For a Bard dipping 2 in Warlock, what is the best Patron?

[Omnisandro]

I'm rolling a Lore Bard, now reaching 4th level ( Bard 3/Warlock 2/Bard 15 ) and i can't decide what Patron to choose between Fey and Old One.

Fey spells are better, but mind talking for a Bard is sweet.

[Specter]

Seems like you're answering your own question, but not thinking in terms of roleplay. Your bard would not look at the classifieds snd say 'hmm, this guy has better spells than this guy'. Why would he be involved with woodland beings, or why would he be involved with an alien entity? Answer that and you're good to go.

[Temperjoke]

Thematically, I could see an Archfey being willing to sponsor a bard with power, in recognition of his skill and talent with his instrument. He's probably a good musician too.

[Toadkiller]

There's a whole thread about the warlock 2 dip. In fact there are many.

[spartan_ah]

Hyrsam. The 1st satyr

[smcmike]

I'm rolling a Lore Bard, now reaching 4th level ( Bard 3/Warlock 2/Bard 15 ) and i can't decide what Patron to choose between Fey and Old One.

Fey spells are better, but mind talking for a Bard is sweet.

Ask yourself - does your bard prefer music that is ethereal, haunting, and beautiful, or music that defies description altogether, with bizarre time signatures, long silences, and notes beyond human register, heard as a sharp pain behind the eyes or itching on the skin rather than sound?

The correct answer is Swedish death metal and fiend pact.

[Gastronomie]

Power-gaming-wise I think being able to cast Suggestion on anybody is wonderful enough an ability on its own (Great Old One), but honestly, it's not really that much of a difference at a dip of 2 so just choose whatever fits your character most. That's the most important part.

[Shining Wrath]

The Great Old One Brieous, Lord Of Ancient Cheeses.

Seriously, the 2-level Warlock dip isn't min-max enough for you, you've got to optimize which one? OK, I suggest Fey because that lets you dip Oath of the Ancients Paladin too.

[Fighting_Ferret]

The question is how/why did the character (in their own mind) come about that unusual (laughs...yeah right) combination, as they shouldn't know anything about level and classes. They had to have a reason to enter into some kind of deal (or just you know be gifted by a benevolent patron) for a reason.

[Southpaw]

A book of dark knowledge, a song with ancient secrets, a children's fable from unknown origins, there seems to be a lot of ways for a Bard to stumble upon the Great Old One and his secrets. Since it does not appear a pact needs to be negotiated in anyway I could see a person gaining unusual powers/knowledge unwittingly. Now if you choose to explore those powers or seek a priest is up to the PC.

Having a pact with a Fey Lord though would take a very particular story line I would think, including the forming of the pact with the Fey in question. Much more difficult to shoe horn into a campaign with out advance notice and help from the DM.

I guess you can accidentally gain powers from the Undying Light as well, but that would only be if your DM allows UA material and you have had some contact with the positive plane.

[MaxWilson]

Power-gaming-wise I think being able to cast Suggestion on anybody is wonderful enough an ability on its own (Great Old One), but honestly, it's not really that much of a difference at a dip of 2 so just choose whatever fits your character most. That's the most important part.

It's also cool that your (presumed) Inspiring Leader ability now works on anything that understands language.

Fiend Pact is super powerful and opens up lots of tactical options, but I hate the RP flavor of it, and yet I don't mind ripping off Cthulhu in his sleep so... yeah, Great Old One all the way, IMO.

[ZenBear]

Great Old One. Name your character Erich Zann (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Music_of_Erich_Zann).

[captain-mills]

Great Old One. Name your character Erich Zann.

I was going to say Fey, but as a Lovecraft/Cthulhu connoisseur, I can't in good conscience disagree with this.

[ThatKreacher]

In the fluff of the bard, a suggested character idea is making a deal with a hag!


"Perhaps you stumbled into the clutches of a hag, making a bargain for a musical gift in addition to your life and freedom, but at what cost?" PHB 52

The fluff is there, and ancient hags are suggested as a patron for fey warlocks. Im currently playing a fiend pact warlock enchantress who's patron is a night hag. very fun and works well. Hags are very fun in my opinion! It's not too much of a stretch to have a lore bard uncover some mind altering knowledge in a tome of long forgotten knowledge, is it?