D&D: Building a Support Bard
D&D: Building a Support Bard
The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Support Bard in Dungeons & Dragons
Quick Links: – The Best Subclasses For Support Bards – Best Support Spells For Bards – Best Species For A Support Bard – Best Feats For A Support Bard – Best Stats For A Support Bard
Are you ready to take your bard game to the next level? Get ready to become the ultimate support bard in Dungeons & Dragons! Bards are known for their versatility, but with the right choices, you can become an unstoppable force of support for your party. So, let’s dive into the world of support bards and discover the best subclasses, spells, species, feats, and stats to make you the ultimate support hero!
The Best Subclasses For Support Bards
The key to being a great support bard is to enhance what the bard class is already good at. Here are two fantastic subclasses that will take your support skills to the next level.
College Of Lore
The College of Lore bard’s main selling point is getting more spells from other lists earlier. With cutting words, you can even use your bardic inspiration offensively by subtracting it from an enemy’s rolls. The additional magical secrets feature allows you to learn two extra spells that don’t count against the number of bard spells you already know. You’ll also get to choose proficiency in three skills of your choice, enhancing your customizability.
College Of Eloquence
Alternatively, you can choose the College of Eloquence bard subclass. While it has fewer spells, it excels in supercharging your bardic inspiration. With unsettling words, you can force a creature to subtract your bardic inspiration from their next saving throw. Unfailing inspiration ensures that a creature keeps their bardic inspiration die even when they fail a roll. With infectious inspiration, you can give your bardic inspiration to another creature without expending a use of it. This effectively doubles the amount of Bardic Inspiration dice you can hand out per long rest.
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Best Support Spells For Bards
As a support bard, your spell selection is crucial. Here are some fantastic spells that focus on healing, beneficial conditions, and buffing allies while debuffing enemies.
Bard Spells
| Bard Spells For A Support Bard |
|---|
| Bane |
| Cure Wounds |
| Dispel Magic |
| Healing Word |
| Lesser Restoration |
| Invisibility |
| Enhance Ability |
| Greater Restoration |
| Mass Cure Wounds |
| Guards and Wards |
| Resurrection |
| Power Word Heal |
Spells From Other Class Lists
| Spells From Other Lists |
|---|
| Revivify |
| Bless |
| Beacon Of Hope |
| Aid |
| Spare The Dying |
| Guiding Bolt |
Best Species For A Support Bard
While any species can work for a support bard, some provide extra benefits that can be lifesaving. Here are some species that will enhance your support abilities.
| Species | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Elf | Advantage against being charmed and can’t be put to sleep. Extra spells for dark elves and high elves. |
| Gnome | Advantage on saving throws for Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma. |
| Halfling | Free “Lucky” feat, allowing you to re-roll fails. |
| Human | Flat increase to stats. Variant humans can have an extra feat. |
| Dragonborn | Increase to Charisma and an extra non-magical attacking option with the breath weapon. |
| Tiefling | Access to Thaumaturgy and Hellish Rebuke spells, and resistance to fire damage. |
Best Feats For A Support Bard
With feats, you can further customize your support bard. Here are some feat options for maximum support potential.
Metamagic Adept
Metamagic Adept allows you to use metamagic from the sorcerer class and gives you two sorcery points. Quickened Spell is a great choice for a support bard as it allows you to get more heals in a single turn.
Inspiring Leader
With Inspiring Leader, you can gift temporary hit points to up to six friendly creatures within 30 feet of you. The amount is equal to your level plus your Charisma modifier. Keep in mind that a creature can only benefit from this feat once per short or long rest.
Healer
The Healer feat allows you to stabilize a dying creature and bring them back to one hit point using a healer’s kit. You can also restore a creature’s hit points equal to 1d6+four+the number of hit dice they have.
Magic Initiate
Magic Initiate is for those who desire even more non-bard spells. You can choose two cantrips and one first-level spell from the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, wizard, or warlock list. The first-level spell can be cast once per long rest.
Best Stats For A Support Bard
The main stat that a bard should focus on is Charisma, as it affects your spellcasting abilities and most bard features. However, don’t neglect the other stats. Here’s a breakdown of the benefits of investing in each stat:
| Stat | Benefits of Investing |
|---|---|
| Charisma | Main spellcasting stat. Affects Bard abilities and is the spellcasting ability for paladin, sorcerer, and warlock spells. |
| Strength | No direct use for spells or bard abilities, but useful for melee combat and physical ability checks. |
| Dexterity | No direct use for spells or bard abilities, but determines AC and is good for ranged weapons, saving throws, and traversing terrain. |
| Constitution | No direct use for spells, but helpful for survivability and determining maximum hit points. |
| Wisdom | Spellcasting stat for cleric, druid, and ranger spells. Common saving throw and improves perception. |
| Intelligence | Spellcasting stat for artificer spells. Common saving throw and good for history checks and role-playing. |
Now that you’re armed with all this knowledge, go forth and be the ultimate support bard! Your party will thank you for it.
Next: Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Backgrounds For A Bard
