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[GUIDE] A party without music is lame: A Bard Guide
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<blockquote data-quote="mellored" data-source="post: 6701362" data-attributes="member: 6801209"><p>Feats and Ability Bumps.</p><p></p><p>Since there's so many of these, i'm stretching the normal ratings a bit. Gold isn't mandatory and red isn't quite a trap.</p><p>Also, like spells, i am weighing the ratings towards combat.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: goldenrod">+2 Cha:</span> You could potentially take a feat or 2 first, but many of your spells do nothing if they miss.</p><p><span style="color: goldenrod">Inspiring Leader:</span> Slightly less HP then healer, but proactive makes it more valuable.</p><p><span style="color: goldenrod">Resilient (Con)</span>: Your best spells are concentration spells. This helps keep them running and keeps you alive in general. Warcaster is better for concentration till ~level 9. Assuming an odd Con score.</p><p><span style="color: goldenrod">Warcaster:</span> For valor bards so they can cast "S" spells with their hands full, or insult people who run away from dissonant whispers, and add to their concentration checks. <span style="color: blue">Blue</span> for lore bards who still like concentration.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: deepskyblue">Alert:</span> Going first means you can disable enemies before they act, or get a AoE spell off before allies get in the mix.</p><p><span style="color: deepskyblue">Defensive Duelist:</span> Valor doesn't have any competing reactions, so this is a strong AC boost. Though wait till level 8+ for a higher bonus.</p><p><span style="color: deepskyblue">Moderately Armored:</span> +4 AC for a lore bard.</p><p><span style="color: deepskyblue">Healer:</span> This is right up your ally as support. Slightly more than inspiring leader, but at the cost of a little money.</p><p><span style="color: deepskyblue">Tavern Brawler:</span> An alternative for the shield master for grapple bards. If you have an odd Str/Con. Otherwise shield master is better.</p><p><span style="color: deepskyblue">Shield Master</span>: A key feat for the grapple bard. <span style="color: blue">Blue</span> for other bards who want a bit more defense.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Blue">+2 Dex:</span> Initiative is nice, and helps valor with your bow attacks, or lore with AC.</p><p><span style="color: Blue">+2 Con:</span> Being alive is nice, and it helps with your concentration checks.</p><p><span style="color: Blue">+2 Str:</span> For 2-handed bards. Grapple bards don't necessarily need to max Str, since expertise adds more at cheaper cost, but it doesn't hurt.</p><p><span style="color: Blue">Crossbow Expert</span> adds a fair bit of damage when you have nothing else to do, even for lore.</p><p><span style="color: Blue">Great Weapon Master:</span> You have several spells (sleep, hold person) that grant advantage and crits. Assuming you're a Str valor bard.</p><p><span style="color: Blue">Polearm Master:</span> The Str alternative to crossbow expertise.</p><p><span style="color: Blue">Ritual Caster:</span> This can cover a lot of those "nice to have" spells freeing up your prepared slots. Suggest wizard's list.</p><p><span style="color: Blue">Resilient (Wis): </span> If you didn't take Con, Wis saves are pretty nice too.</p><p></p><p>Actor: A good option for bumping an odd Cha is good for you.</p><p>Dungeon Delver: With expertise and advantage, you can be the trap master. Red for games without traps.</p><p>Heavy Armor Mastery: This is pretty good by itself, but the prerequisite is weighing it down.</p><p>Lucky: A good all around bonus, but doesn't help land your spells.</p><p>Medium Armor Mastery: If you happen to be at 16 Dex you get +2 AC. Otherwise it's <span style="color: red">red</span>.</p><p>Observant: For the scout in you.</p><p>Sharpshooter: Adds some damage for valor bards. Usually with swift quiver and dipping for archery style.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">+2 Int:</span></p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">+2 Wis:</span></p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Athlete:</span> If you have an odd stat.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Heavily Armored:</span> If you have an odd stat. Otherwise, medium + shield is enough.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Keen Mind:</span> The odd bump for int, but that's likely your dump stat.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Linguist:</span> The other odd bump for Int, but still likely your dump stat.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Mage Slayer:</span> Even valor bards tend to stay back. Better for grapple bards.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Magic Initiate:</span> You're going to get your choice of spells anyways, so this loses value.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Martial Adept:</span> If you have contagion as your magic secret, faint is a good choice. Otherwise it's pretty weak with only 1 die.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Mobile:</span> There's little reason to be faster than the rest of your party. Could be ok for scout bards.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Mounted Combat:</span> Even valor bards don't make enough melee attacks to make good use of this. Black if you take find steed as a spell.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Sentinel:</span> You are likely to be a target that others are trying to protect, not the other way around.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Skilled:</span> This is weaker than usual since you have jack of all trades.</p><p><span style="color: darkviolet">Skulker:</span> While you can be a great scout, you don't have any way to get a damage bonus. Better with sharpshooter.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Red">Dual Wielder:</span> Valor has enough competing bonus actions, and lore doesn't have the weapons.</p><p><span style="color: Red">Durable:</span> Only good if you have 19 Con.</p><p><span style="color: Red">Elemental Adept:</span> Bards have very few damage spells, even with magic secrets.</p><p><span style="color: Red">Charger:</span> This is bad for just about anyone past the first few levels.</p><p><span style="color: Red">Grappler:</span> Bards can make good grapplers, but this feat isn't good.</p><p><span style="color: Red">Lightly Armored:</span> You already have light armor. Take athlete if you're looking for the bump.</p><p><span style="color: Red">Savage Attacker:</span> Even 2-handed valor bard don't want this.</p><p><span style="color: Red">Spell Sniper:</span> Maybe possibly for lore with some touch attacks (contagion), but valor has longbows.</p><p><span style="color: Red">Though:</span> The feat itself isn't bad, but you're better off taking +2 Con for the concentration checks.</p><p><span style="color: Red">Weapon Master:</span> If your valor, you have weapon proficiency, if your lore, you don't have multi-attack.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="mellored, post: 6701362, member: 6801209"] Feats and Ability Bumps. Since there's so many of these, i'm stretching the normal ratings a bit. Gold isn't mandatory and red isn't quite a trap. Also, like spells, i am weighing the ratings towards combat. [COLOR=goldenrod]+2 Cha:[/COLOR] You could potentially take a feat or 2 first, but many of your spells do nothing if they miss. [COLOR=goldenrod]Inspiring Leader:[/COLOR] Slightly less HP then healer, but proactive makes it more valuable. [COLOR=goldenrod]Resilient (Con)[/COLOR]: Your best spells are concentration spells. This helps keep them running and keeps you alive in general. Warcaster is better for concentration till ~level 9. Assuming an odd Con score. [COLOR=goldenrod]Warcaster:[/COLOR] For valor bards so they can cast "S" spells with their hands full, or insult people who run away from dissonant whispers, and add to their concentration checks. [COLOR=blue]Blue[/COLOR] for lore bards who still like concentration. [COLOR=deepskyblue]Alert:[/COLOR] Going first means you can disable enemies before they act, or get a AoE spell off before allies get in the mix. [COLOR=deepskyblue]Defensive Duelist:[/COLOR] Valor doesn't have any competing reactions, so this is a strong AC boost. Though wait till level 8+ for a higher bonus. [COLOR=deepskyblue]Moderately Armored:[/COLOR] +4 AC for a lore bard. [COLOR=deepskyblue]Healer:[/COLOR] This is right up your ally as support. Slightly more than inspiring leader, but at the cost of a little money. [COLOR=deepskyblue]Tavern Brawler:[/COLOR] An alternative for the shield master for grapple bards. If you have an odd Str/Con. Otherwise shield master is better. [COLOR=deepskyblue]Shield Master[/COLOR]: A key feat for the grapple bard. [COLOR=blue]Blue[/COLOR] for other bards who want a bit more defense. [COLOR=Blue]+2 Dex:[/COLOR] Initiative is nice, and helps valor with your bow attacks, or lore with AC. [COLOR=Blue]+2 Con:[/COLOR] Being alive is nice, and it helps with your concentration checks. [COLOR=Blue]+2 Str:[/COLOR] For 2-handed bards. Grapple bards don't necessarily need to max Str, since expertise adds more at cheaper cost, but it doesn't hurt. [COLOR=Blue]Crossbow Expert[/COLOR] adds a fair bit of damage when you have nothing else to do, even for lore. [COLOR=Blue]Great Weapon Master:[/COLOR] You have several spells (sleep, hold person) that grant advantage and crits. Assuming you're a Str valor bard. [COLOR=Blue]Polearm Master:[/COLOR] The Str alternative to crossbow expertise. [COLOR=Blue]Ritual Caster:[/COLOR] This can cover a lot of those "nice to have" spells freeing up your prepared slots. Suggest wizard's list. [COLOR=Blue]Resilient (Wis): [/COLOR] If you didn't take Con, Wis saves are pretty nice too. Actor: A good option for bumping an odd Cha is good for you. Dungeon Delver: With expertise and advantage, you can be the trap master. Red for games without traps. Heavy Armor Mastery: This is pretty good by itself, but the prerequisite is weighing it down. Lucky: A good all around bonus, but doesn't help land your spells. Medium Armor Mastery: If you happen to be at 16 Dex you get +2 AC. Otherwise it's [COLOR=red]red[/COLOR]. Observant: For the scout in you. Sharpshooter: Adds some damage for valor bards. Usually with swift quiver and dipping for archery style. [COLOR=darkviolet]+2 Int:[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkviolet]+2 Wis:[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkviolet]Athlete:[/COLOR] If you have an odd stat. [COLOR=darkviolet]Heavily Armored:[/COLOR] If you have an odd stat. Otherwise, medium + shield is enough. [COLOR=darkviolet]Keen Mind:[/COLOR] The odd bump for int, but that's likely your dump stat. [COLOR=darkviolet]Linguist:[/COLOR] The other odd bump for Int, but still likely your dump stat. [COLOR=darkviolet]Mage Slayer:[/COLOR] Even valor bards tend to stay back. Better for grapple bards. [COLOR=darkviolet]Magic Initiate:[/COLOR] You're going to get your choice of spells anyways, so this loses value. [COLOR=darkviolet]Martial Adept:[/COLOR] If you have contagion as your magic secret, faint is a good choice. Otherwise it's pretty weak with only 1 die. [COLOR=darkviolet]Mobile:[/COLOR] There's little reason to be faster than the rest of your party. Could be ok for scout bards. [COLOR=darkviolet]Mounted Combat:[/COLOR] Even valor bards don't make enough melee attacks to make good use of this. Black if you take find steed as a spell. [COLOR=darkviolet]Sentinel:[/COLOR] You are likely to be a target that others are trying to protect, not the other way around. [COLOR=darkviolet]Skilled:[/COLOR] This is weaker than usual since you have jack of all trades. [COLOR=darkviolet]Skulker:[/COLOR] While you can be a great scout, you don't have any way to get a damage bonus. Better with sharpshooter. [COLOR=Red]Dual Wielder:[/COLOR] Valor has enough competing bonus actions, and lore doesn't have the weapons. [COLOR=Red]Durable:[/COLOR] Only good if you have 19 Con. [COLOR=Red]Elemental Adept:[/COLOR] Bards have very few damage spells, even with magic secrets. [COLOR=Red]Charger:[/COLOR] This is bad for just about anyone past the first few levels. [COLOR=Red]Grappler:[/COLOR] Bards can make good grapplers, but this feat isn't good. [COLOR=Red]Lightly Armored:[/COLOR] You already have light armor. Take athlete if you're looking for the bump. [COLOR=Red]Savage Attacker:[/COLOR] Even 2-handed valor bard don't want this. [COLOR=Red]Spell Sniper:[/COLOR] Maybe possibly for lore with some touch attacks (contagion), but valor has longbows. [COLOR=Red]Though:[/COLOR] The feat itself isn't bad, but you're better off taking +2 Con for the concentration checks. [COLOR=Red]Weapon Master:[/COLOR] If your valor, you have weapon proficiency, if your lore, you don't have multi-attack. [/QUOTE]
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