced spell caster as well though, again your choice. I've played a Bard without Evasion and it isn't a deal breaker either way.
6a. If you are not going rogue, 4 Fighter nets you 3 feats, so even considering the need for practiced caster you are still +2 feats which could allow for IKD, IPA and One Weapon or WF/Weapon Specialization. It also grants medium armor so with Battle Caster you could drop DEX to 12 and use Mithral Full Plate instead of Mithral Chainmail.
7. Most importantly, this is all just options...you'll do perfectly fine leaving everything as is because it is a bard and they are awesome! Play what you think will be most fun and if you want to be a 'pure' bard go for it! Really the only thing you should absolutely get no matter what is lingering song so that hymn of requiem, curse song, chorus of heroism and all your other songs last for 10 rounds instead of 5.