Yes, the skald! If there is a PC that integrates with your party perfectly for Wrath of the Righteous, the skald is a top contender. I’ve given my reasons when I did the first skald build, and I stand by them. If interested in any other builds, check out my main Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous page. Over the last couple of years there have been some changes: more DLC (which means more equipment), archetypes, feats, spells, etc and as a result there is an even better version that we can build now. If you don’t have any of the DLC then rest assured the original skald will still do a great job. If you’re a DLC person then let’s dive into the new Inciter Skald.
The Inciter has even more bonuses, such as sharing sneak attack (even advanced rogue talents), and a debuffing aura added on top of the main skald ability, not to mention party-wide dispelling. They can also be amazing at combat such that one can specialize in melee attacks, crowd control spells, or throwing axes. We will be going with the Azata mythic path. Trickster is still possibly the most optimal but Azata gives great buffing spells, such as the unique Believe in Yourself spell. He’s great even if building him as a mercenary.
Update: I’ve added more support for Trickster. I will include alternate paths in bold.
Build Progression
Level 1: Human as normal for me, but it’s not necessary because Inciter does have bonus feats, so pick whatever you want. Angel-Blooded Aasimar and Pitborn Tiefling both have natural advantages, but if going Trickster I’d recommend human as you’ll need the extra feat. The background is the classic Street Urchin/Pickpocket.
- Str 19 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 9 Wis 8 Cha 14. Invest in strength because Skalds don’t need a lot of charisma to cast their best buffs, and you’ll have a lot of damage potential. If you prefer heavy crowd control, put 19 into charisma instead.
- If you are building a skald as a mercenary–with only 20 points to spend–I’d recommend Str 17 Dex 12 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 9 Cha 14. Since you’re a reach character and may not be in as much danger, you can always reduce Con to 12 and up Str to 19 as well
- Skills: Athletics, UMD, and Persuasion unless another PC will be covering that for you
- Feats: Lingering Performance is still essential, and Power Attack. PA works well with inspired rage, but it’s also there for other feats like cleave and cleaving finish. The new Arcane Spirit feat is the best way to go early on. For mid and late-game retraining, Extend or Heighten spell are the best choices since they pimp out Believe in Yourself, which you want on as many folks as possible
- Spells: Grease, Cure Light Wounds
- Deity: Anything chaotic. Desna works for for Azata or Trickster, as does Cayden Cailean
- Alignment: Depends on your flavor, I’ll go Neutral Good this time around
Level 2: Hideous Laughter or Remove Fear
Level 3: Take Extra Rage Power: Lesser Beast Totem for your feat. We need this for later on, but right now it really helps out pets. Then take Lethal Stance, which is awesome
Level 4: Increase Str or Cha depending on your build focus.
- Feat: Combat Trick–Cleave, which is beautiful for reach weapons. Early game get glaives
- Spells: Heroism, and either Glitterdust or Blur
Level 5: Take Cleaving Finish
- Spells: Glitterdust or Mirror Image
Level 6: Take Beast Totem, great for the whole party and stacks with Barkskin
- Spells: Mirror Image
Level 7: Take Outflank, which every melee character should have around now
- Spells: Unbreakable Heart to remove confusion, Good Hope, Haste
Level 8: Take the new spell Reviving Finale, which has a nice healing effect when needed
Level 9: Take the Lunge feat which keeps you safer from enemies, and Combat Trick: Exotic Weapon Proficiency–Fauchard, as they have the best critical range/reach combo in the game. Switching from glaives to fauchard is a good idea now, and in just two levels we’ll qualify to take improved critical for it
- Spells: Displacement is great, and anything else you want
Level 10: I prefer learning Sense Vitals, Echolocation and Freedom of Movement
Level 11: Now we take Improved Critical: Fauchard
- Spells: any lvl 3 you want, then Greater Invisibility
Level 12: Time for Beast Totem Greater so we can share pounce with the whole party!
- Spells: Dimension Door, which lets us access some secret chapter 4 areas
If going Trickster, be sure to take Trickster mythic rank 4 before advancing to level 13!
Level 13: Feat selection for the next few levels is up to you. I think Improved Initiative is nice, Medium Armor Focus (for mythic armor focus: assault later, which can be made irresistible with the Bane of Spirit ring), or take Great Cleave going toward Improved Cleaving Finish. I took MAF
- Spells: whatever level 3 spell you want. I chose Remove Curse, then Greater Heroism. Heaven’s Wing Strike is viable if you went all out on charisma, otherwise Greater Dispel Magic
- If taking Trickster path, here is where you take Improved Improved Critical for your weapon
Level 14: Advanced Rogue Talents start here. I like Dispelling Attack, as this allows every party member and pet to dispel effects with every sneak attack–not a problem with how easy it is to flank in the game. If you really don’t want it, Wearying Strike and Petrifying Strike are also good. Any spells you want to pick are fine
- If going Trickster you can take Combat Trick: Improved Improved Improved Critical now, but Dispelling Attack is likely the better choice if you want it
Level 15: This is where I take Improved Initiative. Any spells you want.
- If going Trickster, take Improved Improved Improved Critical Improved or the previous Improved Trickster weapon feat
Level 16: For level 6 spells I like Mass Cat’s Grace as clerics/oracles don’t get it.
Level 17: I said earlier your feats don’t matter from lvl 13 on, but I lied. At this level, a must-pick is Extra Rage Power: Deadly Accuracy, going toward Lethal Accuracy.
Level 18: Lethal Accuracy is worth it, because the entire party benefits. Skald FTW
Level 19: I took the new feat Raging Brutality. At this point our Skald will have about a 20+ bonus due to Con, so it’ll be significant. Remember to activate your song before battle starts. For the final talent I go with Wearying Strike, but it’s up to you.
- If Trickster, any Improved weapon feats that you haven’t taken yet you can take here
Level 20: Staying pure skald is good because the Hit a Nerve capstone is great.
Mythic Progression
Level 1: First Ascension: Close to the Heavens for healing, or Instrument of Freedom to buff allies.
- Mythic Ability: Abundant Casting gives you more than Mythic Inspiration
- If you chose the crowd control version, pick Best Jokes
Level 2: Extra Mythic Ability: Mythic Inspiration, now we can take it
Level 3: the must-have choice, Ever Ready
- Trickster, First Trick: Knowledge Arcana 1
Level 4: Mythic Feat: Improved Critical–Fauchard, or whatever high-crit range weapon you have
- Superpower: Incredible Might–use this with charge/pounce, it decimates and debuffs enemies
- If you chose the crowd control version, pick Favorable Magic
- Trickster: Perception 1 Rank and Perception 2
Level 5: Mythic Charge, amped up by pounce through your skald ability
- Trickster: Trick: Athletics 1
Level 6: Power Attack Mythic or Armor Focus Mythic: Assault
- Superpower: Zippy Magic, allows you to cast spells like Believe in Yourself that hit multiple allies
- Pick the 4th level spell Animal Aspect, Greater as you’ll need it coming up soon
- Trickster: Infuse Magic Device, Reuse Magic Device
Level 7: Master Shapeshifter to increase all physical scores, this is why we just picked Animal Aspect
- Trickster: Knowledge World 1, Use Magic Device 3
Level 8: Improved Initiative Mythic, Armor Focus Mythic: Assault, or Pwr Attack Mythic
- Superpower: Life-Bonding Friendship, either Precise Strike or Shake It Off
- Trickster: Lore Religion 1, Knowledge World 2
Level 9: Whatever you want, I go for Last Stand here
- Life-Bonding Friendship, whichever you didn’t pick at 8
- Trickster: Lore Nature 1, Athletics 2
Level 10: I take Improved Initiative Mythic here
- Superpower: Anything, I went with Marvelous Endurance
- Trickster: Greater Mythic Trick: Athletics 3 or whatever you want
Equipment/Gear
Amulet: Vellexia’s as always, you want the highest Str possible. If you’re opposed to that Voracious Spirit can also work, just go through all of Camellia’s quests
Armor: The new best is Life Infuser breastplate, it has beautiful Str and Con bonuses. Chainmail of Comradery is also a good choice earlier
Shirt: Robe of Seven Sins to increase caster level, it really maximizes Believe in Yourself
Belt: Belt of Last of the First Humans, earlier belts of Str great
Gloves: Fencer’s Gift
Boots: Boots of the Stampede. Ronneck’s Sacrifice is better spent on Dex-based characters
Helmet: Hat of the Bitter End is nice but may not be needed, Wind Master Helmet is very nice, and earlier grab Hat of Heartening Song which is tailor-made for you
Eyes/Glasses: Broken Trickster, Goggles of Piercing Gaze
Cloaks: Cloaks of resistance, ultimately the Grand Festival Cloak or the Cape of Morta, both from different DLC’s
Rings: Ring of Triumphant Advance, especially with the Believe in Yourself buff; Ring of Imminent Demise or Ring of Evasion, Ring of the Guiding Star. Bane of Spirit ring makes mythic armor focus assault unstoppable
Bracers: Bracers of Slaughter because of the ridiculous force damage, earlier just keep the Lucky Bracers
Weapons: The Mighty Blow of Good fauchard, which you get in ch 3; Bearer of Sorrow in ch 4 if you’re alright with the vicious quality; the Sin Mage’s Staff combines well with your Shirt for casting Azata buffs
Quick Slots: Signet of House Vespertilio; Jharsygax; Lesser Extend rod; Old Grimoire, your low level buffs will be terrific; Lucky Dice; the Triceratops statuette is cool
Okay, that’s it for this build. Again, the original is still great if you’re not into buying DLC, but if you are this can give a nice flexibility and power boost for you and by extension your entire party.