Starting out first char as a bard, question.

[Hank]

Hello all!

I just started on Second Age and had a question about my first starting char.

I am going bard for the Provo ability.

I saw on the forums this thread http://forum.uosecondage.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=19281 and it had a melee/heal based build.

(Build 1)
GM Music
GM Provo
GM Macing/Swords/Fencing
80 Anat
80 Healing
80 Tactics
80 Magery
80 Resist

then someone said the best Provo build would be

(Build 2)
GM Music
GM Provo
GM Wrestling
Gm Magery
GM Resist
GM Meditation
GM Eval Int

2nd sounds great but wouldn't a form of build 1 be more practical for me b/c I just started? Theirs no way I could GM Margery/resist with the close to zero gold that I have. So I was thinking of a build like this to start.

(Build 3)
GM Music (Macro'd to GM)
GM Provo (Macro'd to about 90 so far, work in progress)
GM Swords (Will get up in the field buying the skill up to 30ish)
GM Hide (Will macro)
GM Heal (or at least as high as I can get it from being in the field, bought up to 30ish)
GM Anatomy (bought up to 30ish)
GM Magery (50 to start, so I can at least recall/cure/mini heal when needed and skill up as I go)

I figured once I get the funds in the bank I can change the build over to the mage temp in build 2. Am I thinking on the right lines here or am I missing something completely?

Thank you!

Hank

[MatronDeWinter]

You are absolutely right.

A dexer type build would be beneficial to you starting out because bandaids are cheap/free (sheep) so you can train healing relatively easy. Just start with 50 magery still, so that you can recall, since you are going to gm it anyway.

For the full-mage template, I tend to think Eval is a waste. If you are really having that much trouble finishing off a monster, get like 50 eval and invest the rest into something more usefull.

[Rammar]

I'd go with the 2nd build.
I, for sure, wouldn't go with the first -- 80 healing will suck, 80 magery (and low int/no med) rules out EVs or anything but very sporadic heals/cures/recalls, and no wrestling rules out using magery in a pinch. I would pick wrestling over resist if I had to (and no resist can be highly unpleasant at times).

Your interim build doesn't sound too bad, but if you intend on using magery for anything but run-of-the-mill recalls, you will likely have a hard time of it without wrestling. I'd go 50 mage, 50 med, 100 wrestle and if you like gaining in the field, then drop meditation as you raise magery until you have the cash to finish. Once you get the 45-55k for magery/resist I'd go full mage/provo though.

[Pirul]

Swds with no tactics, and Magery with no eval = little damage.

Your template as it is is fine to take out to the field. I'd recomend you do start working towards build #2.

Here's a tip on how to do it, in 8 easy steps:

1.- Get yourself to Occllo.
2.- Clean overland spawn with provo, be sure to check the bank's BB for missing persons (90 provo should be enough since these tend to be slow, non-magical enemies except for the ocassional orc mage)
3.- Repeat as needed to get 18 - 20k (a couple of hours should be more than enough).
4.- Macro Eval to GM on an NPC in town...for free!!! (should take you a couple of days)
5.- Buy 750 lightning regs, and 1,900 e-bolt regs (20k should be more than enough).
6.- Macro magery to 82 (while also working resist and med). (You will need a house for this, so I suggest you look up Theograd, Brules or Jeebs for a free house.)
7.- Get rich provoing any 2 mobs onto each other and casting a BS or 2 to finish them off until you can cast EV's more or less consistently. Then you can use that gold to GM the other needed skills to end up with build #2.
8.- Buy yourself a Castle or a couple of keeps and fill them up with rares!! (well this part will take more time and is really optional)

[Rammar]

Swds with no tactics, and Magery with no eval = little damage.
...

I completely missed the lack of tactics. 80 anatomy will somewhat make up for its lack, but yea, it still wont be great.

Good suggestions all around.

[SVrider]

1.- Get yourself to Occllo.

whereabouts is Occllo??

This whole site has been a great refresher to years of absence from UO. Thanks

[Pirul]

It's an island town. Any respectable rune library has a rune marked to there.

Get a recall scroll and, if you have the magery, add it to your book, it is the single most important spell inthe game IMHO. If you don't have enough magery yet, just use it directly on the rune book.

[SVrider]

Rune library - roger that. tanks mon

[Hank]

Swds with no tactics, and Magery with no eval = little damage.

Your template as it is is fine to take out to the field. I'd recomend you do start working towards build #2.

Here's a tip on how to do it, in 8 easy steps:

1.- Get yourself to Occllo.
2.- Clean overland spawn with provo, be sure to check the bank's BB for missing persons (90 provo should be enough since these tend to be slow, non-magical enemies except for the ocassional orc mage)
3.- Repeat as needed to get 18 - 20k (a couple of hours should be more than enough).
4.- Macro Eval to GM on an NPC in town...for free!!! (should take you a couple of days)
5.- Buy 750 lightning regs, and 1,900 e-bolt regs (20k should be more than enough).
6.- Macro magery to 82 (while also working resist and med). (You will need a house for this, so I suggest you look up Theograd, Brules or Jeebs for a free house.)
7.- Get rich provoing any 2 mobs onto each other and casting a BS or 2 to finish them off until you can cast EV's more or less consistently. Then you can use that gold to GM the other needed skills to end up with build #2.
8.- Buy yourself a Castle or a couple of keeps and fill them up with rares!! (well this part will take more time and is really optional)

If I could whore my gf out I would. Thank you dude!

[SVrider]

if she loved you she would....

[Hank]

if she loved you she would....

=(

[SVrider]

if she loved you she would....

=(

I know, but you gotta face the music sooner or later. it ain't no fun if your hommies can't have none

[SVrider]

i'm building up a bard as well but my build is
prov/mus
mage/track
resist/wraslin

my concern is should i have:
eval/med/hidin/maybe fishing?

[Hank]

Ooo

i'm building up a bard as well but my build is
prov/mus
mage/track
resist/wraslin

my concern is should i have:
eval/med/hidin/maybe fishing?

Magery with out med = no mana regen.

Magery without eval = weaker spells, less affective. Pretty sure at least.

Hiding I love personally, I can hide go afk, good for getting argo off you player or npc.

Fishing... I have no idea why you even thought of this... you must know something I dont


But to pick one or the other I would go with med. Keep the heals up, cures, Invis for a mini hide, EV's etc.

[Hank]

Swds with no tactics, and Magery with no eval = little damage.

Your template as it is is fine to take out to the field. I'd recomend you do start working towards build #2.

Here's a tip on how to do it, in 8 easy steps:

1.- Get yourself to Occllo.
2.- Clean overland spawn with provo, be sure to check the bank's BB for missing persons (90 provo should be enough since these tend to be slow, non-magical enemies except for the ocassional orc mage)
3.- Repeat as needed to get 18 - 20k (a couple of hours should be more than enough).

Where am I making this 18-20k? I made like 2-3 a hour, am I missing some amazing spawn here I'm not seeing? I found ettens, trolls, rats, some red nps (they drop 200 gold) but only found one random and tent with 3 that take forever and a day to respawn. Help me out dude!