Source
r/BG3Builds•
StoneRevolver

Looking for party comp/build suggestions around a bard tav.

SpoilerBuild Help

I was hoping someone might be able to suggest a party set up around bard mc. As specific or general as you care to explain. I'm not really rigid other than playing a bard tav using charisma scaling.

Most of my play time has been spent in co op, where I haven't played face at all, and I've played very simple builds and no casters personally; 2x battlemasters, one ranged and one 2h, and throwbarb. In our campaigns when we're short someone I usually manage shadowheart and swapped her to war.

Last week one of my friends had some overtime so we started without him. I had his lore bard for awhile and it was a lot of fun but not built particularly well. I didn't realize they had access to so much. I was looking for, I guess a swords? bard build, and some suggestions for comp that support it or can be complimented by it. My understanding was they are best suited to utility spells augmenting martial damage. I would like this tav to be the big damage dealer, but it's not necessary. The idea of charisma scaling damage was really interesting to me since I haven't played anything like that. Obviously I planned to finally play this next campaign by myself on a handheld I got for Christmas.

Don't worry about spoilers if you need them to suggest or explain something. While I haven't played face myself I have still seen most of the content. I have optimized my characters reasonably well when there isn't a gear conflict so I did a lot of the lifting in combat, having a bunch of attacks, but as I said they were fairly simple. Thank you for reading if you got this far.

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Posted Dec 29, 2023, 2:49 AM UTC

112
Wojiz•

Any character can be any class because you can respect their attributes. Here are some archetypes:

Dex/wis monk (possible 3/4 thief dip) 1 cleric / 11 tavern brawler monk in heavy armor 8 gloomstalker / 4 assassin 5 Eldritch Knight / 7 Wizard 6 Paladin / 6 Sorcerer 12 spore druid 8 wild magic barbarian / 4 wild magic sorc (lol)

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StoneRevolverOP•

I understand, I was more asking for slightly more specific configurations. I had trouble describing exactly what I mean, I guess. Like I know not everything is going to work on tactician and I can't just use all the defaults. Or rather I could, but it would be more difficult when it doesn't need to be.

1
Wojiz•

Okay, are you looking for a specific 4-person party? Martial damage - damage caster - control caster - flex position is a good way to go. Your bard will be the flex position: he’s the face, you can get good skill proficiencies for conversation, and he can do some casting for damage and crowd control.

I’d always bring some kind of sorcerer as a damage caster.

Monk is extremely good as a damage martial - probably the best.

As another control/support caster: a straight cleric works. A Druid works.

are you looking for someone to give level-by-level guides on any individual build?

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StoneRevolverOP•

Kind of? Just useful opinions in generally really. I don't need hyper specific step by step just yet unless you have some in mind already. When I have a direction I'll start skimming build guides for relevant stuff. For example I thought I might have someone run wet+lightning caster but it's less 'I'm definitely having that' and more 'let's see how well that fits with other stuff'.

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malceum•

A Lore Bard can replace your wizard/sorcerer until the very end of the game. I think they actually do a better job, since they get Hunger of Hadar and Plant Growth. Magic Missiles, with Spellsparkler and reverberation gear, will be your main source of damage. You can also dual wield hand crossbows for a bonus action that will apply more reverberation and lightning damage.

At level 11, a pure Lore Bard will fall behind because they can't get Globe of Invulnerability. You'd have to multiclass into Wizard to scribe it.

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StoneRevolverOP•

I thought about dual crossbows since I didn't do that with my ranged battlemaster, but doesn't it kinda fall off before act 3? I definitely did want utility + damage for the tav, which is why I was leaning toward swords. It seems more damage forward from what I've read.

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malceum•

With a Lore Bard, the dual crossbows are there simply to provide a bonus action. I used the Ne'er Misser, which resulted in tons of extra lightning damage and reverberation. The effect is essentially like adding another dart to Magic Missiles.

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StoneRevolverOP•

Ah okay it's just a conduit for the modifiers. And the damage is still decent before I have access to a whole kit? I don't remember the first reverb items but they probably aren't something easily accessed.

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malceum•

You can get the Spellsparkler staff early in Act 1 without any combat. That's what really boosts your damage with magic missiles. The Reverberation is more about making enemies prone and dazed. The first reverberation items are found in the Creche and Omeluum's quest, so it is a bit further. Omeluum's quest isn't too difficult at a low level.

1
Beingmarkh•

I was dual crossbows until act 3, then switched to deadshot (dw bloodlust and undermountain for high crit). I want that bonus action for confusion/command off the helm of arcane acuity.)

Face, lock picking, high damage, unparalleled control. I don’t think I could build a more effective character.

1-6 bard, 7-fighter 1, 8-11 bard, 12-fighter 2. Some folks like a one level wizard dip, which works too.

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StoneRevolverOP•

Some of the posts I skimmed do the same, using dual xbows until switching to bow, either later on or carrying hill giant club and using titan string for earlier swap. There's a lot of variations but I think the ranged/cc spells is what I'm most interested in. The only thing I might do is palibard but I'm not sure what to focus on. Most of the paladin builds I've seen are crit fishing but that takes more dedication to damage and forgoes some of the control.

1
Wizzlebum•

I'm planning to do a Bard playthrough too just to see the persuasion dialogue choices since I've been picking a fight with everyone in my current playthrough.

I'm thinking of doing a 4 Elements Monk, Lockadin (Paladin + Warlock) and Moon Druid alongside my Swords Bard on Tactician because I have never played any of these classes before and they all benefit from Short Rest which Bard gets another.

If you wanted to, you can also do 4 Bards so you can 4x Vicious Mockery someone to death and have your own personal band performance with Volo and Alfira. I suggest Astarion, Shart, Jaheira and Minthara, they sound the best when insulting people. That way, you can do Bard Warlock, Lore Bard, Fighter Bard, Paladin Bard, Swords Bard (melee or ranged), Cleric Bard, etc.

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