I am level 2 changeling bard that was raised as a drow and believes he's a drow. He has been forced against his will to live on the surface (long, evolving story). I would really like to get him darkvision asap and don't want to rely on a magic item for it.
I am currently deciding between three possibilities:
1. Dip a level of shadow sorcerer. 2. Dip two levels of warlock (his patron would be a Handmaiden of Lolth, perhaps she is even his mother since Yochlol are also shapechangers) and get Devil's sight. 3. Take the Eldritch Adept Feat at 4 and get Devil's Sight.
My bard is currently the main healer/support of the group, so I am worried about postponing bard levels. The basic question I have, is the Eldritch Adept Feat at bard level 4 a bad idea? It will put off my ability score increase until bard level 8. Would it be better to dip sorcerer or warlock to get the ASI earlier?
Honestly, none of these are great options. You really don't want to dip into another class before you've got 5 levels in your main class, and by that point you're starting to look at long stretches between levels going by typical progression. Also, ASI's are based on class level, not character level, so if you made a two level dip at level 2 you'll get your first ASI at character level 6. Taking the feat for Devil's Sight is probably your best bet if you absolutely must have darkvision, but honestly I wouldn't say it's worth an ASI at level 4 unless you rolled some really good stats.
Honestly, none of these are great options. You really don't want to dip into another class before you've got 5 levels in your main class, and by that point you're starting to look at long stretches between levels going by typical progression. Also, ASI's are based on class level, not character level, so if you made a two level dip at level 2 you'll get your first ASI at character level 6. Taking the feat for Devil's Sight is probably your best bet if you absolutely must have darkvision, but honestly I wouldn't say it's worth an ASI at level 4 unless you rolled some really good stats.
Thanks. I used point buy and have 17 in charisma. For this character I’d really like darkvision soon, but I agree, losing that ASI hurts.
A multiclass will always weaken a build by virtue of slowing down ASIs and spell progression. Multiclassing for a single trait is generally not the best move either, particularly one as situational and passive as darkvision. That said, I've been a character without darkvision in a perma-night campaign, so I get why it might be extremely valuable depending on your game. Sure, torches/lanterns/cantrips can take care of lack of seeing in the dark, but they give away your position and require you to carry them or cast them. Sometimes being able to look into a cave and see the monster getting ready to eat your face helps a ton.
Depending on your wisdom score, you might consider dipping into twilight cleric. You get darkvision at level 1 and would have access to more healing and support spells. Twilight fits thematically with an underdark upbringing, too. This is anything but optimized, but it gives you a different set of tools to bring to the party.
Personally, I'm currently playing a bard 4/warlock 1 without darkvision. Like you, I am the only healer/support the party has. It sucks a little that I don't have 3rd level spells or inspiration that recharges on short rests, but it's not that big of a deal. Plus, the pact slot and two attacks with Eldritch Blast help me be viable in combat a lot longer.
You could just talk to your DM to see if they will let you have dark vision as the changling. You could argue that the changling race is one of the more adaptable races for environmental changes especially with their mutable anatomy.
Personally, I'm currently playing a bard 4/warlock 1 without darkvision. Like you, I am the only healer/support the party has. It sucks a little that I don't have 3rd level spells or inspiration that recharges on short rests, but it's not that big of a deal. Plus, the pact slot and two attacks with Eldritch Blast help me be viable in combat a lot longer.
It sounds like you feel my pain. :)
I am in a party with four damage dealers with darkvision (sorcerer, monk, barbarian, ranger). In 2 levels we've already had two completely lightless dungeons. My character *thinks* he's a drow and stays in drow form as much as possible. It's just awkward to not have darkvision, but to be fair, my character would have grown up dark-blind and would most likely think, as a drow, others should adapt to him vs. him adapting to the party.
He uses a ritual cast unseen servant as his lantern bearer. This gets me thinking ... maybe this unseen servant with the lantern can float around as a distraction, illuminating the enemy while the bard stays hidden in darkness. Sort of like concentration free dancing lights? Maybe I'll give him two lanterns to wave around eerily. Need something that will continue to illuminate if he gets killed.
I'm starting to lean towards getting to Bard 6 and re-evaluating the multiclass. Twilight cleric is indeed awesome, but I'm not sure how religious I want to make this character. I've also started to think about how great it would be to have a Handmaiden of Lolth warlock patron, or maybe even parent. Given their shapeshifting abilities it might be a great fit for a changeling drow. But still thinking that might happen after Bard 6.
It would have to take an attunement slot and it would have to be ok with the DM. Game balance is taken into account for demihumans without dark vision, they have other abilities to make up for it. And then a simple light cantrip removes the need for dark vision in the first place.
The Changeling himself can trivialize a fair bit of encounters by being able to appear as a another race, seeing as the character in question is a bard... well well well he'll be the parties start at being able to bypass combat with hostile humanoids more times than not.
If it were at my table, I wouldn't see a problem giving you the drow's superior darkvision if you also accepted the drow's sunlight sensitivity, since I see the two balancing each other out and the player clearly has some character concept they are trying to explore. It could be either a mutation because you were experimented on in the Underdark or a Blessing from Lolth for your continued service to her.
The DMG has a listing of Supernatural Gifts and this would fall into the Blessings category, I believe. Consult your DM as RAI will vary.
Greetings all,
I am level 2 changeling bard that was raised as a drow and believes he's a drow. He has been forced against his will to live on the surface (long, evolving story). I would really like to get him darkvision asap and don't want to rely on a magic item for it.
I am currently deciding between three possibilities:
1. Dip a level of shadow sorcerer.
2. Dip two levels of warlock (his patron would be a Handmaiden of Lolth, perhaps she is even his mother since Yochlol are also shapechangers) and get Devil's sight.
3. Take the Eldritch Adept Feat at 4 and get Devil's Sight.
My bard is currently the main healer/support of the group, so I am worried about postponing bard levels. The basic question I have, is the Eldritch Adept Feat at bard level 4 a bad idea? It will put off my ability score increase until bard level 8. Would it be better to dip sorcerer or warlock to get the ASI earlier?
Thanks in advance for the help!
Honestly, none of these are great options. You really don't want to dip into another class before you've got 5 levels in your main class, and by that point you're starting to look at long stretches between levels going by typical progression. Also, ASI's are based on class level, not character level, so if you made a two level dip at level 2 you'll get your first ASI at character level 6. Taking the feat for Devil's Sight is probably your best bet if you absolutely must have darkvision, but honestly I wouldn't say it's worth an ASI at level 4 unless you rolled some really good stats.
Thanks. I used point buy and have 17 in charisma. For this character I’d really like darkvision soon, but I agree, losing that ASI hurts.
A multiclass will always weaken a build by virtue of slowing down ASIs and spell progression. Multiclassing for a single trait is generally not the best move either, particularly one as situational and passive as darkvision. That said, I've been a character without darkvision in a perma-night campaign, so I get why it might be extremely valuable depending on your game. Sure, torches/lanterns/cantrips can take care of lack of seeing in the dark, but they give away your position and require you to carry them or cast them. Sometimes being able to look into a cave and see the monster getting ready to eat your face helps a ton.
Depending on your wisdom score, you might consider dipping into twilight cleric. You get darkvision at level 1 and would have access to more healing and support spells. Twilight fits thematically with an underdark upbringing, too. This is anything but optimized, but it gives you a different set of tools to bring to the party.
Personally, I'm currently playing a bard 4/warlock 1 without darkvision. Like you, I am the only healer/support the party has. It sucks a little that I don't have 3rd level spells or inspiration that recharges on short rests, but it's not that big of a deal. Plus, the pact slot and two attacks with Eldritch Blast help me be viable in combat a lot longer.
You could just talk to your DM to see if they will let you have dark vision as the changling. You could argue that the changling race is one of the more adaptable races for environmental changes especially with their mutable anatomy.
It sounds like you feel my pain. :)
I am in a party with four damage dealers with darkvision (sorcerer, monk, barbarian, ranger). In 2 levels we've already had two completely lightless dungeons. My character *thinks* he's a drow and stays in drow form as much as possible. It's just awkward to not have darkvision, but to be fair, my character would have grown up dark-blind and would most likely think, as a drow, others should adapt to him vs. him adapting to the party.
He uses a ritual cast unseen servant as his lantern bearer. This gets me thinking ... maybe this unseen servant with the lantern can float around as a distraction, illuminating the enemy while the bard stays hidden in darkness. Sort of like concentration free dancing lights? Maybe I'll give him two lanterns to wave around eerily. Need something that will continue to illuminate if he gets killed.
I'm starting to lean towards getting to Bard 6 and re-evaluating the multiclass. Twilight cleric is indeed awesome, but I'm not sure how religious I want to make this character. I've also started to think about how great it would be to have a Handmaiden of Lolth warlock patron, or maybe even parent. Given their shapeshifting abilities it might be a great fit for a changeling drow. But still thinking that might happen after Bard 6.
Your story line fixes itself, he's a Drow born without darkvision so he was cast aside to the surface.
I know you said you didn't want a magic item, but maybe a tattoo that grants dark vision would have to be HB to be permanent?
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
It would have to take an attunement slot and it would have to be ok with the DM. Game balance is taken into account for demihumans without dark vision, they have other abilities to make up for it. And then a simple light cantrip removes the need for dark vision in the first place.
The Changeling himself can trivialize a fair bit of encounters by being able to appear as a another race, seeing as the character in question is a bard... well well well he'll be the parties start at being able to bypass combat with hostile humanoids more times than not.
If it were at my table, I wouldn't see a problem giving you the drow's superior darkvision if you also accepted the drow's sunlight sensitivity, since I see the two balancing each other out and the player clearly has some character concept they are trying to explore. It could be either a mutation because you were experimented on in the Underdark or a Blessing from Lolth for your continued service to her.
The DMG has a listing of Supernatural Gifts and this would fall into the Blessings category, I believe. Consult your DM as RAI will vary.
I'd just take dancing lights cantrip and call it a day but maybe that's just me
You could always use the Changeling Metamorphosis feat from the Exploring Eberron book
Can I jain I don't have any campaign yes
Totally fair, but it's worth at least asking the DM about