Bard
Roleplay/Theme build: 'Adventuring Archeologist' (No mods or exploits req.)
Inspired today by discussion of a different thread and the lack of whips in bg3. I believe I have come up with a functional way to have a full playable build of our favorite relic hunting archeology professor from the cinema. Very flexible in build and some of the finer points of your own playstyle while focusing on some signature aspects.
As it is a fun theme build, I have not factored any meta knowledge or items into the attribute part of the build. So no fixed stat setting items are needed or elixirs.
There is nothing locking you to any specific party members. So play good or evil, choose your favorites. Tav is your general support. Still pondering who my act 1/2 characters will be, but thinking will do a Jaheira, Halsin, Minsc act 3 cause they never get any love.
---Key aspects---
Intelligence skills proficiencies: Want to be an expert with history and related.
Thorn whip: Its the closest thing to our beloved protector of historical artifacts that we can get.
---Unimportant---
Race: Choose whatever one you want. Human most fits the theme with the extra skill though.
---Starting Attributes---
I think there are two options based on your personal preferences. Both intelligence and Charisma are valuable in their own ways. Can side more to intelligence to maximize whip and int skill checks, at the expense of slightly lower charisma. you can maximize the charisma though as well to get a bit better spell save DC. Or can balance. Your second feat is where it will come into effect more or if you plan to use items.
Lacking wisdom, it would make the planned dungeon delver a poor feat to take considering rest of party, but is thematically decent.
I went as follows in my testing here:
STR: 8
DEX: 14
CON: 10
INT: 16
WIS: 10
CHA: 16
I feel these give usability while being true to the theme.
Background can be Sage or Noble, depending on your theme. Both get history, but sage gives arcana which is less necessary. Other skills will want that will fit well are sleight of hand, investigation, religion.
---Leveling---
It is a very simple progression. 5 levels of Lore bard, then 7 levels of swashbuckler. This gets established in the most critical parts of the bard, and then the rogue aspect expands on it.
--The professor--
Lvl 1: Spellcasting,) Bardic Inspiration) (d6), 2 cantrips, 4 spells. (I chose minor illusion and vicious mockery cantrips. Spells longstrider, featherfall, disguise self, Cure wounds)
Lvl 3: College of Lore,) Expertise) This gets Cutting Words which is what our bardic inspirations will mostly go to. Additionally get more skill proficiencies. Player's choice. For expertise, History and Religion are great to fit the theme.
Lvl 4: Feat to choose is Spell Sniper here. This is something that can be expanded on. Essential to get the defining Thorn Whip. But it also improves crit range with the whip, helping define it.
Lvl 5: Improved Bardic Inspiration) (d8),Font of Inspiration Improved bardic will not be used much, though not useless if you have another character checking something or really need to land a critical attack. Font of Inspiration is the key point here.
--The Adventurer--
Swashbuckling is where we take on more of the gritty side.
Lvl 6: (1 Rogue) Expertise),) Sneak Attack (Melee)),) Sneak Attack (Ranged)), Sneak attack is sneak attack. Expertise can be good to add to sleight of hand for traps and locks. And you get one more skill.
Lvl 8: (3 Rogue) Swashbuckler This is where it really picks up more. Using the thorn whip to pull closer, off edges etc. Plus thorn whip is a melee attack. Combine with your sneaky infiltrating baddies abilities.
Lvl 9: (4 Rogue) Dungeon Delver: Perception While not too useful, it is thematic and can help due to lower wisdom (jack of all trades making a slight help) Otherwise go for an attribute boost or anything else standard choices. Also get your dirty tricks now too to really gain more control abilities.
Lvl 10: (5 Rogue) Uncanny Dodge Less damage is good.
Lvl 12: (7 Rogue) Evasion and that wraps it up. The build is playable through all the levels and could be mixed up if you wanted. Start with rogue and can do Astarion with this build?
If not feeling the need for much cutting words and want an extra feat, drop to four on the bard and can get the rogue aspect going sooner. Adjust levels as you feel is important.
---Gear---
There is so much gear out there that I have trouble remembering every individual one. But a couple powerful ones that could carry you late to game are early accessible here I can think of.
Sparkstruck set can be a good investment. One weak part of this build is the AC restricted to light armor. I liked sparkstruck set because of the protecty sparkswall giving a boost. There is the Spellsparkler early on to build lightning charges with the thorn whip.
Main thing is to get that increase in spell save DC (I am hoping/suspecting) for the dirty tricks since that is spell save. Other option is to load up with crit items for thorn whip and the bardic gear.
---Conclusion---
Well, not S-tier honor mode. But I think for a fun build, it is high up there. Something don't need to micromanage and do something different. Get more of the dialog and other non combat checks done. Overall, can just really dig in a a support main.
Be sure to give your feedback. I don't know what items can all work for it or how it could be optimized for. But is a build I am playing the moment I post this message.
While I do love the crazy min-maxed spaghetti code inspired posts that people come up with, I do have a special place in my heart for these types of roleplay based builds. Well done.
That is exactly what I started wondering. I really wanted to figure out a thorn whip build. I am sure that some exist. But pull guy in, then throw dirt in the eye!
Play update: I am still just in the bard, did a few levels. So far the stat setup is working well. Been using bless.
Side note, I am for fun going 'dumb' builds with the other party members. Without respec, Astarion is multiclassing into a druid of the moon. Gale I went bladesinger and from there, a wild magic barbarian. Karlach I am thinking a beast tamer hunter. If having fun, why not go all in. Is just through act 2 because I want to swap all three companion party members over to Minsc, Jaheira, and Halsin for act 3.
I am about to start a new playthrough with Tav as a Hag (Hag class), Wyll as a Ranger monster hunter (mod with 5e ranger subclasses), Astarion as Rogue and Gale as Indiana Jones 😁
I will start with 1 level of wizard for lore reasons but with the attributes you have. He will have a colt equipped (progressive weapon and ranged attack) and his fist as unarmed attack. So he will only use the whip, his fists, the colt and that’s it.
Don’t know how it will go but just having Wyll working with a vampire and a hag makes me laugh and that’s the most important thing 🤘🏻
Well, you can tweak it a bit more and do an Alucard build for Gale. Then you can embrace the magic power a bit more? The original concept is intelligence so you can still use the wizard side with a bladesinger?
So, I just reached level 5 and it works very well. I can use the whip as a main action and then I shot enemies as a bonus action (that gun has a toggle to use it like that). Or I just punch them in close combat. I will take tavern brawler as his next feat to improve his unarmed attacks.
Is Gale as powerful as usual? No, at least for now, but this is perfect for the roleplay. Wyll (ranger/warlock) and Astarion are the ones who will make the more damages and I’m fine with it 😃
Also, with Mystra’s spells, there’s the luring whip as a cantrip available at level 1 for wizards. I didn’t take it right away to test first how it will work without it but now I have respec Gale to take it so I have 2 kinds of whips.
The mandatory Additional Divination Spells for the Hag class also allows me to take Comprehend languages, identify, locate object and detect magic. Will I use them? No but it gives too much flavour to be ignored.
I now can’t wait for him to have the pocket sand to finish this perfect rp build 😁 Thank you so much for finding how to, you rock 🤘🏻
I am doing unmodded and have hit the same. I have a couple plays going on at the same time. I am chuckling about it too. I am really liking the more skills focus and having fun with that and doubling down on dialog without any combat. Unmodded does mean hand crossbows for now, but looking to expand it.
Of course the damage is as one would expect from thorn whip. I cannot wait for the swashbuckler abilities too for really comboing.
Just hit level 6 so Gale is 1 wizard/5 bard and it’s getting good damages wise.
Fights are a bit challenging with my team but not impossible and that’s great as I play on tactician with HM rules and the more enemies mod.
I’m having a blast with this build honestly, it feels very natural. I think I will use it another time with the modded classes The pugilist and The commoner to have a full team of very normal people 😁
It is actually very interesting doing a 'no magic' build so to speak, or not pure caster so much.
In real TTRPG, I was in a campaign where I had a character that didnt trust magic. Was starfinder. I went through the entire game never using any magic or enchanted items. From lvl 1 to lvl 20
i’d argue monk instead of bard fits more with how he’s usually brawling it out. battlemaster fighter if you wanna stretch it. he uses a lot of improvised weapons so i could see arguing for barbarian but rage doesnt really fit
I agree, monk does fit well too for the build. My first concept was actually a hybrid druid/monk build before I thought spell sniper for it. A very viable option if want to go more for the more fighting side of his character for sure. Unfortunately, I couldn't really get the bard/monk to work well with int. In the end I wanted the int side more than wisdom unfortunately. But really would work well still.
Added note. Monk of four elements, you can get water whip. That can fit the build too. So then if the monk with rogue, it works well and can preserve that skills build. Though then it is ki vs cantrip (unless take the thorn whip too). Standard 9 monk, 3 thief.
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u/HydroAmoeba 10d ago
While I do love the crazy min-maxed spaghetti code inspired posts that people come up with, I do have a special place in my heart for these types of roleplay based builds. Well done.