Bardlock- Patron and College

[Thorongil]

A buddy of mine is gearing up to run a nautical themed campaign, starting at 5th level. I’m excited to get to play for a change instead of DMing. Our group isn’t really too power-oriented. I’m expecting it’ll be weighted in favor of role playing over combat, but we still tend to get into a lot of fights.

I’ve got a character concept I want to run- halfling bard who runs out of luck, and faced with death, makes an old-school deal with the devil. I know most people suggest only dipping 2 levels of Warlock, but I’d rather go to 3rd level with the Warlock in order to pick up the Pact Boon.

So, having never played either Bard or Warlock, and not as interested in power as I am in a streamlined set of combat decisions and a variety of options, I’m wondering what combination of Patron, Pact Boon, and Bard College the Playground can recommend/wax poetic on.

Many thanks!

[Xihirli]

Pact of the Archfey Glamour Bard makes for a spectacular Pied Piper feel.
If you’re going with “lucky until I wasn’t, deal with the devil” then Glamour/Fiend gives you a good mix of blasting and control.

And as far as pure optimization goes it's important to look at hexblade for Medium Armor, shields, and Hexblade’s Curse.

As far as pact is concerned, I’d consider Chainlock. Tomelock’s also pretty good but you’re already a ritual caster, mostly you’re just missing Find Familiar on your spell list.

[MilkmanDanimal]

I'm currently playing a Halfling Fiendlock/Lore Bard, and it's a ridiculously fun character. I'm actually focusing on Warlock, and am currently Warlock 9/Lore Bard 3, and the emerging backstory has been he's someone who wants to make something of himself and really be a Bard, but practicing music is HARD, and, well, there's these basically free, no-effort levels of Warlock he can take, and he always takes the easy way out. I think there's a reasonable chance the campaign will hit 20, and I'll never have more than three levels of Bard.

Anyways, Bard gives you low-level slots for all sorts of utility; that's where Hex is coming from, and stuff like Silence and Enhance Ability give useful support aspects. Bardic Inspiration and Cutting Words help out teammates a lot, and the Warlock spell slots are for big stuff like Counterspell or Banishment. It's basically an EB spam cannon who has lots of skills and support abilities, and once you throw in Agonizing Blast, Repelling Blast, and Lance of Lethargy + Hex, there's a big element of solid damage plus battlefield control as well, so you're useful fighting and basically good at helping everyone else. It's just fun; as a Tomelock, there are loads of rituals to cast as well so even out of combat you're useful.

It's a fun combo, and I've never once been bored even though I'm just Eldritch Blasting all the livelong day.

[Thorongil]

I forgot to mention- while I’m not looking to be a beast in melee, I’d like to be able to get into it competently. Is Valor or Swords something I should consider?

[Keravath]

For survivability and skills lore bard/hex blade makes a great character that can fall back on agonizing blast for combat damage. Variant human with resilient con to start and then take devils sight as your other invocation to give the human some ability to see in the dark. It is a lot of fun to play. You don't need more than two levels of warlock. However, if you want the pact then Pact of the Chain can work well with the special familiar depending on what you want to do with it from an RP perspective. Either way, it makes a great scout.

Going Tome can open up some other spell options including all rituals up to 2nd level if you take the invocation but in this case (if you went human) you will probably have to drop devils sight and try to rely on seeing in the dark some other way. Agonizing blast is too important for the direct damage aspects.

The main problem with a melee bard lock is that you won't get an extra attack until bard 6 or warlock 5 which could be level 7 to 9 depending on your level split in the multiclass. In addition, the other classes will be doing melee generally a lot better than the bardlock so you might want to consider sticking to ranged damage and spell casting. (In most cases, unless you are somhow forced into melee, the bardlock will usually be better off using agonizing blast than any form of melee attack).

[Zetakya]

Great Old One for the whole Cthulhu-esque Deep Ones vibe (and Evard's Black Tentacles). Gift of the Depths is good in a nautical scenario, and Otherworldly Leap for maximum Flynning value.

College of Swords for the Swashbuckling Vibe. Make sure you pick up a bit of weather magic along the way, and at least one of Navigator or Cartographer's tools if you can.

[Seekergeek]

I played a whispers/GOO dwarven warlock with pact of the blade who's patron was a Kracken. There was a lot to unpack in the backstory that I won't go in to since no one asked and it isn't at all material to the question of your unlucky halfling. I also play at a less than optimal table and I found that between eldritch smite and the whisper's psychic blades I was able to shine in combat when the situation called for it and contributed in hilarious ways in roleplay. Was an absolute blast to play and came "online" pretty quickly.

[Warlush]

I love the pact of the chain when multiclassing bard. You can buff you familiar with Ehnance Ability, Bless, Aid, Enlarge/Reduced ect. A buffed imp is a very potent scout.