Bard

Bard — summary

Game version: 4.1.1 (Patch 8) · Last updated: 3 August 2026

• Hit die — d8
• Main ability — Charisma
• Saving throws — Dexterity, Charisma
• Armour — Light armour, or medium armour in the Swords and Valour colleges
• Weapons — Simple weapons plus hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers and shortswords
• Resource — Spell slots plus Bardic Inspiration, which returns on a short rest
• Feat levels — 4, 8, 12
• Ability scores — Strength 8, Dexterity 15, Constitution 15, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10, Charisma 17
• Party role — In a party this class covers: Face, Area control, Buffs, Healing.

Two ready-made builds

• Easy path: College of Lore — The Party's Voice — One class. You do the talking, and in combat one spell puts three enemies to sleep.
• Strong path: College of Swords — Blade Bard — Still one class, but now you are up front: medium armour, hand crossbows and flourishes let you fight and support at once.

Subclasses

• College of Lore — Unlocks at level 3. Cutting Words spoils enemy attacks, and you steal spells from other classes.
• College of Swords — Unlocks at level 3. Medium armour and blade flourishes: the Bard that swings a sword while it sings.
• College of Valour — Unlocks at level 3. Medium armour, shields and an extra attack: the Bard closest to a warrior.
• College of Glamour — Unlocks at level 3. Charms enemies and hands out temporary health: the new support-focused college.

Recommended races

• Half-Elf — +2 Charisma plus +1 to two more abilities, and shield proficiency comes free.
• Drow — +1 Charisma, +2 Dexterity and superior darkvision, which suits a lightly armoured Bard.
• Halfling — The Lucky trait rerolls natural 1s, which is priceless at critical moments.

Recommended backgrounds

• Entertainer (Acrobatics, Performance) — Performance from Charisma, Acrobatics from Dexterity — exactly the Bard's top two abilities.
• Noble (History, Persuasion) — History runs off Intelligence and stays weak, but Persuasion feeds on Charisma — that is the proficiency that wins dialogues.

Companions who play this class

No story companion plays this class: if you want it in the party you have to play it yourself.

Resource rhythm

• Bardic Inspiration returns on a short rest. Do not hoard it: hand it out every fight, because unspent dice reset at the next rest anyway.
• The Lore College's short-rest gains keep the party going: a party with a Bard can take on more fights per day.

In Honour Mode

• Bardic Inspiration can also go onto a saving throw, and salvaging a failed save is worth more than extra damage on a single save file.
• The College of Lore build is safer: a fight talked out of existence is a fight you never had with a Legendary Action boss.

Level by level: College of Lore — The Party's Voice

• Level 1 — Skills: Persuasion, Deception, Perception · Cantrips: Vicious Mockery, Guidance · Gain: Bardic Inspiration
  • Vicious Mockery — You insult the enemy, so their next attack is made with disadvantage. Mechanical enemies like Steel Watchers are fully immune to this damage.
  • Minor Illusion — Creates a fake noise that pulls enemies into the corner you choose.
  • Healing Word — A bonus-action heal at range that gets a downed ally back up.
  • Faerie Fire — Everyone attacks the lit enemies with advantage, and it reveals invisible ones.
  • Tasha's Hideous Laughter — Drops one enemy laughing on the floor, losing turns until they rise. Beasts and most mechanical enemies aren't smart enough to be affected; it fails on them.
  • Bless — Adds a bonus to every attack and saving throw of three allies.
  Tip: Inspiration is a bonus action, so hand it out at the start of every fight.
• Level 2 — Spell: Faerie Fire · Gain: Jack of All Trades
  • Cure Wounds — Restores a solid chunk of health by touch, the most efficient post-fight heal.
  Tip: You add half your proficiency bonus to ability checks you are not proficient in (the game's own wording). This is what makes the Bard passable at everything.
• Level 3 — College: Lore · Expertise: Persuasion, Deception · Gain: Cutting Words
  • Persuasion — You are the party's mouth: your proficiency bonus doubles on persuasion checks.
  • Sleight of Hand — Lockpicking and pickpocketing: take it if the party has no thief.
  • Hold Person — Paralyses a humanoid enemy, and hits against it count as criticals. Has no effect on non-humanoid enemies; switch to Hold Monster for beasts or giants.
• Level 4 — Feat: Ability Improvement, Charisma +2 (17 → 19) · Gain: Ability Improvement
  • Ability Improvement (Charisma +2)
  • Light — Lets you see in dark caves, where you would otherwise miss more.
  • Enhance Ability — Boosts one ability of an ally, which also helps in persuasion scenes.
• Level 5 — Spell: Hypnotic Pattern · Gain: Font of Inspiration
  • Hypnotic Pattern — Freezes a whole group of enemies and cuts hard fights in half. Fails against undead (except zombies) and mechanical enemies like Steel Watchers.
  Tip: Hypnotic Pattern can end a fight on its own, so use it on turn one.
• Level 6 — Magical Secrets: Haste, Fireball · Gain: Magical Secrets
  • Spirit Guardians — Spirits circle you, damaging and slowing every enemy that comes close.
  • Fireball — Wipes out a crowd in one cast: the most famous spell in the game. No effect on fire-immune enemies; switch to ice or lightning.
  • Counterspell — Cancels the enemy caster's spell in mid-air.
  Tip: Cast Haste on your frontliner: they get an extra attack every turn.
• Level 7 — Spell: Dimension Door · Gain: Spell Slots
  • Dimension Door — Teleports you and one ally far away, for escape or ambush.
• Level 8 — Ability Improvement: Charisma +1, Constitution +1 · Gain: Ability Improvement
  • Ability Improvement (Charisma +1, Constitution +1)
  • Polymorph — Turns a dangerous enemy into a harmless sheep.
• Level 9 — Spell: Mass Charm · Gain: Spell Slots
  • Greater Restoration — Clears lasting problems such as paralysis, blindness and curses in one cast.
• Level 10 — Magical Secrets: Counterspell, Cloudkill · Gain: Magical Secrets
  • Mage Hand — An invisible hand that pulls levers, springs traps and grabs items from afar.
  • Mass Cure Wounds — Heals your whole nearby party by a serious amount.
  • Wall of Fire — Raises a wall of fire, so enemies either burn or go around. Fire-immune enemies walk straight through it without hesitation.
  • Death Ward — Cancels one killing blow: cast it on whoever holds the front.
  • Perception — You spot hidden doors and traps: the most-rolled check in the game.
  • Insight — You catch people lying, which unlocks extra options in many dialogues.
  Tip: You pick spells from other classes' lists. Cover whatever role your party lacks here: healing if you have no healer, control if you have no controller.
• Level 11 — Spell: Mass Healing Word · Gain: Spell Slots
  • Eyebite — Each turn you put another enemy to sleep, panic them or blind them.
• Level 12 — Feat: War Caster · Gain: War Caster
  • War Caster — Damage no longer breaks your spell, essential for anything needing concentration.
  • Otto's Irresistible Dance — Forces an enemy to dance, collapsing their defence for everyone.
  Tip: Advantage on concentration saving throws. If your build leans on a concentration spell, take this before any damage feat.

Level by level: College of Swords — Blade Bard

• Level 1 — Skills: Persuasion, Acrobatics, Perception · Cantrips: Vicious Mockery, Guidance · Gain: Bardic Inspiration
  • Vicious Mockery — You insult the enemy, so their next attack is made with disadvantage. Mechanical enemies like Steel Watchers are fully immune to this damage.
  • Blade Ward — For one turn you take only half damage from weapons.
  • Healing Word — A bonus-action heal at range that gets a downed ally back up.
  • Faerie Fire — Everyone attacks the lit enemies with advantage, and it reveals invisible ones.
  • Dissonant Whispers — Deals damage and makes the enemy flee in fear, often into your traps. The damage portion has no effect on mechanical enemies like Steel Watchers.
  • Bless — Adds a bonus to every attack and saving throw of three allies.
• Level 2 — Spell: Faerie Fire · Gain: Jack of All Trades
  • Thunderous Smite — Turns your hit into thunder, pushing the enemy back and knocking them down.
  Tip: You add half your proficiency bonus to ability checks you are not proficient in (the game's own wording). This is what makes the Bard passable at everything.
• Level 3 — College: Swords · Fighting Style: Two-Weapon Fighting · Gain: Blade Flourish
  • Persuasion — You are the party's mouth: your proficiency bonus doubles on persuasion checks.
  • Acrobatics — Keeps you from being knocked prone or falling off narrow ledges.
  • Misty Step — A bonus-action teleport that gets you out of an enemy pile-up.
• Level 4 — Ability Improvement: Charisma +2 (17 → 19) · Gain: Ability Improvement
  • Ability Improvement (Charisma +2)
  • Minor Illusion — Creates a fake noise that pulls enemies into the corner you choose.
  • Invisibility — Turn invisible to escape, or reposition without being noticed.
• Level 5 — Spell: Hypnotic Pattern · Gain: Font of Inspiration
  • Haste — Gives an ally an extra action: the strongest support spell in the game.
• Level 6 — Pick 1 spell · Gain: Extra Attack
  • Hypnotic Pattern — Freezes a whole group of enemies and cuts hard fights in half. Fails against undead (except zombies) and mechanical enemies like Steel Watchers.
  Tip: Extra Attack only exists in the Swords and Valour colleges.
• Level 7 — Spell: Dimension Door · Gain: Spell Slots
  • Greater Invisibility — You stay invisible even while attacking, so enemies rarely hit you.
• Level 8 — Ability Improvement: Charisma +1, Constitution +1 · Gain: Ability Improvement
  • Ability Improvement (Charisma +1, Constitution +1)
  • Freedom of Movement — Entangle, webs and paralysis cannot hold you: your insurance against lockdown.
• Level 9 — Spell: Cloudkill · Gain: Spell Slots
  • Mass Cure Wounds — Heals your whole nearby party by a serious amount.
• Level 10 — Magical Secrets: Haste, Counterspell · Gain: Magical Secrets
  • Light — Lets you see in dark caves, where you would otherwise miss more.
  • Dominate Person — Turns one enemy to your side: pick the most dangerous one. Only humanoids can be targeted; beasts and undead cannot.
  • Fireball — Wipes out a crowd in one cast: the most famous spell in the game. No effect on fire-immune enemies; switch to ice or lightning.
  • Counterspell — Cancels the enemy caster's spell in mid-air.
  • Perception — You spot hidden doors and traps: the most-rolled check in the game.
  • Athletics — Shoving, grappling and climbing: it throws enemies off ledges.
  Tip: You pick spells from other classes' lists. Cover whatever role your party lacks here: healing if you have no healer, control if you have no controller.
• Level 11 — Spell: Mass Healing Word · Gain: Spell Slots
  • Eyebite — Each turn you put another enemy to sleep, panic them or blind them.
• Level 12 — Feat: Sharpshooter · Gain: Sharpshooter
  • Sharpshooter
  • Otto's Irresistible Dance — Forces an enemy to dance, collapsing their defence for everyone.
  Tip: Ignores height and cover penalties. The cornerstone of a build that shoots from high ground; use its accuracy-for-damage toggle with the same logic.

Key equipment

• Potent Robe (Act 2) — Adds your Charisma bonus to cantrips and grants temporary health. Where: Last Light Inn — a reward from Alfira for completing Rescue the Tieflings.
• Hellrider's Pride (Act 1) — Grants extra protection to everyone you heal. Where: The Secluded Chamber — from Zevlor (a quest reward, or take it by theft or by force).
• Markoheshkir (Act 3) — A staff that raises your spell accuracy and damage across the board. Where: Act 3, Ramazith's Tower — inside a Globe of Invulnerability.
• Helldusk Gloves (Act 3) — Adds fire damage to every attack, for the Swords college. Where: Act 3, House of Hope — worn by Haarlep in the Boudoir.

Combat tips

• Hypnotic Pattern can end a fight by itself, so keep your allies out of the area.
• Hand out Bardic Inspiration at the start of a fight: unspent dice are wasted.
• Vicious Mockery spoils the enemy's next roll even when it deals little damage.
• Cast Haste on whichever ally hits hardest at the front.

Common mistakes

• Do not hoard Inspiration dice: a short rest brings them all back anyway.
• Do not stand at the front unless you are Swords or Valour: your health and armour cannot take it.
• Do not let anyone else do the talking: you have the highest Charisma in the party.

All twelve classes and the party picker