Hiro Quester
2022-05-17, 02:21 PM
My Hexblade Swords bard (Hexblard?) nearly died in our last game. Only succeeded on the third death save because our paladin donated his inspiration card for +1 on the secret roll the DM made, turning a 9 into 10 on the roll). So I'm planning a backup character.
While I was committed to swords bard for this character, I looked very very hard at a whispers bard before deciding that my Hexblard's 8 intelligence wasn't suited for infiltration and spying.
We don't have a shortage of casters in our party (spores druid, chronurgist wizard, twilight cleric, artillerist artificer and conquest paladin), so losing a few caster levels for martial prowess might be reasonable if it makes a fun character. And we don't have a rogue (though artificer can fill in, he's not that sneaky).
So I'm thinking about a similar martial bard theme, but switching things up.
It strikes me that playing a whispers bard (who is into sneaking and infiltration) along with a swashbuckler rogue (who is a showy performer) could be a fun turnaround: a showoff attention-seeking rogue/ bard, as a cover for being a spy/infiltrator.
I have not mapped it all out yet, but something like Rogue 3/Bard 6/ then either Bard +11 or Rogue+5/Bard+6 might be fun.
Mark of shadow elf (or variant human) with entertainer background, so the rogue can pass for a bard until actual bard abilities kick in, and can disguise his whisper bard college by pretending to be a swords or valor bard.
Rogue 3 might be enough, with the rest in Bard. Though 4levels for ASI and 5 for Uncanny dodge and 3d6 Sneak attack, or 4d6 at 7th level (also Evasion), then 8 for another ASI... It's hard to know where to stop. Giving up bard spells hurts, but maybe it's worth it....?
Swashbuckler gets sneak attack to anyone you are in solo combat with, +CHA to initiative and mobility (a free disengage on anyone you attack).
Bard 3 gets to use Bardic inspiration for extra dice of psychic damage (very much like sneak attack), and a cool fear effect. These increase very much like sneak attack (to 8d6 at 15th level). But it uses bardic inspiration, which is a limited resource, unlike sneak attack which a swashbuckler can use almost every turn.
And Bard 6 gets infiltration: you can create a perfect disguise of someone who dies near you, and have all the knowledge of the person (that they would tell a close friend).
The combination rogue 8/bard 12 gets all the ASIs, 6th level spells, magical secrets, expertise in 8 skills and proficiency in 2 more (depending on race and background). Defensively it has evasion and uncanny dodge, Also can have proficiency with a bunch of tools (e.g. alchemy, thieves', forgery, poisons, calligraphy, jewelry, and a couple of musical instruments). And offensively it has 4d6 sneak attack regularly and 5d6 Psychic blades (using bardic inspiration).
Though a level in Hexblade would get medium armor, shield, CHA to attack (making dex 18 plenty, esp with expertises, and forgoing an ASI less painful), and spells like eldrich blast, hex and shield.
Feats could include warcaster, elven accuracy, fey touched, piercer, actor, resilient (con).
Has anyone played a combination like this? It seems fun in theory (as good or better at stealth, sneak attacking, infiltration and casting than an arcane trickster rogue).
Advice on abilities (point buy), races, backgrounds, level spread and advancement, ASI/feats, magical secrets (spirit guardians looks good), etc. would be appreciated.
While I was committed to swords bard for this character, I looked very very hard at a whispers bard before deciding that my Hexblard's 8 intelligence wasn't suited for infiltration and spying.
We don't have a shortage of casters in our party (spores druid, chronurgist wizard, twilight cleric, artillerist artificer and conquest paladin), so losing a few caster levels for martial prowess might be reasonable if it makes a fun character. And we don't have a rogue (though artificer can fill in, he's not that sneaky).
So I'm thinking about a similar martial bard theme, but switching things up.
It strikes me that playing a whispers bard (who is into sneaking and infiltration) along with a swashbuckler rogue (who is a showy performer) could be a fun turnaround: a showoff attention-seeking rogue/ bard, as a cover for being a spy/infiltrator.
I have not mapped it all out yet, but something like Rogue 3/Bard 6/ then either Bard +11 or Rogue+5/Bard+6 might be fun.
Mark of shadow elf (or variant human) with entertainer background, so the rogue can pass for a bard until actual bard abilities kick in, and can disguise his whisper bard college by pretending to be a swords or valor bard.
Rogue 3 might be enough, with the rest in Bard. Though 4levels for ASI and 5 for Uncanny dodge and 3d6 Sneak attack, or 4d6 at 7th level (also Evasion), then 8 for another ASI... It's hard to know where to stop. Giving up bard spells hurts, but maybe it's worth it....?
Swashbuckler gets sneak attack to anyone you are in solo combat with, +CHA to initiative and mobility (a free disengage on anyone you attack).
Bard 3 gets to use Bardic inspiration for extra dice of psychic damage (very much like sneak attack), and a cool fear effect. These increase very much like sneak attack (to 8d6 at 15th level). But it uses bardic inspiration, which is a limited resource, unlike sneak attack which a swashbuckler can use almost every turn.
And Bard 6 gets infiltration: you can create a perfect disguise of someone who dies near you, and have all the knowledge of the person (that they would tell a close friend).
The combination rogue 8/bard 12 gets all the ASIs, 6th level spells, magical secrets, expertise in 8 skills and proficiency in 2 more (depending on race and background). Defensively it has evasion and uncanny dodge, Also can have proficiency with a bunch of tools (e.g. alchemy, thieves', forgery, poisons, calligraphy, jewelry, and a couple of musical instruments). And offensively it has 4d6 sneak attack regularly and 5d6 Psychic blades (using bardic inspiration).
Though a level in Hexblade would get medium armor, shield, CHA to attack (making dex 18 plenty, esp with expertises, and forgoing an ASI less painful), and spells like eldrich blast, hex and shield.
Feats could include warcaster, elven accuracy, fey touched, piercer, actor, resilient (con).
Has anyone played a combination like this? It seems fun in theory (as good or better at stealth, sneak attacking, infiltration and casting than an arcane trickster rogue).
Advice on abilities (point buy), races, backgrounds, level spread and advancement, ASI/feats, magical secrets (spirit guardians looks good), etc. would be appreciated.