Bard (4E)

4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons

New Bard Builds

Graceful Bard

Compare to my 3.5 Mystic Dancer class.

All bards are inspirational models, but you take this one step further, actually performing on the battlefield, showing allies an enemies alike that your art is alive and dangerous. The graceful bard maneuvers around the battlefield, boosting the morale of allies while keeping foes off balance. Charisma is your primary ability score because your attacks rely on it. Dexterity is your secondary ability, and helps you to always stay one step ahead of your foes. For your tertiary score, select either Constitution or Intelligence depending on which powers you want to use, with a bias towards Constitution for defenses.

Suggested Feat: Melee Training (Human feat: Action Surge)
Suggested Skills: Arcana, Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Perception
Suggested At-Will Powers: Misdirected Mark, Unbalancing Strike
Suggested Encounter Power: Graceful Repositioning
Suggested Daily Power: Verse of Triumph

New Class Features

Instead of selecting either Cunning or Valor as your virtue, you can select Virtue of grace. This is a dexterity-based virtue that opens up Dexterity as a new secondary attribute for the bard, emphasizing quick steps and graceful maneuvers.

Virtue of Grace: Once per round as a free action when an adjacent ally hits an enemy in melee, you can slide that enemy a number of squares equal to 1 + half your Dexterity modifier.

New Bard Powers

A bard directs the battlefield, superbly directing allies into advantageous positions. With the virtue of grace, this is expanded to include enemies, involving everyone on the battlefield into a deadly dance. Bards of other virtues can find great benefit in these dances, too, complimenting their tactics with a bit of mobility.

Level 1 At-Will Spells

Unbalancing Strike Bard Attack 1

You unbalance an enemy, setting them up for an attack.

At-Will ✦ Arcane, Weapon

Standard Action      Melee weapon

Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex Hit: 1[W] + Charisma modifier damage. Choose an ally within 4 + Dexterity modifier squares, the target grants combat advantage to this ally until the end of your next turn. Increase damage to 2[W] + Charisma modifier at 21st level.

Level 1 Encounter Spells

Fast Friends (Revised) Bard Attack 1

You sing a tune of false friendship, leaving your foe in a reverie.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Charm, Implement

Standard Action      Ranged 5

Attack: Charisma vs. Will Hit: The target cannot attack you or your allies until the end of your next turn or until you or one of your allies attacks the target.

Graceful Step Bard Attack 1

You move as if in a dance, leading your target along.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Weapon

Standard Action      Melee weapon

Target: One creature. Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex. Hit: 1[W] + Charisma modifier damage. Shift one square and slide the target into any square adjacent to your new position. Miss: Shift one square. Virtue of Grace: You shift your Dexterity modifier squares.

Phantom Blow Bard Attack 1

After you strike, shadows seem to leap at the opponent from every angle, opening up for potential assaults.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Illusion, Weapon

Standard Action      Melee weapon

Target: One creature. Attack: Charisma vs. AC. Hit: 1[W] + Charisma modifier damage and target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Level 1 Daily Spells

Grease Bard Attack 1

By humming a little comic ditty, you make the ground slick and treacherous.

Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Zone

Standard Action      Area burst 2 within 5 squares

Target: Each creature in burst. Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex. Hit: Target is knocked prone. Effect: Until the end of your next turn, any creature that enters or moves within the zone is subject to another attack. Sustain Minor: The effect remains.

Hunter's Horn Bard Attack 1

A sharp blast precedes your and your allies’ assault.

Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action      Close burst 2

Target: Each enemy in burst Attack: Charisma vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + Charisma psychic damage. Target is weakened until the end of your next turn. Effect: Allies within the burst gain a +2 power bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.

Staccato Bard Attack 1

You strike hard and fast, inciting your allies to follow your example.

Daily ✦ Arcane, Weapon, Zone

Standard Action      Melee weapon

Target: One creature. Attack: Charisma vs. AC. Hit: 2[W] + Charisma modifier damage. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, you and allies within 5 squares of you can shift 1 square as a minor action.

Level 2 Utility Spells

Lively Step Bard Utility 2

A quick fanfare is all it takes to march faster.

Daily ✦ Arcane

Standard Action      Close burst 5

Target: You and each ally in burst. Effect: Until the next short rest or for the next ten hours, the targets speed increases by 2 squares.

Level 3 Encounter Spells

Bladeweave Bard Attack 3

Your weapon shifts and weaves, dizzying your opponent as you strike.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Weapon

Standard Action      Melee weapon

Target: One creature. Attack: Charisma vs. AC. Hit: [W] + Charisma modifier damage and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.

Flip and Switch Bard Attack 3

You twirl with a partner, strike out, and twirl again.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Weapon

Standard Action      Melee weapon

Target: One creature. Attack: Charisma vs. AC. Hit: 2[W] + Charisma modifier damage. Effect: Slide you and a willing adjacent ally, exchanging places before and after the attack. This can be two different allies. Virtue of Grace: Exchange places with willing allies within your Dexterity modifier squares.

Level 5 Daily Spells

Glitterdust Bard Attack 5

You create a cloud of shining particles that sticks to your foe’s armor and eyes.

Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Radiant

Standard Action      Area 2 in 20 squares

Target: Each creature in burst. Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex. Hit: 1d6 + Charisma modifier radiant damage and the target is blinded (save ends). Effect: The target cannot benefit from concealment or invisibility for the rest of the encounter.

Level 7 Encounter Spells

Whirling Chaos Bard Attack 7

You whirl and spin, causing chaos around you.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Weapon

Standard Action      Close burst 1

Target: Each enemy in burst you can see. Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex. Hit: [W]´+ Charisma modifier damage and knock the target prone. Virtue of Grace: Slide the target half your Dexterity modifier squares before knocking it prone.

Level 13 Encounter Spells

Reap the Whirlwind Bard Attack 13

You spin and twirl, causing any attacker to recoil.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Weapon

Standard Action      Close burst 1

Target: All creatures in the burst you can see. Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex. Hit: [W] + Charisma modifier damage. Effect: Until the end of your next turn, any enemy attacking provokes an opportunity attack from you and any enemy hit by one of your opportunity attacks falls prone. Enemies that fall prone can still attack you if they are in reach. Virtue of Grace: You can slide anyone hit by one of your opportunity attacks a number of squares equal to half your Dexterity modifier.

Level 17 Encounter Spells

Encouraging Beat Bard Attack 17

You strike a strong beat on your enemies, encouraging allies to activity.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Weapon

Standard Action      Melee weapon

Target: One or two targets. Attack: Charisma vs. AC. Hit: [W] + Charisma modifier damage. As long as you hit at least one enemy, each ally within 10 squares can make a saving trow to end any condition that a saving throw can end. Virtue of Grace: Allies gain a bonus on the saving throw equal to your Dexterity modifier.

Level 27 Encounter Spells

Dance of the Spheres Bard Attack 27

You shift space and time, linking your enemy and your allies in a spatial bond.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Implement, Force

Standard Action      Ranged 10

Target: One enemy. Attack: Charisma vs. Will. This attack ignores cover. Hit: 2d6 + Charisma modifier force damage. Until the end of your next turn you and allies within 10 squares are considered adjacent to the target, with a clear line of sight and effect ignoring cover and concealment, able to use any power you can use on an adjacent enemy, and to make opportunity attacks whenever the target takes an action that normally provokes opportunity attacks from adjacent targets, such as moving. Virtue of Grace: You and allies gain a bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls against the target equal to 1 + your Dexterity modifier until the end of your next turn.

New Feats

Whirling Grace

Prerequisites: Bard, Virtue of Grace

Benefit: You can choose an enemy hit by an ally within 3 squares when you use your Virtue of Grace ability.

External Links

• Bard Discussion at WotC