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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ashrym" data-source="post: 9477525" data-attributes="member: 6750235">"Weak" is both relative and subjective.  It just depends on the comparison being made and what the person doing the comparison values.  For example, I think a d6 free attack restricted by the number of uses of Bardic Inspiration at 3rd level on a build that splits CHA and DEX is typically only 3 such attacks in a game day.AC is a bit better but also easy on a Valor bard, and Dance Virtuoso is a ribbon given that any bard using a musical instrument with the performance should get that synergy.That's tier 1 in a nutshell. In tier 2 the Dance bard has d8's and Font of Inspiration, and depending on feats taken four uses of Bardic Inspiration going into 5 uses later.  Assuming 2 short rests gives us approximately 12 uses in a day, which is better, but if we're spending 1/2 to 2/3rds of that on Tandem Footwork for the initiative bonus every encounter we don't get that free attack because the BI isn't expended on an action, bonus action, or reaction.  That still leaves hardly any uses and less available for standard BI dice to hand out for those free attacks.Valor bards get Extra Attack and the ability to swap cantrips into their attacks.  Glamour bards get a stance ability that lets them cast Command as a bonus action without costing a spell slot every round.  Lore bards get Magical Discoveries, which is very useful at those levels.That's tier 2 in a nutshell.Bards only get 3 subclass ability levels instead of 4 and that 3rd one doesn't hit until farther into tier 3.  In tier 3 it's a d10 and then most of the way through it becomes d12.At 14th level Dance bards get (shared) Evasion.  Situational damage prevention.  It's not a bad ability but Valor bards can cast a spell and then take an attack, which is fairly often in comparison to the uses of Agile Strikes getting back to using the Tandem Footwork in conflict with gaining those free attacks.  Glamour bards also gain a damage mitigation ability that's less situational, and Peerless Skill can be applied to any ability check or attack roll that fails.15th level is the d12's but the subclass is still locked in a conflict between using the initiative bonus and the free attack.  It's not until 18th level in tier 4 where Superior Inspiration guarantees 2 uses of Bardic Inspiration that the free attacks become reliable enough to be used.  Tandem Footwork and Superior Inspiration both use "when you roll initiative" so we might need clarification on which takes priority but there's at least 1 BI die available every encounter at that point.How powerful is an attack that gets to be used that limited number of times a day?  The alternative is to pretend Tandem Footwork doesn't really exist and not use it.  ;-)Spending spell slots to recharge BI uses is possible but has it's own drawbacks.We don't need to take monk for Dexterous Attacks.  Bardic Damage already uses Dex already in the Dance subclass, and Inspiring Movement is about avoiding enemies instead of engaging.  As a bard I am more likely to use a spell for status effects.The bonus unarmed strike works though because then the Dance bard can actually use it more but this conflicts with other uses of that bonus action in the spells.I would just do this style with a monk, TBH.The concentration check comes up a bit often that close to an enemy.  Fey-Touched is a feat I do take on bards but this works on a monk too with more attacks regardless of the bard levels.Sure, but dragging enemies would still fall under weight restrictions and leave the bard close to the opponent, and still struggles with how many uses are available because they're getting used up by the initiative bonus.The subclass can add more uses, and has to, by spending spells slots after 5th level but spells are usually more effective than BI uses.Action denial is also possible from a distance with spells.  That's part of the crux of the issue.  Bards are primarily a spellcaster and trying play them like a melee can be nuanced.  Valor bards are basically a bard thrown in some better armor adding some attacks into the spellcasting.The useful part of a Dance bard is less about some free attacks and more about how evasive they are.  Better AC, easily move away from enemies who close, avoid AoE damage.  Those are useful on a spellcaster played as a spellcaster.Right, but the bard gives up the casting of a spell to do that.  Why wouldn't I just cast Sleep instead?  ;-)That depends on what feats I want.  Your already spending a feat for Hex and one for grappling and splashing a level for better use of Bardic Damage so it's starting to add up on feats with a delay for higher level spells.Mirror Image is free on a Glamour bard and easy enough to grab with Magical Discoveries or Magical Secrets if I really want it.  Same with Shield, and these spells help in the defense for any bard subclass.IME, it's easier and more effective to play a bard like a spellcaster with some melee options than to play them like a martial with some magical options.  This is very true with Agile Strikes, which is limited in uses enough that by focusing on it we're giving away a lot on the magical part.That either takes a flavor build or some cautious system mastery.  ;-)</blockquote>

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