Best levels to mc Drunken master with bard?

[Miz_Liz]

So I just a new campaign where I'm playing a drunken master monk. It was level 4 start so I took three monk levels to get the monastic tradition, and one level in bard for almost exclusively story/rp reasons. I thought we were going to have a full bard in the party, so I didn't want to step on his toes. Turns out that player decided to go sorcerer, and is using the tiefling variant to get vicious mockery and such so he can masquerade as a bard. That changes the party dynamics to a huge degree, so I want to point that out.

Current party:
wild magic sorc
hexblade warlock
brute fighter
bear totem barbarian

two heavy melee, two strong casters, and little old me. Upon learning that my bard-ness will be our only source of healing (my two piddly little healing words kept the fighter from going down during a fight) and that we have very capable melee, I decided I am going to do a lot more dancing back and forth between bard and monk.

My thought is I want to get at least three levels in bard to pick up probably college of satire, since the tumbling goofiness fits well with drunken master. My concern is less loosing out on ki points and more getting that second weapon attack and tipsy sway at six since I do a lot of falling over.

I would love some recomendations on how to work this build. I'm obviously not concerned with optimization (super MAD going between the two classes) but I want to make sure I'm still helpful to the party. My biggest issue is pacing out the levels. I think I might want to wait for monk 6 to take more bard, but again, I'm the only healer.

Thoughts?

[Arkhios]

So I just a new campaign where I'm playing a drunken master monk. It was level 4 start so I took three monk levels to get the monastic tradition, and one level in bard for almost exclusively story/rp reasons. I thought we were going to have a full bard in the party, so I didn't want to step on his toes. Turns out that player decided to go sorcerer, and is using the tiefling variant to get vicious mockery and such so he can masquerade as a bard. That changes the party dynamics to a huge degree, so I want to point that out.

Current party:
wild magic sorc
hexblade warlock
brute fighter
bear totem barbarian

two heavy melee, two strong casters, and little old me. Upon learning that my bard-ness will be our only source of healing (my two piddly little healing words kept the fighter from going down during a fight) and that we have very capable melee, I decided I am going to do a lot more dancing back and forth between bard and monk.

My thought is I want to get at least three levels in bard to pick up probably college of satire, since the tumbling goofiness fits well with drunken master. My concern is less loosing out on ki points and more getting that second weapon attack and tipsy sway at six since I do a lot of falling over.

I would love some recomendations on how to work this build. I'm obviously not concerned with optimization (super MAD going between the two classes) but I want to make sure I'm still helpful to the party. My biggest issue is pacing out the levels. I think I might want to wait for monk 6 to take more bard, but again, I'm the only healer.

Thoughts?

What are your stats? Knowing them would help quite a bit.

However, for just the raw class level divide, I would say that 5 levels in each is absolutely a must have. I definitely can see how College of Satire would work well with Drunken Master, making a tipsy jester, but given that you are the only one capable of reliable healing, I would advise to take College of Lore instead, and at 6th level, with Additional Magical Secrets, grab Revivify from Cleric (a 3rd level spell that bard, funnily enough, doesn't have by default) and maybe Healing Spirit from druid (2nd level spell from Xanathar's Guide), which is pure gold for a healer.

[Miz_Liz]

What are your stats? Knowing them would help quite a bit.
14/16/16/14/14/15


However, for just the raw class level divide, I would say that 5 levels in each is absolutely a must have. Yeah, that makes sense, my big question is how/when I should pace them? Go directly back and forth, get up to 5/6 monk, that's what I'm having trouble deciding.


given that you are the only one capable of reliable healing, I would advise to take College of Lore instead yeah, that actually makes sense. I might do that. It would probably be something I discuss with the DM.

[Arkhios]

14/16/16/14/14/15

Yeah, that makes sense, my big question is how/when I should pace them? Go directly back and forth, get up to 5/6 monk, that's what I'm having trouble deciding.

yeah, that actually makes sense. I might do that. It would probably be something I discuss with the DM.

I take that's the order in which your stats are distributed? If not, I would swap Con and Wis. Although extra Hit Points are definitely nice, AC is more valuable.

I would advise taking at least 5 levels in bard (that is, at least 4 in addition to what you have now), so that you get Font of Inspiration as soon as possible. Improve your charisma from now on. You'll definitely want to get Charisma 20 (at the very least, I'd say 16) so that you can use bardic inspiration 5 times per short or long rest. With College of Lore's Cutting Words (and Vicious Mockery), you can quite possibly prevent your allies from taking damage in the first place, because you reduce enemies' attack rolls with your bardic inspiration (and Vicious Mockery imposes disadvantage on one target's next attack roll) So, in one round you could use Vicious Mockery (as an Action) at one enemy and Cutting Words (as a reaction!) when another target attacks. Spread the "fun" around :P

Once you have Bard 5, you can choose if you want to get your second ASI and Extra Attack from monk, or if you would rather get those quite vital spells from Magical Secrets as a bard.