Another character

[MatchesMalone]

Alright. Since I've been having a fair amount of feedback on my other two characters, I've decided to put my third character up on here as well. Feel free to make suggestions on where you would go from where I have him.

Name: Caledrel Morgaine Tiianis
Race/Class: Half-Elf/Bard
Level: 4


Str: 10
Dex: 16
Con: 16
Int: 11
Wis: 13
Cha: 20


Proficiency Bonus: +2

Saving Throws

+0 Strength
+5 Dexterity
+3 Constitution
+0 Intelligence
+1 Wisdom
+7 Charisma


Skills

+5 Acrobatics
+2 Animal Handling
+1 Arcana
+2 Athletics
+7 Deception
+1 History
+2 Insight
+6 Intimidation
+1 Investigation
+2 Medicine
+1 Nature
+3 Perception
+9 Performance
+9 Persuasion
+1 Religion
+5 Slight of Hand
+4 Stealth
+2 Survival


Armor Class: 15
Initiative: +3
Speed:: 30 ft.
Hit Points: 42

Attacks

Rapier x2: +5 Attack Bonus, 1d8+3 damage
Light Crossbow: +5 Attack Bonus, 1d8+3 Damage
Dagger of Venom: +6 Attack Bonus, 1d4+4 Damage w/Con Save of 15, fail 2d10 Poison damage
Dagger: +5 Attack Bonus, 1d4+3 Damage


Feats & Traits

Spellcasting
Bardic Inspiration
Darkvision
Fey Ancestry - Advanged vs being charmed, cannot be put to sleep via magic
By Popular Demand: Can find a place to perform anywhere
Entertainer Routine: Singer
Jack-of-all-Trades
Song of Rest
Bard College: College of Valor
Combat Inspiration
Expertise


Spellcasting Ability: +5
Spell Save DC: 15
Spell Attack Bonus: +7

Spells
Cantrips

Minor Illusion
Prestidigitation
True Strike


Level 1

Comprehend Languages
Dissonant Whispers: 3d6 Psychic Damage
Sleep: 5d8
Thunderwave: 2d8, Con Save DC 15


Level 2

Enhance Ability
Invisibility
Shatter: 3d8, Con Save DC 15

[Specter]

What's your aim with this character? Debuffer, social god, skill monkey, healer...? That helps.

PS: Good stats, btw.

[R.Shackleford]

Never take True Strike, it just isn't worth wasting your action. There are way better ways to get advantage.

[MatchesMalone]

What's your aim with this character? Debuffer, social god, skill monkey, healer...? That helps.

PS: Good stats, btw.

Oddly enough, I've been playing him as the strategic battle-ender. I move him around the battlefield so he flanks behind different enemies, he attacks, gets the kill, moves onto the next. As far as the type of character he is, his former love sold him out to the Drow. He escaped barely and now uses aliases to throw them off his trail.

PS: Thanks! Can't wait to share what my rolls are for my Genasi when I start playing him! I may also post the stats for my character that died recently as well.


Never take True Strike, it just isn't worth wasting your action. There are way better ways to get advantage.

I took it early on because of how I was playing him. (See above description) If I couldn't gain advantage that way, I'd cast it, stay back, gain advantage on my next turn, and then attack. And since it was a cantrip, it was nice to do and not expel a spell slot. Do you have a recommendation to swap it out for?

[Arkhios]

Why do you have 2 rapiers? Rapier might be finesse, but it's not a light weapon. Unless your DM lets you do otherwise, you would need Dual Wielder to wield both simultaneously (by RAW).

[Gastronomie]

Those are quite wonderful stats you've got there.


Why do you have 2 rapiers? Rapier might be finesse, but it's not a light weapon. Unless your DM lets you do otherwise, you would need Dual Wielder to wield both simultaneously (by RAW).So that you can grab one from your belt even after you've dropped it somewhere else on the battlefield? Not like it hurts.

As for the cantrip, I would suggest either Message (if there's no GOO Warlock in the party) or Mending (if no one has it). Both are useless if someone in the party already has it, but otherwise they open up a lot of interesting utility, such as when your party wants to make a secret conversation while facing someone you don't want to offend, or when you want to... mend something, I guess.

I personally am a fan of the Suggestion spell, and especially since you've got 20 CHA (and you're a Bard - your job is basically based on manipulating others' feelings with your fancy words) I feel you should grab it. It has hilarious utility, though it's a bit DM dependant on how much troll-ish stuff you can suggest, meaning you should consult your DM beforehand for the table rulings on "what it can do and what it can't". Concentration is a pretty big problem during fights, but Suggestion can be used both in and outside combat. Phantasmal Force is also fun, but again needs consulting with the DM. You shouldn't take both Phantasmal Force and Suggestion, since they sorta overlap with what they can do - you should take whichever feels fits your playstyle and character. Or, you can simply skip both two. It's just that I like them - this is your character.

I doubt you will be using Thunderwave that often, at least from my experience. If you like it, sure you could keep it (it's not "bad" at all), but I'd personally prefer something like Cure Wounds, especially since you're a Valor Bard (you have weapons which don't expend spell slots and deal okay damage), unless there's already two or more strong healers (Life Cleric x2, for instance) in the party. Just 1 healer is not enough most of the time, given how if he gets unconscious, the whole party will be in peril.

Faerie Fire is another option for if your character "always wants advantage". Again, beware of concentration issues.

Hold Person and Silence are each wonderful, but at the same time, rather situational spells. Their value is heavily campaign-dependant - but if you often fight humanoids, Hold Person is absolutely boss, and if you often fight Casters, Silence can nullify all the Verbal Components, rendering them uselsss.

I assume there's no Wizard in the party, given how you have Comperehend Languages (if there is, it's his job to cast rituals - the number of spells a Bard can learn are rather limited). If your particular campaign makes good use of it, you should keep it, but it is a really campaign-dependant and often near-useless spell. Especially since you can't cast rituals during combat.

Also, this is unrelated to the current build, but you should get War Caster as soon as possible.

[MatchesMalone]

Those are quite wonderful stats you've got there.

So that you can grab one from your belt even after you've dropped it somewhere else on the battlefield? Not like it hurts.

As for the cantrip, I would suggest either Message (if there's no GOO Warlock in the party) or Mending (if no one has it). Both are useless if someone in the party already has it, but otherwise they open up a lot of interesting utility, such as when your party wants to make a secret conversation while facing someone you don't want to offend, or when you want to... mend something, I guess.

I personally am a fan of the Suggestion spell, and especially since you've got 20 CHA (and you're a Bard - your job is basically based on manipulating others' feelings with your fancy words) I feel you should grab it. It has hilarious utility, though it's a bit DM dependant on how much troll-ish stuff you can suggest, meaning you should consult your DM beforehand for the table rulings on "what it can do and what it can't". Concentration is a pretty big problem during fights, but Suggestion can be used both in and outside combat. Phantasmal Force is also fun, but again needs consulting with the DM. You shouldn't take both Phantasmal Force and Suggestion, since they sorta overlap with what they can do - you should take whichever feels fits your playstyle and character. Or, you can simply skip both two. It's just that I like them - this is your character.

I doubt you will be using Thunderwave that often, at least from my experience. If you like it, sure you could keep it (it's not "bad" at all), but I'd personally prefer something like Cure Wounds, especially since you're a Valor Bard (you have weapons which don't expend spell slots and deal okay damage), unless there's already two or more strong healers (Life Cleric x2, for instance) in the party. Just 1 healer is not enough most of the time, given how if he gets unconscious, the whole party will be in peril.

Faerie Fire is another option for if your character "always wants advantage". Again, beware of concentration issues.

Hold Person and Silence are each wonderful, but at the same time, rather situational spells. Their value is heavily campaign-dependant - but if you often fight humanoids, Hold Person is absolutely boss, and if you often fight Casters, Silence can nullify all the Verbal Components, rendering them uselsss.

I assume there's no Wizard in the party, given how you have Comperehend Languages (if there is, it's his job to cast rituals - the number of spells a Bard can learn are rather limited). If your particular campaign makes good use of it, you should keep it, but it is a really campaign-dependant and often near-useless spell. Especially since you can't cast rituals during combat.

Also, this is unrelated to the current build, but you should get War Caster as soon as possible.

Those are all awesome suggestions. I had never played a bard before, so I wanted to try something new with him. His big thing as that he's a true neutral character and I used that as he is there to help keep the balance between good and evil. He, unknowingly, carries an artifact coin that helps tip the scales one way or the other. The DM rolls percentile to see which way he'll be balancing out. It makes for interesting roleplay. I think everything you've suggested would really help towards continuing that path.

This group plays on a periodic timeframe and we haven't played in a few weeks now, but we had a Dragonborn Ranger, a Dwarf Paladin, a Half-Elf Druid, a Human Barbarian, and a Tiefling Wizard, including my Half-Elf Bard.

[Specter]

Well, my two cents:

Out of combat, focus on being the social god. Expertise Insight and Deception/Intimidation later on. Take the lead in interactions, and ask your friends to give you advantage/Guidance (or, grab Enhance Ability and do it yourself).

In combat, focus on debuffing with your concentration, and after that throw them some Vicious Mockery (for the disad.) or attack. Drop True Strike, it's garbage. Next level, take Fear or Hypnotic Pattern for the win. If the Druid isn't healing, grab Healing Word for emergencies too.

[Sillybird99]

You qualify for the ritual caster feat. Might consider taking it to add to spell versatility. I tend to think it is never really a bad choice for wizards bards or clerics.