D&D 5E Dealing with optimizers at the table

[fearsomepirate]

But Sword bard abilities are much more self focused (blade flourish, defensive flourish etc.) - that's the design of the class. They have the inspiration die of other bards - but the other stuff - self.

Yes, I'm aware of what the design is. I'm saying the design is bad because it's blatant power creep.

Valor: Combat Inspiration may be applied by an ally to one damage roll or to boost AC against one attack roll.
Swords: one damage roll and every single attack made against you for a whole round

See why it's power creep? On top of that, Swords bards get a Fighting Style and can use their weapons as casting foci, which Valor Bards can't do. The only "weakness" is they can't use shields, but that's more than made up for by the fact that they turned Bardic Inspiration into Combat Superiority. Overall, it's made the Valor Bard completely obsolete, given where they're taking things with XGtE, they should just make the bard a half caster already.

Oh, and of course it synergizes with Hexblade, because everything does.

Regardless, the main point: The PHB has plenty of exploitable material.

Never said it didn't. I just said XGtE (and Tasha's btw) adds power creep even if you ignore any sort of munchkinism (and of course enables even greater munchkinism).

 

[ad_hoc]

Yes, I'm aware of what the design is. I'm saying the design is bad because it's blatant power creep.

Valor: Combat Inspiration may be applied by an ally to one damage roll or to boost AC against one attack roll.
Swords: one damage roll and every single attack made against you for a whole round

See why it's power creep? On top of that, Swords bards get a Fighting Style and can use their weapons as casting foci, which Valor Bards can't do. The only "weakness" is they can't use shields, but that's more than made up for by the fact that they turned Bardic Inspiration into Combat Superiority. Overall, it's made the Valor Bard completely obsolete, given where they're taking things with XGtE, they should just make the bard a half caster already.

Oh, and of course it synergizes with Hexblade, because everything does.



Never said it didn't. I just said XGtE (and Tasha's btw) adds power creep even if you ignore any sort of munchkinism (and of course enables even greater munchkinism).

I think the Valour Bard is the strongest of the Bards, yes, including Swords.

Adding the AC happens after the roll has been made and this can be used by any character, so the Valour Bard can give a die to the most vulnerable character in the party.

Swords adds to AC for a round, which, alright good but...enemy creatures can just go attack other PCs instead most of the time. Mobile Flourish is the strongest one they have. All you need to do is hit a creature and you can move it around. This is esp. good with thrown weapons.

Valour is just more solid. As a full spellcaster their weapon attacks are just cantrip replacements. They aren't the focus of the class, the spells are.

I would much rather play a Swords Bard however because their mechanics are fun and thematic.

Lore is overrated. It's also annoying at the table. Needing to pause to see if the Lore Bard wants to react to rolls is a pain.