I'm trying to get ideas for a Bard built for a minimum of enemy-targeting spells, with a starting Charisma of +1 due to intentionally no ancestry-based CHA stat bump. Most class levels would still be Bard, but multi-classing is okay. Can you still make an effective character? By that, I mean a PC who is good at doing something, be it exploration, dealing with traps, social situations, stealing valuables from NPCs, killing foes, preventing damage to allies, etc.
Well, you'll be bad at using bard stuff, but if your other scores are decent enough, you could still be effective. With bard expertise and non-casting stat tied spells you could be really good at exploration (Survival and Nature expertise, Find the Path etc), with the right Dex/Str score and College of Swords you can be a decent melee fighter, and with some non-stat tied spells you can be semi-competent at ally buffs (Heroism etc). Bards are a very versatile class, so you can just about manage having a low charisma score. Its definitely not good though and I wouldn't recommend taking more than 3 levels in bard (for expertise and college). You'll be trash at what bards are generally supposed to do however.
In my party we have a Rogue that chose the Entertainer background. Would having a player that could act bard-like but is in truth something else, meet your needs? That is the best way I can think of to create an effective Bard-Lite (N)PC. Not all musicians are bards.
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I think you can build a pretty effective grappler Lore Bard using Goliath or Mtn Dwarf. The point of Bard is to get Expertise in Athletics in these situations. And use that 2nd level spell slot for Cloud of Daggers for non-save-able slashing damage. Use the Enlarge spell for additional leverage and to control the movements of Huge monsters. Or go Duergar and Valor Bard: Enlarge spell w/out using Magical Secrets.
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I'm trying to get ideas for a Bard built for a minimum of enemy-targeting spells, with a starting Charisma of +1 due to intentionally no ancestry-based CHA stat bump. Most class levels would still be Bard, but multi-classing is okay. Can you still make an effective character? By that, I mean a PC who is good at doing something, be it exploration, dealing with traps, social situations, stealing valuables from NPCs, killing foes, preventing damage to allies, etc.
Well, you'll be bad at using bard stuff, but if your other scores are decent enough, you could still be effective. With bard expertise and non-casting stat tied spells you could be really good at exploration (Survival and Nature expertise, Find the Path etc), with the right Dex/Str score and College of Swords you can be a decent melee fighter, and with some non-stat tied spells you can be semi-competent at ally buffs (Heroism etc). Bards are a very versatile class, so you can just about manage having a low charisma score. Its definitely not good though and I wouldn't recommend taking more than 3 levels in bard (for expertise and college). You'll be trash at what bards are generally supposed to do however.
In my party we have a Rogue that chose the Entertainer background. Would having a player that could act bard-like but is in truth something else, meet your needs? That is the best way I can think of to create an effective Bard-Lite (N)PC. Not all musicians are bards.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
The biggest issue with a low cha bard is the lack of bardic inspiration uses. I'd probably go STR or DEX valor bard with GWM and/or PAM, or archer.
The PC can go with non-CHA spells but the lack of uses cripples swords flourishes going sword.
I think you can build a pretty effective grappler Lore Bard using Goliath or Mtn Dwarf. The point of Bard is to get Expertise in Athletics in these situations. And use that 2nd level spell slot for Cloud of Daggers for non-save-able slashing damage. Use the Enlarge spell for additional leverage and to control the movements of Huge monsters. Or go Duergar and Valor Bard: Enlarge spell w/out using Magical Secrets.