Hexwhisperer (Whispers Bard/Hexblade) Advice

[Teliasen]

Howdy all, I've got a new AL game starting in a few weeks.


We're starting at level 1 and playing either the Hoard and Tiamat campaigns or Yawning Portal, so 1-15

I'm wanting to play a Half elf Hexblade/college of whispers bard. I presume stat spread using point buy should be

15,15,13,12,8,8 with

8 str 14 Dex 16 Con 8 int 12 Wis 17 Cha after modifiers, planning to take elven accuracy with my first ASI.

Where I'm having trouble deciding is what level order/split? I'm leaning towards starting hexblade then taking 4-8 levels in bard before dipping back for devil's sight and agonizing blast.

I realize that college of swords is more optimized, but my character has a pact with her Drow mother's Longbow. It's commanded her to prove her worth before it'll allow her to wield it. The command is to go and amass knowledge and political power, so lore could work as well but I am intrigued by this combo.It's

Thanks for your help.

[UnderwaterAir]

Consider 2 Hexblade and then 18 Bard.
If anything, I would go Valor Bard.

You could Eldritch Blast with Agonizing Blast Invocation and then attack with your longbow.
Damage doesn't get much better than that for a striker. Online at level 16. Before that you get Eldritch Blast on its own or even two attacks with your longbow.
You'll still get access to level 9 spells though not in the same regard as a Wizard or Sorcerer, of course. I don't have my book open right now but if memory serves me right you should still be able to Magical Secret in Wish at level 18 Bard. Level 20 with the two Hexblade but oh well.
And it sucks that the two classes double up on equipment proficiencies but oh well.

You should also consider starting Bard first for DEX saving throw proficiency. Admittedly, it may end up being much more important than WIS save for Warlock.

For Whisper Bard I'm not too sure... I just went and opened XGTE and read through it a bit again. It's just not vibing with me. I would never go this class. If I wanted a disrupt/role play in this regard I would rather go sorcerer/wizard or something along those lines and do spells. The best thing I see from Whisper Bard is maybe the level 6 where you can capture a shadow and then learn everything they know as well as mimic them. That can come in real handy in a lot of situations, I think. The 14th level feature is just really not that good. It's similar to an 8 hour Dominate Person. So essentially, a level 5 spell slot for a Sorcerer/Wizard. You can Subtle Metamagic Dominate Person and it'll be basically as good. I don't imagine there would be many things where you need 8 hours for something vs something that is critical that you can get done in 1 minute if the spell succeeds. I just don't think it'll come in as handy as what Valor Bard brings to the party with its Combat Inspiration and its free baby-Haste that it gives you every turn in combat without the need for concentration. Like, you can get Dominate Person at level 9 Bard. Take a metamagic sorcerer to continue your spell lines and subtle or extend metamagic it if you really want to.

In this regard, if you are adamant about College of Whispers I would opt for something like 6 Whisper Bard for the Mantle of Whispers and then 14 Hexblade and get the Master of Hexes in the end at level 20. I would opt for 5 Hexblade first. Finish up 6 Whispers. Then end the rest of the 9 levels with Hexblade.
I would also say it'd be nice to go 5 Hexblade and then 15 Whisper Bard. You do get that d12 Bardic Inspiration. The level 14 Whisper Bard feature as well but if that's what you want this would be another option. I don't see much worth going 14 Whisper Bard\6 Hexblade.

In short.

2 Hexblade \ 18 Valor Bard: level 9 spell. Decently effective combat stats and great with Combat Inspiration for your party.
5 Hexblade \ 6 Whisper Bard \ Then finish up with 14 Hexblade: Also decently effective combat. Can take Lifedrinker and it'll average lower than the above in terms of on-demand damage output over the longhaul, I think. But you do get a nice level 6 Whisper Bard feature.
5 Hexblade \ 15 Whisper Bard: This just nets you the extra attack and ends you on the Bard inspiration die increase. This is if you really want the level 14 Whisper Bard feature. Other than that, the other two are just much better, I feel.