Dice Control Build

[Amdy_vill]

So I am playing a odd level one character right now. he is blind and uses his Familiar to see. My plain is to focus on Dice control, with a smaller focus on touch spells. He is a ghost-wise halfling I know i should get lucky and bountiful luck but is their any multi-classing i should do. I am wizard 1 and will be going divination.

[Man_Over_Game]

So I am playing a odd level one character right now. he is blind and uses his Familiar to see. My plain is to focus on Dice control, with a smaller focus on touch spells. He is a ghost-wise halfling I know i should get lucky and bountiful luck but is their any multi-classing i should do. I am wizard 1 and will be going divination.

Personally, I think you'd get more out of the build going Lore Bard than Wizard. Divination is fine, but you get that feature twice a day, where a Lore Bard can get something similar x5 each Short Rest.

[Amdy_vill]

Personally, I think you'd get more out of the build going Lore Bard than Wizard. Divination is fine, but you get that feature twice a day, where a Lore Bard can get something similar x5 each Short Rest.

So go 3 levels in bard then pick up my second level in wizard.

[Man_Over_Game]

So go 3 levels in bard then pick up my second level in wizard.


The bard version isn't usable per Short Rest until you hit level 5. Until then, it's usable up to x5 a day.

Additionally, you're divided between two main ability scores.

Dividing it between two ability scores is a pretty bad idea, as you're blind and more likely to grant Advantage to be attacked than anybody else (killing a familiar is generally easier than blinding a player). You'll want to pump your AC as much as you can to account for a bad scenario.

I'm not saying that Wizard Divination isn't a bad idea, I just mean that a Lore Bard manipulates dice more often, and that a Bard + Wizard multiclass is generally a bad idea.

[Dork_Forge]

If you're playing this build from 1st level then it can be a bit awkward, but there's nothing wrong with taking Divination Wizard and then leaving Int at a 13/14 and focusing on Bard seeing as Portent doesn't rely on a stat like Bardic Inspiration does. In terms of the power of the abilities I'd rank Portent higher, that's WHY it's only two times a day, it's one of the few abiltiies in game that lets you straight negate a DM crit.

Unless your DM bans it Lucky is also going to be big on your list of wants, I'd probably rush one class to 4th to get Lucky as early as possible to make it clear that this is your schtick.

[AvvyR]

In terms of the power of the abilities I'd rank Portent higher, that's WHY it's only two times a day, it's one of the few abiltiies in game that lets you straight negate a DM crit.

Not exactly. The portent die must be used before the roll. No roll takes place. The DM says "The monster attacks you" and you say "It rolls a 4." So, while it technically will stop a crit from happening, it does so by preventing the roll, not changing it after the fact.

[kazaryu]

The bard version isn't usable per Short Rest until you hit level 5. Until then, it's usable up to x5 a day.

Additionally, you're divided between two main ability scores.

Dividing it between two ability scores is a pretty bad idea, as you're blind and more likely to grant Advantage to be attacked than anybody else (killing a familiar is generally easier than blinding a player). You'll want to pump your AC as much as you can to account for a bad scenario.

I'm not saying that Wizard Divination isn't a bad idea, I just mean that a Lore Bard manipulates dice more often, and that a Bard + Wizard multiclass is generally a bad idea.

eh, i mean, if you're fully optimizing sure. that doesn't seem to be the case here. nothing wrong with a multiclass.

but like, take 2 levels in wizard, only put a 13 in int, and use the 3 preparation slots for utility spells. then everything else in bard. lore bard means that if you want a certain wizard spell you can take it.

overall though i agree with your thought that bard is overall gonna do more

[JackPhoenix]

you're blind and more likely to grant Advantage to be attacked than anybody else (killing a familiar is generally easier than blinding a player). You'll want to pump your AC as much as you can to account for a bad scenario.

Alert solves that problem.

However, there's still the issue that seeing through the familiar's eyes takes your action and only lasts until the start of your next turn, which means you can either see or do stuff, but not both.

[Man_Over_Game]

Alert solves that problem.

However, there's still the issue that seeing through the familiar's eyes takes your action and only lasts until the start of your next turn, which means you can either see or do stuff, but not both.

I'm sure any DM that'd allow something like a blind character would look past the rules on that.

[jaappleton]

I actually figured this out a few weeks ago. I was trying to build the “How can I penalize enemy saves?” build, as a way to get them to burn legendary resistance.

——

Eloquence Bards can impose Disadvantage on an enemy saving throw as a Bonus Action, if the enemy fails an Intelligence save, at 3rd level

Star Druids can perform a Reaction where they minus 1d6 from an enemy save at 6th level

The Mind Sliver cantrip, available to Bards, can minus 1d4 from a saving throw, this is an Action

The Bane spell, available to Bards, is an Action to cast, but lasts a minute and is Concentration, which subtracts 1d4 from an enemy saving throw

So, if you cast Bane the previous turn and use Mind Sliver the next, and are a 9th level PC with Star Druid 6 / Eloquence 3, then....

-1d4 (Bane)
-1d4 (Mind Sliver)
-1d6 (Star)
Plus Disadvantage

Using average rolls, that makes this -8.5 on a saving throw, with Disadvantage.

[Segev]

I'm sure any DM that'd allow something like a blind character would look past the rules on that.

As a DM, I'd allow a unique trait that let you see through your familiar's eyes without spending an action if you were blind. You may think this sounds like it's super-cheesy, because the blind character isn't really suffering at all, but there are ample opportunities to impose Disadvantage on things like aiming (not all the time, but if the familiar is not on his head or shoulder...), and it means that he can't switch between looking through his spy's eyes and using his own vision when he and his familiar are separated, and it means he's blinded if I take out the low-hp, low-AC familiar. (This is also a thing that happens if dragon's breath on the familiar is overused. I don't mind it being done, but monsters aren't stupid enough to ignore the owl that's BREATHING LIGHTNING on them.)

[HiveStriker]

The bard version isn't usable per Short Rest until you hit level 5. Until then, it's usable up to x5 a day.

Additionally, you're divided between two main ability scores.

Dividing it between two ability scores is a pretty bad idea, as you're blind and more likely to grant Advantage to be attacked than anybody else (killing a familiar is generally easier than blinding a player). You'll want to pump your AC as much as you can to account for a bad scenario.

I'm not saying that Wizard Divination isn't a bad idea, I just mean that a Lore Bard manipulates dice more often, and that a Bard + Wizard multiclass is generally a bad idea.
That is a straight up wrong assertion, but that's besides the topic so I won't press. :)

With that said...

So I am playing a odd level one character right now. he is blind and uses his Familiar to see. My plain is to focus on Dice control, with a smaller focus on touch spells. He is a ghost-wise halfling I know i should get lucky and bountiful luck but is their any multi-classing i should do. I am wizard 1 and will be going divination.

@OP, for your character concept specifically, I do agree with everyone that straight up Bard would be better. At least up until level 6, possibly 7 (not 5, reason below).
Reasons behind...
1. As a blind caster, you will rely *entirely* on spells. As such, you will probably want more powerful spells as fast as possible. Being one, or 2 levels behind, is manageable when you can fall back on other features.
But as a blind caster Wizard, I don't get what you could do except use spells.... So getting spells like Heat Metal, Silence or Phantasmal Force then Hypnotic Pattern should be a priority.
2. What others said: Bardic Inspiration is much more useful once it recharges on a short rest. Especially since it's at the same level that you could learn both Catnap (mini-short rest) and Leomund's Tiny Hut (ritual that can often used to at least manage a short rest).
3. You'll want to rely on a Familiar: you don't need to mutliclass in Wizard for that, grabbing the Ritual Caster or Magic Initiate feat is enough (Ritual Caster being obviously better for you imo, although one may wonder if it won't be too difficult to systematically use familiar's sense to copy new spells. XD ;)).
4. Since your familiar will be paramount to you contributing to combat, you really want to help it survive. Learning either Aid or Warding Bond as a Magic Secret would help much in that.
And otherwise, Magic Secrets at level 6 means you can Counterspell (although imo should be hard to manage even with DM leniency on action economy by RAW), or grab Healing Spirits to resolve every restoration problem out of combat, or Haste to buff a pal, or Slow for a nice and good friendly AOE, or maybe Revivify, Wind Wall, Conjure Animals (this one especially good since you don't need any action to command).

5. Fluff-wise, I feel Bard is much more fitting for a blind guy: after all, Bards are all about arts, but also music and oral tradition... Whereas Wizard is all about wearing eyes out studying old writings (although, if your character is old, you could argue (s)he lost eyesight because of all those years spent studying XD).
6. Mechanics wise still, beyond the plain dice roll, you also learn Enhance Ability early (which is another way to control the dice for all skill checks), Bane (malus on enemies), Faerie Fire (advantage on attack rolls)... So in and out of combat you'll have ways to increase odds in favor of your party, one way or another.
(Honestly just Ehance Ability may be enough some days to empty your slots, and outside combat situation, you'll have no trouble casting it through familiar obviously ;)).
7. Mechanics wise yet again, you can contribute much beyond plain spells, because you'll have the natural Charisma (blind party face can actually be a pretty "powerful" figure), Expertise in some skills and Jack of All Trades otherwise.

In short, I feel every mechanic of class, archetype and fluff of Bard fits perfectly and brings far enough benefit to outweight whatever Wizard may bring.

Especially considering that you don't actually have any control on your Portent. So, yeah, even "medium rolls" can be used most of the time, but it's really when you get 1-2 or 19-20 that Portent feels as powerful as many people boast about on internet. Except the day when you get those rolls, and the day when you need those rolls, don't necessarily match...

--> Getting levels in Wizard should, imo, be considered only if by level 7 acquired as a Bard (Banishment! Polymorph!), you feel you don't have enough options specifically in dice trading/influcencing. Otherwise you'd better stay pure Bard or possibly multiclass in Sorcerer for some metamagics and archetype features.

EDIT: Ok, completely missed you already started playing.
Well then, if you have the Charisma for that, go for Bard (one level "behind" is not that bad yet). Otherwise, just stick with Wizard...

[Segev]

Xanathar's Guide also has a feat for halflings that lets them reroll ... shoot. I remember the one that lets them give a reroll to an ally (negating their own reroll-a-1 until their next turn), but there's a second one, and I saw it last night, thought "this would be good to mention in this thread," and now forgot what it is. I suggest reading the Xanathar's Guide racial feats section, though, if you're going halfling for dice manipulation. The one I'm thinking about is on the right-hand page in the lower-left corner, IIRC. The last page of the racial feats section.

[Bobthewizard]

I'm not saying that Wizard Divination isn't a bad idea, I just mean that a Lore Bard manipulates dice more often, and that a Bard + Wizard multiclass is generally a bad idea.

As any kind of even split I agree with you. Lore bard can gain a lot from a two level dip in another caster to pick up shield and absorb elements. Usually this is sorcerer or hexblade but divination wizard could work well with just a 13 Int.

The spells you want are shield, absorb elements, find familiar and other rituals. Avoid spells with attacks or saves.

Personally I think divine soul sorcerer works better for this concept though. You get favored by the gods instead of portent which isn't as good and don't get find familiar, but you can pick up some attack cantrips which the bard lacks.

[HPisBS]

As any kind of even split I agree with you. Lore bard can gain a lot from a two level dip in another caster to pick up shield and absorb elements. Usually this is sorcerer or hexblade but divination wizard could work well with just a 13 Int.

The spells you want are shield, absorb elements, find familiar and other rituals. Avoid spells with attacks or saves.

Personally I think divine soul sorcerer works better for this concept though. You get favored by the gods instead of portent which isn't as good and don't get find familiar, but you can pick up some attack cantrips which the bard lacks.

Great points. Wizard 2 is a great dip for those specific spells (+ Detect Magic and Identify), but Divine Soul 1 gets you Shield and your choice of Bane or Bless, plus one other spell of your choice from the Sorcerer or Cleric list, along with all those cantrips - using your primary stat.

Favored by the Gods is 1 / rest +2d4 (statistically the same as advantage) for yourself, so it can potentially be used more often than Portent.

The only downside to it, compared to Portent, is that it can't be used to gimp enemy saves or attack, nor to ensure your allies'.

But if you're already locked into Wizard, then I guess that's kinda moot.




Xanathar's Guide also has a feat for halflings that lets them reroll ... shoot. I [forgot]....

- Bountiful Luck lets a halfling react to an ally's nat 1 at the cost of his racial Lucky until after his next turn.
- Second Chance is a once / rest or initiative roll reaction to make an enemy you see who hits you re-roll the attack. It's also a +1 to Dex, Con, or Cha.



I actually figured this out a few weeks ago. I was trying to build the “How can I penalize enemy saves?” build, as a way to get them to burn legendary resistance.

——

Eloquence Bards can impose Disadvantage on an enemy saving throw as a Bonus Action, if the enemy fails an Intelligence save, at 3rd level

Star Druids can perform a Reaction where they minus 1d6 from an enemy save at 6th level

The Mind Sliver cantrip, available to Bards, can minus 1d4 from a saving throw, this is an Action

The Bane spell, available to Bards, is an Action to cast, but lasts a minute and is Concentration, which subtracts 1d4 from an enemy saving throw

So, if you cast Bane the previous turn and use Mind Sliver the next, and are a 9th level PC with Star Druid 6 / Eloquence 3, then....

-1d4 (Bane)
-1d4 (Mind Sliver)
-1d6 (Star)
Plus Disadvantage

Using average rolls, that makes this -8.5 on a saving throw, with Disadvantage.

First, it's important to note that, save for Bane, literally everything listed there is from Unearthed Arcana. The DM may be cool with that, but he may not.

Second, that Eloquence feature is at level 6, not 3. (Lvl 3 is essentially Comprehend [My] Languages for your Bardic-Inspiration-roll-sized audience, and free Calm Emotions for Cha mod times / day.)

Speaking of which, I'd say there's a decent chance the DM would disallow Eloquence in particular, since it seems significantly stronger than even Lore and Swords are.