Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 BrutusBuckeye Sep 25, 2015 13:32:19	My lore bard is currently at level 4, using a crossbow and rapier. I've decided I want to make him a little more blasty. WE already have a warlock in my group, otherwise I probably would have dipped a few levels of warlock, but I don't want to step on the current warlocks toes so...   I thought about taking Magic Initiate and stealing a couple sorcerer cantrips and a spell. I was looking at mage armor, shocking grasp and fire bolt if I recall correctly. But I was wondering if it was better to get these from the feat and thus maintain my pure bard and earlier access to magical secrets, or should I dip a level, 2 or 3 into sorcer to pick the spells up that way, but then delaying magical secrets?   Any advice?
#2 Tempest_Stormwind Sep 25, 2015 16:06:15	I'd delay on adding blasts until you get Magical Secrets. Honestly, what you could pick up from that will outstrip anything a multiclass dip could provide (other than, possibly, warlock 2, but you don't want to step on your warlock's toes, and the immediate increase it provides isn't too much above what you're already doing).   Also, I would never look at Shocking Grasp unless I needed a lightning fist for fluff reasons, and even then it wouldn't be a commonly-used ability. Consider a competing argument against it, and ask yourself if your own arguments for it are strong enough to justify it.
#3 BrutusBuckeye Sep 26, 2015 9:56:58	Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
#4 Tempest_Stormwind Sep 26, 2015 15:16:44	BrutusBuckeye wrote:
#5 BrutusBuckeye Oct 03, 2015 8:00:39	I definitely see your point in shocking grasp and the ptoential for it to miss, so I will probaby change that. I've never used anydice before, but I will try to check it out. But by my math I have a +3 for DEX and CHA, so my weapons should hit as often as my spells. My crossbow will hit for 1d6+3 so 4-9 or an average of 6.5 but with a guarnteed minimum of 4. Firebolt at level <5 will only do 1d10 for an average of 5.5 but with a possible minimum of 1. At 5th level it will do 2d10 for an average of 11 damage, and would continue to scale from there, but again a potential mimum of 2 damage, but also a max of 20, which my crossbow could only come close to with a crit.   IDK, the bard sounded like a lot of fun when I was researching classes, but after playing him for 4 levels it hasn't felt fun to me yet. I enjoy being a skill monkey. But have bad luck with the dice and cant even do that right half the time lol.I feel like we don't see enough long rest opportunities to replensih spells, so they rarely get used, maybe once or twice a session. Ju7st trying to find a way to make him more fun. Maybe my idea wasn't the best way.
#6 BRJN Oct 03, 2015 16:23:05	When you can cast 6th-level spells, take Circle of Death.  My Tiamat group's Bard (who is supposed to be the party's healer) just nuked a group of Giant Spiders with it.  The good news is, they know a dragon lair is nearby and now she's down one mega-zap on him.   Meanwhile, it may not "feel like you are doing anything" heroic, but look at Bless and Bane.  I watched a Bard turn an entire enemy force into fluff and marshmallows because they could not hit a thing.  He walked unscathed out of a knot of nasties.
#7 Ashrym Oct 07, 2015 13:03:57	Thunderwave is the way to go if a person is concerned with opportunity attacks because it pushes away multiple opponents to prevent multiple opportunity attacks and gives a bit of blast damage if that's the goal. Dissonant whispers is another option as it grants opportunity attacks to the bard and allies instead of triggering receiving them. Disengaging is a useful option and weapon plus ability modifier is still competitive damage with cantrips at those levels. Since you would need to level to MC anyway you are really only waiting one more level if you go with bard 6 for extra secrets instead and opening up font of inspiration on the way. At 6th level pick up a spell that grants additional attack options each turn like flaming sphere or moonbeam. Per turn duration attack spells plus a cantrip or attack option will increase the number of magical attacks through the day if that's what you want.