Quick Links
There's no better way to manipulate people in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons than playing as a bard, and there are no better manipulators than students of the College of Whispers. Bards who study at this college specialize in extracting information, mentally assaulting their targets and even using their 🉐guises to infiltrate enemy strongholds.
𒅌 Dungeꩲons & Dragons: How To Build A Genie Warlock
Ha꧂ve you ever wanted to be a genie in a bot🎶tle? Here's how to build yourself as one.
College of Whispers bards make excellent spies and saboteurs, but where the rogue likes to find their way via rooftops and sewers, students of the College of Whispers employ social engineering (with some magical help) to go where they please. If you're looking for a subtle bard subclass, read on to study at the College of Whispers.
College Of Whispers Bard Features
Studying at the College of Whispers offers bard players several benefits. Starting at level three, Psychic Blades🔴 lets you use your Bardic Inspiration die to deal an extra ﷽2d6 psychic damage upon successfully striking a target with a weapon attack. That damage scales to 3d6 at level five, 5d6 at level 10, and 8d6 at level 15.
Words of Terror is an ideal feature for an interrogation or to ♏remove an unwitting guard. If you can sp🏅eak to a humanoid for at least one minute, you can force them to roll a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened by you for one hour.
Because Words of Terror takes a minute to complete, it's not useful for combat purposes. Use this to get past a guard or to make a prisoner so scared of you that 𒊎they spill all the💞ir secrets.
Mantle of Whispers at level six lets you adopt the persona of any humanoid that dies within 30 feet of you. By using your reaction, you magically transform into that creature for one hour. Creatures can attempt to see through your disguise with a contested Insight check, but your Deception roll gets a +5 bonus. You also gain the mundane memories of the persona you've assumed, but you don't learn their closely guarded secrets.
Finally, Shadow Lore at level 14 lets you whisper a phrase at any creature you see within 30 feet to force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, that creature becomes charmed by you for eight hours. The charmed creature won't fight for you, but it will grant you favors and gifts like it would a close friend.
Shadow Lore can take a creature out of combat, but it's most useful for charming bosses and having them tell you where they're hiding their treasure.
Dungeons &🅷 Dragons: How To Build An Oath Of The Watchers Paladin
Defend the party from the unknown as this versatil𒉰e paladin subclass.
Best Species For A College Of Whispers Bard
Any species can enroll in the College of Whispers, but certain species offer special features that pair nicely with the subterfuge and manipulation that College of Whispers bards are known for. Here are a few suggestions.
|
Bugbear |
Sometimes subterfuge isn't enough. In those cases, you can talk your way up to the guard and use Surprise Attack to take them out quickly. An extra five feet of reach for your rapier is nice, as is Darkvision and resistance to being charmed. |
|
Deep Gnome |
Disguise Self and Nondetection are the perfect spells to add to your College of Whispers bard's spell list. Darkvision, stealth proficiency, and Magic Resistance are also great to have. |
|
Changeling |
If you can't kill someone to use Mantle of Whispers, Shapechanger will let you assume their appearance and voice at a glance. You also gain two skill proficiencies that are ൲typically useful for bards and especially for the College of Whispers. |
|
Elf |
Darkvision, charm resistance, and perception proficiency are all nice to have, but being a high elf gives you access to longbow proficiency and a useful cantrip. |
|
Firbolg |
Firbolgs are surprisingly good at subterfuge. Disguise Self and Detect Magic are always useful, and you can turn invisible too. Being able to communicate with beasts and plants can be useful when there are no people around, but keep in mind✤ that most of your College of Whispers features require a shared langua🃏ge to work. |
|
Goblin |
Fury of the Small is so great. So is Darkvision, charm resistance, and being able to hide or disengage as a bonus action. |
|
Half-Elf |
College of Whispers bards want three stats, and being a half-elf gives you three stat boosts. Darkvision and charm resistance are fine, while being a high half-elf can provide you with longbow proficiency or a useful cantrip. |
|
Human |
Humans know a thing or two about big stat boosts. You can also go variant human for a feat to start with a good feat. |
|
Kenku |
Kenku Recall can really boost your charisma rolls, while Mimicry and Expert Duplication are perfect for a subterfuge-heavy subclass. |
|
Owlin |
When talking your way past the guard doesn't work, just fly in through the roof. Darkvision and stealth proficiency are also strong. |
|
Tiefling |
Fierna tieflings learn Friends, Charm Person, and Suggestion, which all seem very on-brand for the College of Whispers Bard. Glasya tieflings learn Minor Illusion, Disguise Self, anꦫd Invisibility. Pick your preferred tiefling subspecies based on your preferred spells. |
|
Thri-Kreen |
Your Hardened Carapace not only gives you a base 13 armor class, but it also gives you advantage on hide checks. Being able to wield hand crossbows and a rapier with your Secondary Arms is also great, as is Telepathy for any language barriers. |
Best Ability Scores For A College Of Whispers Bard
Much like the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:College of Valor or 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:College of Swords, you'll want to split your ability scores among three stats: Dexterity, Charisma, and Constitution. Dexterity is necessary for your weapon attacks in order to empl🍒oy Psychic Blades, while Charisma powers your spells and skill checks. Constitution provides hit points and concentration saving throws.
Strength, Intelligence, and Wisdom can all be ignored.
If you're using D&D's point buy system, a decent starting ability score spread for a College of Whiꦿspers bard might look something like this.
|
Strength |
Dexterity |
Constitution |
Intelligence |
Wisdom |
Charisma |
|
8(-1) |
16(+4) |
14(+2) |
10(0) |
10(0) |
16(+3) |
Best Starting Equipment For A College Of Whispers Bard
Because we're focusing on Dexterity as our primary weapon stat, the rapier is your best option. An entertainer's pack has a few more useful items than a diplomat's pack, so pick that too.
Choose whatever instrument you like as your spellcasting focus. A lute is suggested, but it can really be anything, so get creative. Leather armor and a dagger are fine to start, but you'll want to find studded leather armor as soon as possible.
You'll still need an instrument to cast spells, but Words of Terror, Mantle of Whispers, and Shadow Lore just require a whisper to work.
Best Spells For A College Of Whispers Bard
Even though you'll be dealing weapon damage and whispering your way to success, spells still form the backbone of a College of Whispers bard's toolkit. Here are a few suggested spells to learn as you progress through your levels.
|
Spell Level |
Spell |
|
Cantrip |
|
|
First Level |
|
|
Second Level |
|
|
Third Level |
|
|
Fourth Level |
|
|
Fifth Level |
|
|
Sixth Level |
|
|
Seventh Level |
|
|
Eighth Level |
|
|
Ninth Level |
|
Magical Secrets offers a few more spells from other classes which a College of Glamour bard should consider. Counterspell is a staple support spell, and Heal is the best single-target healing spell in the game before Power Word Heal. At level 18, Wish is by far the strongest spell you can get.