D&D 5E Must-have bard spells?

[CydKnight]

I sincerely disagree, my Bard fights with a Violin in one hand and a rapier in the other. Playing the song of your Death as he lobs your head off

Maybe it's different in D&D or for your campaign but I have never seen a violin played one-handed. Also, a rapier is a piercing weapon according to the Basic Rules and the Player's Handbook so you won't be decapitating anyone with it if you are playing rules as written.

 

[Searinox Nagharha]

You need to Read between the lines abit

https://youtu.be/Hg4SWxEY7X4

Cant take everything to Seriously

 

[Aimian_Silverflash]

Which is better: Cure Wounds or Healing Word... and why?

It really just depends on what your role is in the group. My bard was the group healer, so I had both. You need the output of Cure Wounds, but you also need to have a decent ranged heal, in case of emergencies.

But if you had to pick between one or the other, Healing Word gets my nod as long as you have other healers in the group. But if you're the only healer, Cure Wounds really is necessary. Healing Word just doesn't have the output as your only healing spell.

However, I should also say that I ended up dropping Healing Word after 6th level, when I got Aura of Vitality via Magical Secrets. It became my ranged "bonus action" heal spell, and AoV is just soooo good for so many reasons.

 

[Adam La Spata]

However, I should also say that I ended up dropping Healing Word after 6th level, when I got Aura of Vitality via Magical Secrets.

Leave it to a bard to steal a healing spell. That's a great idea though; I'll have to remember it.

 

[Aimian_Silverflash]

Leave it to a bard to steal a healing spell. That's a great idea though; I'll have to remember it.

It's the single most powerful spell my bard has. And it's the spell I cast the most, bar none.

Think of it this way, I cast it as soon as combat starts, and someone starts taking damage. 2d6 heal! 30 ft range!

And then, as a bonus action, I get to crap out 2d6 every single round. That means if someone is really hurting, I can drop 2d6 on them, and then also hard cast a cure wounds on them, or I can heal two people in the same round. Or I can just do light healing, while doing other funner stuff, like spamming Dissonant Whispers.

And here's the real kicker. IT LASTS FOR 10 ROUNDS! Do the math on that. That's 20d6 healing with a 3rd level spell. Thats an average of 70 points of healing. A 3rd level Cure Wounds only averages about 16 or so. It's also my go-to for out-of-combat healing, for obvious reasons.

 

[faria]

I highly recommend stealing Counterspell. Leave damage to the other party members.

 

[Anıl Akbulut]

Dissonant Whispers is fantastic to provoke a million OAs.

 

[Iain_Coleman]

I've played a few bards, and it's such a diverse class that I'm loath to generalise, but I wouldn't leave the house without Enhance Ability. It works very well with the skill monkey aspect of the bard.

 

[smbakeresq]

It's the single most powerful spell my bard has. And it's the spell I cast the most, bar none.

Think of it this way, I cast it as soon as combat starts, and someone starts taking damage. 2d6 heal! 30 ft range!

And then, as a bonus action, I get to crap out 2d6 every single round. That means if someone is really hurting, I can drop 2d6 on them, and then also hard cast a cure wounds on them, or I can heal two people in the same round. Or I can just do light healing, while doing other funner stuff, like spamming Dissonant Whispers.

And here's the real kicker. IT LASTS FOR 10 ROUNDS! Do the math on that. That's 20d6 healing with a 3rd level spell. Thats an average of 70 points of healing. A 3rd level Cure Wounds only averages about 16 or so. It's also my go-to for out-of-combat healing, for obvious reasons.

You almost got it. At first level go Life Cleric, then Lore Bard. Then you are the best healer in the game with Aura of Vitality, healing 2d6+5 every round, that's 70-170 HP of healing, an average of 120 HP. While healing you can blast away with Ray of Frost or Frostbite or Sacred flame or Vicious Mockery every turn to get damage and a condition in. Sacred Flame can be used in melee since it isn't a ranged attack, who needs a weapon? You are like Mercy in Overwatch.

 

[Adam La Spata]

We know how great Dissonant Whispers and Tasha's Hideous Laughter are. But if, for some odd reason, you absolutely, positively had to pick only one of them, which one would it be and why?