D&D 5E Must-have bard spells?

Depends what you want to do, if you have alot of Melee fighters and need some Burst in addition to taling some1 out for 1 round the Whispers is better.

If you are in it for the CC then Tasha's wins. Just make sure the target takes no dmg and has a Int of 4+

Take both Aura of Vitality and Find Steed at 6th level Lore bard, via magic secrets, when cast Aura of Vitality on yourself, while on the find steed mount,
you both have Aura of Vitality and are each doing 2d6/round healing. You would still get moidifiers if have them of course like Life cleric,
but mount would not.

Adam La Spata said:

We know how great Dissonant Whispers and Tasha's Hideous Laughter are. But if, for some odd reason, you absolutely, positively had to pick only one of them, which one would it be and why?

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Dissonant Whispers. You make them move and then you get an Opportunity attacks in and so do your friends. Their opportunity attacks could/should be a paladin Smite, a rogue backstab, a raging barbarians attack, things that add spike damage and can really be great with a critical.


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Don’t overlook Spirit Guardians either. The constant drain of their HP and the slow effect are pretty good, and it’s each time they enter or start turn there. Try to get your friends to move them in and out, it’s great with a shield master shove or a monk, they start their turn in it and take damage, you move a away during your turn, then they push them right back in.


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For fun, pick Shadow Sword (from Xanathar's). A melee valor bard gets a throwing-weapon option which behaves like a boomerang.

The cantrip that gives you Resist: All Weapons can be useful if you find you have to off-tank a lot. (Pick up a Breastplate and watch your DM pull his hair out.)

Situational: You have to sneak into a noble's house and pilfer some valuable object. Ritual-cast (or use a scroll) Alarm and set it on the doorway in the room where you entered. Plan to exit by another route, preferably in disguise.

mgrinshpon said:

Yes! How did I not see those?



I'm not crazy about Find Steed when I have Awaken. Revive does look pretty sweet, though. EDIT: Revive is not on the bard spell list and thus instantly worse than Raise Dead or Resurrection. Bards have between 4 and 6 flex slots for other schools' spells making it difficult to justify in the face of spells like Haste and Wish.

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I think you vastly overrate haste.

I've just built a College of Swords bard, currently 3rd level, will likely be 7th level by the end of Winter Fantasy. I'm an experienced player and DM, but I struggle with how to play a Bard effectively, since he is obviously not great at any one thing. But that's exactly why I have chosen to play him!

I've read the thread above, some great ideas, but as a Swords guy I don't get Magical Secrets until L10.

What does the hivemind think should my 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 spells known should be at the various levels (3rd through 7th)?

Here's my first guesstimate (I know I can swap spells in and out along the way). I've tried to take a mix of general-use and melee support spells. As it is AL, I can't guarantee that there will be a wizard or a cleric alongside to do the heavy divination lifting.

I'm not convinced about Concentration spells, since he will be a second-tier melee guy. That said, I think there are some must-haves in that area.

Cantrip 1: Message
Cantrip 2: Mage Hand
Cantrip 3: Thunderclap

L1: Comprehend Languages
L1: Faerie Fire
L1: Thunderwave

L2: Enhance Ability
L2: Heat Metal
L2: Lesser Restoration

L3: Catnap
L3: [strike]Leomund's Tiny Hut[/strike] While this is a great spell, it's so situational it's probably better to just buy a scroll of it
L3: [strike]Tongues[/strike] While this is a great spell, it's so situational it's probably better to just buy a scroll of it

L4: Greater Invisibility


Replacements for Hut and Tongues: Dissonant Whispers, Healing Word


P.S. for those of you extolling the virtues of Aura of Vitality - absolutely. But talk to the cleric first - it stacks amazingly well with Beacon of Hope.

mgrinshpon said:

A real all-star for me have been the bardic instruments in the DMG. I recently acquired the Canaith Mandolin giving all enemies disadvantage on charm saving when throws using it as an arcane focus (notice that this is not unique to the mandolin but is a feature shared by all bardic instruments). This means Suggestion, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, and Hypnotic Pattern, primarily, which are extremely powerful spells in their own right. Adding spells to the bard's spell list (Fly, Invisibility, Protection from Evil and Good, etc are all great spells).
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I feel the need to be pedantic here. Neither Suggestion nor Tasha's Hideous Laughter don't make target Charmed. (Suggestion only mentions that it doesn't work on creatures which are immune to charm, same as Entrall, Compulsion, Otto's Irresistible Dance). As such they don't benefit from Instrument of Bards "impose disadvanatage" effect. Of course it is up to your DM to houserule it, but as a honest player you are I am sure you will bring it up with them.

FYI The list of spells which DO make target charmed:
Animal Friendship, Charm Person, Crown of Madness, Hypnotic Pattern, Charm Monster, Awaken, Geas, Modify Memory, Dominate Person, Dominate Monster.