In Dungeons & Dragons, adventuring parties face all sorts of NPCs over the course of their journeys. Whether they’re meeting with important dignitaries or negotiating on behalf of an important patron, having a Bard in the party can sometimes make all the difference. Not all Bards deem oration to be the most important skill in their repertoire, but those of the College of Eloquence take great pride in their ability to persuade others to their way of thinking, while simultaneously appealing to the minds and hearts of those in their audiences.
Persuasion can be remarkably useful in all manner of interactions. In some cases it could mean the difference between life and death for the entire party, or it could determine whether or not a royal chooses war over peace. When it comes to the College of Eloquence Bard, there are certain attributes that put them head and shoulders above the rest.
Charisma Is the College of Eloquence Bard’s Most Important Stat
All Bards rely on Charisma, but for the College of Eloquence, it’s doubly important. These great communicators draw from CHA-based skills like Persuasion, Performance, Intimidation and Deception on a regular basis. CHA also influences a Bard’s magical abilities, establishing their spell save DC and spell attack bonuses, so pouring as many points into CHA as possible from the start is essential.
It’s also important for these Bards to be graceful. There will be times when they must use sleight of hand tricks or carry themselves with as much physical dignity as their voice portrays. To achieve this, Dexterity should be the second most important stat. DEX contributes to skills like Acrobatics, Stealth and Sleight of Hand, and affect important things like light melee weapons bonuses, Armor Class, and Initiative Bonus. The Eloquent seek ways around dangerous and uncivilized conflict using reason when possible, which means having the opportunity to go as close to first as possible in combat situations might actually end a fight before it truly starts.
The Best Races for a College of Eloquence Bard
Choosing a race is an important part of character creation, and the Changeling is an excellent choice for a College of Eloquence Bard. Not only do they get an automatic +2 CHA boost, but they can also increase one additional stat by +1, which should go to DEX. Changelings also have the option to gain proficiency with two of this Bard’s most important skills: Persuasion and Deception.
Additionally, Changelings have the ability to change their appearance at will, something that goes hand-in-hand with this Bard’s natural ability to be exactly what the people they are trying to impress need to feel confident agreeing with their plight. Appealing to a village of Half-Orcs? Changelings can make themselves look like another Half-Orc, which goes a long way toward creating an instant bond with their target audience.
Satyrs also have +2 CHA and +1 DEX, and their connection to the Feywild give them some unique advantages. They have automatic proficiency with Performance and Persuasion, two imperative skills. They also have advantage on saving throws against magic and spell effects, which means it’ll be a lot harder to magically silence them when they truly need to be heard.
The Best Feats for a College of Eloquence Bard
Certain feats can really enhance the skills this an Eloquence Bard relies on. Actor, for example, boosts CHA by +1 and grants advantage on Deception and Performance checks when they are pretending to be someone else. They can also mimic the speech of others they’ve heard, potentially giving their powerful orations exactly the right tone to convince an audience.
Alert is great for ensuring the Bard stays on their toes and avoids surprises while also boosting their initiative by +5. Circling back to the importance of avoiding potential conflict, this puts the Bard closer to the top of the initiative round, possibly allowing them to stop a fight before it starts. The Linguist feat doesn’t boost one of this subclass’ most important stats, but offers +1 to Intelligence and three additional languages of their choice. That will make it much easier for them to communicate wherever they go.
The Best Spells for a College of Eloquence Bard
Spells that play on the College of Eloquence Bard’s skillset are a must. The cantrip Friends, for example, fit perfectly with this Bard’s entire mission. Alongside spells like Charm Person, Fast Friends, Charm Monster, and Gift of Gab, the people this character comes in contact with will be dazzled by their magical energy, potentially making it easier to sway them. It’s also important to consider buff spells like Heroism, Motivational Speech, and Skill Empowerment, as these reinforce the confidence they’ve already inspired in their allies.
Modify Memory is one controversial spell that plays well with this Bard’s skillset because not everything will go the way they want all the time. Sometimes, they may have to reach into the memory of someone they’ve interacted with and alter it to achieve the outcome they wish — or erase it of something that might come back later to bite them. Mass Suggestion can be used to magically influence up to 12 creatures for 24 hours, which could be just enough time for the party to get out of a bad situation before the spell wears off.
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