D&D 5E [GUIDE] A party without music is lame: A Bard Guide

[mellored]

Hi there, I'm about to join a party of three (level 9), creating a Lore Bard. The party lacks utility, reliable control and healing, plus a social guy. So the build I have in mind is this:
Human Variant (8,12,10,14,14,20) point buy
Prodigy (Human bonus feat), Actor (level 4)
Background Noble, Proficiencies: Arcana, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Experise Deception, Insight
Spells:
0 - Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, Vicious Mockery
1 - Charm Person, Faerie Fire, Healing Word
2 - Blindness/Deafness, Invisibility
3 - Dispel Magic, Hypnotic Pattern, Major Image, Tongues
4 - Polymorph
5 - Mass Cure Wounds, Mislead
Secrets: Counterspell, Fireball or Fly

I want to focus on roleplaying and deception tactics, hence the questionably low physical stats. What do you guys think of the spell selection?

I would replace faerie fire. Both hypnotic pattern and polymorph are combat concentration spells, so you probably won't be useing it very much.
I suggest suggestion instead.

Command, from cleric, is also a good secret option.

Also, be aware that you are really lack in defense. Nearly every attack will hit you. So cast your concentration spell, then run away from combat. Or do what you can to avoid it in the first place.

 

[xompistas]

I would replace faerie fire. Both hypnotic pattern and polymorph are combat concentration spells, so you probably won't be useing it very much.
I suggest suggestion instead.

Command, from cleric, is also a good secret option.

Also, be aware that you are really lack in defense. Nearly every attack will hit you. So cast your concentration spell, then run away from combat. Or do what you can to avoid it in the first place.

Suggestion is also a concentration spell though. How about Dissonant Whispers instead of Faerie Fire and/or Misty Step/Mirror Image instead of Fireball/Fly?

 

[mellored]

Suggestion is also a concentration spell though. How about Dissonant Whispers instead of Faerie Fire and/or Misty Step/Mirror Image instead of Fireball/Fly?

Suggestion is, yes, but it can be used out of combat "go confess your crimes to the guards".
But fearie fire is the same area as hypnotic pattern. Not a bad spell for lower level, but you can upgrade.

There's also some overlap between polymorph and fly. As you can always polymorph into a bird. But it's still good utility and a lower level.

Any of those other spells are fine. Dissonant whispers makes a nice control spell for your level 1 slots.

 

[Blue]

Hi there, I'm about to join a party of three (level 9), creating a Lore Bard. The party lacks utility, reliable control and healing, plus a social guy. So the build I have in mind is this:
Human Variant (8,12,10,14,14,20) point buy
Prodigy (Human bonus feat), Actor (level 4)
Background Noble, Proficiencies: Arcana, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Experise Deception, Insight
Spells:
0 - Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, Vicious Mockery
1 - Charm Person, Faerie Fire, Healing Word
2 - Blindness/Deafness, Invisibility
3 - Dispel Magic, Hypnotic Pattern, Major Image, Tongues
4 - Polymorph
5 - Mass Cure Wounds, Mislead
Secrets: Counterspell, Fireball or Fly

I want to focus on roleplaying and deception tactics, hence the questionably low physical stats. What do you guys think of the spell selection?

I can really see getting a lot of use from your choice of the Actor feat with what you are describing.

You mentioned the party lacks utility, control and healing.

For healing, Aura of Vitality (Pal 3) is a very efficient out-of-combat healing spell so they are at least starting fully healed you could grab as a secret. I worry that a restoration spell and Revivify are both also very useful.

Utility-wise, I hope someone else has detect magic, also very useful in finding loot from among mundane items, depending on your DM. Identify is also useful and is on the bard list so it doesn't take a secret. Conjure Animals could have deception use as well as in-combat, and summonings as meatshields helps with lack of healing. Unfortunately that would compete with your concentration slot.

 

[xompistas]

I can really see getting a lot of use from your choice of the Actor feat with what you are describing.

You mentioned the party lacks utility, control and healing.

For healing, Aura of Vitality (Pal 3) is a very efficient out-of-combat healing spell so they are at least starting fully healed you could grab as a secret. I worry that a restoration spell and Revivify are both also very useful.

Utility-wise, I hope someone else has detect magic, also very useful in finding loot from among mundane items, depending on your DM. Identify is also useful and is on the bard list so it doesn't take a secret. Conjure Animals could have deception use as well as in-combat, and summonings as meatshields helps with lack of healing. Unfortunately that would compete with your concentration slot.

I think that restoration and detect magic are already covered. The changes I've made are the following: Dissonant Whispers instead of Faerie Fire, Suggestion instead of Major Image and Dimension Door instead of Dispel Magic. I don't want to pick too many concentration spells, so the meatshield role will be played by our Barbarian

 

[smbakeresq]

I think that restoration and detect magic are already covered. The changes I've made are the following: Dissonant Whispers instead of Faerie Fire, Suggestion instead of Major Image and Dimension Door instead of Dispel Magic. I don't want to pick too many concentration spells, so the meatshield role will be played by our Barbarian

Suggestion can be your go to spell with the right DM, one that gets the spirit of the spell. Out of combat its incredible just because your concentration wont get broken and things like Mello said like "Go confess your crimes" or "Can you take me to meet your boss" work very well. In combat concentration isn't so much of a problem because the effect most times will take place before you have to make the concentration check. Simple things like take off your armor or let me hold your weapon can render creatures effectively helpless right away, things along those lines. The more inline with what a creature normally does the more I let players get away with, for example after getting into the room to fight the BBEG telling his main body guard to "Keep the door shut to make sure no one else comes in" was a great way to keep re-enforcements from getting into the room.

 

[mellored]

Added Xanathar's.

Glamour is good, blade and whisper aren't.
The spells are ok.

 

[ScuroNotte]

At high levels, does it make sense to drop Suggestion and only have Mass Suggestion. And Disguise Self for Seeming?

 

[mellored]

At high levels, does it make sense to drop Suggestion and only have Mass Suggestion. And Disguise Self for Seeming?

No. Suggestions is still a great way to use your lower level slot, and you can have both suggestion and mass suggestion going on at the same time.

And yes. You aren't going to disguise yourself twice.

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

With XGtE out, I think that the multiclass section needs a slight updating, especially since you recommend MC over Bard 20 anyways. Hexblade 1 should probably be gold for most Bard subclasses, if not all. Even though it comes with overlap for Valor and Blade, both still massively benefit from Cha for att/dam rolls.