5E Lord Bard, grabbing Magic Initiate at level 4. Suggest some spells?

[Odessa333]

Topic. I'm a level 3 lore bard about to hit level 4, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be grabbing Magic initiate for even more spells. I currently have:

Cantrips: Vicious Mockery, Minor Illusion
Level 1: Healing Word, Heroism, Longstrider, Feather Fall
Level 2: Suggestion, Enhance Ability

My spells need an overhaul, and grabbing Eldritch Blast is a great start to doing just that, becoming my strongest attack from the outset (sorry, rapier). I like illusions, so I'm tempted by Dancing lights (ghostly form bit) and switching out a spell for Silent Image (likely longstrider, as I can then grab Expeditious retreat as my once a day level one spell). Invisibility fits in there too, but not sure if that's overkill and if the 'jack of all trades' bard should diversify more.

Thoughts?

[Zman]

In my IRL our Lore Bard picked up Magic Initiate for Firebolt and Freezing Ray, and magic Missile for the 1st level spell. Two offensive spells with different elements does a lot to shore up at will damage for the rest of he game.

Also, Heat Metal is so good!

[Hrugner]

Magic initiate needs to all come from the same caster list, so if you want eldritch blast you're stuck with warlock spells. You can grab some other warlock spells, but since you didn't list any warlock spells there is also the option to take spell sniper to grab only eldritch blast but with some benefits.

[djreynolds]

I propose you wait, throw you ASI in charisma and perhaps grab a level of sorcerer at 5th. You may get more bang for your buck, or even warlock. You are not waiting on a second attack at 5th, so this may be more productive in the long run. And being able to twin spells may help out with buffing.

But otherwise for spells, it depends on your DM. Will this first level spell be cast once a day, or is it in addition to your known spells. So ask the DM how they see it.

I would just grab a level of sorcerer.

[Logosloki]

Magic initiate into cleric and get yourself thaumaturgy. roll some dice for what first level spells to take. I just love the roleplaying potential for thaumaturgy, you could really do the voices for a story if you so wished.

[Kellendros95]

May be Find Familiar and some useful cantrips? I don't think Lore bard have to have damaging spells.

[Sir cryosin]

Topic. I'm a level 3 lore bard about to hit level 4, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be grabbing Magic initiate for even more spells. I currently have:

Cantrips: Vicious Mockery, Minor Illusion
Level 1: Healing Word, Heroism, Longstrider, Feather Fall
Level 2: Suggestion, Enhance Ability

My spells need an overhaul, and grabbing Eldritch Blast is a great start to doing just that, becoming my strongest attack from the outset (sorry, rapier). I like illusions, so I'm tempted by Dancing lights (ghostly form bit) and switching out a spell for Silent Image (likely longstrider, as I can then grab Expeditious retreat as my once a day level one spell). Invisibility fits in there too, but not sure if that's overkill and if the 'jack of all trades' bard should diversify more.

Thoughts?

Take magic initiative warlock cantrips are eldritch blast, chill touch 1st lv spell hellish rebuke for when you get hit I love this spell because it's a f u spell.

[Sir cryosin]

DInt mc tell after 10 I think AFB but at 6th you get to grab two spells from any list and at 10 you get two more I think thetr might be one more lv but I'm afb.

[EvilAnagram]

You don't have many debuffs, so you might want to think about Tasha's Hideous Laughter.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

You're probably saving Magical Secrets for the really good stuff, but you could use it to get a combat cantrip if you like and spend the ASI on something else.

On Magical Secrets, if you actually like using your attack action once in awhile and have the DEX for it, you could grab Greenflame Blade or Booming Blade and Eldritch Blast/Firebolt by choosing Warlock, Sorcerer or Wizard giving you solid range and melee attack options.

Remember that the level 1 spell can only be cast once a day at 1st level if it's not on your class's spell list. Because of this I personally prefer utility spells over combat spells, as scaling becomes a problem with combat spells. From the Warlock list, this is tricky. You'll probably get some use out of something like Protection from Good and Evil. Depends on your party makeup. Or you could take a spell that is on the Bard list like Charm Person or Comprehend Languages and just expand your spells known.

Choosing the Wizard list means you'll be dependent on INT, so maybe skip Firebolt or the other attack cantrips. Booming Blade doesn't depend on Int though, so is still a good choice. The wizard list has great utility spells on it, the types of things that are fine to cast only once a day, like Find Familiar.

[AmbientRaven]

Find Familiar; Firebolt; w/e
or get the ASI and dip 1 warlock or sorcerer

[djreynolds]

Find Familiar; Firebolt; w/e
or get the ASI and dip 1 warlock or sorcerer

Exactly, magic initiate can be ruled once at rest for that 1st level spell. A level of sorcerer, or heck even wizard or cleric if you have the ability could net you more utility.

Grab sorcerer.

[Aaron Underhand]

Exactly, magic initiate can be ruled once at rest for that 1st level spell. A level of sorcerer, or heck even wizard or cleric if you have the ability could net you more utility.

Grab sorcerer.

I'm looking at a similar issue...

You might consider Ritual caster for the feat.... wizards list... all the ritual utility spells no longer take slots... and you get the familiar.

Then if you still need more offensive power I agree a level of sorcerer gives you 4 cantrips, plus shield as a spell...

Of course there is no wizard in my party...

[Odessa333]

Hm, I wouldn't have thought 'find familiar' to be so highly rated. The warlock pixie stuff with at will invisibility is pretty sweet, but the normal familiars didn't seem too great to me. Did I miss something there?

So upon reading this thread, I am strongly considering the level in Sorcerer as that many cantrips is pretty sweet. I could grab some nice cantrips (prestidigitation, mage hand, dancing lights, mending) and could take the spell sniper feat for Eldritch blast, gaining a lot of utility, more illusions options, and a better damage option. I'll grab Silent Image and then either Sleep, Shield (back up cutting words) or Expeditious retreat (so I can switch out my longstrider spell on my next level of bard). I think it works.