Campaign: Tomb of Annihilation Current Level: 5 Character: Half-elf Lore Bard with Anthropologist background. Mostly fills role of support/utility/social skills character Rest of party: Lizardfolk druid, tabaxi rogue, tiefling warlock
Spells I currently have
Cantrips: Vicious Mockery Minor Illusion Prestidigitation
1st Comprehend Languages Healing Word Identify
2nd Enhance Ability Lesser Restoration (would consider dropping - Druid can also cast) Phantasmal Force (would consider dropping)
3rd Leomund's Tiny Hut Sending
Next level, I can add up to 4 spells (1 bard spell, 2 magical secrets, plus 1 additional bard spell if I replace one i already know)
Bard spells I'm considering adding:
Heroism (1) - Based on how our fights tend to go, having multiple party members gaining 4 temporary hp per round would be helpful. I tend to spend fights spamming Healing Word to get or keep people on their feet.
Sleep (1) - crowd control, not sure how well it will stack but seems like could still be effective to shut down wounded groups
Shatter (2) - I don't have a lot of offensive spells, and this damage stacks pretty decently and is (albeit limited) AOE
Silence (2) - It's ToA and a lot of fights so far take place in large jungle areas, so usefulness might be limited
Catnap (3) - Seems like pretty great utility spell, especially as the warlock gets everything back on a her short rests
Clairvoyance (3) - Cool utility spell
Considering for Magical Secrets:
Fireball (3) - obvious reasons. Our party otherwise does not have access to this spell.
Spiritual Weapon (2) - solid combat spell
Spirit Guardians (3) - pretty awesome combat spell, plus our party's ability to do radiant damage is pretty limited. However, I usually stay more than 15' away from enemies if I can help it
Eldritch Blast (Cantrip) - arguably the best offensive cantrip (I'm currently still using Vicious Mockery...a lot)
Find Familiar (1) - we don't have any familiars, and this would basically add a permanent ability for my character.
(Note: I would absolutely choose Revivify here except it's ToA so that spell doesn't work)
Well, I could tell you what I would do... but, that would basically be giving you spoilers as well.
Unless you want spoilers.
But, if you provide character based reasons for your character to go each spell, vs the campaign. Maybe that will help you narrow down the spells you're thinking of for you. Is " Mostly fills role of support/utility/social skills character" how you envisioned your character, or how things turned out? How did you envision your Half-elf Lore Bard with Anthropologist background. Maybe more Indiana Jones? Maybe more Benjamin Gates? Maybe more Dwayne Johnson's Dr. Smoulder guy from Jumanji?
I personally, whenever I come to a crossroad, I go towards what i think my character would do or be, versus what might be more useful or optimized, but that's just how I RP and play D&D. For me, its not the end of the world if my character dies, or the heroes fail the campaign, or if I was the most useful or not. For me, its a fail, if I stifle my own creativity, and let other things dictate who I am or how I play.
Well, I could tell you what I would do... but, that would basically be giving you spoilers as well.
Unless you want spoilers.
But, if you provide character based reasons for your character to go each spell, vs the campaign. Maybe that will help you narrow down the spells you're thinking of for you. Is " Mostly fills role of support/utility/social skills character" how you envisioned your character, or how things turned out? How did you envision your Half-elf Lore Bard with Anthropologist background. Maybe more Indiana Jones? Maybe more Benjamin Gates? Maybe more Dwayne Johnson's Dr. Smoulder guy from Jumanji?
I personally, whenever I come to a crossroad, I go towards what i think my character would do or be, versus what might be more useful or optimized, but that's just how I RP and play D&D. For me, its not the end of the world if my character dies, or the heroes fail the campaign, or if I was the most useful or not. For me, its a fail, if I stifle my own creativity, and let other things dictate who I am or how I play.
Hope that helps you.
Thanks, and indeed I don't want spoilers.
Yes - I do try to play into my RP with my spell choices. Prestidigitation, Sending, and Tiny Hut were not necessarily the most powerful spells I could have taken, but they are absolutely the ones my character would take.
He's a bit like a cross between the David Tennant Doctor and Fitz from Agents of Shield. He came to Chult with the idea that most if not all problems could be solved with reason and communication. He surprised and disappointed himself morally by killing an unconscious Sir Niles Breakbone by whispering Vicious Mockeries into his ear.
Clairvoyance is the only one I would recommend that does not include any kinds of forms of spoilers or anything and from my limited knowledge of your character what seems to fit him too.
You could take spell initiate wizard and get find familiar and a damaging cantrip (and another utility cantrip) eliminating your need for eldritch blast. Ritual caster wizard also gets you find familiar and potentially all wizard rituals (you can write down tiny but and replace it).
Spiritual weapon is a non-concentration damage over time spell. If you aren't utilizing your bonus actions, this will fix that.
You could take spell initiate wizard and get find familiar and a damaging cantrip (and another utility cantrip) eliminating your need for eldritch blast. Ritual caster wizard also gets you find familiar and potentially all wizard rituals (you can write down tiny but and replace it).
Spiritual weapon is a non-concentration damage over time spell. If you aren't utilizing your bonus actions, this will fix that.
I should have mentioned - our DM does not allow feats, at all.
If you take spirit gaurdians, go for armor of agathys and when you get a cantrip later (from bard) bladeward - The potential for carnage of bladeward allowing AoA to survive longer periods cant be ignored. It wont stop you losing SG if you are hit but it will repay with beautiful cold damage those who hit you.
For a healer option, take healing spirit. its a full party heal in a minute out of combat.
For customisable vulnerability exploiter take dragons breath. (if you gain a familiar though the familiar cant use an action to attack but can use an action to breathe the spell ohoho. Casting this on your flying familiar and having him bombing run from 15' for a 15' sphere for up to 10 rounds is really amusing, which you can be at pains to point out with vicious mockery, so far at 5th level a familiar has racked up 32 kills)
Enjoy whatever you take, I hear paladin mount summons are another good giggle, but more so at 10th when you get your own flying mount. - also at 10th cherry pick the best paladin or ranger spell you like, it will be another 7 levels before a paladin or ranger could do the same - top tip check out the high level paladin aura spells for real damage ablation! Ranger conjure volleys are fun, but if improvised weapons are weapons then conjure a volley of alchemist fire and after the huger fire bombardment goes off, all the area is going to burn for 1d4 (alchemist fire contact) until the victims stop and drop for your troll(ing)
Bard spells Hypnotic Pattern anybody who fail WIS save basicly out of combat until they get hit or shaken out of it. Faerie Fire nice to give advantage for you party if the target fails the saving trow.
I would't grab sleep or heroism they aren't great on higher levels.
Magical Secrets: Find Steed I think the mount can do same thing as familiar it just bigger and can attack if you don't use it as a mount. Counterspell Great spell to cancel out enemy casters. If you warlock friend pick this to your DM magic casters gonna curse alot when you cancel there spells. Healing Spirit if you dont have a druid or ranger this a nice healing spell out of combat just pop it and let evrybody run into it each turn to heal each member for 10d6.
the others you listed pretty solid to although i wouldnt grab a cantrip. Eldritch blast isnt that great withouth the addons of warlock invocation.
Counterspell is always a good choice for a bard, especially because Jack of All Trades applies to the ability check to attempt to counter spells cast at a higher level then the slot you use to attempt the counter. I haven't played ToA, but it sure seems likely that you could encounter some enemy spellcasters.
Counterspell is a great option. Our warlock does have it, but she has limited spell slots and you can't have too much Counterspell.
Healing Spirit is great but our druid does have access to it.
Find Steed is a spell that, like Revivify, would be a great choice in most campaigns but not so much in ToA (warhorse isn't very practical in the jungle). Will definitely consider the improved version at 10th level.
Campaign: Tomb of Annihilation
Current Level: 5
Character: Half-elf Lore Bard with Anthropologist background. Mostly fills role of support/utility/social skills character
Rest of party: Lizardfolk druid, tabaxi rogue, tiefling warlock
Spells I currently have
Cantrips:
Vicious Mockery
Minor Illusion
Prestidigitation
1st
Comprehend Languages
Healing Word
Identify
2nd
Enhance Ability
Lesser Restoration (would consider dropping - Druid can also cast)
Phantasmal Force (would consider dropping)
3rd
Leomund's Tiny Hut
Sending
Next level, I can add up to 4 spells (1 bard spell, 2 magical secrets, plus 1 additional bard spell if I replace one i already know)
Bard spells I'm considering adding:
Heroism (1) - Based on how our fights tend to go, having multiple party members gaining 4 temporary hp per round would be helpful. I tend to spend fights spamming Healing Word to get or keep people on their feet.
Sleep (1) - crowd control, not sure how well it will stack but seems like could still be effective to shut down wounded groups
Shatter (2) - I don't have a lot of offensive spells, and this damage stacks pretty decently and is (albeit limited) AOE
Silence (2) - It's ToA and a lot of fights so far take place in large jungle areas, so usefulness might be limited
Catnap (3) - Seems like pretty great utility spell, especially as the warlock gets everything back on a her short rests
Clairvoyance (3) - Cool utility spell
Considering for Magical Secrets:
Fireball (3) - obvious reasons. Our party otherwise does not have access to this spell.
Spiritual Weapon (2) - solid combat spell
Spirit Guardians (3) - pretty awesome combat spell, plus our party's ability to do radiant damage is pretty limited. However, I usually stay more than 15' away from enemies if I can help it
Eldritch Blast (Cantrip) - arguably the best offensive cantrip (I'm currently still using Vicious Mockery...a lot)
Find Familiar (1) - we don't have any familiars, and this would basically add a permanent ability for my character.
(Note: I would absolutely choose Revivify here except it's ToA so that spell doesn't work)
Thoughts?
https://cast-party.com/
Well, I could tell you what I would do...
but, that would basically be giving you spoilers as well.
Unless you want spoilers.
But, if you provide character based reasons for your character to go each spell, vs the campaign. Maybe that will help you narrow down the spells you're thinking of for you. Is " Mostly fills role of support/utility/social skills character" how you envisioned your character, or how things turned out? How did you envision your Half-elf Lore Bard with Anthropologist background. Maybe more Indiana Jones? Maybe more Benjamin Gates? Maybe more Dwayne Johnson's Dr. Smoulder guy from Jumanji?
I personally, whenever I come to a crossroad, I go towards what i think my character would do or be, versus what might be more useful or optimized, but that's just how I RP and play D&D. For me, its not the end of the world if my character dies, or the heroes fail the campaign, or if I was the most useful or not. For me, its a fail, if I stifle my own creativity, and let other things dictate who I am or how I play.
Hope that helps you.
Blank
Thanks, and indeed I don't want spoilers.
Yes - I do try to play into my RP with my spell choices. Prestidigitation, Sending, and Tiny Hut were not necessarily the most powerful spells I could have taken, but they are absolutely the ones my character would take.
He's a bit like a cross between the David Tennant Doctor and Fitz from Agents of Shield. He came to Chult with the idea that most if not all problems could be solved with reason and communication. He surprised and disappointed himself morally by killing an unconscious Sir Niles Breakbone by whispering Vicious Mockeries into his ear.
https://cast-party.com/
Clairvoyance is the only one I would recommend that does not include any kinds of forms of spoilers or anything and from my limited knowledge of your character what seems to fit him too.
sorry I couldn’t help more.
Blank
You could take spell initiate wizard and get find familiar and a damaging cantrip (and another utility cantrip) eliminating your need for eldritch blast. Ritual caster wizard also gets you find familiar and potentially all wizard rituals (you can write down tiny but and replace it).
Spiritual weapon is a non-concentration damage over time spell. If you aren't utilizing your bonus actions, this will fix that.
I should have mentioned - our DM does not allow feats, at all.
https://cast-party.com/
If you take spirit gaurdians, go for armor of agathys and when you get a cantrip later (from bard) bladeward - The potential for carnage of bladeward allowing AoA to survive longer periods cant be ignored. It wont stop you losing SG if you are hit but it will repay with beautiful cold damage those who hit you.
For a healer option, take healing spirit. its a full party heal in a minute out of combat.
For customisable vulnerability exploiter take dragons breath. (if you gain a familiar though the familiar cant use an action to attack but can use an action to breathe the spell ohoho. Casting this on your flying familiar and having him bombing run from 15' for a 15' sphere for up to 10 rounds is really amusing, which you can be at pains to point out with vicious mockery, so far at 5th level a familiar has racked up 32 kills)
Enjoy whatever you take, I hear paladin mount summons are another good giggle, but more so at 10th when you get your own flying mount. - also at 10th cherry pick the best paladin or ranger spell you like, it will be another 7 levels before a paladin or ranger could do the same - top tip check out the high level paladin aura spells for real damage ablation! Ranger conjure volleys are fun, but if improvised weapons are weapons then conjure a volley of alchemist fire and after the huger fire bombardment goes off, all the area is going to burn for 1d4 (alchemist fire contact) until the victims stop and drop for your troll(ing)
Bard spells
Hypnotic Pattern anybody who fail WIS save basicly out of combat until they get hit or shaken out of it.
Faerie Fire nice to give advantage for you party if the target fails the saving trow.
I would't grab sleep or heroism they aren't great on higher levels.
Magical Secrets:
Find Steed I think the mount can do same thing as familiar it just bigger and can attack if you don't use it as a mount.
Counterspell Great spell to cancel out enemy casters. If you warlock friend pick this to your DM magic casters gonna curse alot when you cancel there spells.
Healing Spirit if you dont have a druid or ranger this a nice healing spell out of combat just pop it and let evrybody run into it each turn to heal each member for 10d6.
the others you listed pretty solid to although i wouldnt grab a cantrip. Eldritch blast isnt that great withouth the addons of warlock invocation.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?427508-Player-s-Gonna-Play-A-Bard-s-Guide pretty good guide
Nox - Adult Oblex - The Trials
Jartrin Ephok - Dragonborn - Zanoliv
Bunol - Grim Angel - The Floating Lands of Goriate
Counterspell is always a good choice for a bard, especially because Jack of All Trades applies to the ability check to attempt to counter spells cast at a higher level then the slot you use to attempt the counter. I haven't played ToA, but it sure seems likely that you could encounter some enemy spellcasters.
Counterspell is a great option. Our warlock does have it, but she has limited spell slots and you can't have too much Counterspell.
Healing Spirit is great but our druid does have access to it.
Find Steed is a spell that, like Revivify, would be a great choice in most campaigns but not so much in ToA (warhorse isn't very practical in the jungle). Will definitely consider the improved version at 10th level.
https://cast-party.com/