Original Video:
*This article is an edited version of the script for this video
Race:
Custom Lineage:
Feat: Telekinetic +1 Cha
Mark of healing halfling could be a decent choice as well for the expanded spell list
Background:
Strixhaven: Quandrix
Not necessary but would save us a magical secrets pick or could allow this build to take a different main class than bard or use a different bard subclass
Ability Scores(point buy):
Str: 8
Dex: 14
Con: 13
Int: 9
Wis: 13
Cha: 15(+2)(+1)
Ability Score Priorities:
#1 Cha
#2 13 Wis
#3 Con
#4 Dex
Ideal Equipment:
-Best armor you can wear, we will be taking a druid level in this build
-Shield
-Spellcasting Foci
Level 1: Warlock 1
Patron: Genie(Dao), bludgeoning damage on our genies wrath will be important later on. Vessel is a cool utility feature
Spells: Eldritch Blast, Hex
Those spells will be main damage option until about level 10
Level 2: Warlock 2
Invocations: Agonizing Blast and Grasp of Hadar, 1st for damage and 2nd will synergize more later on but forced movement is always good
Level 3: Druid 1
Spells: Goodberry and Absorb Elements
Level 4: Cleric 1
Domain: Life Domain, for Disciple of Life, as I mentioned it the healing spells video it makes most of the best healing spells even better
Spells: Healing Word
Level 5-10: Bard 1-6
College: College of Lore
Spells: Aid, Hypnotic Pattern, maybe Mass Healing Word if you think you’ll need it
Additional Magical Secrets: Aura of Vitality, Spirit Guardians
Aura of Vitality is ok right now but will be extremely strong once we get the extended spell metamagic option
Spirit Guardians will be our new main concentration spell, I’ll explain our new tactics in a moment:
Feat: Crusher: +1 Con
Tactics for level 10+:
Cast Spirit Guardians on round 1 and then use your various forced movement options(Crusher, Telekinetic, Grasp of Hadar) to force enemies into spirit guardians. Since the spell deals damage when they enter and on the start of their turn this will cause them to take damage from spirit guardians twice. You can do this to multiple enemies in one turn though my DPR numbers will assume you are only battling one enemy.
DPR for 2 SG hits: 32.79
DPR for 1 SG hit: 23.49
Both of those numbers assume an 18 AC and a 60% chance to succeed on the SG saving throw
Level 11-12: Bard 7 and 8
Spells: Polymorph
Feat: Metamagic Adept: Twinned and Extended Spell, as discussed in the healing spells video, these two metamagic usually double the effectiveness of our best healing spells. We will be able to make even more use of them after at least 2 levels of Sorcerer.
Level 13-14: Sorcerer 1 and 2
Spells: Shield, Silvery Barbs
Origin: Clockwork Soul is likely best here but any sorcerous origin would work.
Font of Magic: The ability to make more sorcery points to use on metamagics is huge
For the remaining levels there are two good paths I think you could take. If you finish out your levels in bard and eventually reach 7th level spells and 2 more sets of magical secrets for extremely powerful spells like Find Greater Steed, Wall of Force, Contingency, and even Simulacrum if you feel like breaking the game. You could also go with more sorcerer levels to get more sorcery points and metamagic options, this route would likely make you a better healer but you wouldn’t get to the more powerful spells. I would lean more towards the bard route as I think this build reaches insane amounts of healing by level 14 as it is.
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