dndbuilds

Best Bards in D&D

Added 2024-06-06 18:01:49 +0000 UTC

This one took me longer than expected, the spell lists might use a bit of modifications depending on playstyle and your specific campaign, but hopefully this points you in the right direction for an optimized Bard.

Most backgrounds involve an expanded spell list especially to give you some more cantrips.

Creation Bard:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/125555260/JgF2B8

Best to stay away, fly around as a Fairy (which also gives some more spells), and let your Creation do the work.

Eloquence Bard:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/125556342/nIMpy5

Wine and Dine others as a Mark of Hospitality Halfling, giving an extra d4 to your persuasion if you include food or drink. Also Halflings get to reroll nat 1's.

Glamour Bard:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/125557506/lQQGMw

Gotta run, so squeezing through tight spaces to escape as a Plasmoid is perfect for this build.

Lore Bard:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/125566675/kgwkff

Might as well grab more proficiencies since this subclass already focuses on it so much, so I went with a Half Elf. Otherwise it's all about the spell choices.

Spirit Bard:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/125567446/NjXRKZ

Spirit Bards may need to be in melee occasionally so being a Hill Dwarf will give the option to boost up your HP consistently, otherwise just focused on expanding creepy spells

Swords Bard:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/125931126/VdcCwr

Regularly being in Melee, needed to focus on health and armor class, so I went with Beasthide Shifter which allows you to boost each of them, then went further with Wildspacer giving you the Tough feat. I went dueling just to boost one handed damage and be able to use your bonus action for other things.

I then focused on great melee spells that really boost you up like Haste, Spirit Guardians, Spirit Shroud, etc.

Valor Bard:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/125932157/rwnBHT

Spell bow build all the way, Human Variant for Sharpshooter, and focusing on ranged weapon attack boost whether it's through invisibility, flight, swift quiver, etc.

Whispers Bard:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/125933123/4g6ijC

Lean into being that evil bard, go changeling to be able to constantly change your form for infiltration even before using your ability to steal someone's shadow or soul. Then focus on infiltration and control.