Sword Dancer of Eilistraee options

[Foolwise]

As a backup build, I am thinking of a half-drow Sword Dancer of Eilistraee and considering these options:

Bladesinger 14/Twilight Cleric 6
Bladesinger 15/Swords Bard 5
Artificer 1/Bladesinger 19

All of these MCs grant access to Faerie Fire allowing me to forgo the Drow Magic racial feat and take Skill Versatility instead.

Twilight is most thematic with Eilistraee. Grants access to Moonbeam. Super improved darkvision. Love the idea of dropping Spirit Guardians while having my Twilight aura going. Combining it with my bladesong makes for a wild utility nova. Access to healing helps fill out the wizard spell list.

Swords dovetails nicely with Bladesinging. The flourishes enhace my melee. Jack of All Trades and the extra skills let me lean harder into the diplomancy RP of Eilistraee. Dueling style can be fluffed into giving my blade a soft silvery glow and GFB can be refluffed into BWFB (see spoiler).


The Sword Dancers had the ability to cast the magic missile spell, or to use its energy to empower their next sword strike, surrounding their blade with blue-white flames. They could also use their magic to temporarily enchant a bladed weapon with a silvery glow that increased the precision of its strikes, without the possibility of it being dispelled.

Artificer gives me the best save- Con with Int. Also has access to Guidance and Cure Wounds. And thanks to rounding up, no loss of higher level spells from multiclassing. This MC is the least MAD but also the least thematic however. Needing tools for a spellcasting focus is troublesome for RP, until I find a Ruby of the War Mage or much preferably an All Purpose Tool (DM-willing).


I'm not sure which is the best build. Twilight leans into the priestess RP with great combat utility for the party. Swords leans into the social RP with the extra skill/music profs and greatly enhances the bladesinging. While Artificer lets me single class with some extra perks at the cost of the wizard's capstone (that I'll likely never reach), but is thematically lacking.

[Bobthewizard]

So I wouldn't do the first two. Dipping that far on a spellcaster is going to put you very far behind on your ability to cast high level spells. I would find tier 2 and 3 frustrating. Then the artificer doesn't blend well with a bladesinger since the main reason to take that level of artificer is for medium armor and shields.

So I would either go straight bladesinger or straight swords bard. Either one can be fluffed as a blade dancer. Multiclassing the two is MAD but if you rolled well, maybe take a two level bladesinger dip on a swords bard after level 6. With good stats, I think that works better than a 3 level swords bard dip on a bladesinger, since it takes 5 levels to get bardic inspiration on a short rest.

[kaervaak]

Either Bladesinger 20 or Bladesinger 18/fighter 2 (taking the fighter levels late)

Artificer doesn't do much for a bladesinger since you won't use the armor or shield proficiencies and you get to add int to con saves anyway, so wis saves are more valuable for you. The 1 level delay to spells known and to extra attack are a big price to pay for such small benefits.

[1WngdAngel]

I have a homebrew Sword Dancer Cleric subclass published on D&D Beyond. Let me know if that's something you'd want to check out.

[TyGuy]

I've seen and had this dilemma before. The issue being there's so many choice elements spread over different classes.
I think I'd simply stick to swords because it has the most core aspects.
Song and dance in and out of combat. Sword play. Expertise in performance and persuasion.

[Witty Username]

I wouldn't discount straight bladesinger or straight swords bard. Multiclassing is often overrated.
For example, artificer 1 still delays spell progression just not spell slots.
The twilight cleric build may be the best just off of how busted twilight cleric is.

[P. G. Macer]

Since you mentioned Faerie Fire as a wanted spell for your build originating outside of Drow Magic, I think an effective compromise build could be Bladesinger 20 while taking the Artificer Initiate feat for Faerie Fire. You only get FF at Level 4 at the earliest, but it doesn’t compromise your spell casting progression at all. Also, like the Wizard 19/Artificer 1 version, this way FF keys off your INT stat rather than CHA (bard, draw magic) or WIS (Twilight Cleric), making you far less MAD. You also get a free extra INT-based cantrip from this method—I recommend Guidance or maybe Thorn Whip.

[Foolwise]

I am leaning toward going straight Swords Bard. It has the best blend of swordplay, music, diplomancy, and healing baked in. Song of Rest can be refluffed into the Dancer's healing Spellsong.

Then there's Magical Secrets. The wiki mentions Sword Dancers could cast Magic Missile, Spell Turning, Commune, True Seeing, Stone Telling, and Plane Shift. Only True Seeing is on the Bard list.
At 10th, I can grab Commune. Counterspell is the closest 5e has to Spell Turning, Haste and Spirit Guardians are also very tempting. Moonbeam is super thematic. But I was really excited to get access to Steel Wind Strike from the earlier Bladesinger builds, so I will likely grab that.
At 14th, Plane Shift becomes available. Crown of Stars... supercharged magic missiles? Contingency for a get out of jail free card? Simulacrum to make an albino half-drow to shadowsnowbox with?
At 18th, Wish (DM-willing) is the no brainer. Blade of Disaster seems like the ultimate send dancing sword to protect the priestess. Holy Aura perhaps if Wish denied.

[Foolwise]

I have a good feeling the forum won't care for this, but what about a 1 level Sorc dip on the Swords Bard? Basically an early level Magical Secrets with some extra benefits and no MADness.

Shadow Sorcerer gives me that improved darkvision, albeit not as nice as the Twilight Cleric's. And Strength of the Grave to keep me from 0 hp once per day will always be handy. Then I get 6 spells (4 cantrips, 2 1st). Of the cantrips not on the Bards list:
Green Flame Blade - refluffed to Blue-White Flame Blade from Sword Dancer lore
Sword Burst - thematic melee AoE cantrip? Yes, please!
Booming Blade - fits the build, not sure about the lore
Create Bonfire - Burn the bodies of evildoers as an offering to Eilistraee? Check. Ritual celebration happening? Check.

Magic Missile - the quintessential Sword Dancer spell
For the 2nd spell, I could pick any of these:
Mage Armor - a buff for fighting in the buff
Shield - hard to pass up
Chromatic Orb - refluffed to Eilistraee's Moonfire

[Bobthewizard]

I like a one level sorcerer dip on a swords bard. Hexblade is even better for the CHA SADness and shield proficiency, but one level of sorcerer still gets you the shield spell. Either way, you could refluff eldritch blast (easy) or firebolt (maybe a stretch) as the bladedancer's magic missile. I'd rather have absorb elements than magic missile but I'll make optimization sacrifices to fit a theme.

I'd probably start with this dip either way for the better saves. Either CON or WIS are better than DEX that the bard gets.

If you have a 14 Intelligence, you could take a level of wizard instead. Then you'd lose the subclass abilities, but you'd get 3 spells prepared, some rituals, and could take that 2nd level for blade singer later if you wanted to. I wouldn't do this with point buy. You'd be better off putting the points into DEX and CON.

[Foolwise]

Normally I would also default to Shield over Mage Armor, but with the lore of the Sword Dancers fighting naked, it would seem that MA is more appropriate?

It comes down to using 1 or 2 1st level slots a day for a +1/+3 AC boost, and having more slots for Faerie Fire, Heroism, Magic Missile, etc. Or getting a +5 AC instant boost that will turn a hit into a miss but only lasts another turn and will take slots away from other spells.

It would be an easier choice if I could swap MA out for Shield later on.

[Foolwise]

Final stretch to the build's creation.

Half-Elf doesn't grant longsword proficiency so starting Bard followed by Shadow Sorcerer. Earlier I was trying to avoid taking Drow Magic for Skill Versatility instead, but I have changed my mind. Having Jack of All Trades reduces the need for two extra skills while Drow Magic will let me add extra spells.

My Lv 2 Sword Dancer- Bard 1/Shadow Sorc 1

Languages: Common, Elven, Undercommon
Skills: Acrobatics, Insight, Performance, Persuasion, Religion
Tools: Flute, Horn, Lyre (Harp), Herbalism Kit, Smith's Tools
Background: Acolyte or Urban Bounty Hunter, but will customize to include Herbalism Kit and Smith's Tools

Spells Known-
Cantrips: Dancing Lights (Drow), Message (Bard), Mending (Bard), Booming Blade (Sorc), Create Bonfires (Sorc), Green Flame Blade (Sorc), Sword Burst (Sorc)
1st Level- Charm Person (Bard), Disguise Self (Bard), Healing Word (Bard), Bless (Bard), Magic Missile (Sorc), Shield (Sorc)

Rolling for wealth. Longsword, Flute, Horn, Lyre, Herbalism Kit, Smith's Tools, Explorer's Pack is 85gp. Bards get 5d4 x10 or 125gp avg. A avg roll should give me the 130gp total needed for Studded Leather. If the roll is great, I will try to get a Moon-Touched longsword. Maybe even if it is not so great and take regular Leather armor.

====================%%%====================

Acolyte or Urban Bounty Hunter? Acolyte specifically states I can perform ceremonies, which is huge thematically. The shelter feature is good and fits, but the rarity of Eilistraee faithful on the surface lessens its value. Urban Bounty Hunter has a great feature that can be extremely helpful in the Sword Dancer's mission to free drow. But as with Acolyte, the feature will come into play rarely as I would only expect large cities having an Eilistraee contact.

Missing Skills- Medicine, Perception, Stealth, and Survival were also considered. But they didn't fit as well as the five chosen. Acrobatics/Performance for sword dancing. Insight/Persuasion for diplomacy. Religion for the Dark Maiden.

Languages- My DM approved Drow Sign Language, but I would need to get at least another player to sign... on for it to work. Either way, I plan to fluff the somatic needs of the Message cantrip as my character signing.

Spells- Trying to keep my selections on theme. And when that theme is improving relations by showing the world drow can be good, spells like Vicious Mockery and Dissonant Whispers do not fit. Likewise as good as Friends sounds by name, the cantrip's poison pill would be ruinous to my goals. Might swap Disguise Self for Faerie Fire so I don't go a level without it. Would love to get Moonbeam on this build, but do not see how. Magical Secrets comes online too late to add it then.

ASIs/Feats- Chef, Elven Accuracy, Fey Touched, and Warcaster have been considered. Chef may only get chosen if the DM allows everyone to start with a free feat. Warcaster is likely set at 5. If I manage to start with an 18 in CHA, I will use EA and Fey to bump CHA to 20. If an odd CHA stat, Fey (Hunter's Mark) will get the nod over EA. But if my stat rolls aren't great, Warcaster may be the only feat taken for the BB wombo combo.

Thanks for reading all of this, this thread was very helpful in creating it.

[Keravath]

Just a quick comment. As far as I know, Bless isn't a bard spell so you might need to make another 1st level spell pick. If it is important you could probably pick it up by going divine soul sorcerer instead of shadow.

[RogueJK]

Just a quick comment. As far as I know, Bless isn't a bard spell so you might need to make another 1st level spell pick.

Correct. Bards get Bane, but not Bless.


If it is important you could probably pick it up by going divine soul sorcerer instead of shadow.

Or by taking the Fey Touched feat at Bard 4.

[Foolwise]

Bless has been included onto the Bards list thanks to Tasha... hmmm quick search shows online guides not including Bless as part of the expanded list, but I am positive my copy of Tasha's has it listed. Will double check when I arrive home.

Eilistraee is CG so Divine Sorc would limit me to a choice of Bane or Cure Wounds. I do want to take Fey Touched but I will grab Hunters Mark as the Sword Dancers are accomplished hunters.

[Foolwise]

And I was mistaken. No Bless. So I'll need to replace that.