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The Bard's reputation in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons is that of🥃 a whimsical, happy-go-lucky figure whom the party can always rely on for their next punch line. Funnily enough, comical characters like these may seem like a joke at first, but they often manage to become some of the most memorable and heartwarming figures in a campaign.
It's hard to put a finger on how this process works, but perhaps laughter really is just that infectious. Whatever the case, the College of Lore Bard is the most popular Bard subclass thanks to its versatility and effectiveness. Let's take a look at how to get the most out of it.
Species
For the most optimized build, you really can't refuse the free feat that you get from going either variant human or custom lineage from Tasha's. However, many DMs (dungeon masters) allow all species a free feat at first level. If you happen to play at one of these tables, there are quite a few other great options on the table.
The half-elf, tiefling, changeling, hobgoblin, kenku, satyr, fairy, and tortle all provide great roleplaying or mechanical benefits to a Bard character. As a Bard, you have access to more skill proficiencies than most other classes. Consequently, species that allow you to pick up even more skill proficiencies, like the half-elf, compliment your kit q🅺uite nicely.
Both the changeling and the kenku are great species choices for a Bard as each allows you to deceive NPCs (non-player characters) more easily. The kenku's mimicry ability makes it so that you can copy other's voices while the changeling's shapechanging ability lets you change your appearance and your voice.
On the other hand, the satyr and the fairy are both classic archetypal choices♛ for a Bard as they both come from the fantastic and whimsical Feywild. The 🔯satyr provides you with advantage on saving throws against spells and additional skill proficiencies while the fairy benefits you with a flying speed as well as some innate spellcasting in faerie fire and enlarge/reduce.
Meanwhile, the hobgoblin is yet another option from the Feywild, and its fey gift and fortune from the many abilities supplement a Bard's abilities perfectly. Fey gift lets you use the help actio𝕴n as a bonus action with additional benefits while fortune from the many gives you a bonus to a roll equal to the number of allies within 30 feet of you.
Lastly, the tiefling and the tortle are more unique choices that happen to have some great mechanical benefits. Tiefling's resistance to fire damage is always a welcome boon and the ability to cast hellish rebuke is rather fitting for a Bard. Then there's the tortle whose natural armor provides you with an AC of 17 which you can bump up to 19 by equipping a shield.
Typically, a Bard's AC is one of their weak points.
Ability Scores
Obviously, the name of the game here is Charisma. You should look to maximize your Charisma score as soon as possible as it's your spellcasting ability modifier and influences the number of spells you know as well as their effectiveness. You also gain more bardic inspirations the higher your Charisma score🌱 goes, so every feature you have is made better by increasing this score.
Unlike most other classes who want Constitution as their second highest ability score, the College of Lore Bard makes a good case for choosing either Dexterity or Wisdom instead thanks to its plethora of skill proficiencies. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in three m�𝄹�ore skills of your choice.
You may be influenced to choose Dexterity as you already have proficiency in Dexterity saving throws, and this ability score influences your AC and your initiative. Additionally, stealth is one of the most important skills in the game and both sleight of hand and acrobatics have a place in a Bard's toolkit as well.
Speaking of initiative, did you know that initiative is a Dexterity ability check? This means that you can use your bardic inspiration to increase your own or another character's initiative roll!
Alternatively, Wisdom is the most important ability score for defending yourself from opposing spellcasting and other saving throw based abilities. On top of that, perception is the most important skill in the game and insight is monumentally helpful in social situations.
You may want to see what your other party members are bringing to the table before deciding on Dexterity or Wisdom as your second highest score. A party🧸 with a Rogue might be better served with a Wisdom fo♛cused Bard while a party with a Cleric would likely prefer a Dexterity focused one.
Whatever your choice between Dexterity and Wisdom, Constitution should certainly be your next most important ability score. A party that's lacking in melee classes may even lead you to consider prioritizing Constitution over the aforementioned Dexterity or Wisdom, however, this would be an unfortunate concession for your character.
Spells
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Bards are the premiere support class of Dungeons & Dragons. As a result, your spell selection should reflect this role. Bards are the only class that has access to the vicious mockery cantrip. While this cantrip doesn't deal much damage, the disadvantage it incurs on an enemy attack roll is absolutely huge. This is your go-to move in situations where you want to conserve spell slots.
Vicious mockery only works on targ🤡ets that can hear you. Be wary of🅰 using this cantrip on enemies that may not be able to hear.
You'll want to initiate most combats by dropping a concentration spell like Faerie Fire, Bane, Heroism, or Hideous Laughter. Doing so allows you to churn out value from your con𝕴centration turn after turn which will make a big difference in the long ꦦrun.
Sleep is an incredible spell at low level play that is capable of shutting down entire combat encounters. If you do play around with sleep at low levels, don't forget to switch it out for something better once you get to about 5th level.
Once you've got your concentration spell going, other spells to consider casting on future turns include Dissonant Whispers, Thunderwave, Shatter, and Blindness/Deafness. These spells will either inflict 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:a debilitating condition on an enemy or deal a moderate amount of damage capable of finishing off already wounded foes.
As a support class, healing and utility spells are also very important to prepare. Healing word is a must have for any competent Bard, and silvery barbs is so good it's a necessary inclusion (assuming it isn't banned at your table). Beyond that, spells like Charm Person, Invisibility, Disguise Self, Enthrall, Knock, and Detect Thoughts can all prove incredi🧸bly useful in the right♊ situation.
At higher levels, Nathair's Mischief, Suggestion, Heat Metal, Fear, Enemies Abound, Greater Invisibility, Major Image, and Hold Monster are good uses of your concentration. However, they are all outclassed by either Hypnotic Pattern or Polymorph in the large majority of situations.
Needless to say, you'll want to have both Hypnotic Pattern and Polymorph prepared at all times. These are your heavy hitter concentration spells once you hit 5th level.
Nonconcentration spells to consider adding to your available spells at higher levels include Dispel Magic, Speak with Dead, Sending, Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement, and Synaptic Static.
Feats
We've been talking about the importance of concentration a lot, so it's a natural conclusion that War Caster or Resilient (Con) are 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:essential feats for your Lore Bard. War Ca♏ster is better for maintaining concentration at early levels while Resilient (Con) outperforms War Caster once you enter💮 the third tier of play around level 11.
Inspiring Leader is another top tier feat to consider for your Lore Bard as it provides your entire party with a sizable buffer of temporar🍃y hit points eve💦ry short rest.
Other 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:feats to consider on your Bard include Actor, Alert, Eldritch Adept, Fey Touched, Gift of the Metallic Dragon, Magic Initiate, Metamagic Adept, Observant, Prodigy, and Shadow Touched. These feats either supplement your spel𒆙lcasting, provide additional proficiencies, or make your Bard more perceptive of sneaky t🌠hreats.
While each of these additional feats can add a lot of customization to your Bard, it's probably best to maximize your Charisma score before taking any other feats beyond War Caster or Resilient (Con).
Magical Secrets
While all Bards receive magical secrets at higher levels, Lore Bards gain two additional magical secrets as early as sixth level. This feature allows you to choose two spells from any class spell list and add them to your prepared number of spells,🍌 allowing you an absurd amount of customiza🔯tion.
However, there's definitely a way to go wrong here. Whatever choice you make is locked in for the remainder of your character's career, so you really want to be careful in your selection and make certain that you're gaining access to spells that can do things your other Bard spells can't.
Thanks to Hypnotic Pattern and Polymorph, you already have some of the best battlefield control spells in the game. Taking this into account, you don't really want to use your secrets on control spells. Instead, consider spells with unique effects like Haste, Aid, Counterspell, Find Familiar, Tasha's Mind Whip, Revivify, Thunder Step, Conjure Animals, and Spirit Guardians.
At later levels, the same philosophy applies for your other magical secrets. These should be spent on 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:game-changing spells like Wall of Force, Find Greater Steed, Conjure Woodland Beings, Disintegrate, Contingency, Reverse Gravity, Clone, and Simulacrum.
A Word On Cutting Words
The cutting words feature is another part of what makes the Lore Bard in particular the best Bard subclass in D&D. This feature allows you to expend your bardic inspiration as a reaction and potentially turn a successful enemy attack roll, ability check, or damage roll into an unsuccessful one.
Reducing an enemy damage roll is effective🔴 at low levels, but you should almost always avoid using cutting words in this way as you enter the middle tiers of play (level 5 and beyond) unless it might prevent🍌 an ally from going unconscious.
Maximizing your use of the action economy is what makes great D&D players stand apart from good ones. Most classes don't receive 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:a dedicated reaction use, so this ability alone makes the action economy of a Lore Bard better than the majority of other builds. However, you'll want to time your use of cutting words intelligently, only using it to influence the most important rolls.
A successful attack or saving throw from a boss monster is ꩵan example of a perfect situation to use your cutting words.
All of that being said, you're now ready to jam out with your Lore Bard. The Lore Bard is one of the best individual subclasses in the game, and it is sure to delight thinking players. Just don't be tempted to do too much of your thinking with the wrong head.