How to survive/flee from melee as a low-lvl bard/bardlock (except relying on party)

Tomice · Feb 24, 2017

Disclaimer: I'm a total noob, just learning the basics.

I'm interested in playing a lore bard with a social/deception focus and good scouting skills, which will obviously lack in direct combat ability early on.
I'm thinking about a warlock dip to improve damage and further buff the social trickery potential (mask of many faces! + minor illusion, friends, actor feat, invisibility, stealth and social skill expertise,...).

There's just one tiny little problem:
Using all these cool tricks, I will be alone from time to time. How can I avoid being dead the instant my cover blows? How can I survive being alone in a room with 1-3 strong melee ruffians? If I can't disable them, how can I get the hell out and reach my party again?
On a related note, what to do when the party is outnumbered and melee brutes reach me?

What I thought of:
1) Dash? If my initiative is better than theirs (and as a dex/cha- focused bard, it will often be), I will be able to run off with a speed of 60 before being hit. If that's true, they can never catch me AND make an melee attack, right? Ranged attacks would be a problem, though.
2) Invisibility? If it's my turn, only a counterspell could keep me from casting it? Assuming they have no caster, I will be able to disappear, even if I need to open doors/locks on my way out?
3) Booming blade cantrip? Hitting one of them, then running off would force him to take the damage to pursue me? Guess I would have to suffer opportunity attack each round if I'm trying to both run away and fight my pursuer? (assuming both have the same base speed).
4) Sleep or similar disabling spells? Any good advice oon them?
5) Friends? If it's only one enemy, can I convince him that I'm just preparing a practical joke and that he needs to be bound and gagged for it to work? Might only have a chance to work if I'm still disguised as one of his friends.

6) On a related note, if one has eldritch blast and agonizing blast, is it usually better to just cast EB with disadvantage in melee or to switch to another option (like booming blade)? Is it worth the opportunity cost of investing in another cantrip? Assuming I'm a lore bardlock with leather armor who usually avoids melee.

mellored · Feb 24, 2017

1: If you are adjacent and dash away, they get their oppertunity attack against you. If you disengage, they won't, but you don't get extra movement that way. They can also dash to catch up.
2: opening doors won't break invisibility, but they will still know where you are. You need to spend an additional action to hide. Though with expertise in stealth, you should be able to succed most of the time.
3: yes, you would.
4: bards get plenty of disabling spells, including sleep. There is no penalty for casting in melee.
5: any charm prevents enemies from attacking you.
6: it depends. Eldritch Blast is not a bad pick up, but it slows down your bards levels. Also consider repelling blast.

expeditious retreat, and misty step are probably the only spells you need for the occasional escape. Perhaps dimension door. If you really want mobility, take 2 levels of rogue.

CydKnight · Feb 24, 2017

The best way I know to survive being alone in a room with a foe is not be in that situation. The 2nd best way I know to survive it is to be properly equipped to handle such a situation and a Bard, in my opinion is not the best choice. If I were a Bard in that situation, I would use what should be high Deception and Pursuasion (assuming you have a high Charisma as a Bard should in most cases) skill scores to try to talk my way out of it first. Perhaps you could even sing your way out of it?

1.) Dash won't help if they have the same movement speed as you which seems fairly likely.
2.) Invisibility could help some but just because you aren't visible doesn't mean they can't detect or hit you. Also, Invisibility is a Level 2 Bard Spell which wouldn't be available to you until you are a Level 3 Bard.
3.) It's an option but as you say, you are likely to become the victim of an opportunity attack(s).
4.) Sleep is a nice option assuming you have an open spell slot and the creature(s) are not undead or immune to being charmed.
5.) This would be determined by a Deception roll versus their Perception roll but it is possible.
6.) Seems like there are better options some of which have already been mentioned in this thread. There are other escape spells available if you are at a level they are available to you.

Koloth · Feb 24, 2017

What game system?
3 vs 1 is usually bad for the 1, even if the 1 is a fully prepared melee critter. Avoid if possible.
Keep in mind that at higher levels, some classes, think Monk for one, get additional base movement. A 3rd level human monk has a base move of 40, other things being equal.
Multiclassing often seems useful to new players. It can also be a trap. A 5th level Wizard can cast fireballs. A 3rd level Wizard,2nd level AnyOtherClass can't.

If you are going to play the Bard, embrace it. Invest in skills and feats that help with gather information, disguise, concealment, influence. Acrobatics to help evade. Escape might help if you get caught. Equipment can help. Disguise kits, smoke balls etc.

Zaruthustran · Feb 24, 2017

Choose Archfey as your patron, and Fey Presence. If they're charmed, they won't attack you. If they're frightened, they won't pursue you.

Tomice · Feb 25, 2017

mellored said:
expeditious retreat, and misty step are probably the only spells you need for the occasional escape. Perhaps dimension door. If you really want mobility, take 2 levels of rogue.

Thank you for highlighting those 2 spells, they seem very useful. Haven't checked the warlock spell list in detail so far.
Just help me understand something:
- When using expeditious retreat, I would need to suffer an opportunity attack once before being able to flee, and hope that it won't break my concentration? Of course, I could flee unharmed, but I'd only cover 60 feet (disengage+dash+normal movement), allowing my dashing pursuers to reach melee range again, ultimately resulting in the same situation as before?
- When using misty step, I'd get a 30 feet head start, but would not be able to increase the distance afterwards, right? Which would theoretically result in an eternal chase with a constant 30 feet distance?

mellored · Feb 26, 2017

With expeditious retreat, you could disengage+dash+move, moving 60' and not provoking. Or you can dash+dash+move, for 90', but you will provoke.

With misty step, you get 30' without provoking, and can then dash+move for a total of 90. You might also be able to teleport past some difficult terrain, access a chasm, or into a building.

Eltab · Mar 12, 2017

I saw a Bard go up against fully half the enemies in one encounter, plug a doorway, and come out unharmed.

What do Bards do that makes enemies attack at Disadvantage, or gives you a +x to your defenses?
You won't ever be a tank, but you can toughen yourself up enough to 'take one for the team'.
(Inspiring Words also comes to mind.)