The College of Glamour Bard class in Baldur’s Gate 3 may not boast the highest physical might in the game; that title typically goes to the formidable Giant Barbarian or other melee-centric classes. However, this class excels in areas where brute strength falters, leveraging intelligence, dexterity, and a repertoire of captivating spells.
Unlike traditional combatants, Bards thrive as versatile support characters. They can empower allies and undermine foes, establishing themselves as charismatic leaders on the battlefield. If you’re eager to showcase your flair across Faerun, this guide will detail the optimal strategies for constructing your College of Glamour Bard.
Optimal Character Creation Settings for the College of Glamour Bard
Integrating a Bard into your party is not merely an afterthought; they should ideally take on the role of the party’s social face. With their high Charisma and Dexterity, Bards are adept at engaging with NPCs and influencing outcomes. This trait also serves as a useful distraction for crafty thieves.
Top Race Recommendations
Several races excel at being Bards in Baldur’s Gate 3. Your best choices include:
|
Race |
Advantages |
|---|---|
|
High Elf |
Gains an additional cantrip from the Wizard spell list, possesses Darkvision, and receives advantage on saves against being charmed. |
|
Drow |
Access to Faerie Fire and Darkness spells, superior Darkvision, and Fey Ancestry to resist charm effects. |
|
Human |
Grants an extra skill proficiency, enhancing versatility. |
|
Halfling |
Equipped with the Lucky feature, allowing rerolls on attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws, along with the Brave trait, which provides advantage against fear. |
For optimal performance, I recommend choosing either the Drow or Halfling races. Drow offer powerful spells like Faerie Fire for advantage on attacks, while Halflings’ Lucky feature provides crucial rerolls when needed, both in and out of combat. If opting for a Halfling, choose the Lightfoot Halfling for stealth advantages.
Ideal Starting Cantrips and Spells
As you embark on your Bard journey, you will select two cantrips and four spells. Here are my top recommendations:
|
Cantrip |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Vicious Mockery |
Targeting an enemy gives them disadvantage on their next attack roll. |
|
Friends |
Gain advantage on Charisma checks against a non-hostile creature. |
Vicious Mockery is indispensable in early encounters, as inflicting disadvantage on foes can be a game changer. Friends is similarly valuable for persuasion during interactions with NPCs.
|
Spell |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Bane |
Reduces attack rolls and saves for up to 3 foes. |
|
Healing Word |
Heals an ally for 4-7 hit points. |
|
Tasha’s Hideous Laughter |
Prones an enemy, rendering them incapacitated. |
|
Dissonant Whispers |
Damages and frightens an enemy, granting them disadvantage. |
Bane is crucial for weakening foes, while Healing Word is invaluable for keeping teammates in fighting shape. For crowd control, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter can be leveraged to set up devastating attacks.
Recommended Backgrounds and Skills
When selecting a background, two of the most advantageous are Entertainer and Guild Artisan, providing helpful skills such as Acrobatics, Performance, Insight, and Persuasion. For skill proficiencies, opt for Deception, Performance, and Persuasion; if you gain either from your background, consider adding Intimidation.
Optimal Ability Score Allocation
Your primary focus should rest on achieving high Charisma and Dexterity scores. Typically, I characterize my two least important stats as Constitution and Strength.
|
Ability |
Score |
|---|---|
|
Strength |
8 |
|
Dexterity |
16 |
|
Constitution |
10 |
|
Intelligence |
12 |
|
Wisdom |
11 |
|
Charisma |
17 |
The emphasis on Charisma at 17 reflects its significance for spellcasting, while a Dexterity score of 16 reinforces your ability to engage effectively in physical confrontations when necessary. Assign Intelligence 12 for a slight advantage across various skill checks, and maintain Wisdom at 11 as it’s less critical. Constitution can remain at 10 to avoid any negative impacts on your HP, with Strength kept at its lowest since it’s least relevant for a Bard.
Top Spells for the College of Glamour Bard
As you progress through levels, your Bard will acquire a variety of spells. Here are my recommended spells for maximizing your effectiveness in the College of Glamour Bard:
My approach centers on utility; I strive to offer maximum support to teammates while hindering opponents effectively.
|
Spell |
Level |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Disguise Self |
Cantrip |
Alter your appearance at will, assisting in infiltration or disguises. |
|
Blindness |
2 |
Blinds a target, giving allies an advantage against them. |
|
Fear |
3 |
Causes enemies to flee and grants you control over the battlefield. |
|
Freedom of Movement |
4 |
Enables allies to avoid difficult terrain and effects like stun. |
|
Otto’s Irresistible Dance |
6 |
Forces a creature to dance, rendering it incapacitated. |
In early-game scenarios, utilizing Disguise Self can facilitate stealthy maneuvers, while Blindness helps neutralize threats. As you advance, incorporating spells like Fear and Glyph of Warding will further enhance your ability to shape encounters to your advantage.
College of Glamour Bard Unique Abilities and Feats
As you level up, the College of Glamour Bard unlocks specific abilities that enhance your gameplay:
|
Ability |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Mantle of Inspiration |
Bestow temporary hit points to allies and charm foes that hit them in melee. Scaling: 3 allies and 8 temporary hit points by level 6, 4 allies and 11 temporary hit points by level 10. |
|
Mantle of Majesty: Command |
Command targets to flee, freeze, drop items, or even incapacitate them; charmed targets auto-fail saves. |
Despite the College of Glamour’s limited abilities, they deliver substantial impact. Ensuring your allies receive buffs early on allows you to maintain control in chaotic situations, utilizing command abilities strategically to disarm or incapacitate dangerous foes.
Optimal Equipment for College of Glamour Bards
Bards in Baldur’s Gate 3 can equip a range of powerful items to maximize their effectiveness. Here’s what to prioritize:
|
Equipment |
Slot |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Sanguine Blade |
Weapon |
Provides a +1 bonus to attack and spell save DC for every foe defeated, up to +3. |
|
Harmonic Dueler |
Weapon |
Grants extra damage on melee attacks equal to your Charisma Modifier upon passing a performance check. |
|
Cloak of Displacement |
Back |
Provides enemies disadvantage on attacks against you until you take damage. |
|
Cloak of Protection |
Back |
Offers a +1 boost to Armor Class and saving throws. |
After obtaining the Infernal Rapier, I usually prefer it for its bonuses and summoning abilities. The Harmonic Dueler serves as an excellent secondary weapon for added damage. In terms of headwear, I favor the Hood of the Weave for its enhancement to spell effectiveness.
A Cloak of Displacement is invaluable for damage mitigation, while the Cloak of Protection is a solid alternative if displacement isn’t available. Equip Gemini Gloves for additional cantrip versatility or Gloves of Dexterity for improved melee performance.
The Boots of Persistence excel at navigating tricky terrains, and Disintegrating Night Walkers are a superb alternative for mobility spells like Misty Step. Lastly, the Spellcrux Amulet can replenish crucial spell slots, while Ring of Regeneration is perfect for ensuring your survival through adrenaline-fueled encounters.
For further insight into building the best College of Glamour Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3, visit the full guide here.
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