Looking for help building a low level archer bard

[Paul Farquhar]

To clarify (since paraphrasing seems to have muddied):
Starting with a level of Fighter gets you;

• More health to start with.
• +4 to +6 to attack rolls (+2 from Archery fighting style, +proficiency from... being proficient).
• Proficiency in all armours.

Doing so effects you thus:

• You get your ability bump at level 5, not level 4.
• You get your second level spells at level 6, not level 5.
• You get your second attack at level 7, not level 6.

As you can see, the downside is far less than "screwed".

* 2 more hp won't make much difference at level 4.
* You get Martial Weapons proficiency anyway from being a valor bard, so that's +2, not +4 to +6
* You don't need heavy armor proficiency, since you have a high dex for archery. Shield prof is nice, but you can't use one at the same time as a bow.

 

[Henry]

The theorycrafting is fine, but a Valor Bard can do perfectly well as-is; the +2 from Archery Style, and the second wind, are very good, but so is getting your feat , your spells, and your second attack at the earliest level. The advantage of this system is that there are very few "trap" options, so if Valor or Swords Bard suits the OP's style, just by themselves they pull their weight very well; the multiclassing and feats are just gravy.

(Of course, if either multiclassing or feats aren't allowed in the campaign for the original poster, this is all moot.)

Just make sure, regardless, that your DEX score is not neglected; as an archer, this is far and away your bread and butter to being a successful archer. If you are not targeting your foes with any bard spells, or if you are mainly focused on using spells to buff you or your allies, I would even say to prioritize DEX over CHA, since the only other thing it affects is the number of uses of Bardic inspiration per day, whereas your DEX affects every single attack that you make.

 

[FrogReaver]

If swords abilities applies to a bow then it’s a good bet. Alternatively the rogue like version that gets the damage die and a single attack could be interesting too.

 

[FrogReaver]

Bows can be held 1 handed this alienating a lot of the casting issues on its own