Build Request

[TheSnowHatHero]

Hey guys!
Quick build request -
A character(preferably with some bard levels) that is optimized around De-buffing enemies and supporting allies.
Priorities:
1. Most significant decrease in the effectiveness of multiple enemies by virtue of this character's actions.
1a. If it matters, consider the bulk of enemies' abilities to be attack-based.
2. Most significant increase in the effectiveness of allies by virtue of this character's actions.
3. Not a frontliner.
4. Bard levels are nice but not required(I can always just pick up background-based instrument proficiency and flavor it).
That's it. Thanks!

[nickl_2000]

Sounds like a Lore Bard all the way to me.

-Cutting Words and Bardic Inspiration for buffs and de-buffs.
-Vicious Mockery as your standard.
-Counter Spell as one of your level 6 bardic secrets and Haste as the other
-Fairie Fire, bane, Blindness/Deafness, Invisibility, Suggestion, Dispel Magic
-Heals
-Hypnotic Pattern


It's really all you need in a PC that you are describing.



Level 1: Take Sleep, Fairie Fire, Bane, and Healing Word as spells.
Vicious Mockery and Minor Illusion as Cantrips.

Level 2: Add Tasha's
Level 3: Drop Sleep, take Blindness/Deafness and Hold Person/Suggestion
Level 4: Suggestion/Hold Person
Level 5: Drop Bane, take Dispel Magic and Hypnotic Pattern

This will get you started and going for a long time. Half-Elf is a great choice for races, but Dwarf with Tasha's stat changes is good to get medium armor (+2 cha, +1 dex).

[Granitecosmos]

Sounds like a Lore Bard all the way to me.
I would at least consider a Sorcerer multiclass for Quicken. Four levels get you two per day without burning spell slots for sorcery points, and an ASI. Bard 19 and especially 20 are rubbish, the only things you really lose out on are 9th level spells and Magical Secret. You can also go Sorcerer 3 to trade an ASI for 9th level spells if you can't live without them.

[nickl_2000]

I would at least consider a Sorcerer multiclass for Quicken. Four levels get you two per day without burning spell slots for sorcery points, and an ASI. Bard 19 and especially 20 are rubbish, the only things you really lose out on are 9th level spells and Magical Secret. You can also go Sorcerer 3 to trade an ASI for 9th level spells if you can't live without them.

That's fair the question becomes how high the campaign will go. You want to get to Bard 6 before multiclassing (for Haste, Counterspell, and Font of Inspiration). After that, it is worth looking into that multi-class certainly.