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General Tabletop Discussion
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Which Class is "The Best" - Your chance to VOTE!
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<blockquote data-quote="Esker" data-source="post: 7834659" data-attributes="member: 6966824"><p>I think the bard is great, as I stated, but I think you're overrating them on some dimensions. Yes, they can get damage spells with Magical Secrets, but they're still not well suited to using them. No metamagic, no sculpt spells, no arcane recovery, no extra mod to damage rolls, etc. Spirit Guardians is a nice option for a valor bard that can afford to get close and get hit, but since it's concentration it inhibits the bard's main combat strength which is casting big concentration spells that control or debuff.</p><p></p><p>The other big weakness is survivability. Only the valor bard will have a decent AC, and the bard list lacks self-defense staples like Shield, Mirror Image, and Misty Step. You could pick up some of those with Magical Secrets, but it's not much fun to spend those precious picks (not to mention the spell slots, of which you have fewer than other squishy classes like wizards and sorcerers) just keeping yourself alive. </p><p></p><p>The bard is clearly top tier at the social pillar, and can be strong in exploration if they pick expertise in those skills (though that will come at the expense of their social skills; the wizard has better spells there; and the rogue gets expertise earlier and has ability scores better suited for exploration). In combat, the bard can be an incredible asset if they focus on support/CC/debuffs and can keep themselves alive. They can't be a true front-liner without multiclassing, and they don't make good blasters either.</p><p></p><p>In essence, they have just as much of a niche as any other class. It's a mistake, I think, to think of them as trying to be good at everything.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Esker, post: 7834659, member: 6966824"] I think the bard is great, as I stated, but I think you're overrating them on some dimensions. Yes, they can get damage spells with Magical Secrets, but they're still not well suited to using them. No metamagic, no sculpt spells, no arcane recovery, no extra mod to damage rolls, etc. Spirit Guardians is a nice option for a valor bard that can afford to get close and get hit, but since it's concentration it inhibits the bard's main combat strength which is casting big concentration spells that control or debuff. The other big weakness is survivability. Only the valor bard will have a decent AC, and the bard list lacks self-defense staples like Shield, Mirror Image, and Misty Step. You could pick up some of those with Magical Secrets, but it's not much fun to spend those precious picks (not to mention the spell slots, of which you have fewer than other squishy classes like wizards and sorcerers) just keeping yourself alive. The bard is clearly top tier at the social pillar, and can be strong in exploration if they pick expertise in those skills (though that will come at the expense of their social skills; the wizard has better spells there; and the rogue gets expertise earlier and has ability scores better suited for exploration). In combat, the bard can be an incredible asset if they focus on support/CC/debuffs and can keep themselves alive. They can't be a true front-liner without multiclassing, and they don't make good blasters either. In essence, they have just as much of a niche as any other class. It's a mistake, I think, to think of them as trying to be good at everything. [/QUOTE]
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