The Shadowy Spy



Level 20 level split: Hexblade 2/Lore Bard 18

Race: Half-elf

Stats: Str 10 Dex 14 Con 15 Int 10 Wis 12 Cha 16

Background: spy

+2 CHA (18)
Resilient (Con)
+2 CHA (20)
Lucky

Proficiencies: thieves’ tools, deception (expertise), stealth (expertise), perception (expertise), persuasion (expertise), sleight of hand, acrobatics, investigation, arcana, insight, survival.


Starting level: Hexblade 1.
HP 10.
Sample spells --
Cantrips: eldritch blast, toll the dead.
1st: hex, shield.

I recommend taking eldritch blast and toll the dead as your starting cantrips. Save your utility cantrips for when you get bard levels later. Hex and shield are good for starting 1st level spells. Hexblade’s curse can boost your damage further. The spy background provides proficiency in thieves tools. I recommend proficiency in perception, stealth, deception, sleight of hand, persuasion and either acrobatics or athletics. With scale mail + shield + Dex 14 you can start with a strong AC 18.


At 5th level: Hexblade 1/Lore Bard 4.
HP 38.
Sample spells --
Cantrips: eldritch blast, toll the dead, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation.
1st: hex, shield, dissonant whispers, cure wounds, faerie fire, detect magic, thunderwave.
2nd: invisibility, suggestion.

For your bardic expertise I’d recommend perception and stealth. As a lore bard you will also get three new skills. I’d probably recommend arcana, insight and survival (in case you wind up in the wilderness). You will want to pick up cure wounds. Dissonant whispers and thunderwave are good ways to get melee enemies off your back. If that fails, toll the dead has no penalty in melee range. You’re never going to be a powerful melee character. I recommend getting invisibility and suggestion as they will allow you to avoid combat. Also, I would switch scale mail for breastplate so stealth is not penalized.


At 11th level: Hexblade 1/Lore Bard 10.
HP 91.
Sample spells --
Cantrips: eldritch blast, toll the dead, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation, mending.
1st: hex, shield, dissonant whispers, cure wounds, feather fall, detect magic, thunderwave.
2nd: invisibility, suggestion.
3rd: dispel magic, hypnotic pattern, Leomund’s Tiny Hut, conjure animals, counterspell.
4th: dimension door, polymorph, find greater steed.
5th: synaptic static, hold monster, wall of force.

The big thing is as a lore bard you will have gotten two passes at magical secrets by this point. At 6th level lore bard I would recommend conjure animals and counterspell. The conjured animals will really help you as a solo PC, even if only as meat shields. Counterspell speaks for itself, especially given the bonus the lore bard gets on the check. For your 10th level picks I would go with find greater steed for a flying mount and wall of force for a great control effect. Deception and persuasion are good choices for your 10th level bard expertise, but your mileage may vary.


At 17th level: Hexblade 1/Lore Bard 16.
HP 139.
Sample spells --
Cantrips: eldritch blast, toll the dead, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation, mending.
1st: hex, shield, dissonant whispers, cure wounds, feather fall, detect magic, thunderwave.
2nd: invisibility, suggestion.
3rd level: dispel magic, hypnotic pattern, Leomund’s Tiny Hut, conjure animals, counterspell.
4th: dimension door, polymorph, find greater steed.
5th: synaptic static, greater restoration, wall of force.
6th: mass suggestion, true seeing, contingency.
7th: etherealness, forcecage, teleport, simulacrum.

For your 14th level magical secrets, I would pick simulacrum and contingency. With both a simulacrum and a flying steed you now have a solid mini-team and you can conjure animals if you need some low-level meat shields. Contingency is your panic button if something goes wrong.


At 20th level and final thoughts: Hexblade 2/Lore Bard 18.
HP 163.
Sample spells --
Cantrips: eldritch blast, toll the dead, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation, mending.
1st: hex, shield, unseen servant, dissonant whispers, cure wounds, feather fall, detect magic, thunderwave.
2nd: invisibility, suggestion.
3rd: dispel magic, hypnotic pattern, Leomund’s Tiny Hut, conjure animals, counterspell.
4th: dimension door, polymorph, find greater steed.
5th: synaptic static, greater restoration, hold monster, wall of force.
6th: mass suggestion, true seeing, contingency.
7th: etherealness, forcecage, teleport, simulacrum.
8th: feeblemind.
9th: true polymorph, wish, meteor swarm.

18th level bard is your last magical secrets. Obviously wish is a no brainer. My other choice would be meteor swarm (lol). For your 9th level bard spell I would take true polymorph. You could change your simulacrum into a dragon. You are now a frightening uber shadowmaster who could be lurking anywhere, even in multiple places at once (simulacrum). There are very few places you cannot get in and out of. Enemies disappear or die under mysterious circumstances. Who knows what lurks in the heart of the shadow?