How to best build a ranged Hexblade Swords Bard?

[Wasp]

Hi everyone

I am thinking of building a ranged attacking Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard X for a new game (other players are going to play Moon Druid, Twilight Cleric and Artificer/Chronurgist).

I want to fill the role of the party face due to the lack of other CHA characters and cover the social/sneaky skills the party is lacking and provide ranged support in combat.

After some feedback I was thinking going with Hex1/SwordsX set up, and with a Custom Lineage "Elf" with Focus on CHA and DEX and Crossbow Expert at first level plus Sharpshooter and Elven Accuracy later, Background Urchin.

Do you have any suggestions for the build?

[Neoh]

You could start with 1 level of Fighter for Archery Fighting style and Con Save proficiency. As a Bard, they both go a loooooong way. I think it's worth the delay in your spells and features.

Depending on how long your game will last, you can do some very interesting and strong things thanks to the spells you can steal with Magical Secrets. Namely, Tenser's Transformation will be your best spell, but it comes very late.

Meanwhile, interesting spells to cast are:

Greater Invisibility: A sure way to get Advantage for Elven Accuracy and Disadvantage for your enemies.

Animate Objects: 10 bolts start attacking your enemies like some kind of volley. Takes an Action to cast, Bonus Action to attack on subsequent turns. You may want to switch to a Heavy Crossbow if you decide to use this spell.

Swift Quiver: Bonus Action to cast, unlimited ammunition, you can use a Bonus Action to make TWO attacks. Like Animate Objects, you might want to switch to a Heavy Crossbow when you use this spell.

Find Greater Steed: A Flying Mount. That's it. It's just great. No concentration, no time limit.

Haste: One more Attack. Pretty simple, pretty great. +2AC is also nice coupled with a Defensive Flourish.

That's a lot of Concentration spells, which is why taking 1 level in Fighter first is great.

Don't forget other utility spells such as Counterspell, but you won't be able to take them all, unfortunately.


Just a note, it's said that Custom Lineage doesn't qualify for racial feats, so better have a word with your DM before you start building around Elven Accuracy.

[Evaar]

Hi everyone

I am thinking of building a ranged attacking Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard X for a new game (other players are going to play Moon Druid, Twilight Cleric and Artificer/Chronurgist).

I want to fill the role of the party face due to the lack of other CHA characters and cover the social/sneaky skills the party is lacking and provide ranged support in combat.

After some feedback I was thinking going with Hex1/SwordsX set up, and with a Custom Lineage "Elf" with Focus on CHA and DEX and Crossbow Expert at first level plus Sharpshooter and Elven Accuracy later, Background Urchin.

Do you have any suggestions for the build?

Custom Lineage does not qualify for Elven Accuracy. Elves and Half Elves only.

https://twitter.com/jeremyecrawford/status/1367309850707849216?s=21

Note the Hexblade “Hex Warrior” feature will not work with a 2 handed weapon, which rules out most bows and crossbows. Though I think it still works with a hand crossbow as long as you’re proficient.


Honestly with a Druid, cleric, and artificer it seems like your party has plenty of support. I would just go pure warlock, personally. Eldritch Blast or Hexbow build, either would be fine.

[Mastikator]

Swords bard give the option between two fighting styles, neither are useful to an archer. The blade flourish is wasteful of the bardic inspiration dice. So what I'm saying is: don't take Swords bard, take Valor bard. Valor Bard's combat inspiration is like the blade flourish but good.

If you're going for hex bows then you need 3 levels in Warlock, take pact of the blade and the Improved Pact Weapon invocation, it lets you make any weapon as your hex weapon and it automatically is a +1. Having 3 levels in warlock also gives you 2nd level warlock spells like Darkness, and with Devil's Sight you'd basically be able to always give yourself advantage on all attacks and disadvantage on all enemy attacks against you. (when you're out of hexblade's curse, or need to attack more than one enemy).

Since you're going for 3 feats you should probably take 4 levels of warlock instead of 3, for the feat. Half elf qualifies for Elven Accuracy so I'd recommend that since it gives +2 cha and +1 to 2 other attributes (your choice), I'd actually start out with 17 in charisma (15 point buy, +2 from race) warlock, take elven accuracy at 4 to bump it up to 18, then go into bard for the rest of the game.