Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
Character Builds & Optimization
Lore Bard Debuffer: Spell Selection and Choice of Dip
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Treantmonklvl20" data-source="post: 7478182" data-attributes="member: 55582"><p>It's inspiration. It always helps others. In fact, the main advantage of cutting words is it can also help yourself. </p><p></p><p>Combat inspiration, the ability I compare it to, helps others. In fact, it only helps others. It also objectively helps others to a greater degree than cutting words, because in addition to all the regular inspiration abilities, and adding to AC, it can also add to damage.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Lore bards are weak on defense. Shield is one way to mitigate that. However, let's not pretend that Cutting words and Shield are similar in defensive value. They are not. Cutting words works against one attack, shield works against every attack in a round. Since magical secrets is gained at level 6, multiple attacks per round is already fairly common, not even taking into account multiple attackers.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That's because that use is so circumstantial it's not of great value.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Let's be clear here. A valor bard can have a +4 AC ALL THE TIME FOR FREE. A Lore bard can have +5 from shield a few times a day, or +1dX from cutting words, several times per day, but every time they cast shield, a Valor bard could get a 1st level spell for something else. Every time they use cutting words, a Valor bard could have used Inspiration that could aid a saving throw, an attack roll, an ability check, an AC boost or a damage roll.</p><p></p><p>This isn't close. Let's not pretend it is. Valor bards have the same number of inspiration as Valor bards, except their inspiration is demonstrably worse. They have the same number of 1st level spell slots (or any other spell slots for that matter), and a significantly worse AC. Cutting words does not cover the gap. Shield does not cover the gap. Now, if a lore bard player is smart, taking spells like Counterspell and Find Familiar (for example), can provide other strengths, but that weak AC is going to be a problem that will plague them, unless they multiclass or find another way to deal with it. Cutting words isn't the solution. That one attack per round limit becomes pretty limiting when you face your first giant for example.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Treantmonklvl20, post: 7478182, member: 55582"] It's inspiration. It always helps others. In fact, the main advantage of cutting words is it can also help yourself. Combat inspiration, the ability I compare it to, helps others. In fact, it only helps others. It also objectively helps others to a greater degree than cutting words, because in addition to all the regular inspiration abilities, and adding to AC, it can also add to damage. Lore bards are weak on defense. Shield is one way to mitigate that. However, let's not pretend that Cutting words and Shield are similar in defensive value. They are not. Cutting words works against one attack, shield works against every attack in a round. Since magical secrets is gained at level 6, multiple attacks per round is already fairly common, not even taking into account multiple attackers. That's because that use is so circumstantial it's not of great value. Let's be clear here. A valor bard can have a +4 AC ALL THE TIME FOR FREE. A Lore bard can have +5 from shield a few times a day, or +1dX from cutting words, several times per day, but every time they cast shield, a Valor bard could get a 1st level spell for something else. Every time they use cutting words, a Valor bard could have used Inspiration that could aid a saving throw, an attack roll, an ability check, an AC boost or a damage roll. This isn't close. Let's not pretend it is. Valor bards have the same number of inspiration as Valor bards, except their inspiration is demonstrably worse. They have the same number of 1st level spell slots (or any other spell slots for that matter), and a significantly worse AC. Cutting words does not cover the gap. Shield does not cover the gap. Now, if a lore bard player is smart, taking spells like Counterspell and Find Familiar (for example), can provide other strengths, but that weak AC is going to be a problem that will plague them, unless they multiclass or find another way to deal with it. Cutting words isn't the solution. That one attack per round limit becomes pretty limiting when you face your first giant for example. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
Character Builds & Optimization
Lore Bard Debuffer: Spell Selection and Choice of Dip
Top