D&D 5E An All Bard Party Don't Stop

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tardigrade

Explorer

• Feb 13, 2018

• #1

We've bounced this idea around before in our group, but some of the Kotaku team apparently tried it: an all-bard party:
https://kotaku.com/my-all-bard-dungeons-dragons-session-went-up-in-glori-1822930147

Now it sounds like they made a bit of a mess of it (possibly not helped by a fairly unsupportive DM - who throws a completely magic-immune opponent at a party of 1st level full casters?) but I was wondering what people's experience has been of single-class parties (particularly bards, but anything, really).

 

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5

5ekyu

Hero

• Feb 13, 2018

• #2

tardigrade said:

We've bounced this idea around before in our group, but some of the Kotaku team apparently tried it: an all-bard party:
https://kotaku.com/my-all-bard-dungeons-dragons-session-went-up-in-glori-1822930147

Now it sounds like they made a bit of a mess of it (possibly not helped by a fairly unsupportive DM - who throws a completely magic-immune opponent at a party of 1st level full casters?) but I was wondering what people's experience has been of single-class parties (particularly bards, but anything, really).

Click to expand...

I have seen it done almost - three clerics and a fighter.

But cleric, bard both sound viable. You need good support and versatility so... Good to go.

Know that some fights will require unusual approaches... And some missions may just need to be passed on. But play to your strengths and ability to dial up lotsa different things.



Sent from my [device_name] using EN World mobile app

 

ProfessorDetective

Explorer

• Feb 13, 2018

• #3

Yeah, I've had some crazy party comp ideas.

An Archfey Warlock, a College of Glamour Bard, and a Circle of Dreams Druid all work for the same Archfey to protect nature.

A similar concept with a Druid, a Ranger, a Nature/Life Cleric, and a Scout Rogue.

Then there was the Crusaders concept with the Light Cleric, an Oath of Devotion Palidan, a Celestial Warlock, and a Favored Soul Sorceror.

And the all Warlock party that was a small cult of Nyarlathotep. Imagine someone getting swiss-cheesed by 5-25 Eldritch Blasts.

Then there was the family of Sorcerors, a set of twins, triplets, or quintuplets who had all been born under the same shooting star, giving them a wide variety of magic powers.

And the Band of Bards idea had crossed my mind at least once.

Sadly, getting enough people together AND on board with this insanity to pull these off is unlikely.

 

Last edited: Feb 17, 2018

Zardnaar

Legend

• Feb 14, 2018

• #4

Heh posted something similar not to long ago about mono class party.

It's an old concept 2E splats addressed the idea.

 

ProfessorDetective

Explorer

• Feb 14, 2018

• #5

Zardnaar said:

Heh posted something similar not to long ago about mono class party.

It's an old concept 2E splats addressed the idea.

Click to expand...

Do you have a link? Sounds like an interesting read.

 

C

chunkosauruswrex

First Post

• Feb 14, 2018

• #6

Last year I ran through LMOP with 3 bards(whispers, lore, and Valor) and an oath of ancients paladin. It was so difficult to challenge my players when 3 of them roll well on initiative and use shatter to end 3 enemies before the enemies even move.

Also throwing a magic immune enemy at a party of bards at level 1 is a total dick DM move

 

Ralif Redhammer

Legend

• Feb 14, 2018

• #7

That was one of my takeaways as well. The line "our Dungeon Master eyed us with some suspicion. “So, no one has any intelligence on this team?”" kinda made me feel like the DM was not all aboard the bard-train. Which is a shame, because that kind of campaign sounds like a ton of fun.

tardigrade said:

(possibly not helped by a fairly unsupportive DM - who throws a completely magic-immune opponent at a party of 1st level full casters?)

Click to expand...

 

Blue

Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal

• Feb 14, 2018

• #8

5ekyu said:

I have seen it done almost - three clerics and a fighter.

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Reminds me of one of my favorite AD&D 2nd ed games, where we had a bunch of casters and one minotaur fighter. We'd buff him like crazy and then go to town. (Well, go to dungeon, but you get the idea.)

 

Warmaster Horus

Explorer

• Feb 14, 2018

• #9

Bards can be so versatile - valor, swords, lore, whispers, glamour - you can really nail down most of your party needs with just that class. Would be very cool if they were all in the same band! Sort of the D&D adventures of Tenacious D!

 

T

tardigrade

Explorer

• Feb 14, 2018

• #10

ProfessorDetective said:

Do you have a link? Sounds like an interesting read.

Click to expand...

Actually I do remember the Thief's Handbook having a section on all-thief campaigns (but including multiclasses -
fighter-thief, mage-thief). It sounded like fun; the way skill points worked you could become very good at something by level 4 or 5 if you ignored everything else, so it made sense to divide up roles.