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We think of most bards inDungeons & Dragonsas using music or instruments to perform, but for a college of eloquence bard, every conversation is a performance. These bards aren’t focused so much on singing or dancing so much as they are using their overwhelming charisma to encourage their allies and convince others to do what they want.
Mechanically, college of eloquence is one of the best bard subclasses, having a lot of very useful abilities at low levels and being very good at setting up their allies in combat. They’re downside comes in having fewer direct attacking options, but with a good party, that should not be a problem.
College of Eloquence Bard Features
The most eye-catching abilities of college of eloquence bards are the abilities to improve your Bardic Inspiration and make it more versatile.
Withunsettling words,you can set up your allies by rolling your Bardic inspiration and subtracting that number from the creature’s next saving throw.
This is especially good for bards because a lot of low level bard spells only work if the opponent fails their saving throw.
Unfailing inspirationlets your allies keep their Bardic Inspiration die if they fail the roll, so no need to be stingy with it if you’re not sure if you’ll succeed a roll.
Infectious inspirationis the best skill you get, allowing your party to chain bardic inspiration. If a creature uses their bardic inspiration die and succeeds, you can use your reaction to give bardic inspiration to another creaturewithout expending a use of bardic inspiration.
Not only is this really useful and saves you on bardic inspirations, but it’s just really fun to be in combat and passing around bardic inspiration like your chaining a combo in a video game.
Non-bardic inspiration related class abilities areuniversal speech, which lets you speak to anyone regardless of language and isn’t as exciting, andsilver tongue.
At just third level, you can makethe minimum you roll on persuasion and deception checks a 10 before your modifier.If you have expertise in those skills and have invested in your charisma, you’re succeeding most checks using them.
Talk to your Dungeon Master about what they want to do in the case of rolling a one. Some may treat that as a critical failure regardless, some may allow you to avoid that and count it as a ten.
Why Should I Play A College Of Eloquence Bard
College of eloquence bardsare the best at doing what bards do, and yes, that includes seducing random NPCs.
However, the downside is you’re very specialized compared to other bard classes. College of eloquence is best suited for pure support and role playing.
You can talk your party out of a fight, but once weapons are drawn your main job will be helping allies succeed in their rolls over fighting yourself.
Best Spells For A College Of Eloquence Bard
Your offensive options are very limited if you pull solely form the Bard list, but starting at tenth level you may use Magical Secrets to grab a couple extra ones from other classes.
In particular, college of eloquence bards make the best use of so-called"save or suck" spells.
Effect
Blade Ward
A good defensive option that gives you resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage until the end of your next turn.
Friends
If you need to be even better at Charisma checks, you can cast this on a creature to have advantage on Charisma checks against them, however they’re aware of you casting a spell on them and will become hostile to you at the end of the spell.
Message
you’re able to cast this to speak telepathically to creatures within 120ft of you, allowing you to coordinate in secret with your party members.
Vicious Mockery
A save or suck spell that pairs well with Unsettling Words. On a failed Wisdom save a creature takes 1d4 psychic damage and has disadvantage on it’s next attack roll, allowing you to protect your allies.
Thunderclap
A save or suck spell that deals 1d6 thunder damage to creatures near you who fail a Constitution saving throw and is useful as a basic attacking option.
Bane
you’re able to force up to three creatures in range to make Charisma saving throws, and if they fail you can force them to subtract 1d4 from their next attack roll or saving throw. This is another good spell for making things harder for your enemies and thus supporting your allies.
Charm Person
This allows you to charm a creature for the duration of the spell, provided they succeed in a Wisdom saving throw. Like Friends, it gives you advantage on social ability checks with this creature (which are mostly Charisma based) with the added benefit that they can’t attack you.
Cure Wounds
A reliable low level healing spell that heals 1d8 + your spell casting modifier HP to a creature. Another reason to keep your Charisma as high as possible.
Detect Magic
A spell that lets you detect spells that are cast near you or are on objects, allowing you to potentially identify hostile spell casters or find traps.
Dissonant Whispers
A save or suck spell that deals 3d6 psychic damage to creatures that fail a Wisdom saving throw and forces them to move as far as they can away from you.
Cloud of Daggers
You can create a static area where creatures take 4d4 slashing damage upon entering. It’s good to cast if you need to keep enemies away from yourself or other allies with poor defenses.
Detect Thoughts
A spell that allows you to read the thoughts of creatures nearby, very useful for gathering information from NPCs.
Gift of Gab
A spell that allows you to erase a person’s memory of whatever you just said and think you said something else. Incredibly useful if someone overhears you making plans.
Hold Person
You can paralyze a creature that fails a Wisdom saving throw. This is a concentration spell, so it will last up to one minute so long as you maintain concentration and your target doesn’t succeed in a Wisdom save. This is a good spell for keeping enemies still so your allies can attack them for more damage.
Lesser Restoration
A spell that allows you to heal certain conditions, like blind, dead, paralyzed, and poisoned. You can also heal general diseases.
Dispel Magic
You can remove any spell that is the same level or lower as the spell slot you used to cast Dispel Magic, allowing you to disable magical traps and help your allies affected by things like Fear or Charm Person.
Fear
You can inflict Frightened on nearby creatures who fail a Wisdom saving through, forcing them to move away from you as far as they can, so long as they can see you.
Mass Healing Word
Up to six creatures gain 1d4 + your spellcasting modifier healing. Since this is automatically a bonus action, you’re able to cast it along with another spell.
Sending
You can send a 25-word message to a creature on the same plane as you, allowing to communicate with people who are far away if you need to get information fast or if you split the party.
Dimension Door
You can create a portal and move anywhere within 500 feet so long as you can see or visualize it (so you can’t use it to enter a fortress you’ve never been too before). However you will take damage if another creature is in the space you want to go.
Greater Invisibility
You can turn a target invisible, provided you can keep up concentration. This is good for helping your allies sneak around if they’re not already stealthy.
Polymorph
You can forcibly transform a creature into something of a lower challenge rating, allowing you to temporarily remove hostile enemies on the battlefield by turning them into sheep or the like, or sneak into places by transforming into an animal. The creature has to fail a Wisdom saving throw if you cast this spell on them against their will.
Dominate Person
A spell that allows you to charm a creature and have them follow very simple orders telepathically. However they must fail a Wisdom saving throw and they have advantage if you’re fighting the,.
Greater Restoration
A healing spell that allows you to end most negative effects on other creatures and has the ability to remove a level of exhaustion, being the only spell in the Player’s Handbook that does so.
Mass Cure Wounds
You can restore 3d8 + your Charisma modifier to up to six creatures, making it one of the best party healing spells.
Mass Suggestion
A spell that allows you to influence a large group of creatures to do a simple command. Since you have universal speech, you’re not limited to creatures who can understand you.
True Seeing
This spell allows you to grant someone truesight, allowing them to see through disguises, spells, and find traps while exploring.
Prismatic Spray
A very fun spell if you like random effects. Roll a d8 to determine what happens to creatures that are hit that fail a dexterity saving throw. If it isn’t letting you roll for massive damage, it will potentially incapacitate an opponent for the rest of the encounter.
Regenerate
A spell that restores 4d8+15 hit points and allows a creature to regain one hit point at the start of every turn. This spell is mostly useful for having very good initial healing, a battle typically will not last long enough that one hp per turn results in significant healing. It can also help regrow limbs, however that’s also situational.
Resurrection
This spell allows you to revive a creature under certain conditions. Mainly it will be useful if one of your party members fails all their death saves and ends up fully dead, at which point you can bring them back provided you have the materials.
Dominate Monster
This works exactly like Dominate Person except it covers a wider variety of creatures.
Mind Blank
This allows you to make a creature immune to psychic damage and prevents them from being charmed or having their mind read. It’s so effective it can even foil the very powerful Wish spell which will often ignore things like this.
Mass Polymorph
Allows you to turn multiple creatures into something weaker, like turning a battalion into a harmless flock of sheep.
Power Word: Heal
The ultimate healing spell that allows you to instantly restore a creature to full health and remove all conditions. It’s incredibly powerful, which is why you can’t use it often.
Cleric, Paladin
First
This allows you to give your allies an extra d4 to add to attack rolls or saving throws, like an extra bardic with a smaller die.
Cleric
Third
This spell allows you to grant your allies advantage on Wisdom and Death saving throws, and they receive the maximum bumber of hit points possible from any healing. So in this case, you wouldn’t have to roll for Cure Wounds, it would simply be 8 + your Charisma modifier. Also good to cast during a short rest if people are rolling their own hit die.
Warlock
Cantrip
The Warlock’s go-to attacking cantrip, it’s a reliable way to get damage in without expending one of your higher spell slots.
Sorcerer, Wizard
An attacking spell that does 3d6 fire damage to creatures that fail their saves. It’s a very good spell that can do a lot to multiple enemies in range, just be wary of hitting your allies.
Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
A save or suck spell that deals 1d6 psychic damage and forces a creature to take 1d4 from their next saving throw before the end of your next turn. When paired with unsettling words you can almost make it impossible for a creature to succeed on saving throws
Best Stats For A College Of Eloquence Bard
For a college of eloquence bard in particular,Charisma is your bread and butter. You’ll want that to be as high as possible to make the best use out of your spells and class features.
Benefits of investing
Charisma
You’ll want this to be your highest stat for spells, class features, and making your persuasion and deception bonuses better.
Constitution
Good to invest in for maintaining concentration spells and buffing your HP to increase your survivability.
Dexterity
A solid choice as it will increase your AC and improve your survivability as well.
Wisdom
Mostly used for role play and saving throws. Wisdom saving throws are very common so if you have the extra points to go around, it couldn’t hurt to spend some here.
Intelligence
Intelligence saving throws tend to be less common, but it’s good if you’re role playing and want to gather information.
Strength
The least immediately useful ability unless you really want to focus on melee weapons, but that’s not recommended since you’re pretty solidly geared towards support.
Best Species For A College Of Eloquence Bard
If you’re not basing your class choices on your character backstory, the best plan isto go based on which class improves your important stats.
Benefits
Dragonborn
Boosts your Charisma, and your breath weapon will force your targets to make saving throws, so it works well with unsettling words.
Elf
If you choose Drow, you’ll get a boost to Charisma and gain a couple of cantrips that you use your Charisma for casting. Having advantage against being charmed and immune to being put to sleep also means you have fewer saving throws to worry about
Human
The versatility of getting to choose which stats to increase is nice, and if you use the Variant Human rule, you can get an extra feat to improve your battle prowess.
Half-Elf
You can boost your Charisma, as well as get two more options for proficiency, allowing to be better all around on more ability checks. You get the same benefits as Elves in terms of getting advantage on being charmed and immune to being put to sleep.
Tiefling
Another species that gives you a Charisma boost and access to some extra spells you use charisma to cast. Fire resistance is a nice bonus as well.
Best Feats For A College Of Eloquence Bard
Feats can allow you to further customize your character whenever you would take an ability score improvement, butdon’t neglect your stats for feats.
Inspiring Leader
This is a good support feat as it allows you to give your allies temporary hit points before a fight. This is dependent on your Charisma modifier, so it’s yet another reason to make your Charisma good.
Alert
This gives you a +5 to initiative, allowing you to go before your allies and enemies and more easily set up for them with Bardic Inspiration or unsettling words.
Elemental Adept
This allows you to ignore an enemy’s resistance to certain types of damage. A good combo with this could be using unsettling words to force an enemy to fail the saving throw for Burning Hands, and then ignore any fire resistance to inflict the maximum amount of damage.
