D&D 5E (2024) Playtest 6: Bard

[Yaarel]

This thread is to discuss various aspects of the UA Bard.

 

[Yaarel]

The intro to the bard links the planes of the multiverse to a theory of magic.

Mechanically, the Bard can choose whether to use the arcane, divine, or primal spell list. This choice implies narratives about magic.

The "Outer Planes" are the source of divine magic, meaning that divine magic is part of the thoughts and dreams, and archetypes, of the Astral Plane. Moreover, the Outer Planes imply this magic is inherently ethical and relates to the alignments.

Oppositely, the Material Plane with its elemental winds and living animals, is the source of primal magic.

One might expect the Ethereal Plane amid both of them to be the source of the arcane magic. It might be to some extent. The arcane source is the immersive "study" of "mystic" knowledge, to make new discoveries about how magic works.

Ultimately, this fluidity with the main three magical sources, leans into the feature of Magical Secrets, and the insight into any form of magic.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I think they made the spells known situation with the Bard worse, there's the big fact that the Bard is a support class, that has versatility to do other things. But now I feel that most players will be pressured into having to use the Divine or Primal spell list at the start, because otherwise they won't have healing spells at all. And healing spells is often a big thing for support characters.

The Bard needs to have a list of spells that are always prepared for them, that includes Vicious Mockery and some healing spells.

On a lesser note, as someone who started D&D back in 2e I liked it when Bards could prepare spells like Wizards.

 

[Zaukrie]

Do people play bards past level 7 or so? Their cool stuff becomes spells, and I just multi class at that point....

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Also much like how Clerics and Druids get an "order" that they can choose, I think Bards should too. I know picking your spell list can be seen as sort of a choice of Order, but what if you want a more "fightery" Bard and don't want to wait to 3rd level.

 

[Yaarel]

I think they made the spells known situation with the Bard worse, there's the big fact that the Bard is a support class, that has versatility to do other things. But now I feel that most players will be pressured into having to use the Divine or Primal spell list at the start, because otherwise they won't have healing spells at all. And healing spells is often a big thing for support characters.

The Bard needs to have a list of spells that are always prepared for them, that includes Vicious Mockery and some healing spells.

On a lesser note, as someone who started D&D back in 2e I liked it when Bards could prepare spells like Wizards.

You make an important point.

At the same time, when thinking about character concepts that correlate with the different spell lists. I like being able to choose whether to be a support character, or not. If I am in the mood to be the primary healer and abjurer sotospeak, I can do that very well. At the same time, it is cool to instead pursue magic in a scholarly protoscientific way. I feel both options are spot on for the mythologically accurate bard. The primal attunement with animals and shapeshifting spells is important too.

The choice of spell list surprised me. It fits the D&D traditions about the Bard class. I am liking what I can do with this choice, in terms of the kinds characters I can play.

 

[Yaarel]

Also much like how Clerics and Druids get an "order" that they can choose, I think Bards should too. I know picking your spell list can be seen as sort of a choice of Order, but what if you want a more "fightery" Bard and don't want to wait to 3rd level.

For a fightery Bard, I would choose the Divine spell list. Healing oneself is defacto a boost in hit points, and the Bless and so on is defacto more accurate attacks plus other spells for better "armor" sotospeak.

 

[HammerMan]

Quick look and I see it is way more back compatible then the last one.

Edit and I like the college of dance.

 

[Willie the Duck]

Quick look and I see it is way more back compatible then the last one.

Edit and I like the college of dance.

I do too, but I've noticed something. With lore bard being the defacto 'generic' bard subclass, and now with glamour, dance, and valor being the alternates, there is no singing/music-centric bard subtype.

On a lesser note, as someone who started D&D back in 2e I liked it when Bards could prepare spells like Wizards.

I miss that conceptually. They were more 'travelling minstrels or storytellers who pick up some Mage spells because they are dabblers, not because there's any kind of music-magic or songs of creation or the like.

 

[Yaarel]

At level 5, the Font of Inspiration allows the Bard to spend (any?) slot to grant inspiration instead.

Normally, the player would spend slot 1s. Maybe if slot 1s run out, the player might be willing to spend a slot 2.

This creates a new kind of "half caster" sotospeak. The Bard that spends the slots in this way still has high slot spells, but is casting fewer spells and focusing more on the perfomances of the Bardic Inspiration.