5 Feats For Bards

Hello folks and welcome back to D3.

Today, we are here to talk about feats, for my very favorite class, the Bard. Feats can make our characters far stronger than they were previously. I will be covering a list of 5 feats that you may want to try for yourself.

You can find the full list of Feats here.

Warcaster

Prerequisite: Able to cast at least one spell

• You have advantage on Constitution saves that you make to maintain concentration on a spell when you take damage.
• You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands.
• When a hostile creature’s movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, instead of making an opportunity attack. The spell must have a casting time of only 1 action and must target only that creature.

I do not know a single caster class that can’t benefit from this feat. If your Bard finds themselves on the front lines of battle, you really want a feat like this. Advantage on concentration checks means your spells will have a much higher chance of lasting longer. In addition, you can now use a cantrip when rolling attacks of opportunity. As a primary caster, this opens you up to a number of more deadly reactions than you would have otherwise. This opens up great roleplay moments too. Imagine some orc running by at you as you cast vicious mockery by calling him a coward or chicken clucking at him.

Alert

• You gain a +5 bonus to initiative.
• You can’t be surprised while you are conscious.
• Other creatures don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being hidden.

You know those times when you are trying to Netflix and chill, but your inlaws show up unannounced. Well with the Alert feat, you’ll never be surprised again. That’s right, no nasties get to sneak up on you, in fact when you go into battle you get a +5 to initiative rolls which means you can likely go first. This is super important as a bard because a good crowd control ability right off the jump can quickly turn the tide of a battle. Fighting 2 orcs is less dangerous than fighting 5 orcs.

Resilient

Choose on ability score:

• Increase the chosen ability by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency in saving throws using the chosen ability.

As a primary spell caster, your constitution score is important. Those concentration checks need all the help they can get. The better you are at those concentration checks the more mileage you will get out of your spell slots. In this case, you use the feat to give you +1 to your CON score and then the feat gives you a proficiency bonus on the saving throws made with this ability. Unless you are a sorcerer, this feat is really great for a caster.

Lucky

You have 3 luck points. Whenever you make an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you may spend 1 luck point to roll an additional d20. You can use this ability after the original roll, but before the outcome is revealed. You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.

You can also spend one luck point when an attack roll is made against you. Roll a d20, and choose whether the attacker’s roll uses their d20 roll or yours

If multiple creatures use a luck point on the same roll, they cancel out, resulting in no additional dice.

You regain expended luck points when you finish a long rest.

Lucky is an amazing feat for anybody to take, but it’s even better for casters. You can give yourself advantage or impose disadvantage 3 times per long rest. This means you can take advantage on your concentration checks, or potentially avoid the hit altogether. You can also use them on your own attacks, ability checks, and other saving throws.

Actor

• Increase your Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You have advantage of Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Performance) checks to pass yourself off as someone else.
• You can mimic the speech of another person or the sounds made by other creatures. You must have heard the speech or sound for at least 1 minute. A successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check allows a listener to determine the effect is faked.

What would a Bard be without being the party member who does the talking? with the Actor feat, the bard gets a boost to their charisma which is their spellcasting modifier. You get advantage on checks to pass yourself off as another. This is infinitely useful when trying to talk your way out of a bad situation or get through an enemy encampment. You could even try to convince a town of people that you are their lord and have come to collect taxes.

Bonus Feat

Below is my recommendation for one bonus feat for the Valor Bard.

Tavern Brawler

• Increase your Strength or Constitution by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You are proficient with all improvised weapons.
• Your unarmed strike uses a d4 for damage.
• When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or improvised weapon on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target.

It may not seem like much, but with this feat, you can use a shield as an improvised weapon, or just punch your way through crowds. More importantly, you can smash your opponent’s teeth in and then follow it with a grapple. As a Valor Bard, you can take expertise in athletics, and win most contested checks.

You can find the full list of Feats here.

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Originally published at Dungeons, Delves, and Dice.