Bard Advice: how much can I dump combat stats?

TaranTheWanderer

Legend

• Feb 23, 2019

• #1

I'm going to play a 10th level bard soon but need some advice on whether my stat choices will be too much of a problem and cause me to die in the first encounter.

I want to play a 70-ish year old man who, long ago, changed his name for his own safety and has been hiding his powers (long story about an anti-magic government).

Since he changed his identity, He's been getting by as a talented musician. He will meet the party and suddenly realize that he can help to change things and will start using his magic again.

To represent an elderly Human, I was going to set stats up this way

8 str
8 dex
14 con
14 INT
14 Wis
20 CHA (both ASI's) I have one FEAT left because human variant. not sure what to take

I went with Low Dex but made him a bit tough with CON.
Mental stats to make him knowledgable of the past with expertise in History, Religion, Performance and Insight (the party sucks at insight)

Any advice on whether I can make this work?
Has anyone played a Lore Bard? How would you set this up? Should I take Barkskin to boost AC?

 

Last edited: Feb 23, 2019

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K

Krachek

Hero

• Feb 23, 2019

• #2

At higher level hit points matter more than AC.
He will be fine.

 

FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

• Feb 23, 2019

• #3

It can work. It just depends on the campaign and the dm. You pretty much will always be hit when targeted and bards don’t have a lot of great defensive spells like shield to help in that area. If your dm will avoid targeteting your pc in combat because back line guy and all then you’ll be fine. If he will occassionly focus on you over the other party members then you’ll likely die as soon as that happens.

Literally nearly every attack will hit you. The only saving grace is that a lot of enemies at higher level rely on save abilities to do alotnof their damage. Your bard is no worse against those creatures than a typical pc.

 

FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

• Feb 23, 2019

• #4

I think I recommend the inspiring leader feat. It gives you A big boost to hp.

 

TaranTheWanderer

Legend

• Feb 23, 2019

• #5

FrogReaver said:

I think I recommend the inspiring leader feat. It gives you A big boost to hp.

Click to expand...

ooh, good idea. I was going to take resilient to boost another save...

 

FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

• Feb 23, 2019

• #6

TaranTheWanderer said:

ooh, good idea. I was going to take resilient to boost another save...

Click to expand...

If you had an odd con I would recommend resilient con as it gives some extra hp and the save then. I don't think you want to lower your intelligence or wisdom though which is what it would take to boost con to a 15 and then have resilient con boost it to a 16

 

TaranTheWanderer

Legend

• Feb 23, 2019

• #7

FrogReaver said:

It can work. It just depends on the campaign and the dm. You pretty much will always be hit when targeted and bards don’t have a lot of great defensive spells like shield to help in that area. If your dm will avoid targeteting your pc in combat because back line guy and all then you’ll be fine. If he will occassionly focus on you over the other party members then you’ll likely die as soon as that happens.

Literally nearly every attack will hit you. The only saving grace is that a lot of enemies at higher level rely on save abilities to do alotnof their damage. Your bard is no worse against those creatures than a typical pc.

Click to expand...

I'll have Spell Secrets would give me shield but there may be other spells that are better for that choice.

The campaign doesn't have a lot of fighting. We have a barbarian, wizard and sorcerer and moon druid....so our back-line is pretty deep and our 'front line' is a bit shallow. I might have to focus on mobility...

 

Last edited: Feb 23, 2019

Quartz

Hero

• Feb 23, 2019

• #8

How about dropping to Cha 18 and taking Magic Initiate, Lucky, or Tough?

 

TaranTheWanderer

Legend

• Feb 23, 2019

• #9

Why magic initiate?

 

FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

• Feb 23, 2019

• #10

TaranTheWanderer said:

I'll have Spell Secrets would give me shield but there may be other spells that are better for that choice.

The campaign doesn't have a lot of fighting. We have a barbarian, wizard and sorcerer and moon druid....so our back-line is pretty deep and our 'front line' is a bit shallow. I might have to focus on mobility...

Click to expand...

If worst comes to worst I guess you can cast invisibility on yourself then hide. If the game doesn't have a lot of combat then I wouldn't worry about it. Misty step would be better than shield at that point IMO as it has some out of combat uses as well.

I think you can likely find much better magical secrets spells than shield or misty step, but you do at least need have a plan in place if enemies do start overly focusing on you.