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General Tabletop Discussion
Character Builds & Optimization
Lore Bard Debuffer: Spell Selection and Choice of Dip
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<blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7478242" data-attributes="member: 20564"><p>Shield is one way to mitigate it with a high opportunity cost. Which, considering that you have a reasonable if not as-good ability already, may be too much to pay.</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p>Okay, let's NOT pretend they are the same. Considering this is a team game, how many attacks per round are you expecting on the bard? How many are going to hit (but not crit) so that Shield and Cutting Words have a chance to stop them? I put forth that the majority of time it's not going to be more than one, only occasionally will a second one potentially hit-and-be-turned-into a-a-miss on a non-frontline character. So shield's extra blockages during a single round are a rare event.</p><p></p><p>Then add in that the average penalty to their attack is bigger than shield's bonus once you hit 10th, more than +50% of average at 15th. So against a single attack it protects better.</p><p></p><p>Now, how many rounds total during the day? Because once you blow through your 4 first level spells you using even higher level slots, while Cutting Words (once you hit 5th) is CHR mode times per short rest.</p><p></p><p>So, let's sum up - extra attacks that hit but not by enough to eclipse Shield or Cuttin Words are not likely to occur multiple times in the same round, so that extra bonus for shield is useful maybe once or twice a day.</p><p></p><p>Cuttings Words gives a bigger defensive boost then Shield once you hit 10th.</p><p></p><p>Cutting Words has a lot more uses per day then Shield so someone who needs their slots to function as a primary caster.</p><p></p><p>Shield has an opportunity cost.</p><p></p><p>All in all, Shield looks like decidedly the second class choice.</p></blockquote><p>Let's be clear here. A valor bard can ...[/QUOTE]</p><p></p><p>Valor Bards don't get Cutting Words, so they can't be part of the discussion between Cutting Words and Shield, which is the only thing I was talking about. You were mentioning Valor Bards to someone else.</p><p>[/QUOTE]</p>
[QUOTE="Blue, post: 7478242, member: 20564"] Shield is one way to mitigate it with a high opportunity cost. Which, considering that you have a reasonable if not as-good ability already, may be too much to pay. Okay, let's NOT pretend they are the same. Considering this is a team game, how many attacks per round are you expecting on the bard? How many are going to hit (but not crit) so that Shield and Cutting Words have a chance to stop them? I put forth that the majority of time it's not going to be more than one, only occasionally will a second one potentially hit-and-be-turned-into a-a-miss on a non-frontline character. So shield's extra blockages during a single round are a rare event. Then add in that the average penalty to their attack is bigger than shield's bonus once you hit 10th, more than +50% of average at 15th. So against a single attack it protects better. Now, how many rounds total during the day? Because once you blow through your 4 first level spells you using even higher level slots, while Cutting Words (once you hit 5th) is CHR mode times per short rest. So, let's sum up - extra attacks that hit but not by enough to eclipse Shield or Cuttin Words are not likely to occur multiple times in the same round, so that extra bonus for shield is useful maybe once or twice a day. Cuttings Words gives a bigger defensive boost then Shield once you hit 10th. Cutting Words has a lot more uses per day then Shield so someone who needs their slots to function as a primary caster. Shield has an opportunity cost. All in all, Shield looks like decidedly the second class choice. [/quote]Let's be clear here. A valor bard can ...[/QUOTE] Valor Bards don't get Cutting Words, so they can't be part of the discussion between Cutting Words and Shield, which is the only thing I was talking about. You were mentioning Valor Bards to someone else. [/QUOTE]
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