Known for their infectious Charisma, the Bard class are the undisputed manipulators of BG3, making even the most stoic individuals around them impressionable. The College of Valor build for the bard in Baldur’s Gate 3 has them buff up the party and increase its morale. They sing of the heroes that have long gone by and use their examples to inspire.
Starting Abilities and Skills for Bard College of Valor Build in BG3
Race: Certain Races in Baldur’s Gate 3 grant you specific advantages for the build you are trying to create. In the case of Bard and its subsequent classes, the best race to choose is the Tiefling. In particular, we recommend the Asmodeus Tiefling. They possess excellent Charisma stats that will be your main spellcasting ability. They also have Darkvision, allowing you to see in the dark.
Ability Point Distribution: 13 Dexterity, 15 Charisma, 11 Strength, 16 Constitution. Leave the rest as is, or assign points according to what you see best. Generally, you want to keep your Constitution and Charisma high when making a Bard College of Valor build.
Skills: Acrobatics, Persuasion, Deception, and Insight.
Best Background
Baldur’s Gate 3 has no wrong or right Background, as the game encourages you to experiment with character creation. However, if you are going for a specific build, you must remember certain things. The best background choice in BG3 for the College of Valor build will be the Entertainer and Guild Artisan.
Entertainer: Entertainers can easily manipulate their audiences with charismatic charm and wit. This background has proficiency in Persuasion, allowing you to convince people to give you what you want. Acrobatics allows you to maneuver around the area with speed and agility. These attributes make this a perfect fit for your Bard College of Valor build.
Guild Artisan: Guild Artisans, on the other hand, are highly skilled individuals whose crafty tendencies make them a favorite amongst their peers. This background has skill proficiencies in Insight and Persuasion. The latter allows you to convince individuals as the Entertainer background does. The latter grants you the ability to check the true intentions of certain individuals.
Best Feats for Bard College of Valor Build in Baldur’s Gate 3
In Baldur’s Gate 3, your character can select one feat once every four levels. You will receive your first feat at level 4, then at level 8, and so on. Alternatively, you can also increase your stats during this time. To make the most out of your Bard College of Valor Build, we recommend the following:
Level 4 – Actor: The Actor feat allows you to increase your Charisma by one point and grants you a 2x multiplier for proficiency checks for Deception and Performance. This is an all-around perfect Feat for a Bard College of Valor build, as it greatly complements the class’ base stats and abilities.
Level 8 – Skilled: This feat is highly effective and powerful, allowing you to gain proficiency in any three skills you choose. The best choices for a Bard College of Valor build would be Insight, Deception, and Persuasion. These skills enhance your base abilities and make you more effective.
Level 12 – Performer: Like the Actor feat, this feat also increases your Charisma by one and additionally, it also grants you proficiency in any instrument of your choice, while the increase in Charisma is pivotal to a Bard build, being proficient in a music instrument means you can become an effective distractor in the game.
Best Spells for Bard College of Valor Build in BG3
Bards possess the special ability to learn magic from several different areas, in addition to their class-specific spells and cantrips. This ability, known as Magical Secrets gives them access to a huge host of spells from several disciplines, making them highly effective in spell casting.
Best Magical Secrets Spells: Command and Banish. The Command spell allows you to control your enemy and make them come closer, freeze, or move back. At the same time, Banish allows you to send your target away to another dimension temporarily.
Best Level 1 Spell – Tasha’s Hideous Laughter: This spell sends your enemy into laughter, leaving them prone. During this time, they are highly vulnerable and susceptible to attacks. This spell works great in a party setup. This spell lasts for ten rounds and requires concentration.
Best Level 2 Spell – Blindness: This spell makes your enemies completely blind and unable to counter you. They are also unable to attack and have a disadvantage when they attack.
Best Level 3 Spell – Hypnotic Pattern: This hypnosis spell exposes your target to a colorful pattern that temporarily incapacitates them. This spell lasts for two turns and requires concentration.
Best Level 4 Spell – Confusion: The Confusion spell is extremely powerful as it disorientates your enemy for 3 turns. During this time, they may end up attacking their allies or they may even skip their turn altogether. This spell requires concentration.
Best Level 5 Spell – Seeming: The Seeming spell allows you to disguise up to four party members, making them completely unrecognizable. This spell is especially useful during large swathes of questing and can help you in the most difficult times.
Best Level 6 Spell – Otto’s Irresistible Dance: Like Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, this spell makes your enemies dance uncontrollably. While this spell is active, you have an advantage on attack rolls, while the affected enemy has a disadvantage on charisma saving throws and attack rolls. This spell also requires concentration and lasts for ten turns.
Best Armor and Weapons
The Bard College of Valor build in Baldur’s Gate 3 has proficiencies in shortswords, longswords, rapiers, simple weapons, and, hand crossbows. This gives them a large variety of weapons to use. But they are only able to wear light armor.
Helm – Hood of the Weave: Hood of the Weave grants its wearer +2 to spell-casting modifiers. Since spells are a major part of Bard College of Valor builds, this helm is the perfect choice.
Back – Vivacious Cloak: This cloak gives you seven hit points for a short time after you cast a spell while in melee. This cloak is the perfect complement for any spell caster.
Armor – Blazer of Benevolence: This armor is made specifically for the Bard class, it temporarily nets you 4 hit points after you inspire a party member using your class-specific “Bardic Inspiration” bonus action. Coupled with the Vivacious Cloak, this armor can be highly effective.
Hands – Gloves of Missile Snaring: These gloves allow you to intercept ranged attacks and reduce their damage by 1d10 plus your dexterity modifier. This is a perfect complement if you choose the Asmodeus Tiefling race for your build.
Weapon – Rapier: Duelist’s Prerogative: The Bard class and its subsequent subclasses aren’t known for their melee capabilities, but the Duelist’s Prerogative is the best weapon choice. It deals 1d8 damage.
Bard College of Valor Build Level Progression in Baldur’s Gate 3
Level 1: Create your character. During level 1, you will unlock several spells, pick an instrument of your choice, and unlock Bardic Inspiration. This class-specific Action allows you to grant your ally a 1d6 bonus on the next attack roll, skill check, or saving throw they make.
Level 2: You gain access to the “Jack of all Trades” class feature when you reach level 2. This allows you to add half your proficiency bonus to any skill you are not adept at. You also unlock a host of new spells.
Level 3: At level 3, you pick your subclass. Choose the College of Valor subclass. Here, you will unlock the sub-class-specific feature, Combat Inspiration. Additionally, you also unlock a host of new spells.
Level 4: At Level 4, select your first feat, “Actor”
Level 5: Level 5 enhances your class action, Bardic Inspiration. Its potency increases to 1d8 from 1d6.
Level 6: At level 6, you unlock another class feature called Countercharm, which protects you and your allies from being charmed or frightened. At this level, you also gain another subclass feature, Extra Attack, which allows you to make another attack after you’ve made a melee or unarmed attack.
Level 7: Level 7 grants you access to level 4 spells.
Level 8: At Level 8, select your second feat, “Skilled.” Make the selection as recommended earlier.
Level 9: Level 9 grants you access to level 5 spells.
Level 10: Level 10 further improves your Bardic Inspiration to 1d10 from 1d8. You also unlock the Skill Expertise class feature, which allows you to improve two skills of your choice, along with Magical Secrets, which lets you learn spells from several disciplines.
Level 11: At level 11, you can use level 6 spells.
Level 12: At level 12, select your last feat “Performer”
