To create a bard quickly, follow these suggestions:
- Choose Charisma as your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity.
- Choose the entertainer background and choose dancing lights and vicious mockery cantrips.
- Add 1st-level spells like charm person, detect magic, healing word, and thunderwave.
- As a College of Lore Bard, you get extra spells and get them four levels earlier.
- Learn two spells of your choice from any class, which must be of a level you can cast.
- Choose two more Magical Secrets at level 6, which can be taken from any class’s spell list and permanently added to the Bard’s spells known.
Building a college of lore bard requires honeing in spellcasting elements, as they are more spell-focused than valor and dance bards. Half-elf, tiefling, changeling, hobgoblin, kenku, satyr, fairy, and tortle all provide great roleplaying or mechanical benefits to a Bard character.
At 6th level, learn two spells of your choice from any class, which must be of a level you can cast or a cantrip. The chosen spells count as bard spells for the bard.
The best spells for a College of Lore Bard include minor illusion, vicious mockery, dissonant whispers, faerie fire, healing word, heat metal, shatter, hypnotic pattern, and polymorph. Counterspell is always a good choice for a bard, especially with Jack of All Trades applied to the ability check.
In D and D 5e, bards can choose various magical secrets, such as counterspell, Revify, Wall of Force, Heal, and Elemental weapon. Healing spirit provides the best out-of-combat healing in the game, while Heal is the best healing spell to get some healing done in a single turn until you get 9th-level spells. For verbal-only Bard spells, Vicious Mockery, Command, Dissonant Whispers, Faerie Fire, Healing Word, Silvery Barbs, and Blindness/
In summary, creating a bard requires a combination of skills and spells to excel in the Dungeons and Dragons world.
📹 How To Be An OVERPOWERED Lore Bard At EVERY LEVEL In Baldur’s Gate 3 (Ultimate Lore Bard Multiclass)
In this video we go over the ultimate Baldur’s Gate 3 Lore Bard multiclass build . We go over how to be an overpowered Lore Bard …
What are the best spells for a bard of creation?
The College of Creation is a magical school in Dungeons and Dragons that teaches students the power of music. Through the use of spells, students can harness the fundamental energies of the universe and channel them into magical endeavors. The College of Creation bards can create anything they desire or imbue life into previously lifeless objects. The Performance of Creation, learned at level three, allows students to create any nonmagical item of their choice as an action, provided it is medium size or smaller and worth no more than 20 times their bard level in gold. This level of knowledge allows students to channel their energy into magical endeavors, such as encouraging heroism or executing a powerful attack.
What do bards use for spells?
Charisma is a spellcasting ability used for bard spells, derived from the heart and soul of the performer. It is used when a spell refers to the spellcasting ability and when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell. The spell save DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus, and the spell attack modifier is equal to your proficiency bonus. Ritual casting allows casting any bard spell with the ritual tag.
What is the most powerful Bard subclass?
The College of Lore is a highly regarded bard subclass, offering numerous abilities such as extra bonus skill proficiencies and learning more spells from any class. Bardic Inspiration can be used to subtract a die roll’s number from an enemy’s attack roll, ability check, or damage roll. To excel in this subclass, choose a species with a better damage-dealing cantrip, such as Kobolds or High Elfs, who can learn Fire Bolt from the start.
What is the best race for bard of Lore?
The best Bard races in Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition are based on the Human and Custom Lineage. Fire Genasi, Changeling, Satyr, Eladrin, and Fairies are some of the most versatile races. Fire Genasi offers spellcasting teeth, Changeling provides unique utility, Satyr has ritz and magic resistance, Eladrin fills a spellcasting gap, and Fairies are flying spellcasters. The latest version of the class has improved durability and spellcasting without compromising its expert skills. However, direct damage may be a challenge for D and D 5e Bards. The choice of race can influence the entire campaign, either enhancing the class’s versatility or addressing its few weaknesses.
Do bards use arcane or divine magic?
Dungeons and Dragons is a magical game that incorporates magic as a mechanic and gaming aspect. Classes like wizards, sorcerers, and bards use Arcane Magic, allowing them to cast spells. Even martial classes have sub or prestige classes that allow them to use magic. The game uses a two-fold magic system in its worlds and worldbuilding: Arcane and Divine. This may surprise those who have played only 5e.
Is Bard a hard champion?
Bard is a challenging champion due to his mechanics, which include a hard Q that requires hitting another target or wall for CCing the enemy. He also requires constant auto-attacks to maximize damage output. Balancing roaming and using your E is crucial, as bad tunnels can cost time and life. Additionally, picking up charms around the map at the right time is crucial, as going at the wrong time can lead to a dead ADC and a loss of gold and XP.
Gangplank is an underrated pick in the current season due to his high skill ceiling and difficulty in understanding combos and timing. He prefers to scale and doesn’t want to fight early, making it difficult for players used to fighters and skirmish heavy champions to adapt to his kit.
Do Lore bards get magical secrets twice?
The College of Lore Bard, a subclass of DnD Bards, learns their Magical Secrets at level six, allowing them to access other spell lists early and learn eight spells instead of six. Lore Bards have first dibs on everyone else’s spells, with Counterspell being a must-pick. Despite the risk of losing a level three spell slot if unsuccessful in canceling an enemy’s spell, the impact of Counterspell on the game is so significant that it’s hard to resist.
How many spells should a bard have?
You have four 1st-level bard spells from the list, and you learn an additional spell at each level except 12th, 16th, 19th, and 20th. Each spell must be of a level with spell slots. As you gain a level, you can choose a known spell and replace it with another from the list. Your spellcasting ability, Charisma, is used when a spell refers to your spellcasting ability and when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell you cast or making an attack roll with one.
Do you prepare spells as a bard?
A multiclass character must have a minimum score of 13 in the Bard’s primary ability, Charisma, to take a level in this class or another class if already a Bard. The first Bard level grants one skill and one musical instrument, Light Armor training, and allows for the preparation of spells for each class individually. The Bard class features include the 1st level, Bardic Inspiration, which allows the Bard to supernaturally inspire others through words, music, or dance, represented by a d6 die. The Bardic Inspiration die represents the power to inspire others through words, music, or dance. The Bardic table lists these features.
How do you make a powerful bard?
The most powerful bards are of species that enhance their Charisma score, which is a determinant of the potency of spells and bardic abilities, and also augments their Performance skill. For any bard, Charisma is of paramount importance, as it serves as the determining factor in the efficacy of their abilities. The text is accompanied by a link to a JavaScript extension that may be disabled or blocked.
📹 How To Play A College Of Lore Bard in Dungeons and Dragons 5e
MONSTERS OF DRAKKENHEIM is 300+ pages of eldritch horror inspired monsters for 5e by the Dungeon Dudes! Coming to …
– L1 – Cleric 1 \t- Ability Points : 8/14/16(15+1)/8/12/16 (14+2) \t- Subclass: Life Domain \t- Cantrips: Resistance, Guidance, Sacred Flame \t- Prepare spells: Sanctuary, Command – L2 – Bard 1 \t- Cantrips: Vicious Mockery, Friends* (anything) \t- Spells: Healing Word, Dissonant Whispers, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, Long Strider – L3 – Bard 2 \t- Spells: Speak with Animals – L4 – Bard 3 \t- Subclass: College of Lore \t- Spells: Hold Person – L5 – Bard 4 \t- Cantrips: Mage Hand \t- Spells: Blindness \t- Feat: Ability Improvement – Cha (+2) – L6 – Bard 5 \t- Spells: Hypnotic Pattern – L7 – Bard 6 \t- Spells: Glyph of Warding \t- Magical Secrets: Mass Healing Ward, Hunger of Hadar – L8 – Cleric 2 \t- Spells: Create Water, Preserve Life – L9 – Bard 7 \t- Spells: Confusion – L10 – Bard 8 \t- Spells: Cloud of Daggers – L11 – Bard 9 \t- Spells: Hold Monster \t- Swap: Blindness with Dominate Person – L12 – Bard 10 \t- Cantrips: Light \t- Spells: Greater Restoration \t- Magical Secrets: Banishing Smite, Conjure Elemental – Gear \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/The_Whispering_Promise \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/Ring_of_Salving \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/Boots_of_Aid_and_Comfort \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/The_Reviving_Hands \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/Hellrider%27s_Pride \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/Amulet_of_the_Devout \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/Helm_of_Balduran \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/Cloak_of_Protection \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/Adamantine_Splint_Armour \t- bg3.wiki/wiki/Viconia%27s_Walking_Fortress \t- bg3.
I have played a lot of Lore Bard, so I will share a few tips thoughts. I understand loading up on a bunch of concentration spells and using them like a Swiss army knife effect, but you really miss out on stacking some effects. Limiting concentration is actually allows more flexibility. For example, you are using the gear combo to get Bless and Blade ward effects instead of casting Bless. Hold X spell line is really all you need. In addition you have Command, Laughter, and Glyph. Hunger of Hadar is very good but if you are going to use a magical secret make sure you will readily use the ability. You do not need both Cloud of Daggers, Pattern and HoH etc. I think Counter-spell would be a better pick. Feat: Alert – This will ensure that “YOU” always first on the turn order, this feat is essential to ensuring that nobody spends their first round without bless, blade ward, or haste. It is not only important to not be last but to be 1st in your party. You do not need to rush magical secrets and can get 2 levels in Cleric right away. With how much CC you have healing is not needed. Additionally, you are using the healing to apply buffs not really for healing. The Amulet of restoration should be enough to hold you over 1 level. Confusion is very strong. It lasts 3 turns, does not affect allies, has a big AOE, can be upcasted to basically cover an entire room, and will make enemies useless thralls. Expect to solo win fights with this spell late game. Darkness – This is probably one of the best CC’s in Baldurs Gate 3, you can cast it offensively to shut down Ranges Enemies.
Imo Warden of Vitality is the better choice for a healing spell from the Magical Secrets list. It doesn’t heal the entire party simultaneously, but you get to heal someone in your party for 2d6 hp per turn for 10 turns without concentration. Cast sanctuary on yourself, then cast WoV on the next turn and just run around as a healing machine for the rest of combat. The only other class that gets this spell is Paladin, and they don’t get it until level 9.
Love the guide. very well done Nizar! Just a couple of tips for those that want to try the build. 1. you dont HAVE to start as cleric. but you do want to spec into it at some point. especially on the higher diffeculties you might want to get to lv 5/6 bard asap to get acces to level 3 spells and magical secrets, because this is a huge power spike and heavy armour in the early game isnt readily available or very good. missing the shield can kinda suck but i feel like this is managable until you get to lv 6/7 2. At the first picks of magical secrets i would highly recommend taking warden of vitality. Its a paladin exclusive spell which is why it may not get a lot of attention but its not consentration and lasts for 10 turns. you can bonus action heal every turn without expending any more spell slots and its great to keep the blade ward and bless up as well as healing a decent amount of hp every turn. 3. if you go this route you might have to pick up different spells at the lv 10 secrets. you can maybe even skip healing word at 6 and go spirit guardians as you can get a use of it from an amulet and use the other bonus actions for warden. if you dont do that i would take spirit guardians at lv 10 bard just because its so strong. especially with sanctuary up. Hope this helps someone out there going for that honour mode achievement 😉
Something to note regarding Command (or any spell you take as Cleric levels): Anything that is an attack roll or forces a saving throw (such as Command) will scale off your WISDOM, not your CHARISMA, so do keep in mind if you take Command, you’ll have a generally lower chance to have it stick than if you tried to use it on a 16+ Wisdom Cleric instead. You could also ditch Healing Word (Bard) at a higher level to replace it with some other spells (instead of dumping Blindness, which is useful at any point since it never requires Concentration) and pick up Healing Word (Cleric) instead. You’ll lose a few HP per cast of it (since it’s now based off WIS instead of CHA), but the primary use of it isn’t to heal big numbers, it’s to apply Bless, Blade Ward, and/or potentially pick up a unconscious ally.
I think 10 bard 2 cleric is nice, but I’d rather just go 11 swords bard, 1 War Cleric. That much CC is probably overkill, and so is the healing. You’ve only got one concentration spell, and healing potions are basically as good as spells, but they don’t waste casting slots. One AoE CC, and one targeted CC is all you really need, and you get the best ones at 11 bard. So, overall, you get enough good CC and heals without being a lore bard, and as a benefit you can do a lot of damage in melee. In BG3 only minimal CC and healing is necessary because if you lean into damage, you kill everything so fast anyway. The best CC is death, the best healing is not taking damage.
I am almost through the end of act 2 in my first play of BG3, and I started as a bad, then added Cleric. Sure wish I had this guide before, but I was also trying not to cheat and see what was coming too much. Sure glad I could screen shot and freeze the article a lot to write notes down, you talk so fast! Thank you for putting this together!.
really well produced article. The intro is very well explained. Only thing I might do differently is also take one level of fiend warlock to get command from that so it is charisma based. Use bless, sanctuary and something like shield of faith/ healing word from cleric that don’t have saving throws. This also gets you access to hex. remainder of levels 10 lore bard with high charisma and constitution as you point out here. i went with githyanki for the astral knowledge as well.
I love your articles just because you go through each level with just enough detail and thoughts behind it, I find other vids are too detailed or vague. Also I really appreciate the animations and editing work you put into them, you clearly have a passion for this ! Can you make a build around melee DPS bard for RP purposes ? maybe like college of swords with battle master using college of swords ? I want to use an elf dual wielding larethian’s wrath and phalar aluve with lethal elegance. Wanna have a full bard party for my 2nd run lol
Don’t delay Bard 6 by starting Cleric just for shields, you can get shield and reach weapons proficiency from Wood Half-Elf race, which also comes with increased movement, Darkvision and charm immunity. It’s probably the best race for casters or any class which doesn’t get shield proficiency but benefits from having a shield. Instead of 2 levels in Cleric, I’d get 1 in Wizard so you can scribe Conjure Elemental (or other nice spells) from a scroll and save a high level spell slot. The other non-bard level can go to Fighter for CON proficiency plus access to heavy armor and all weapons, as well as Fighting Style. CON proficiency combined with 16 CON can allow you to skip War Caster (there are other ways to get advantage on CON saving throws) and get another +2 CHA for a better chance to land those CCs and better speech checks or Alert to ensure you start combat first or early. Just remember to respec and start as Fighter. You can also get restoration effect from a potion, no need to waste another high level spell slot on it. Counterspell is a must, it can prevent so many nasty things. Get Warden of Vitality, it’s the best healing spell in the game. Plant Growth is a great CC, just keep fire away from it.
I highly recommend taking slow and Mass Healing Word as your first Magical Secrets. Slow is debilitating: halved movement, -2 to AC and Dex saves (which is roughly equivalent to disadvantage mathematically), only, only an action or bonus action (a bit else useful against most statblocks but more useful on tactician+), no reactions and a 50% chance to make spells take an extra turn to cast meaning the target has to concentrate causing them to maybe lose a buff spell they were concentrating on and allowing you to possibly break concentration and waste the spell. It’s spectacular
I have never player a bard in my life. In fact, Except for when i played a warlock, for me charisma was the default dump stat. But i used a mod to start as a hexblade warlock so i could use could use CHA for attack and damage and then i went with sowrds bard so i could add flourish moves to my fighting but at some point i found another perk. One that i´ve never had before: I was able to talk my way out of troubles. I made goblins think i didn´t poison them, even when i was standing right there. I liberated the gnomes slaves from the duergar just by telling them they would slow them down. I made that weird doctor had his nurses kill him. I was discovering a gameplay mechanic i had never even considered and i was having incredible fun with it.
I wasn’t able to use the long sword starting with Cleric at level 1. I started with Bard for level 1, then cleric for level 2 and back to bard for level 3. I was still able to get the proficiencies for the long sword as well as the armor and shield this way. Awesome guide and loving this build all around otherwise! Fun as hell too!
Using this for my MC in honor mode, synergies really well with a radiant orb light domain cleric to prevent enemies from hitting then you can kinda run whatever you like for other characters since you will pretty much have enemies on lockdown. Though I would say I use different gear. Since I have hirelings at camp I have warding bond on quite a few of my characters so I don’t need the hand gear, though I’m considering the braindrain gloves to help inflict mental fatigue. In the early game I use the staff of arcane blessing for making bless all the more powerful but don’t use the whispering promise until I replace it out since they conflict. I also use the ring of mental inhibition from early act 2 so I inflict a negative to my opponents saving throws per stack whenever they fail a save. For the helmet I use birthright in act 3 so I have more charisma though the hood of the weave is a good substitute. The shield I actually prefer the sentinel shield so I have a +3 to initiative and can act before my enemies though Kenthric’s shield for spell save DC is also good.
A nice addition to the ‘hunger of Hadar’ is a druidic spell that makes an area of spiky thorns on the ground. Take a druid with you and let him cast this in the same area as your toxic-freezing cloud. Enemies will walk slowly, taking damage every step they make. Works even better if a druid summons a dryad, she casts the thorns, you cast ‘hunger’ and the next turn the druid casts a cloud of insects. Total annihilation.
I don’t like starting with a level in cleric, getting to level 5 bard as soon as possible for font of inspiration is HUGE, it’s not only 4 times more cutting words per day, but they also become d8, and lvl 6 for magical secrets before mountain pass is better than anything one cleric level gives you. Also, command with 12 wisdom it’s usually just a waste of an action. You’re better off getting something that doesn’t require a save And another thing, hold person is great, but not that early in the game. A lvl 1 hideous laughter does almost the same as a lvl 2 hold person. I would rather take heat metal that always works, either the enemy drops their weapon and get fucked, or they don’t, and get fucked regardless.
I really wanted to like Lore Bard, but it feels like their utility gets cut by at least half the instant you go up against anything immune to most bard-castable CC effects. Sure you can still Haste and it’s not like they’re useless by any stretch, but man. Their power level swings really hard back and forth depending on what you’re fighting. Still a strong class, but.
My problem with Banish is that it requires you to to actually successfully hit the enemy with a ranged or melee weapon. And our entire build does NOT really do anything to help with landing successful hits with weapons on our high-AC enemies. I can totally understand a swords bard using the banishing smite, but Lore bard — I can’t.
2 levels cleric asap. preserve life especially with staff of arcane blessing is super broken early it’s a waste to not run it. you also have a circlet available that gives mass healing word so no need to rush it for that either. hadar on this build just seems like “not their job” to me. Overall great addition to the team but it could do with some tweaking.
You’re focusing healing, on lore bard, and not picking up ‘Warden Of Vitality’ from magical secrets? tsk tsk The only other concern I have is that the early CC spells are very weak until you get a lot of spell save DC gear bonuses in relatively late game. (reference: Sacred Flame, aka Sacred Miss) Not a bad build though 🙂 Saved mainly for gear ideas 🙂
Warden of Vitality is an alternative healing spell to take as your first magical secrets. Though it heals less, you get 10 turns of free healing at distance as bonus action without need for concentration. So you can use spirit guardians + warden of vitality. BTW, my Lore Bard only has 1 lvl of life cleric, as I wanted access to level 6, but I noticed the spell DC seems bugged if you take bard first, cleric second. Instead of CHA, interface shows WIS in the calculation… Not sure yet if it’s just an interface bug, as the combat log numbers do make sense. But I kept seeing very low chance for my spells – one example I remember was the hag in act 1 – I think I got 40% chance or something for Tasha’s at level 5… I know level 6 spells are not that special but Otto’s irresistible dance is… Well, irresistible. So much fun. So I end up only taking one level in cleric
Am I the only one that thinks a bunch of concentration spells is a waste? You can only use one at a time right? I could be wrong here. I know this is the internet and my words are supposed to be facts regardless of any other data that may exist but I hardly ever use them and I’m admitting I might be wrong.
You use the shield wrong. The warding bond is not for the caster to use it on the party member, on the contrast, it’s to give the one with high hp/defense (probably barb) to cast it on the caster to protect him. Yes, after the buff, you can give it back to the caster for its benefits and the warding bond stay. The ammy’s Divinity charge bonus need a long rest not short rest. It’s still the best ammy for the +2 saving throws alone. Back to the build, lore bard is ok but a lot of problem. There’re 4 spells for the ultimate support, heal (aka preserve life and mass healing word), Aid, Counterspell and Haste. If you takes those 4 spells for lore, you missed misty step, conjure elemental, globe of invulunbility, blight and eyebits. Before you ask, yes, Blight and Eyebits (blindness too) are very powerful lv6 spells b’cos they’re “free” to cast with Staff of Necromancy. If you need a support, do 5/5/2 cleric/wiz/sor, get all the tools and can twin-cast haste.
I am in Act 2, but couldn’t get The Whispering Promise ring. As far as I understand there is no way to get it after Act 1 (Volo has gone, goblins are dead, Shattered Sanctum is empty, “Find The Missing Shipment” quest is failed). Is there any replacement for this ring? Or, is there a way to get it in Acts 2-3?
I’m mad as hell that I missed out on like 90% of the gear items, because I seriously did not explore much at all during act 1. I really just wanted to rush through the main quests and damn that was a mistake. I’m in act 3 now and I missed a ton of stuff from act 2 as well, shits tough. I fucked up every romance somehow except Halsin’s too, literally no one showed interest in me except him. I got no idea how that happened either
The problem I see with these “jack of all trades” builds (fitting the bard theme but failing on a mechanical level): 1 builds are entirely dependent on gear. They shouldn’t be. 2 they want to do everything with the same spell slot amount as any other full caster. If you do everything, you’ll be out of slots after each combat. 3 bards are either support or offense, while having (area+buffed) heals are good, having a single character take care of that saves you and them slots. Specialists are better (though undoubtedly require you to use your brain more while winning you the fights easier because of it.)