Rebuiling existing Lore Bard

[Sjappo]

I've been playing my Lore Bard in EE for some time now and we finally hit level 4. I do enjoy my Bard but I feel very bored in combat. Most are due to character creation choices. (I choose to focus entirely on mental stats going 16,14,16 for INT, WIS, CHA). But, being bored, I asked my DM if I could change some things to get more options in combat. And I could. I'm not looking for the most optimized character but for a more fun character for me. I like being able to do damage, something I don't do well now, and throwing dice, which I don't get to do since I focused on spells with saves. I like to have options. I'm the kind of player who, in 3.5, played a cleric/crusader and strung lots op prestige classes to get as much single use abilities as possible.

Anyway, I'll tell you what I have now, and what I plan to do. Any input is appreciated. FYI, I'll try to stay close to the original character since I like the background still. Also, we play terribly slow. I need a character with is playable from lvl 4 to lvl 12 (or so, don't know where EE ends) with no dead or little levels.

Allan a'Dale: Half-Elf lore Bard lvl 3
Background: Wandering Entertainer (Allan wanders the Sword Coast for 100+ years now. History gives info on sites, people, shakers, movers etc.)
Allan used to be the quartermaster of a mercenary company. With the player playing the captain leaving, Allan is now acting captain. Much to his dismay.

STR 8, DEX 12, CON 10, INT 16, WIS 14, CHA 16.
Skills: Acrobatics, Deception, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Survival
Expertise: History, Persuasion
Spells: Vicious Mockery, Minor Illusion. 1st Healing Word, Bane, Dissonant Whispers, Fairie Fire. 2nd Invisibility, Phantasmal Force.

Problem: Lots of concentration spells, little to no attack spells, few direct damage spells.

Plan: Half moon-elf Lore Bard lvl 4
STR 8, DEX 16, CON 12, INT 14, WIS 10, CHA 14
Skills: Ditching Performance and Nature. (getting lots of mileage out of survival for some reason)
Expertise: History stays (needed for custom background). Insight (playing up the captain role?)
lvl 4 ASI: Sharp Shooter. Combined with Fairie Fire this would give a nice damage boost.
Spells: Sun Elf cantrip: GFB or BB which would go a long way towards making an occasional melee attack viable. Adding Friends cantrip. I'm not using Minor Illusion much but cannot see much use in others.
1st: ditching Bane for Thunderwave. Fairie Fire does well against multiple opponents and with a Rogue and hopefully a GWM fighter we get a lot of mileage out of advantage.
2nd ditching Invisibility for Heat Metal.
4th level spell? I don't know. I have a LOT of concentration spells. Pyrotechnics seems a fun concentrationless debuff.

Future:
lvl 5: bard for more bardiness with Font of Inspiration and lvl 3 spells
6th: Fighter for Weapon Style Archery
7th+ bard

So comments please?
Should I go Valor for extra attack, armor and shield? Focus more on melee?
Any tips on spells? I've perused the various handbooks but blindly choosing purple spells doesn't seem the way.
Anything I've overlooked? Am I spreading myself to thin?

[CatofRiddles]

Your new build looks great to me!

You might gain some AC and damage by going Valor bard, but you also lose some skill points and some versatility with your Bardic Inspiration. Most people would suggest it, but i prefer Lore. You're already getting half of the Valor features if you plan on taking a level of fighter.

You could consider multi-classing 2 levels into Rogue for combat versatility options like Sneak Attack and Cunning Action. Taking one more level gives you a Rogue specialization, Assassin for more Sneak Attack damage, Thief for Fast Hands (more Cunning Action options! Yay!) or Arcane Trickster for Mage Hand Legerdemain and a few more spells.

As for spells, Consider Shatter. It is one of the few AOE attacks a Bard gets naturally, and it's useful out of combat too.
Hypnotic Pattern is extremely useful, and while it uses concentration, it incapacitates several enemies until you're ready for them. (Also gives advantage for your rogue to sneak attack!)
Invisibility is extremely useful for keeping the squishy bard alive, but you may not need it as badly since you're taking a level of fighter.

[Contrast]

I'd point out that by level 5 everyone else will be attacking twice (and your cantrip damage steps up) at which point plinking away with your bow is going to seem pretty unimpressive again. I don't see much benefit to dipping a single level of fighter at level 6? If you want to be using your bow then I'd definately recommend swapping to valor bard or more heavily rebuilding your character from the ground up.

You seem to be trying to be good in melee and ranged combat and damage with a class which is, at heart, a spellcaster focused on buffs and debuffs. You can do it, just keep in mind it'll just be an uphill struggle.

[Aaron Underhand]

Does your rebuild have CHA 16 not 14? I think so if I've understood the build.

A lore bard has known deficiencies:

AC
At will melee damage
At will ranged damage
Limited number of known spells (lacking wizard's/clerics flexibility)


However it does have:

Great skills
Great use of reaction (Cutting words)
Full spellcasting


Mitigating the deficiencies can significantly weaken the benefits.

One level of ftr will resolve AC, and with SCAG cantrips can resolve At will melee damage. But sharpshooter (as Contrast notes) will not pay dividends without second/third attacks, and that level of fighter has cost you spell progression.

One level of cleric will resolve AC, and greatly ease pressure on spell picks, and again with SCAG cantrips can give reasonable at will melee damage. Plus while it delays bard features it does leave spell slots as a full caster. Pick Mage Initiate for Booming Blade and possibly Firebolt for some at will ranged damage, but it'll never be great.

Two levels of Warlock will fully resolve At will damage, but at the expense of being two levels behind in Bard

If SCAG is available and you are prepared to boost wisdom rather than intelligence I would consider Arcana Cleric and save all your ASIs to boost stats.

If INT is important for the character concept then a one level dip into Wiz could also work, plus has the benefits of ritual casting from a spellbook, and a familiar.

[Sjappo]

Thanx for the feedback. Lots of good stuff. Not that I agree with all of it, naturally.

I've been going back and forth a lot. Complete rebuild as Valor, dipping Wizard, feat or ASI. Not sure yet.

What I do know.
No use in trying to be caster, and ranged an melee. So, since I like throwing dice, I'll focus on ranged. Using spells for support.
Shifting stats from INT en WIS to DEX and CON.

I am a bit underwhelmed by the inspiration mechanic. 3 dice per long rest is not much? They have a lot of impact if used right, though.

[RSP]

One more bit of advice: instead of dipping Fighter, you could just stay Lore Bard and at 6th pick up Eldritch Blast with your AMS. You could also grab Hex if you really want to be throwing more dice, though I'd personally go against it.

Fighter for Archery style on a 1 attack build doesn't really add up. Grabbing EB, though, that gives you the extra attack at d10. Granted no modifier, but we're going for more dice, not more static. Picking both Hex and EB would up your ranged combat from 2d4 on a failed save (Viscious Mockery) to 2x (1d10+1d6).

Pretty easy way to pickup the combat slack with a Lore Bard while maintaining your progression in the class. Keep Thunderwave at 1st level (scales to the same damage as Shatter but can push and opt to only use a 1st lvl slot), and at level 10 grab Destructive Wave and you're all set for combat; save the rest of your choices for control/utility and enjoy.

Edit: Save all your Bardic Inspiration for Cutting Words: either save yourself some hits or, if safely out of the fray, help a friend.

[Specter]

If you want damage wait for level 6 and grab Fireball or something. Bards weren't meant for damage.