Help me decide (ASI bard)

[Snivlem]

Ok so I know this request is kinda dumb, but I really, really can't make up my mind, so I would appreciate some insight from others.

I have a tiefling lore bard that has just reached level 4. My concept is pretty much that of a glamour bard as my characters main goal is to become sort of a pop star. He grew up as an urchin and he is dedicated to advancing the social reputations of tieflings as a race an in particular in making his haf-wit outcast mother proud. Most of the money he have earned so far he have used to buy nice things for his mother etc. I picked expertice in persuation and performance. My magical secrets at levl 6 will probably be counterspell and conjur animals.

I have narraowed my options at lvl 4 down to the following:

+ 2 charisma: The optimizer in me is kinda telling me to go for this, it is also very fitting for RP purposes. Increased DC and potency of my spells, more cutting words and inspiration, and bonus to many of my skills including performance.

Ritual caster: I really want a familiar both for utility and RP purposes. I want a rat that I can train to do tricks and dance for my performances. Unseen servant could also be fun for performances. Spells like detect magic, comprehend languages, tiny hut are also great especially because I am the only arcane caster in the group. Im kinda worried the hunt for new spells/components etc. will somewhat distract me from my concept, however, and I certainly won't be as eager to give all of my gold to my mama if I go for this route. Roleplaying the character as getting obsessed with power and loosing touch of his original ideals, could be fun, however, but we play so rarely it is kinda hard to see such a stroy progress in a meaninfull way.

Inspiring leader: Very fitting for RP because I will fluff it as my character playing tunes or reciting poems etc. to inspire. Certainly a good feat mechanically also but maybe not optimal because our group isn't very big (with a full party we are 4 players, for several sessions we have just been 3).

Ok, so that's what I am considering. I am really just looking for opinions on what route I should pick. I should be able to make the choice myself, but I really can't.

[Slurm Browley]

Can you tell us more about your party composition? What are your current ability scores? Have there been any big recent developments in the story? All that info will help us help you a bit more.

[Snivlem]

The other characters are a halfling monk (open hand), human rogue (tief) and a human cleric (trickster). The monk and the tief are stable characters, the cleric have not alway participated.

We are playing in a home-brewed version of Cormyr. In the story so far we have just discovered there are some (presumebly) corrupted war-wizards that are conspiring with orcs and dark elves to orchestrate an invasion of the land. There seems to be some demonic influences involved also. In our current position we have no proper way to go with this information because whoever the corrupted influences in the war wizards are, they seem to be pretty much in control of the bureaucratic institutions. My character is thus considering
to stage a performance of some sort that will masquerade a message of what is going on as entertainment to try to raise awareness of the issues to the general public.

[nickl_2000]

My opinion, +2 charisma. So many of the bard's spells are save or suck having that +1 to spell DC makes a huge difference. Plus having an extra bardic inspiration is always a good thing, and as you said the bonus to skills works out. And finally it gives you one more spell that you know. That helps a lot!

I wouldn't bother with ritual caster at this point since you can already cast spells as a ritual and you have access to detect magic, comprehend languages, and unseen servant through the bard spell list if you want them. All you have to do is to have it known and you can cast it as a ritual. If your party needs ritual caster for other spells, make one of the fighters take it, they should have ASIs to spare!


Also, do you know if the Rogue is going AT or another subclass?

[sophontteks]

Aww man shame you didn't pick Glamour bard itself then (highly under-rated in power IMO and amazing flavor). Anyway, this is easy. Pick Charisma. It just does too much for you not to.

[Snivlem]

Aww man shame you didn't pick Glamour bard itself then (highly under-rated in power IMO and amazing flavor).

Well, yeah I know it is a great sub-class, but I really wanted the magical secrets at level 6, and because it is our groups first 5e-campaign we are sticking to the basic book. Also, to be honest, I would be a little worried the lvl3 feature (often low-rated, I know) would be to OP to my/our style of play. And anyway the fluff works just as well with a lore-bard.

Nick_l: Yeah I know I'm already a ritual caster, but with the limited spell options I really can't see myself picking up any of the ritual spells (except maybe tiny hut) in the normal way. Also, no familiar.

So there is 2 votes for +chr so far. I hear you...

[sophontteks]

Well, yeah I know it is a great sub-class, but I really wanted the magical secrets at level 6, and because it is our groups first 5e-campaign we are sticking to the basic book. Also, to be honest, I would be a little worried the lvl3 feature (often low-rated, I know) would be to OP to my/our style of play. And anyway the fluff works just as well with a lore-bard.

Nick_l: Yeah I know I'm already a ritual caster, but with the limited spell options I really can't see myself picking up any of the ritual spells (except maybe tiny hut) in the normal way. Also, no familiar.

So there is 2 votes for +chr so far. I hear you...
Sticking to the basic book is a good reason and the lore bard will always be a strong choice.

In defense of that 3rd level ability. The forum tends to disfavor anything not related to combat. Basically, if it doesn't have combat utility its 'situational', even though combat itself is situational. In social encounters its practically a nuke. I can't wrap my head around it. A multi-target undetectable supercharm is weak?!? At 6th level it can be combined with mantle of majesty where charmed targets automatically fail the 10 bonus castings of command, which is strong enough to tell kings to jump out of windows to their death, among many other things.

Their 3rd level inspiration is also a bit under-rated. They forget to mention its main draw in all the guides I've read. It allows the team to move out of range of the bard's AOE spells, and the bard has some ridiculous AOE control spells. The temp hp is icing

[nickl_2000]

Sticking to the basic book is a good reason and the lore bard will always be a strong choice.

In defense of that 3rd level ability. The forum tends to disfavor anything not related to combat. Basically, if it doesn't have combat utility its 'situational', even though combat itself is situational. In social encounters its practically a nuke. I can't wrap my head around it. A multi-target undetectable supercharm is weak?!? At 6th level it can be combined with mantle of majesty where charmed targets automatically fail the 10 bonus castings of command, which is strong enough to tell kings to jump out of windows to their death, among many other things.

Their 3rd level inspiration is also a bit under-rated. They forget to mention its main draw in all the guides I've read. It allows the team to move out of range of the bard's AOE spells, and the bard has some ridiculous AOE control spells. The temp hp is icing

The Temp HP is AMAZING at lower levels. You effectively double the HP of each PC per long rest. The battlefield control is great to, you can safely clear the battlefield of allies before your sorcerer drops a fireball on the field.

Also, my DM at least allowed me to use that level 3 ability with an instrument of the bards to give me advantage on that check to. It's been great!

[CTurbo]

You never said with your stats were but I'll assume your Cha is sitting at 16.

If that's the case, I highly recommend +2 to Cha ASAP.

Inspiring Leader is an excellent feat for a Bard, but I wouldn't even consider it unless I had at least an 18 Cha, but really I prefer a 20 Cha before taking it. The only exception to this would be taking it at 1st level as Vhuman.

I LOVE Find Familiar, but I'd rather get it via Magic Initiate instead of Ritual Caster. Bards lack good Cantrip damage spells and Magic Initiate is a great way to pick up a couple good ones like Booming Blade and Firebolt/Eldritch Blast. Lore Bards do NOT want to be in melee so if somebody comes up on you, you hit them with Booming Blade and run out of there. If they come after you, they take extra damage. (This is also why I like my squishy Bards to have Mobile when possible but only after Cha is maxed of course.)

[Snivlem]

You never said with your stats were but I'll assume your Cha is sitting at 16.

If that's the case, I highly recommend +2 to Cha ASAP.

Inspiring Leader is an excellent feat for a Bard, but I wouldn't even consider it unless I had at least an 18 Cha, but really I prefer a 20 Cha before taking it. The only exception to this would be taking it at 1st level as Vhuman.

I LOVE Find Familiar, but I'd rather get it via Magic Initiate instead of Ritual Caster. Bards lack good Cantrip damage spells and Magic Initiate is a great way to pick up a couple good ones like Booming Blade and Firebolt/Eldritch Blast. Lore Bards do NOT want to be in melee so if somebody comes up on you, you hit them with Booming Blade and run out of there. If they come after you, they take extra damage. (This is also why I like my squishy Bards to have Mobile when possible but only after Cha is maxed of course.)

Yeah you are right, my chr is 16 (I mistakingly kinda assumed it was given and forgot to mention it, sorry).

Interesting thoughts on magic initiate, but I take you would still go for the charisma bonus?

[BillyBobShorton]

IMO jack up your CHA to at least 18 before grabbing feats. The extra spell potentcy and more inspiration dice trump much else you're going after and you can still get those other things later.

[CTurbo]

Yeah you are right, my chr is 16 (I mistakingly kinda assumed it was given and forgot to mention it, sorry).

Interesting thoughts on magic initiate, but I take you would still go for the charisma bonus?


Yes I would get Cha to 18 first no matter what.