D&D 5E PEACH 8th lvl Bard of Lore

[Darkwing Duck]

My GM runs a militaristic campaign with a party consisting of soldiers, nobles, and a few other archetypes. My Bard is intended to be an Intelligence officer. He is a "leader" in the 4e nomenclature. The campaign tends to lean slightly in favor of non-combat activities. I'd appreciate any time you have to evaluate him and offer suggestions. I, personally, don't like builds which have a few levels in several classes, so that's one thing I'm not gonna do. Pretty much anything else is fair game to change. I want to personify the idea of defeating the enemy before initiative is rolled by setting up ambushes and so forth.

1/2 Elf Bard of Lore 8th lvl Scholar

Str 10
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 11
Wis 14
Cha 16

Acrobatics
Arcana
Deception
History
Insight
Investigation
Perception Expertise
Stealth Expertise

Feats
Observant

Armor Class 14
Initiative +2
Speed 30

Hand XBow
Rapier

Spells
Magical Secrets
Mystic Step
Aura of Vitality

3 Cantrips
Friends?
Mage Hand
Prestidigitation

4 1st
Charm Person
Disguise Self
Faerie Fire
Tasha's

3 2nd
Blindness/Deafness
Detect Thoughts
Phantasmal Force

3 3rd
Dispel Magic
Major Image
Tongues

2 4th
Greater Invisibility
Compulsion

 

[mellored]

For the most part, taking several levels in each class leads to pretty watered down character, so there's no problem sticking to 1.

I would use one of your magic secrets to get an attack cantrip. Eldrich blast for instance. Weapons won't cut it for a lore bard, particularly as you level. Even if it is a low combat game.

You're also a little heavy on concentration spells. You can only use 1 at a time, so you might want to swap faerie fire for dissonant whispers.

Hypnotic pattern is a great spell at level 3 you should strongly consider.
I would also take suggestion. Works great both in and out of combat.

Disguise Self + Friends is a fun combo.

 

[Kithas]

What is your goal? What are you trying to be better at?

If you are just looking for general feedback mello covered most of what I would say, I would add that aura of vitality(or life i always get them confused, I mean the 2d6 heal as a bonus action one) from paladin is an amazing steal with magic secrets. If you are looking for things with more bite I'd look to conjure barrage and conjure volley from Ranger, you need only a dagger in hand to be able to cast them and they have their own damage. As far as out-of-combat intelligence, Find Familiar is wonderful, most people won't notice your mouse/owl and you can spy easily.
Hope that helps!

 

[Darkwing Duck]

I want to be Batman. I can't hit as hard as a fighter or sneak as well as a rogue and so forth, but I make them all do their job better.
I want to be this guy / archetype

 

[Darkwing Duck]

I think having poison might be cool. I don't want to use it all the time. If we're headed towards a total party kill, having it as a resource seems keeping in the spirit of the character concept.