Tier 2 Bard Spells and Spellcasting in 5E D&D

Over on the Nerdarchy YouTube channel one of our popular video series is Go To Spells for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons. Nerdarchists Dave and Ted go through each D&D spellcaster class and discuss the most all-around useful spells, divided by the tiers of play. Tier 1 is 1st-4th level, tier 2 is 5th-10th, tier 3 is 11th-16th and tier 4 is 16th-20th. They choose go-to spells for attack, defense, buff and utility plus an iconic class spell. I am involved with the video planning, so we’re all on the same page with the selections. Instead let’s look at what tier 2 spellcasting means in terms of tier 2 bard spells for 5E D&D.

Tier 2 D&D bard spellcasting — 3rd-5th level spells

Reaching 3rd level traditionally signals a significant power shift in D&D. Spellcasters earn the ability to cast 3rd level spells, like fireball. Way back in the day in 1st edition AD&D a bard was an advanced class similar to prestige classes in third edition, and their spellcasting came from druids. When bards came into their own in 2nd edition AD&D they learned wizard spells starting at 2nd level.

In 5E D&D a 5th-level bard’s powers of communication expand tremendously. They can breach all language barriers, space and even death itself to exchange words plus infuse their speech with magic to help allies and hinder enemies. Charm Monster is the No. 1 indicator of what bard tier 2 spellcasting represents according to the video. In tier 1, a bard is a persuasive magician, capable warrior and skilled jack of all trades. The low level bard’s versatility allows them to fill a variety of roles and fulfill different needs for their adventuring group. Protecting others, restoring health and vitality and controlling creatures thoughts and actions are strong manifestations of a clerics devotion. And in tier 2 it’s the power

Once a bard reaches tier 2 they are a superstar.

How about the power to move you?

A bard can insult a plant to death, or the undead back to regular dead. So right off the bat you know a bard is a special kind of person. Take a look at what tier 2 bard spells enable bards to do with just their words.

Fast Friends. Charm a humanoid for 1 hour and send them on a errand.

Motivational Speech. 5 allies get temporary hit points and a combat benefit for 1 hour.

Dimension Door. Teleport for two anywhere within 500 feet.

Geas. Fast friends except any creature for 30 days and if they stray they take psychic damage.

In the same way tier 2 cleric spells represent reaching a rarefied air for bards too. There’s lots of performers in the world, but there’s a world of difference between a local minstrel and an adventuring bard. Even fewer still in the world are tier 2 bards. These are the bards who would sell out stadiums, and there aren’t too many of those even in our world, relatively.

Bard spells with only a verbal component encapsulate bards exactly. They’re charming, inspiring, and know when to gtfo once a crowd gets too hostile. Whatever choices players make for a bard character, these elements are present in a fashion. People and other creatures who meet a bard and witness a performance remember the experience for a long time. Do you remember the first concert or other live performance you ever went to? I sure do, and as far as I know none of the musicians in Soul Asylum can teleport. In a manner of speaking I suppose they could pretty easily get people to do things for them. [NERDITOR’S NOTE: “Gold — the REAL power in D&D” coming soon TM]

For me bards and bard spells are all about the feels. Because their selection is so broad and versatile, there’s less expectation of what exactly a bard ought to be doing for spellcasting. In my experience bards often cast unusual spells in clutch situations, and a lot of their magic affects minds and emotions. Fear, love, confusion, compulsion, reshaping minds — these are powerful things! Imagine a scenario where the adventuring party is planning how to tackle a problem. They need to convince a powerful noble of whatever, and the bard casually announces they can enter the noble’s dreams, reshape the environment there and basically Inception them. Later on in the inevitable combat the same bard drops a psychic bomb on their enemies.

Bards really know how to hit those high notes of emotion, don’t they? Tier 2 bard spells cover a wide range of effects and to me represent a real superstar performer. However you imagine your bard performing and casting spells — through music, rhetoric, interpretive dance, you name it — their magic affects creatures on a deep level they’ll never forget. This is especially true for monsters who will likely remember vividly for the next 12-30 seconds. And because their magic can have such profound effect on the outcome of a situation, the players around the table might get hit in the feels, too.