J Lo: That's a great build! I appreciate the info on how mixing these classes work.
No worries. Some additional clarifications/details:
Starting with Bard is better than Wizard because you can choose any 3 skill proficiencies and you start with light armor from the start. Reaching Bard 1/Wizard 1 isn't a long wait for offensive cantrips.
My ability scores:
Str: 8
Dex: 13
Con: 10
Int: 16
Wis: 12
Cha: 16
Dex: 13
- Moderately armored feat will increase this to 14 (+2 AC) and allow Shields (at least +2 AC) and Medium armor proficiency (12-14 base AC I think) for a total AC of 16-18, making them as well armored as a Cleric or Druid.
Con: 10
- makes HP challenging but AC will hopefully help to compensate. An alternative build could be:
- Dex: 12 (only -1 AC versus the above)
- Con: 14 (+2 HP per character level)
- Wis: 8
- however, preferencing Dex and Wis helps my skill Dex proficiencies (Stealth, Sleight of hand) and Wis proficiencies (Insight, Perception)
Bard level 3 grants Expertise which doubles the bonus for two proficient skills. I can use this for Sleight of Hand and Perception to help detect and disarm traps and pick locks. Especially helpful for Perception given the low Wis. Basically a Bard filling a traditional Rogue duty.
Bard subclasses
- College of Valour: Moderately armored feat is better due to the Dex +1 and taking both has too much overlap of Shield and Medium armor proficiency
- College of Swords: has a fighting style than can give +1 AC whilst wearing armor and grants Deception and Persuasion proficiency but I already have Deception. Moderately armored feat complements better since the latter also grants Shield proficiency and Dex +1
- College of Lore: Cutting words skill sounds fun. I think Larian stated they came up with a bunch of insults for it. However, 3 extra skills are gimped vs Dnd5e, since apparently you can't choose and it's hard coded to Arcana, Intimidation and Sleight of hand. Already have the last one via a background. I'll probably go with this one for Cutting words.
Spell casting
- Bard 5/Wizard 7 will have 8 always prepared Bard spells (5 level 1, 2 level 2, 1 level 3) and 10 Wizard prepared spells for a total of 18, which is the same number as Wizard 12, albeit the former will only have 10 to change at will.
- Int and Cha give +3 so spells won't be quite as potent as a pure Bard or Wizard with Int 20/Cha 20 but it's good enough
- Many of the Bard spells are on the Wizard list but some aren't such as Vicious Mockery, Faerie Fire, Bane, Speak with animals and Cure wounds so I tend to preference these, except for Cure wounds because there are plenty of health potions and an extra Short rest from Bard 2. This means multiclassing is also a way of giving a Wizard access to even more spells and allow them to take on a bit of a Druid or Cleric capability! Speak with animals is pretty cool.
- There's no point taking ritual spells with the Bard's choices, unless the spell is not a Wizard spell, like Speak with animals. With other ones like Disguise self, a Wizard can temporarily change their prepared spell list, cast Disguise self, then remove it from the prepared list anytime out of combat. The exception is concentration ritual spells like Detect Thoughts, which need to be in the prepared list to maintain concentration. Unfortunately when choosing spells at level up, BG3 doesn't make it clear which are ritual spells so I had to respec but respecs are pretty cheap.
Respecs
- only done once so far but it seemed to remember which Wizard spells I'd learnt from scrolls which is great.
Second feat is hard to choose but will happen much later in the game at character level 8 so I have time to see how my playstyle develops. Choices I'm considering
- War caster: advantage on Con saving throws will help maintain concentration spells but I have no use for the Shocking grasp melee reaction feature. Saving throw advantage might be unnecessary with high AC. ie. better to avoid being hit in the first place. Wizards also have a few defensive spells that can help avoid hits.
- Tough: extra 2HP per level will help offset the low Con. However, not sure if this feat applies to character level or class level.
- Ability improvement: +2 to Int would give an extra Wizard prepared spell slot and increase spell attacks by +1. However, 10 prepared spell slots plus 8 always prepared Bard spells is probably enough
- Actor: +1 Cha and doubling of Deception and Persuasion proficiency would benefit my dialogue driven skill check shenanigans. Would either need magic item that can add another +1 Cha or a respec to Con 12, Cha 15, which would help to compensate low HP. Actually, this feat sounds like a much bigger win than Tough, as it can do a lot.
Whilst I've read it's typically not recommended to multiclass a Wizard with a Cha based spell caster, I'm enjoying my build so far, it doesn't seem gimped and it thematically fits the jack of all trades nature of a Bard.
Is anyone else multiclassing?
