What is the bard's "fireball"?

[gyor]

With Magical Secrets Bards get everyones "Fireball".

 

[CM]

Yeah I seem to find myself casting hypnotic pattern every fight. Being able to knock out a ranged enemy or two for most of the fight is pretty handy.

 

[Dualazi]

It's been said multiple times but yeah, it's Hypnotic Pattern. Even if half the targets succeed in their save, they'll still need to waste their action shaking awake the others that did not, assuming they're intelligent enough to take that course at all. For those that don't, it's one of the few tried-and-true save-or-suck spells, since there are no saves allowed on subsequent turns, potentially allowing up to a full minute of hard CC. It has decent range too, potentially reaching up to 150ft with the cube itself factored in. Its one downside is that it isn't party friendly, but that doesn't stop it from still being an incredible control spell.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Enthrall. And it is only 2nd level, so they get it earlier.

 

[iserith]

So the Wizard/sorcerer has fireball, an iconic spell that is probably too good for its level. The cleric now has spiritual guardian, that's really freaking good. And [MENTION=2525]Mistwell[/MENTION] pointed out that druids have conjure animals - I haven't tried it but he swears it's great, and looking at it I see it has potential.

Conjure animals (or conjure anything) is like casting a slow spell... on the game itself.

These are all spells that are unique to those classes, and are all in that sort of "low-mid" sweet spot where D&D works so well (3rd level spell in this case). Gaining 3rd level spells is a big step up in the power of these classes, equivalent for the warriors getting their second attack.

But I started wondering... what is the bard's version of this? For Warlocks it's arguably hunger of hadar (it's great area denial) but for the bard nothing leaps out at me...

As noted already - hypnotic pattern.

 

[Ancalagon]

But hypnotic pattern isn't a bard only spell...

(As an aside, how does it compare to fear?)

 

[mrpopstar]

There's room for the full caster bard to get some more mass abilities, and some big sonic booms.

That being said, I wish the bard wasn't a full caster.

 

[Staffan]

But hypnotic pattern isn't a bard only spell...

Neither is fireball a wizard-only spell. Sorcerers have native access to it, and warlocks and clerics can get it if they have the right subclass (and druids can get lightning bolt the same way).

(As an aside, how does it compare to fear?)

I would argue mostly poorly.

* Fear is a 30 ft cone, hypnotic pattern a 30 ft cube with 120 ft range.
* Fear makes its targets frightened, hypnotic pattern makes them charmed. I'm not sure, but I think resistances to fear are more common than resistances to charm.
* Hypnotic pattern makes foes docile. They stand around doing nothing, waiting to be picked off at your convenience. Fear on the other hand makes them run away, which in a dungeon setting will often lead to them warning other inhabitants.
* Once out of sight, the subjects of fear get new saves every round to break the effect.

Fear does have one advantage in a situation where there aren't other foes around to be warned: it moves the subject away from you. That means that even after the spell is over, it will take a while for the subject to get back into the fight.

 

[Tony Vargas]

So the Wizard/sorcerer has fireball, an iconic spell that is probably too good for its level.

But I started wondering... what is the bard's version of this?

IDK about 'too good for it's level,' but if my players have been any indication, Vicious Mockery is the iconic bard spell, even if it is a cantrip.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

IDK about 'too good for it's level,' but if my players have been any indication, Vicious Mockery is the iconic bard spell, even if it is a cantrip.

Yeah, eldritch blast maybe the cantrip that warlock players feel they have to spam, but VM is the cantrip that bard players want to spam.