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Baldur's Gate 3 offers a vast range of races, classes, and customization options, owing to which there is no such thing as a conventional character design. One of these alternatives that is occasionally disregarded yet holds much promise is the Bard class, particularly in a game like Baldur's Gate 3.
Bards owes its origins to Dungeons and Dragons, and the class has been a staple of Baldur's Gate 3 since its early access. Bards are often called the master of spells and speech and use their charisma ability to persuade others.
Choosing the perfect race for your Bard in Baldur's Gate 3
When playing Baldur's Gate 3, it's important to consider how your character's race can impact their skills and abilities, especially if you're playing as a Bard. Since Bards heavily rely on charisma, choosing a race that enhances this attribute is crucial. Here are some examples of races that complement the Bard class:
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1. Wood Half- Elf: Wood Half-Elves are skilled in stealth and mobility, making them a great choice for ranged Bard builds. Their Fleet of Foot and Mask of the Wild abilities enhance their ability to move unnoticed.
2. Drow: With Fey Ancestry, the Drow has resistance to being charmed and an advantage on saving throws against being put to sleep magically. They also possess Superior Darkvision, allowing them to see in darkness up to 120 feet. Additionally, Drows are proficient with a wide range of weapons.
3. Human: Although lacking any special features, Humans have an extra skill proficiency, making them a perfect race to pick for a bard.
Selecting the optimal subclass for your Bard in Baldur's Gate 3
When Bards reach level 3, they have the opportunity to select a Bardic College that aligns with their chosen specialization. If combat is their focus, the College of Valor would be an ideal choice. By selecting this College, Bards gain proficiency in medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.
Background choice for your Bard: Boosting charisma skills in Baldur's Gate 3
Choosing a background for your Bard character is an important step as it not only adds flavor to your role-playing experience but also grants skill proficiencies that align with your character concept. Here are some suggested backgrounds:
1. Entertainer: One suitable background choice for a Bard is Entertainer. This background provides bonuses for skills like Performance and Acrobatics which are essential for captivating audiences and navigating difficult circumstances.
2. Criminal: With proficiencies in Deception and Stealth, the Criminal background suits Bards who rely on guile and subterfuge in combat and social interactions.
3. Noble: The Noble background provides proficiencies in History and Persuasion, enabling Bards to navigate high society and wield their Charisma to influence others.
Choosing equipment for your Bard wisely in Baldur's Gate 3
For maximum protection, you are recommended to equip yourself with a one-handed weapon and a shield. Opting for medium armor will provide you with better defense against attacks. Additionally, the "Markoheshkir" staff can be utilized to conserve spell slots.
Finding the right build for your Bard: Allocating ability points in Baldur's Gate 3
The effectiveness of the Bard in both combat and utility is significantly influenced by charisma and dexterity. You must distribute your ability scores correctly to get the greatest Bard results. A possible distribution of ability scores is shown below:
- Strength: 12 (+1): Sufficient for minor melee combat situations and encumbrance.
- Dexterity: 14 (+2): Primary attribute for ranged attacks and armor class (AC).
- Constitution: 16 (+3): Boosts hit points and durability.
- Intelligence: 8 (-1): Not a primary focus for Bards.
- Wisdom: 10 (0): Balanced, no significant bonuses or penalties.
- Charisma: 16 (+3): Vital for spellcasting, social interactions, and Bardic abilities.
Level 1: Building a solid foundation
At Level 1, focus on establishing a strong foundation for your Bard character. Prioritize skills and spells that enhance your survivability and utility. Here are the key choices for Level 1:
Bardic Inspiration: Utilize this unique feature to give allies a bonus to d20 rolls, enhancing their attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.
Vicious Mockery (Cantrip): Inflict psychic damage and impose a disadvantage on an enemy's next attack roll, serving as both damage and debuff.
True Strike (Cantrip): Gain an advantage on your next attack roll, boosting your accuracy and damage potential.
Dissonant Whispers (Level 1): Deal psychic damage and potentially force an enemy to flee, creating opportunities for your party.
Heroism (Level 1): Grant temporary hit points and immunity to the Frightened condition to an ally, enhancing their combat effectiveness.
Level 2: Expanding support abilities
At Level 2, delve deeper into the Bard's supportive role and healing capabilities. Focus on enhancing your utility in and out of combat. Consider the following:
Jack of All Trades: Add half your proficiency bonus to non-proficient skill checks, making you more versatile.
Song of rest: Provide a healing benefit to your allies during short rests, promoting longevity in dungeon crawls.
Cure wounds (Level 1): Enable direct healing with this spell, ensuring your party's health remains stable.
Tasha’s hideous laughter (Level 1): Inflict laughter-induced incapacitation on an enemy, hindering their combat effectiveness.
Level 3: Choosing a Bard college
At Level 3, you select a Bard College, which defines your specialization. Choose the College of Lore for versatility and support or the College of Valor for combat prowess. Tailor your Bard's identity to your preferred playstyle:
College of Lore: Enhance your skills and utility with abilities like Cutting Words, Arcana, Intimidation, and Sleight of Hand proficiency.
College of Valor: Focus on combat abilities with features like Combat Inspiration, proficiency in medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.
Level 4: Mastering combat and support
By Level 4, you're well on your way to mastering your chosen role. Strengthen your spellcasting and adaptability with the following choices:
+2 Charisma (Ability Score Improvement): Bolster your spellcasting effectiveness and Charisma-based skills.
Mage Hand (Cantrip): Expand your utility by manipulating objects from a distance.
Enhance Ability (Level 2): Provide advantageous buffs to your allies' ability checks party's performance.
Key takeaway
Choosing the Bard class in Baldur's Gate 3 not only adds versatility and combat skills but also brings valuable support to your party. By carefully selecting your character's race, background, ability scores, skills, and spells, you can create a powerful Bard build that excels in both interactions and battles.
Your Bard in Baldur's Gate 3 can be a valuable asset to your adventuring party, whether you're using Bardic Inspiration to motivate your allies, healing wounds with magic, or casting powerful spells against enemies. Remember that the true power of the Bard goes beyond their talents and lies in their strategic decision-making as well.
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