Playing Storm King’s Thunder at level 8 going on 9. The plan for the campaign is to do all the giant lords, of which we’ve beaten 2 so far. It was combined with Lost Mines and Below, so the campaign might return to that plot at some point as well. Basically, there will be several more levels for this character.
I play a glamour bard who’s specced heavily into utility and status effects. So heavily in fact that I have no damage options. As we’re reaching level 9 next session, I need to work on this, because I’m finding too many turns where I just end up holding concentration and passing. I was thinking a multiclass could help, but the only ones I have the stats for are rogue, fighter, sorcerer, and warlock.
So I’m debating two angles and need help. Do I multiclass to:
A) Give up on the character concept and pick up some damage
B) Find enough utility options that I can do something each turn even if it’s not attacking
Or is there a better way to achieve one of these goals by staying bard? Part of me thinks give up, go archfey warlock for eldritch blast. Part of me thinks to stick to the concept and take a sorcerer level for all the elemental cantrips (shape water, mold earth, etc.).
The elemental cantrips have almost no utility in combat. So I would definitely not recommend MCing into sorcerer for those.
Viable Options:
1) Give up being no-damage and dip Warlock for EB+AB. 2) Stay support focused and pick up every single one that isn't concentration: Blindness, Command, Dimension Door, Healing spells, Dispel Magic, Restorations.
I find it hard to believe you don't have anything you can do, surely after the first round you could at least heal your allies.
You swap some spells could get some damage options that you can use as a Bard while concentrating:
The best option IMO is Disonnant whispers, cast it on the bad guy with a couple of your martial friends next to and you get op attack damage as well as spell damage.
Especially if you have multiple combats per day so you can not your levelled spells every round I would also ask your DM if you can swap a cantrip, which you could have done at level 8 but RAW can not now to to level 12. Most DMs will allow this. Take Vicious mockery the damage is terrible but disadvantage on their next attack is nice.
Both of these fit in with a bard that is heavily into status effects, you have something to do with your action every round that does a bit of damage and applies a status effect (without using concentration).
I have healing word of course, but it’s generally not worth using that unless somebody’s gone down, since the 6-9 HP usually won’t save them from any break points. Otherwise my only non-concentration spells are dimension door, blindness/deafness, and silvery barbs. That last one gets enough use, but the other two tend to be situational (we’re mostly fighting giants so blindness doesn’t hit very much).
I had lesser restoration and dispel magic for a while, but swapped them out a at 7 because they don’t seem to have use cases in this module. Don’t think there was ever a scenario where we needed either of them.
I have healing word of course, but it’s generally not worth using that unless somebody’s gone down, since the 6-9 HP usually won’t save them from any break points. Otherwise my only non-concentration spells are dimension door, blindness/deafness, and silvery barbs. That last one gets enough use, but the other two tend to be situational (we’re mostly fighting giants so blindness doesn’t hit very much).
I had lesser restoration and dispel magic for a while, but swapped them out a at 7 because they don’t seem to have use cases in this module. Don’t think there was ever a scenario where we needed either of them.
I'm surprised by dispel magic.
Lesser resoration (like revivify) is situational but can be very useful when you need it. I think the best solution for that is to have a couple of scrolls so you don't need to know them.
I don't know the module but whenever coming accross spell casters I use dispel magic possibly more than any other spell. If a door is trapped by a spell it is usually best to dispel it. If the enemy spellcaster casts haste on his goon dispelling it it wonderful. If he polymorphs a party member , dispelling to bring them back is usually more reliable than trying to get them to lose concentration. Every campaign I have been in has enough spellcasters for dispel magic to come up often.
The only thing with dispel magic is it might be better on another party member (it another party member can cast it). That way you can give them inspiration so they are much more likely to succeed dispelling high level spells with a 3rd level spot. This doesn't really apply if there is an artificer in the party as flash of inspiration is probably better (though less uses).
Get yourself Cure Wounds, 32 points of healing when cast at 3rd level, and you've got the slots to spare if your not doing anything most rounds. Command is better than Blindness in pretty much every way so swap your spells around for that one. If you want some cantrips to spam then MC into Divine Soul Sorcerer for Guidance and Resistance, they don't do much but that's kind of the point of cantrips. No spellcaster does much if they aren't dropping their top 50% of slots in the combat.
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Playing Storm King’s Thunder at level 8 going on 9. The plan for the campaign is to do all the giant lords, of which we’ve beaten 2 so far. It was combined with Lost Mines and Below, so the campaign might return to that plot at some point as well. Basically, there will be several more levels for this character.
I play a glamour bard who’s specced heavily into utility and status effects. So heavily in fact that I have no damage options. As we’re reaching level 9 next session, I need to work on this, because I’m finding too many turns where I just end up holding concentration and passing. I was thinking a multiclass could help, but the only ones I have the stats for are rogue, fighter, sorcerer, and warlock.
So I’m debating two angles and need help. Do I multiclass to:
A) Give up on the character concept and pick up some damage
B) Find enough utility options that I can do something each turn even if it’s not attacking
Or is there a better way to achieve one of these goals by staying bard? Part of me thinks give up, go archfey warlock for eldritch blast. Part of me thinks to stick to the concept and take a sorcerer level for all the elemental cantrips (shape water, mold earth, etc.).
The elemental cantrips have almost no utility in combat. So I would definitely not recommend MCing into sorcerer for those.
Viable Options:
1) Give up being no-damage and dip Warlock for EB+AB.
2) Stay support focused and pick up every single one that isn't concentration: Blindness, Command, Dimension Door, Healing spells, Dispel Magic, Restorations.
I find it hard to believe you don't have anything you can do, surely after the first round you could at least heal your allies.
You swap some spells could get some damage options that you can use as a Bard while concentrating:
The best option IMO is Disonnant whispers, cast it on the bad guy with a couple of your martial friends next to and you get op attack damage as well as spell damage.
Especially if you have multiple combats per day so you can not your levelled spells every round I would also ask your DM if you can swap a cantrip, which you could have done at level 8 but RAW can not now to to level 12. Most DMs will allow this. Take Vicious mockery the damage is terrible but disadvantage on their next attack is nice.
Both of these fit in with a bard that is heavily into status effects, you have something to do with your action every round that does a bit of damage and applies a status effect (without using concentration).
I have healing word of course, but it’s generally not worth using that unless somebody’s gone down, since the 6-9 HP usually won’t save them from any break points. Otherwise my only non-concentration spells are dimension door, blindness/deafness, and silvery barbs. That last one gets enough use, but the other two tend to be situational (we’re mostly fighting giants so blindness doesn’t hit very much).
I had lesser restoration and dispel magic for a while, but swapped them out a at 7 because they don’t seem to have use cases in this module. Don’t think there was ever a scenario where we needed either of them.
I'm surprised by dispel magic.
Lesser resoration (like revivify) is situational but can be very useful when you need it. I think the best solution for that is to have a couple of scrolls so you don't need to know them.
I don't know the module but whenever coming accross spell casters I use dispel magic possibly more than any other spell. If a door is trapped by a spell it is usually best to dispel it. If the enemy spellcaster casts haste on his goon dispelling it it wonderful. If he polymorphs a party member , dispelling to bring them back is usually more reliable than trying to get them to lose concentration. Every campaign I have been in has enough spellcasters for dispel magic to come up often.
The only thing with dispel magic is it might be better on another party member (it another party member can cast it). That way you can give them inspiration so they are much more likely to succeed dispelling high level spells with a 3rd level spot. This doesn't really apply if there is an artificer in the party as flash of inspiration is probably better (though less uses).
Get yourself Cure Wounds, 32 points of healing when cast at 3rd level, and you've got the slots to spare if your not doing anything most rounds. Command is better than Blindness in pretty much every way so swap your spells around for that one. If you want some cantrips to spam then MC into Divine Soul Sorcerer for Guidance and Resistance, they don't do much but that's kind of the point of cantrips. No spellcaster does much if they aren't dropping their top 50% of slots in the combat.