D&D 5E How Can A Party With So Many People Have So Many Needs! (Build Advice to Fill Said Needs)

[Kithas]

First off, just want you guys to know I'm really grateful for the responses. Sorry for the delay in response



I'm defintely leaning towards Bard, at least for the first six levels (character I'm making level 8 btw), but as far as what to do with those last two levels I'm undecided on if to go with first two levels of sorcerer or if to keep rolling like normal with Bard. The main thing that is going to decide it honestly is how the multi-classnig works (which I'm looking into now) and if the Staff of the Magi (which I have the option of getting... long story) would apply to Bard spells or even if I can use it as a multiclassed character.

You're very welcome!
For the staff; As long as it's similar to the dmg one you need to be a sorc/wiz/war to attune to it so you will need to multi. My suggestion for that would be Warlock, 2 levels nets you 2 1st level slots on a short rest which is awesome, invocations, a great damaging cantrip and access to things like hex. In short it lets you use your staff, and if you want have a cantrip that does 1d10+1d6+cha each blast and it'd be 2 blasts. There are also a lot of good invocations for non-combat stuff.

 

[Eltab]

I've got an Ancients Paladin that I designed to replicate a 4e Warlord. You might look at something similar.
Twin-stat CHR/DEX and pick the social skills. Inspired Leader feat so everybody starts with a dozen THP before the fight even begins. Moonbeam spell can persuade enemies to surrender rather than flee - say if you park the beam in their escape doorway. You are proficient with bows, if you want to stand back instead of be a Tank, since THIS group doesn't need any more DPR specialists anyway.

 

[mellored]

I agree with the above.

Given that you have enough melee and damage, i wouldn't worry too much about the low AC of lore bards.

Also i probably wouldn't dip warlock. Eldrich blast (+ agonizing blast) is useful certainly, but i think your good on damage. Probably better to get higher level spells and take the ritual caster feat instead.

If the druid doesn't heal much, then i would take a level of life cleric. You want aura of vitality either way, but it makes it much stronger (+armor).

 

[choryukami]

You need a healer, a caster, a support man and a skillmaster. That is a job for a bard. I had a similar situation when I started playing in AL.

Build like this: pick up double proficiency in stealth or perception and deception or persuasion. Get a background that gives you Thief Tools proficiency and possibly Disguise Kits (by customizing backgrounds, look at the first section in backgrounds). Take Lore Bard. Cutting Words is useful, especially if you stay with bard. Pick Fireball and Haste or Crusader Aura for your first magical secrets. With all the melees it will be a HUGE buff, and if you want magic damage, fireball is the go to damaging spell until 5th or 6th level spells.

Do this: be the sneak and the locks and traps guy and the face out of combat, talk your way out of combat when you can. In combat, lead with Suggestion and tell them "You work for me" or "Help me kill your friends" on the biggest dude. Either that or fireball the place. Use Cutting Words to make sure your first spell lands. From there you're free to buff, heal, cantrip if you want (might want to pick up Eldritch Blast or Firebolt). But your initial buffs and debuffs will let your party roll over your enemies all the faster.

Pick up a level of Life Cleric if you want your healing to be supreme. This is the only thing the bard isn't supreme at out of the box. It also gives you Medium (or heavy, I think, if you want it) armor, and shields so you can keep your Dex at 16 with a Breastplate and Shield and just pump charisma.

If you want a good magic item, pick up ANY Instrument of the Bards. They all are awesome and will give any enemy disadvantage to resist your charms.

Lastly, I would recommend human. Pick up Ritual Caster (Wizard) and get all the utility. ALL THE UTILITY. Or you can just pick Lucky. Feats are great.

 

[Aeradom]

You're very welcome!
For the staff; As long as it's similar to the dmg one you need to be a sorc/wiz/war to attune to it so you will need to multi. My suggestion for that would be Warlock, 2 levels nets you 2 1st level slots on a short rest which is awesome, invocations, a great damaging cantrip and access to things like hex. In short it lets you use your staff, and if you want have a cantrip that does 1d10+1d6+cha each blast and it'd be 2 blasts. There are also a lot of good invocations for non-combat stuff.

I agree with the above.

Given that you have enough melee and damage, i wouldn't worry too much about the low AC of lore bards.

Also i probably wouldn't dip warlock. Eldrich blast (+ agonizing blast) is useful certainly, but i think your good on damage. Probably better to get higher level spells and take the ritual caster feat instead.

If the druid doesn't heal much, then i would take a level of life cleric. You want aura of vitality either way, but it makes it much stronger (+armor).

You need a healer, a caster, a support man and a skillmaster. That is a job for a bard. I had a similar situation when I started playing in AL.

Build like this: pick up double proficiency in stealth or perception and deception or persuasion. Get a background that gives you Thief Tools proficiency and possibly Disguise Kits (by customizing backgrounds, look at the first section in backgrounds). Take Lore Bard. Cutting Words is useful, especially if you stay with bard. Pick Fireball and Haste or Crusader Aura for your first magical secrets. With all the melees it will be a HUGE buff, and if you want magic damage, fireball is the go to damaging spell until 5th or 6th level spells.

Do this: be the sneak and the locks and traps guy and the face out of combat, talk your way out of combat when you can. In combat, lead with Suggestion and tell them "You work for me" or "Help me kill your friends" on the biggest dude. Either that or fireball the place. Use Cutting Words to make sure your first spell lands. From there you're free to buff, heal, cantrip if you want (might want to pick up Eldritch Blast or Firebolt). But your initial buffs and debuffs will let your party roll over your enemies all the faster.

Pick up a level of Life Cleric if you want your healing to be supreme. This is the only thing the bard isn't supreme at out of the box. It also gives you Medium (or heavy, I think, if you want it) armor, and shields so you can keep your Dex at 16 with a Breastplate and Shield and just pump charisma.

If you want a good magic item, pick up ANY Instrument of the Bards. They all are awesome and will give any enemy disadvantage to resist your charms.

Lastly, I would recommend human. Pick up Ritual Caster (Wizard) and get all the utility. ALL THE UTILITY. Or you can just pick Lucky. Feats are great.

You know what I hate? Typing out a huge ass post, just for my session to tell me that it's expired and not saved the work. Well I don't really feel like retyping it up so let me give you the abridged version; I have this character idea in mind that deals with the character coming to terms with a dark inheritance and is why I really want to do a multi-class with bard/sorcerer. I'm not super concerned with damage, and the DM assures me that the druid can definitely handle the primary healing. What I basically just want to know is if me going this route, not dipping into Life Cleric (which is an awesome idea) is going to make the character weaker. I just hate to have to throw out an awesome character with a backstory that basically I already finished, just to get the optimal fit you know? I guess the long and short is, am I going to really hurt my ability to provide support and utility in the late game by multiclassing into sorcerer after level 6?

 

[mellored]

I guess the long and short is, am I going to really hurt my ability to provide support and utility in the late game by multiclassing into sorcerer after level 6?

Damage and healing don't scale nearly as well, but control is still control. Incapacitating demigorn is just as good as incapacitating the kobold shaman.

You lose out on a some good spells, like mass suggestion, but you can reasonably make up for it with heightened tasha's hidious laughter or twinned haste.

Also look for spells that scale well like hold person, which effectively scales to mass-hold person in higher level slots. Otherwise you "waste" your higher level slots.

 

[Aeradom]

Damage and healing don't scale nearly as well, but control is still control. Incapacitating demigorn is just as good as incapacitating the kobold shaman.

You lose out on a some good spells, like mass suggestion, but you can reasonably make up for it with heightened tasha's hidious laughter or twinned haste.

Also look for spells that scale well like hold person, which effectively scales to mass-hold person in higher level slots. Otherwise you "waste" your higher level slots.

I certainly like the idea of twinned haste, part of the reason I thought I could still do a support role well while being a sorcerer.

 

[Kithas]

You know what I hate? Typing out a huge ass post, just for my session to tell me that it's expired and not saved the work. Well I don't really feel like retyping it up so let me give you the abridged version; I have this character idea in mind that deals with the character coming to terms with a dark inheritance and is why I really want to do a multi-class with bard/sorcerer. I'm not super concerned with damage, and the DM assures me that the druid can definitely handle the primary healing. What I basically just want to know is if me going this route, not dipping into Life Cleric (which is an awesome idea) is going to make the character weaker. I just hate to have to throw out an awesome character with a backstory that basically I already finished, just to get the optimal fit you know? I guess the long and short is, am I going to really hurt my ability to provide support and utility in the late game by multiclassing into sorcerer after level 6?

Absolutely, there is a lot of support you can give as a sorcerer and I didn't mean to downplay that. Control spells like mello mentioned are great, as well as being able to twin your support spells, also you could start in sorc if you wanted to get those all-important con saves for your concentration checks. In addition to that you also get some amazing area control spells like storm sphere, earth tremor, fog cloud, and the like. You get 4 cantrips so you have oodles of utility from that, and sorcery points are great for using those higher level spell slots that you don't and won't have spells known for.