D&D 5E 5e looking to create the ultimate support character

[KingOfWhales]

I am looking to create an interesting and powerful support character, not necessarily centered around magic but I definitely don't have anything against magic, and I'd like to do more than just heal


What I have planned so far is to divide my levels among barbarian, bard and sorcerer. First I will put three in barbarian to get “path of the totem warrior” and pick the path of the wolf. This will -while I'm raging- give all of my allies within five feet the advantage on every attack roll (which I think is one of the best non magic support skills in the game). I am aware that I cannot use magic while I'm in rage mode, but this will still be useful at times, and picking barbarian for my first class will give me a good dice for melee attack rolls.


Then I will put six levels in bard and pick my spells. A way that I find I have the most fun is to incapacitate enemies with Tasha's laughter or with sleep. I will take the lore path. This will get me any two spells, and I will pick my spells. At level 6 I will also get countercharm which can be very useful, and give an effect to my inevitable, constant harp playing.


And finally I will put three (maybe more) into sorcerer and get twinned spell and empowered spell. I don't know which bloodline to pick, possibly wild because it usually leads to more interesting play.


The order of which classes I put my levels in is not super important as long as barbarian is first (for the powerful melee attack dice, as long as it works like that).


As for my spells, I'm not 100% sure which ones I want and am open to suggestions. Generally I'm looking for any that are particularly strong at buffing others or help with diplomacy. I do know I want Vicious Mockery, Prestegeation, Thunder Wave, Shatter, Sleep and cure wounds.


My skill dumps will be in Char and Dex, then strength and int.
All together that's twelve levels, and I don't know what else to do. I want to maximize my support potential but I definitely want to do more than just heal. Also I do not want to be completely helpless if I have to fight, hence why I chose to start as barbarian (but again, damage dealing is not my main priority). Any ideas on where I should go from here, or anything I should change?


Tl;dr: lore bard for 6 levels, not 100% sure what magic to pick in general and for extra magical secrets, Barb for 3 levels (and level one) for the wolf totem (all allies within 5 feet gain advantage on attack rolls) and for the good attack dice, sorcerer for twinned spell and empowered spell. Char/Dex stat dumps, don't know race, don't know what to do for the other 8 levels.

 

[Eltab]

"No plan survives contact with the enemy." Don't worry about L12+ until you hit about L10 and have some experience to blend in to your decision.

If you want to indicate that your harp-playing sounds horrible, how about Dissonant Whispers? One enemy runs away screaming...

Be cautious about Wild Sorcerer because sometimes you become a land mine or an explosive overcoat, not a barrel of laughs. I'm playing EE with a Dragon (fire) Sorcerer, who is powerful and effective in a pinch - I recommend that archetype. I haven't seen a Wind Sorcerer (from Sword Coast Adventurers Guide) in action yet but it sounds interesting.

 

[matskralc]

The Wolf totem doesn't give all allies within five feet of you advantage on all attacks. It gives your allies advantage on melee attack rolls against hostile creatures that are within five feet of you. That's useful, but it also means you need to be wading into the thick of combat, which isn't really the best place for a support character.

 

[mellored]

what's the rest of your part?

twin haste or greater invisibility from a sorcerer can be great in the right party.
bless and command can be good in another.
bardic isperation and inspiring leader is pretty good for almost every party..

 

[Miladoon]

If you mean dump Charisma to 13 then you can multi-class. I think you mean to dump something else. Unless you think dump means to raise your ability.

Leave bard entirely.

Try half-elf 13 ST, 10 DX, 14 CON, 10 INT, 16 WIS, 14 CHA
Get Skill proficiency in Perception and Insight
Take Outlander for Athletics and Survival and your musical instrument

Lv1 1:
Wild Sorcerer, 4 Cantrips, 2 Spells, (Don't fuss over attack spells, you will be swinging your quarterstaff).

Proficient in Con saves

Take Shield, and one other spell, (I chose Fog Cloud)

Use Tides of Chaos when you swing your staff and let Shield trigger a chart roll.

Lvl 2:
Life Domain Cleric, 3 Cantrips, 6 Prepared spells, including Bless and Cure Wounds. Get Guidance, Sacred Flame and one other. Your healing spells are Xd4/8 +2+spell level

Hello Chainmail and Shield. AC is now 16/18 and 23 with shield spell. Put your cleric spell focus on your shield as an emblem.

Guiding Bolt and Tides of Chaos will put 4d6 on the enemy plus grant advantage on the next attack for you allies. IMO that is better than the barbarians's totem power at 3rd level.

You can also go Inflict Wounds if you want.

Example of 2nd Level Spell Prep'd PackageCompare this to 2nd level Bard)
Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Minor Illusion,
Shield, Fog Cloud
Guidance, Resistance, Sacred Flame
Guiding Bolt, Cure Wounds, Bless, Detect Magic, Protection from Evil/Good, Shield of Faith

Command is also good if you like Tasha's


Lvl 3-X:
Wild Sorcerer (Feats to build Wisdom, Observant and Lucky)

You get another Metamagic Abillity

You will get two more Cantrips - (Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation)

Guiding Bolt can be upcast plus Twinned or Quickened
Spell Scroll all of the first level support spells from Cleric. (Create Destroy Water, Purify Food Drink, etc)

Cleric Spells you can Twin.
Guidance
Resistance
Sacred Flame
Cure Wounds
Guiding Bolt
Healing Word (as a bonus action) - Follow up with a Guidance, Resistance, or Sacred Flame
Inflict Wounds
Prot. from E/G
Sanctuary (as a bonus action) - Follow up with a Guidance, Resistance, or Sacred Flame
Shield of Faith

Sorcerer Spells: Focus on support spells and remember your sorcerer attack spells will have to hit with only a 14 charisma. There are good support spells but you may have to use Tides of Chaos and Bend luck to get them to land.

Example of Spells prep'd and known for this character at 12th level:

Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Minor Illusion, Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation
Shield, Fog Cloud, Magic Missile or Comprehend Languages if needed

Guidance, Resistance, Sacred Flame
Guiding Bolt, Cure Wounds, Bless, Detect Magic, Protection from Evil/Good, Shield of Faith
(If your Wis is capped you can have up to 8 of the 16 first level spells prep'd during your day)

Enhance Ability (Dex for Initiative and Stealth)
Reduce/Enlarge or Hold Person

Haste (Twinned)
Fly, Counterspell, Daylight, Dispel Magic....oh so many to choose from...but you only get two. You can get rid of Fog Cloud and Magic Missile if you want

Dimension Door
Greater Invisibility

Animate Objects (Your main combat spell, get a bag of ten tiny silver pieces. Lycanthropes will hate you)
Creation, Seeming, Telekinesis, or Teleportation Circle

Arcane Gate, Globe of Invulnerability, Move Earth, or True Seeing
I would save Disintegrate for level 15 or so...

This character can provide enough healing, protection, buffs, and damage to allow the rest of your players to play any class they want.

With the exception to fighting cantrips, your Bard6/Barb3/Sorcerer3 will be playing catch up to this guy. At 12th level you will know 22-23 spells and the other guy will know 18 plus be able to prep 7-8 cleric spells. The highest spell level your guy will have is level 3 spells but you guy will get to them a level sooner.

 

[Herobizkit]

Bard/Warlock. Go Grappler. Hex the crap out of your Grappled opponents.

 

[frupton]

I think you may find it challenging to mix magic with barbarian. Many of the best support spells in the game require concentration. Tasha's and Sleep are OK at lower levels, but at higher levels both Sleep and Tasha's aren't nearly as effective as something like Hypnotic Pattern, which can incapacitate large groups of enemies at once.

I agree with much of Miladoon's thoughts, above. Also if you haven't already, check out mellored's Bard guide, or the Lore Bard guide. If you're looking to be a great party buffer, pick up something like Haste and Bless / Aura of Vitality with your L6 Magical Secrets. Twinned Haste is just crazy good.

The barbarian has some cool tricks, but I think you're giving up a lot to not be able to cast or concentrate while raging. So personally, I'd drop barbarian, and find the right flavor of Bard/Sorc that fits you. IMO a Bard 9 / Sorc 3, with 4th/5th level spells, will have much better party support options than a Bard 6/ Sorc 3 / Barb 3.

 

[Rhivan]

Barbarian seems to clash overall with what you are doing IMO, It will stop you from casting spells which is what the rest of your levels are going into. I think Bard (Lore) and maybe Cleric (Life) could make a better support build with all the buffs and support the classes provide.

 

[Miladoon]

After a bit of playtesting my build I probably would replace Fog Cloud with Sleep. You can replace Sleep later if you want. Take Hold Person and when bad guys get higher saves you can trade that out too.