Heavy Metal Bard

[langal]

I am converting a Dark Sun 4e skald to 5e. He's a Paul Stanley type of bard who strutted around with a full blade.

Thinking of going with a great axe in 4e though as the greatsword doesn't seem as "theatric" as a 4e fullblade.

I will probably go many levels into Valor Bard but 5e bards seem too caster-ish for someone like Paul Stanley. The 4e bard was completely different.

He will be a half-elf and have 17 levels to play with. He likes to mix it up in melee quite a bit and is a showman so I am thinking 2 levels in swashbuckler just for the bonus dash and the semi-mobility ability they get.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

[comk59]

I'll be honest, in terms of flavoring I might not be much help, I never played 4e.

If he's going to be Melee based, Valor bard is a good choice. If you have a few hangups about his caster-ishness then... yeah, unfortunately there's not a whole lot to do about that. Both 3.e and 5e bards were pretty solid casters, and in 5e that's even more overstated. Bards are good casters, especially with their magical secrets or whatever that ability is called (I'm AFB at the moment).

Also, I see a few issues with the Swashbuckler idea, and honestly the Greataxe thing in general. If you're going to be Melee, you need a good AC. Bards are gonna want light armor, which will require high Dex to stay effective, but having a high Dex will not at all benefit the Greataxe, which needs a high strength to do solid damage. So your spellcaster will need both high Str and high Dex to be a good melee fighter.

Sorry, got sidetracked there, didn't address the Swashbuckler part. See, Swashbuckler is a subclass of Rogue, not it's own class. So to get two "Swashbuckler levels" you need a total of 5 levels in Rogue. That might have been what you meant, but I wasn't sure.

Plus, again, the Greataxe becomes an issue. IIRC, one of the Swashbuckler's primary strengths is its ability to almost always get to add Sneak Attack damage to its attacks, and you can't Sneak Attack with a Greataxe.

Honestly, you might want to consider just making your Paul Stanley an Fighter with the Eldritch Knight Archetype. You can get a few ranks in perform, pick up medium Armor, hold your own in combat and still sling a few spells, and by 17th level you'll have a speed boost power of your own.

[langal]

thx! I guess I need 3 levels in rogue to get Cunning Action and the swashbuckler "mobilty" feat so I could move-swing-move out without incurring op attacks. That might mitigate the mediocre AC I am going to have.

Maybe a few levels in fighter too to pick up action surge, a fighting style, and some BattleMaster maneuvers.

[Submortimer]

Well, if you make your guitar out of steel and then cast Shocking Grasp before you start to play, you should receive the desired effect.

What, what?

Oh, you meant something different.

[langal]

Well, if you make your guitar out of steel and then cast Shocking Grasp before you start to play, you should receive the desired effect.

What, what?

Oh, you meant something different.

Lol. Actually going to pick up Prestidigation for electric guitar sound.

[ShikomeKidoMi]

Also, I see a few issues with the Swashbuckler idea, and honestly the Greataxe thing in general. If you're going to be Melee, you need a good AC. Bards are gonna want light armor, which will require high Dex to stay effective, but having a high Dex will not at all benefit the Greataxe, which needs a high strength to do solid damage. So your spellcaster will need both high Str and high Dex to be a good melee fighter.
Actually Valor bards can use medium armor (and shields) so you can leave Dex at 14 and have a decent AC.

If you go with light armor, even with a DEX of 20, you won't get any higher AC. The only reason I can think of to stick with a DEX build is if you think you're going to be using Stealth a lot or you're very worried about surviving to level 3 and getting your medium armor proficiency.

What level is this character starting at?

[Joe the Rat]

One question: Do you want to be a bard so you can inspire your fellows, wield arcane magics, attack with words, and rock out, or do you just want to be able to rock out? Because if you just want to go "badass performer", you take the Entertainer Background, and make good use of that disguise kit proficiency for "warpaint." No Bard necessary. If you want some casting, Oath of the Ancients Paladin has some potential here.

But Bard is really handy. Lots of MC options try to fit in Bard from the sheer versatility. Which may be what you want to do: go light on Bard levels (enough for College of Valor and Expertise), and focus more on a martial class to strengthen your martial tricks. EK fighter synergises better with the casting, but you could go Battle Master for trickiness, or see if Barbarian fits your style (They do well with an axe, and Rage can just be Epic Rocking - though that does eat into spellcasting). or again, Paladin. Less MAD, and Ancients is very music-friendly. Rock out, help others rock out, be cool.

[Yagyujubei]

time to get homebrewey in this mug.

take your first level in fighter to grab the armor/weapon proficiencies you're gonna need. in fact, may as well take 2 for action surge.

go the rest of the way as valor bard... BUT reduce your spell progression to half caster in exchange for a third attack a la fighter 11, a fighting style, and one use of indomitable. honestly I would call it a nerf to your power but it would be closer to what your looking for maybe.

use a great axe that is also your guitar, and take great weapon fighting and great weapon master. Roll around in black full plate and as your "diplomacy" just grab expertise in intimidate, and terrify people with face melting solos that; at times, may literally melt their faces.

[Bohrdumb]

What about using a fighter base, adding a few levels of Bard, and the Magic Initiate feat? This would give you Bardic Inspiration and access to Guidance as your two 'songs' then take loads of buff and debuff spells as available.

[coredump]

I know a guy that did that. Created a hybrid of a "lute" and battle axe.

[langal]

good suggestions all around! I think I might go 3 swashbuckler and 14 bard. The Swashbucker abilties of "mobilty" and adding Cha to initiative (along with Cunning Action!) are all pretty awesome. This flamboyant pop-metal bard also fits in with swashbucker on a fluff level.

Focus on strength and charisma. Will take Hex and at least one Paladin smite.

Cunning Action and the swashbuckler's "mobilty" ability should allow me to prance in and out without getting hit too much. Randi Thunderloins is a Paul Stanley clone and thus the "prancing". He's more of a glam-metal bard.

Will probably go with a halberd (basically a long-handed big axe with a spear point on both ends) and get Pole Arm mastery so I can potentially take advantage of Hex three time per turn when I melee. So the basic round will be :

1. strut in and attack 2 or 3 times. With Hex and a Smite, he should be able to do pretty good damage.

2. prance back out - without incurring op attack. Can either dash or use the other end of the Halberd for a d4 third attack. Depends on the situation but I like having that option.

Will serve as backup healer, utility, and occasional AOE with his spells when not rockin' and rollin' in melee.

AC/HP will both be mediocre though. Eldritch Knight is a good idea but the guy was a full Bard in 4E so the DM wants me to at least go a lot of Bard levels.

[Ashrym]

I know a guy that did that. Created a hybrid of a "lute" and battle axe.

I just make a valor bard and take the tavern brawler feat. I can bash someone in the face twice with proficiency using my lute and then start a grapple with expertise using a bonus action.

That has angry rock star imagery all over it.