Owlivia: an Aarakocra Valor Bard

[RickAllison]

Hello, all, I would like some help in designing a character for my sister, Owlivia. I was thinking of starting her with the Aarakocra race (she is a little more human-like in appearance, But it fits). She wants to be both a martial and caster, as well as Charisma-based, so I figure she has two options:

Valor Bard. She gets to maximize her ranged capabilities through Swift Quiver, as well as having other bard goodies.

Swashbuckler/Wild Magic Sorcerer. She gets to really integrate her magic through combinations like Booming Blade with Fancy Footwork, but she loses her arrow capabilities (though she could fluff can trips as magic arrows).

[DragonSorcererX]

Hello, all, I would like some help in designing a character for my sister, Owlivia. I was thinking of starting her with the Aarakocra race (she is a little more human-like in appearance, But it fits). She wants to be both a martial and caster, as well as Charisma-based, so I figure she has two options:

Valor Bard. She gets to maximize her ranged capabilities through Swift Quiver, as well as having other bard goodies.

Swashbuckler/Wild Magic Sorcerer. She gets to really integrate her magic through combinations like Booming Blade with Fancy Footwork, but she loses her arrow capabilities (though she could fluff can trips as magic arrows).

HA! A Bird who sings! Sir, you did it!

You want help with what? Your build is already perfect and you can be an archer better than the Ranger, and at the same time FLY without needing to concentrate on the Fly spell!

[Eladain]

Blade pact warlock could also be a viable choice.

[Blit_Wizbok]

This is actually right up my alley, as I've been playing a Lore Bard Aarakocra for a few months now (currently level 5).

I suggest Owlivia takes Lore over Valor Bard, however. I'll compare Lore to Valor at each of the levels they give bonuses, and homefully justify why I believe this:

BONUS SKILLS (Lore) vs PROFICIENCIES (Valor): Skills will let Owlivia really round out her character, and get more options for Expertise. Proficiencies are nice, everyone likes more weapons, but the Mid/Heavy armor is wasted, as an Aarakocra can't wear them and still fly.

There is a very real pro to Valor, as Proficiencies will give her access to the Whip. A Dex-based reach weapon on a flying character is fantastic. It will allow her to fly around and melee without provoking opportunity attacks, but if she takes the Mobile feat, she will get the same effect with a rapier, and more ground move speed in areas where flight is prevented. Valor also will give her the Longbow too, but it's only 1 more damage (on average) more than the Shortbow that all Bards get.

CUTTING WORDS (Lore) vs COMBAT INSPIRATION (Valor): This is where Lore really starts to pull ahead imo. I think Cutting Words is much better than Combat Inspiration in several ways:
1) Owlivia can use her reaction to spend her inspiration dice, rather than having to have them already divvied out to players.
2) She will save her bonus actions on her turns to do other things like throwing daggers (more on that later).
3) She doesn't have to conceivably waste an inspiration on a character that never gets attacked.
4) Cutting Words has the exact same effect that Combat Inspiration does where a character with inspiration can add a die to its AC, She could do the same thing by using Cutting Words to reduce an enemies attack roll, and without having to have already given inspiration to the player being attacked.

The one downside with Cutting Words (and it can be a big one at times) is that it doesn't work against enemies that are immune to charm. There are also other arguments for Combat Inspiration, like if a player crits, the Inspiration die would get doubled too, but there's no hard rule on this, and it's up to DM discretion.

ADDITIONAL MAGIC SECRETS (Lore) vs EXTRA ATTACK (Valor): This is a no brainer for me. Additional Magic Secrets will give Owlivia 2 spells that DON'T count against the list of spells she can know, from any class. This is where a battlebirdbard can REALLY have fun, thanks to SCAG.

At level 6 Owlivia will be granted access to the SCAG cantrips, specifically Booming Blade. If she takes the Mobile feat at level 4, she's suddenly become the Red Baron; flying around, stabbing people with her Rapier + Booming Blade, and forcing them to decide if they want to sit and twiddle their thumbs, or take a huge damage hit when they move. All while not provoking OA against herself. This, in addition to another spell of her choice, is just too good.

PEERLESS SKILL (Lore) vs BATTLE MAGIC (Valor): I'm going to have to give this one handedly to Valor. A free weapon attack whenever she casts a spell is fantastic. However, don't forget that without Cutting Words, she'll have to spend bonus actions to feed her inspiration dice to teammates. It may be better to inspire an ally, rather than get off another stab. If she takes a SCAG cantrip at level 10 (regular Magical Secrets) she'll be able to Booming Blade, and then get another weapon attack as a bonus, which is neat, although I think there's better spells to get at level 10.

It should also be noted that Peerless Skill is the only ability that lets a bard use inspiration dice for herself. Especially with Valor not having access to Cutting Words.


As for that bit I mentioned about using bonus actions to throw daggers... Pre-level 6 booming blade fun, Owlivia could use her bow, but as a bit more flair, I liked throwing daggers. I had a belt of throwing daggers, and I could throw one as a main Attack, and use my Bonus to throw another with my offhand (pg 195 of the PHB has info on two-weapon fighting). The offhand doesn't get the mod bonus, because I don't have the fighting style, but it's flavorful, fun, and leaves your hands free to cast spells. Also, when I get Animate Objects, there's a string I can tug that immediately drops 10 daggers, out of the belt, that I can then animate.

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There's another option that I also find incredibly fun (for me, it's more fun, but they're equally awesome) and that's a Bladesinger Wizard (SCAG). It sounds right up Owlivia's alley, as long as the DM waives the Elf-only restriction. She will have extremely potent melee damage thanks to SCAG, combined with amazing defences from Bladesinging/Shield spell/Absorb Elements. (Add the War Caster feat for even more amazingness), and all the utility and damage that a standard Wizard brings to the table.

My main trick right now for Bladesinger, is to use Booming Blade, while slamming a Flaming Sphere into enemies to force them to decide if they want to move and take the Boom damage, or stay put, and get burned from Flaming Sphere. I can also buff my allies with Haste, Enlarge/Reduce, Polymorph, or any other of a myriad of battlefield control spells. It's nearly impossible for me to lose concentration on my spells with the bonuses from Bladesong and War Magic, and that's assuming the enemy can even hit me with my AC boosts from the Shield spell/Bladesinging.