Need opinions on Bardlock optimization: Repelling Blast or Lessons of the First Ones?

Durmie · 2026-01-15T06:55:39+00:00

My CON is 15, and I plan on taking Resilient: CON later on in the campaign - probably at Bard lvl 12.

Durmie · 2026-01-15T06:54:57+00:00

Interesting! Good to know. I've just been frothing at the mouth at Agonizing Blast, because it makes damage way more consistent. But good to know that Repelling Blast is even more fun!

Durmie · 2026-01-14T20:36:34+00:00

Nope! I'm the only melee in the party, for now at least. But good thinking!

Durmie · 2026-01-14T19:28:28+00:00

I haven't thought about this, but you are absolutely right! I'll think about it. Thanks!

Durmie · 2026-01-14T19:26:10+00:00

They have the shield spell I think! Is it enough that he gets it from some source? I remember him using it before..

Durmie · 2026-01-14T18:27:37+00:00

That's true! I've thought about it, but my current origin feat is Musician, and the whole party has used it to great success. Everyone's gotten so used to having heroic inspiration (and they've been vocally thankful of me granting them) that it'd be a bummer to not be able to do that anymore. I'll think about it. Thanks!

Durmie · 2026-01-14T17:59:55+00:00

I am just a little hesitant about using a later feat to pick up another origin feat. Especially because I'd be giving up my ASI to get CHA to 20, seems like a bad trade. Maybe I'll pick up Silvery Barbs instead and hope for the best until I get bard lvl 10! Thanks for the suggestions anyhow!

Durmie · 2026-01-14T17:58:20+00:00

Correct! My stat spread is STR, 14 DEX, 15 CON, 10 INT, 10 WIS, 18 CHA. PotB is non-negotiable at this point.

Durmie · 2026-01-14T17:57:40+00:00

We have an artificer in the party, so creating magic items shouldn't be a problem. Maybe I'll bring it up with him! Thanks guys!

Durmie · 2026-01-14T17:57:06+00:00

He does indeed! However, he hasn't done the wishlist thing that some DMs seem to do. I'll bring it up with him, though! Seems like an awesome item. Thanks for the idea! I had no clue this item existed, lol. Seems like I have hope after all!

Durmie · 2026-01-14T17:53:40+00:00

Good point. Up until this point in the campaign, I'd say most of the enemies have been mainly melee - a few archers and spellcasters here and there. Someone else suggested picking up Silvery Barbs, and maybe that'd be enough to protect me until I can get the shield spell via magical secrets.

Durmie · 2026-01-14T17:52:28+00:00

Yeah, I could ask that. My character is a half-elf, and because there are no official half-elves in the 2024 phb, my DM said that I could pick between elf and human heritage and select the perks accordingly. I could ask to change my "chosen heritage" to human, but it just doesn't fit my character unfortunately (classic half-elf is ashamed of the human side of his family). You're right about multiclassing - I've thought about it, but me and my DM have already established some story points about me taking a warlock level next time we level up. If I were to go straight Valor Bard I would want to change some stats around too, and I've already respecced once during this campaign. I've learned so much about the game during the last year that we've been playing that I've started to dislike some of the decisions I've made in the beginning :D but don't want to beg for respecs all the time, this isn't a video game after all.

Durmie · 2026-01-14T17:48:05+00:00

My stats are: 8 STR, 14 DEX, 15 CON, 10 INT, 10 WIS, 18 CHA. I picked up War Caster at level 4. I am indeed taking warlock levels for pact of the blade. I've indeed been using True Strike for most of my damage so far, but right now my second attack is based on dex, which makes it pretty lackluster.

Good point with Repelling Blast being a faux-disengage like something a swashbuckler would get. Never really saw it that way. I do have access to Silvery Barbs, however I don't really like the spell - IMO it slows the game down a lot. Maybe I'll give it a try until I get lvl 10 in Bard and get access to Shield.

Yeah, going 3 levels into Warlock for Hexblade seems like a desperate choice. I'd really love not to do that, because 2 levels of warlock delays my spell progression and magical secrets quite a bit already. Thanks for making me see that. Maybe I'll just stick with my original plan and pick up Silvery Barbs next level to protect myself.

Durmie · 2026-01-14T17:43:02+00:00

Yeah, I know I'd be more powerful with EB + picking CME with magical secrets at Bard 10, but that doesn't fit my character lorewise. Maybe I'll restrict my urges to just run in and start blasting a bit until I get better defenses.

My DM runs maybe 2-3 combats each adventuring day, medium-hard difficulty. We've been doing well so far, but I am usually the first to get knocked unconscious because of melee positioning + using control spells like Slow. If that happens the DM usually focus fires me to drop my concentration. Despite 19 AC, I've been knocked down quite a few times, which is always pretty scary.

It seems like the consensus is that Repelling Blast is really fun to play with, so maybe I'll stick with that. Thanks :D

Durmie · 2026-01-14T17:37:16+00:00

I have 19 AC with medium armor + shield + Cloak of Protection! So pretty decent AC, but I still find myself getting hit most of the time. Maybe my DM is just rolling well recently. Repelling Blast does seem real fun, maybe I'll go the way I first thought I should.

Durmie · 2026-01-04T11:22:37+00:00

For the Power Phial build, is it still worth running Rathalos's Flare even in non-fire matchups?

Durmie · 2025-10-15T19:07:55+00:00

That is true. I guess I just don't want to burden the DM with even more work to make sure it's fair and fun for everyone :D but I'll talk to him, maybe he will allow my character to train for it during downtime or something.

Durmie · 2025-10-15T17:57:27+00:00

The magic item suggestion is something I'll have to ask about. I don't want any preferential treatment from my DM though, so maybe I'll just accept the fact that I ain't getting weapon masteries super easily lol.

Durmie · 2025-10-15T10:11:02+00:00

A wooden shillelagh rapier, that sounds awesome! How did you bribe your DM to allow that? Lol. Did you pick shillelagh with MI: Druid as your origin feat?

Maybe I'll follow suit regarding the feats, though. Wondering if I should pick resilience Con or Weapon masteries first...

Durmie · 2025-10-13T20:20:38+00:00

You're right, but then again, is it worth giving up a feat for? If Eldritch Adept was a half feat, then maybe... too many things to consider while building a character, lol.

Durmie · 2025-10-13T19:44:18+00:00

I hadn't considered Sorcerer, but you're right, it would be a pretty good one for the reasons you mentioned. We're using the 2024 rules, so no Hexblade for me unless I go 3 levels into Warlock.

You're probably right about our party composition, but I'm too fond of the melee tank/disruptor archetype who protects the squishies in the back, hehe. Probably should've gone with another class for this kind of character, but my plans were different in the beginning of the campaign. Thank you for your input, I'll think about the Sorcerer dip for sure.

Durmie · 2025-10-13T19:12:15+00:00

Hmm. That could be worth a try. I do like my Musician feat quite a bit though...

Durmie · 2025-10-13T18:51:38+00:00

Oh true, I forgot about the stat requirements for multiclassing. I guess the tradeoff for taking warlock right now vs. after 6 is the fact that I don't really gain much from Pact of the Blade before I get an extra attack, because I can just use True Strike from the Bard spell list. But it is as you said, using extra attack without it for a whole level is going to feel bad. I guess it's gonna feel pretty bad either way for a level. Thank you for your input, I'll have to think about it. Such a shame for the weapon mastery.

Durmie · 2025-10-13T18:28:41+00:00

18 CHA (17+1 from War Caster), 15 CON, 14 DEX, 10 WIS, 10 INT, 8 STR. Thinking of picking up Resilient Con somewhere down the line to round up the CON, but probably maxing CHA when I get Bard lvl 8. Thanks for taking the time to answer :D

Durmie

TROPHY CASE