D&D 5E Bard/Cleric Build Question/Opinion

[Herbalizer]

Hi, I'm just starting an adventure with an Half-Elf Bard. I will select the Lore College, but since we are only 3 players in this game and we don't have a real healer (Barbarian, Sorcerer, and myself), I am planning to get a single level of Cleric : Life. This should make my heal spells more powerful and it also expands my list of options for spells. I have 16 DEX, 16 CHA, STR 8, INT 10 and I need at least 13 WIS to multiclass ...Since we are only 3, I am expecting to have to be in the middle of fights from time to time and therefore I want to be sturdy enough to withstand such melee attacks (without having to compromise and do a Valor Bard).

Here are the 2 options I am contemplating :

Option A:
WIS : 13 (just enough to multiclass) CON : 13 At 5th level, get Resilience (CON) feat and gain +1 and proficiency on CON saves, including concentration checks

PROS :
1. +1HP/level (starting at 5th, that means +5 at 10th level and +15 at 20th)
2. +3 to +6 on All CON saves, including concentration checks (useful against spells that requires a CON saves, and since already proficient with DEX and being immune to charm and sleep from Half-Elf, I'd be pretty much covered from most spells)

CONS: 1. Cannot take advantage of Shield proficiency (since I need a free hand to cast spells)

Option B:
WIS: 14 CON : 12 At 5th get War Caster feat

PROS:
1. Advantage on Concentration checks
2. +2 AC (Can cast spell with a shield - could be more if magical shield)
3. Can cast spells using a reaction on attack of opportunity
4. +1 to all WIS saves and ability checks (perception and insight)
5. +1 spell prepared spell (Since I would already have Bless & Cure Wounds as divine spells, Healing Word & Guiding Bolt as "must own" spells, that extra prepared spell would end up being either Bane, Detect Magic or Shield of Faith)

CONS:
1. Not proficient for CON saves (which is huge)

I'm wondering which option I should pick. I read that the bonuses ( + / - ) were more efficient than advantage and disadvantage, and so the big inconvenient of the War Caster feat compared to Resilience is that I only get ADV on CON saves and do not have bonuses on other CON saves. The extra HPs I think are easily compensated with a higher AC (+2 or more), so I'm wondering if all the little advantages of Option B outweighs not being proficient in CON saves. Any input would be appreciated !

Thanks

 

[Herbalizer]

Bard/Cleric Build question/opinion

Hi, I'm just starting an adventure with an Half-Elf Bard. I will select the Lore College, but since we are only 3 players in this game and we don't have a real healer (Barbarian, Sorcerer, and myself), I am planning to get a single level of Cleric : Life. This should make my heal spells more powerful and it also expands my list of options for spells. I have 16 DEX, 16 CHA, STR 8, INT 10 and I need at least 13 WIS to multiclass ...Since we are only 3, I am expecting to have to be in the middle of fights from time to time and therefore I want to be sturdy enough to withstand such melee attacks (without having to compromise and do a Valor Bard).

Here are the 2 options I am contemplating :

Option A: WIS : 13 (just enough to multiclass) CON : 13 At 5th level, get Resilience (CON) feat and gain +1 and proficiency on CON saves, including concentration checks

PROS :
1. +1HP/level (starting at 5th, that means +5 at 10th level and +15 at 20th)
2. +3 to +6 on All CON saves, including concentration checks (useful against spells that requires a CON saves, and since already proficient with DEX and being immune to charm and sleep from Half-Elf, I'd be pretty much covered from most spells)

CONS:
1. Cannot take advantage of Shield proficiency (since I need a free hand to cast spells)


Option B:
WIS: 14 CON : 12 At 5th get War Caster feat

PROS:
1. Advantage on Concentration checks
2. +2 AC (Can cast spell with a shield - could be more if magical shield)
3. Can cast spells using a reaction on attack of opportunity
4. +1 to all WIS saves and ability checks (perception and insight)
5. +1 spell prepared spell (Since I would already have Bless & Cure Wounds as divine spells, Healing Word & Guiding Bolt as "must own" spells, that extra prepared spell would end up being either Bane, Detect Magic or Shield of Faith)

CONS:
1. Not proficient for CON saves (which is huge)

I'm wondering which option I should pick. I read that the bonuses ( + / - ) were more efficient than advantage and disadvantage, and so the big inconvenient of the War Caster feat compared to Resilience is that I only get ADV on concentration checks and do not have bonuses on other CON saves. The extra HPs I think are easily compensated with a higher AC (+2 or more), so I'm wondering if all the little benefits of Option B outweighs its major drawback in not being proficient for CON saves.

Any input would be appreciated !
Thanks

 

[Jediking]

Guide by EvilAnagram http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...A-Bard-s-Guide

Guide by [MENTION=6716779]Zardnaar[/MENTION] http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthr...ore-Bard-Guide

Guide by [MENTION=6801209]mellored[/MENTION] http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthr...e-A-Bard-Guide

I had just found these for help on another thread. The guides go into multiclassing and help weigh different features as you level.

A big thing about getting Resilient (CON) or War Caster- think about your spell selection! If you don't get many concentration spells, it might be better to grab another feat or ASI. Concentration saves can be important, but make sure you think you will get use out of it. Also note that if you go Valor your AC will be decent to help avoid being hit, and depending on if your Sorc is Draconic he might have some staying power to help take some heat off.

And don't plan out every step of your progression. A general plan is alright, but as the campaign goes along some choices may turn out to be better than you would think.

 

[Jediking]

Also, get some paragraph breaks. A bit hard to pinpoint exact details in your post.

Shield of Faith is good, but Barbs are good at soaking damage. AC is obviously still great for them, but taking a concentration slot is big. And if you use Shield of Faith on yourself... it's fine, but something always bugs me about it. If you avoid a hit it's great, but if you get hit and lose it without avoiding anything, then it's a wasted spell slot and Action.
Bless (for saving throws for WHOLE party) is probably a better defensive buff in most cases, but YMMV.

 

[Herbalizer]

Thanks !

Sorry for the mess..It had breaks when I wrote it ..not sure why it was posted like that !

The reason why I am planning ahead like that is that I have to decide now to go either WIS 13, CON 13 or WIS 14 CON 12 ...If I go 13/13, and take War Caster, I will have wasted the extra point of CON (that doesn't serve any purposes) and lost +1 on WIS saves, 1 spell prepared and bonuses on spells that use wis-mod, like healing spells. We'll be a bit under powered so every little advantages help. If I plan on getting War Caster, I don't need the 13 CON, hence I would go WIS 14, CON 12. If I'm going to get resilience-CON, the n I would go 13/13 so that the +1 to CON brings my total to 14 and get the +2 modifier.

I couldn't find the guides you were referring to but good point on Shield of Faith ...never thought of it this way

Does anyone knows a place that lists spells along with their save types? I'd be curious to know many spells require CON saves and what kind of spells they are

 

[meshon]

I'm not really the right kind of player to give you advice on optimization, but I have read that advantage tends to give you a big boost (like nearing +5) in the midrange numbers which is, I think, right where most of your concentration checks are going to be. Proficiency with Con saves will look like a bigger deal once your proficiency bonus reaches +4 or +5.