Bard Spells?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bard Spells?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
crowclub
09-30-06, 03:04 PM I have a friend dead-set on playing a Bard. With a very limited spell list, especially in a non-mind-effecting way, it's hard to know which spells he should take. His character will enter the game at level 7/8.

Any advise would be appreciated! The game is fairly low magic item based, and money is fairly tight too. Help!
crowclub
10-01-06, 03:57 AM Are there no Bard players around?
Pandaemoni
10-01-06, 04:48 AM I don't know how many you want...

1st level:
Improvisation (Spell Compendium)--tremendously versatile. One of my favorite spells because it makes you good at everything else. If I weren't so in love with it, I might think it was overpowered.

Tasha's Hideous Laughter A good spell and a whole level lower than mages get it.

Grease a staple for mages for a reason, an AoE trip attack plus you can make opponents drop their weapons/metamagic rods/etc. Especially great is you have a rogue in your party since standing in grease renders most opponents flatfooted.

Ironthunder Horn (Spell Compendium) for those who are sick of Grease, this is also an area trip. It's a much bigger area than Grease, but also less versatile. Not my favorite, but YMMV.

2nd Level--
Alter Self--better in some campaigns than others, especially if flying humanoids exist. Awesome for approaching enemies without arousing suspicion and letting you use bardic music to enthrall them. A Hat of Disguise is an inexpensive alternative for that latter purpose if you are playing a game with magemarts, though.

Cat's Grace Great for bards that rely on ranged attacks in combat, also always appreciated by the rest of the party.

Silence--always a good spell, and it allows you to affect enemy spellcasters without a saving throw somtimes (especially if the bard if strong enough to grapple them).

Invisibility--obvious

Suggestion as a second level spell, is gret. Sure you can make suggestions with your music, but some situations make it difficult to start using music (like combat).

Enthrall I love this spell, but in the campaigns in which I've played, there are many situations in which I have had to distract whole mobs.

Tongues in a game with many languages and frequent language barriers, this spell makes all the bards regular speech-based abilities (like Diplomacy and Bluff and bardic Suggestion) work.

Cloud of Bewilderment (Spell Compendium) It's like a tiny Stinking Cloud, and on that basis a bit overpowered as a 2nd level spell for my tastes...but that's is a question for your DM.

3rd level:
Glibness--a "must" for me, being able to tell unbelievable lies and have them believed nonetheless...it's a good thing.

Sculpt Sound--also very versatile...has RP uses, can be used to interfere with opponent's spellcasting, can be used to make the party quieter. A little redundant if you have Silence too. It's more versatile than Silence, but Silence has uses that do not allow a saving throw.

Haste Like Cat's Grace everyone appreciates having this spell cast on them, and it effects the whole party in one casting.

Dispel Magic, Charm Monster and Fear are also all good.

Edit: I am not a good typist on the best of days, and it turns out that drunk and sleepy at 5 a.m., I am significantly worse. Typos (that I saw) fixed. :D
Roxlimn
10-01-06, 10:13 AM Aside from the excellent suggestions already made, I would also recommend several additional ones, depending on focus

1
Inspirational Boost adds +1 to your IC bonuses. Nice at all levels.
Silent Image is extremely versatile. Coordinate with your Arcane as to who gets to cast it. Or just have redundancy. It's not like that's a bad thing.
Expeditious Retreat allows you to chase down running foes, or run away from charging ones.

2
Bladeweave is excellent melee magic.
Heroism grants you +2 to skill checks, saves, and attack rolls for 10 min/level. It's a bonus to all the things that matter! And for cheap, too.
Silence is anti-caster capability. In a spontaneous caster. Good stuff.

3
Charm Monster - cheap for a bard to get, 4th level only!
Crushing Despair - it's toss up between this and Fear.
Fruscht
10-01-06, 11:30 AM Previous suggestions plus:

Cure Light/Moderate/Serious Wounds (if you don't have a cleric or something like that)
Celerity (or Lesser celerity at lower levels)
Elation
Glitterdust
Know Vulnerabilies (as 2nd level spell!)
Mirror Image
Summon Monster spells
Blink
(Mass) Curse of Impending Blades
Phantom Steed
Ray of Diziness
DMDaddy
10-01-06, 03:12 PM 3rd level - Glibness is a must have with its +30 to bluff. In my opinion it is almost a broken spell, but it leads to interesting roleplaying scenarios that would not normaly come up.

Bards are not too good at combat so any spells that boost combat are good. Blur, blink, Mirror Image, Heroism, good hope.
demonsinmyhead
10-01-06, 03:37 PM If I remember correctly there are some boom spells for bards. Granted they are not the best of the boom, but they still do damage nonetheless.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
crowclub 09-30-06, 03:04 PM	I have a friend dead-set on playing a Bard. With a very limited spell list, especially in a non-mind-effecting way, it's hard to know which spells he should take. His character will enter the game at level 7/8. Any advise would be appreciated! The game is fairly low magic item based, and money is fairly tight too. Help!
crowclub 10-01-06, 03:57 AM	Are there no Bard players around?
Pandaemoni 10-01-06, 04:48 AM	I don't know how many you want... 1st level: Improvisation (Spell Compendium)--tremendously versatile. One of my favorite spells because it makes you good at everything else. If I weren't so in love with it, I might think it was overpowered. Tasha's Hideous Laughter A good spell and a whole level lower than mages get it. Grease a staple for mages for a reason, an AoE trip attack plus you can make opponents drop their weapons/metamagic rods/etc. Especially great is you have a rogue in your party since standing in grease renders most opponents flatfooted. Ironthunder Horn (Spell Compendium) for those who are sick of Grease, this is also an area trip. It's a much bigger area than Grease, but also less versatile. Not my favorite, but YMMV. 2nd Level-- Alter Self--better in some campaigns than others, especially if flying humanoids exist. Awesome for approaching enemies without arousing suspicion and letting you use bardic music to enthrall them. A Hat of Disguise is an inexpensive alternative for that latter purpose if you are playing a game with magemarts, though. Cat's Grace Great for bards that rely on ranged attacks in combat, also always appreciated by the rest of the party. Silence--always a good spell, and it allows you to affect enemy spellcasters without a saving throw somtimes (especially if the bard if strong enough to grapple them). Invisibility--obvious Suggestion as a second level spell, is gret. Sure you can make suggestions with your music, but some situations make it difficult to start using music (like combat). Enthrall I love this spell, but in the campaigns in which I've played, there are many situations in which I have had to distract whole mobs. Tongues in a game with many languages and frequent language barriers, this spell makes all the bards regular speech-based abilities (like Diplomacy and Bluff and bardic Suggestion) work. Cloud of Bewilderment (Spell Compendium) It's like a tiny Stinking Cloud, and on that basis a bit overpowered as a 2nd level spell for my tastes...but that's is a question for your DM. 3rd level: Glibness--a "must" for me, being able to tell unbelievable lies and have them believed nonetheless...it's a good thing. Sculpt Sound--also very versatile...has RP uses, can be used to interfere with opponent's spellcasting, can be used to make the party quieter. A little redundant if you have Silence too. It's more versatile than Silence, but Silence has uses that do not allow a saving throw. Haste Like Cat's Grace everyone appreciates having this spell cast on them, and it effects the whole party in one casting. Dispel Magic, Charm Monster and Fear are also all good. Edit: I am not a good typist on the best of days, and it turns out that drunk and sleepy at 5 a.m., I am significantly worse. Typos (that I saw) fixed. :D
Roxlimn 10-01-06, 10:13 AM	Aside from the excellent suggestions already made, I would also recommend several additional ones, depending on focus 1 Inspirational Boost adds +1 to your IC bonuses. Nice at all levels. Silent Image is extremely versatile. Coordinate with your Arcane as to who gets to cast it. Or just have redundancy. It's not like that's a bad thing. Expeditious Retreat allows you to chase down running foes, or run away from charging ones. 2 Bladeweave is excellent melee magic. Heroism grants you +2 to skill checks, saves, and attack rolls for 10 min/level. It's a bonus to all the things that matter! And for cheap, too. Silence is anti-caster capability. In a spontaneous caster. Good stuff. 3 Charm Monster - cheap for a bard to get, 4th level only! Crushing Despair - it's toss up between this and Fear.
Fruscht 10-01-06, 11:30 AM	Previous suggestions plus: Cure Light/Moderate/Serious Wounds (if you don't have a cleric or something like that) Celerity (or Lesser celerity at lower levels) Elation Glitterdust Know Vulnerabilies (as 2nd level spell!) Mirror Image Summon Monster spells Blink (Mass) Curse of Impending Blades Phantom Steed Ray of Diziness
DMDaddy 10-01-06, 03:12 PM	3rd level - Glibness is a must have with its +30 to bluff. In my opinion it is almost a broken spell, but it leads to interesting roleplaying scenarios that would not normaly come up. Bards are not too good at combat so any spells that boost combat are good. Blur, blink, Mirror Image, Heroism, good hope.
demonsinmyhead 10-01-06, 03:37 PM	If I remember correctly there are some boom spells for bards. Granted they are not the best of the boom, but they still do damage nonetheless.