Swords Bard Build - Dazzling Bowmaster

Swords Bard Build - Dazzling Bowmaster - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

By zanuffas
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In this post, I will go through Swords Bard Build for Baldur's Gate 3. This is an Archer setup offering a very powerful ranged combatant with a mighty burst round using Action Surge icon action bg3Action Surge​. However, this gets better as you will be a powerful spellcaster who is able to access a wide variety of control spells.

Swords Bard Build - Dazzling Bowmaster

So the build here is what I would call a "ranged spellsword" build. From early levels you will be using ranged weapons like Hand Crossbow +1 icon bg3Hand Crossbow +1 or Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow to inflict very high damage. This will get better and better as the game progresses.

Later, the build lifts off as you obtain Sharpshooter: All In icon passive feature bg3Sharpshooter: All In,​ and throughout Act 2 you will be destroying foes with your arrows. In Act 3, you will become a fully functional spellcaster. This is possible thanks to Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity and Band of the Mystic Scoundrel icon bg3Band of the Mystic Scoundrel.

Does this sound cool? Well, it is, imagine on the starting turn, releasing 4 arrows, pumping up your Spell Save DC, and finishing everything with an arena-wide Confusion icon action bg3Confusion, Hypnotic Pattern icon action bg3Hypnotic Pattern,​ or Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person. This will be game over for your enemies and you can watch as your allies delete the leftover foes.

The Swords Bard can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be and I think this is its appeal. I hope this got your attention and let's dive deeper!

Class Contribution

The build mostly goes into Bard to obtain all the core parts of the build. Fighter comes into play to improve the archery part of the build.

10 Swords Bard

  • Access to flourishes - Slashing Flourish (Ranged) icon action bg3Slashing Flourish (Ranged), and Defensive Flourish (Ranged) icon action bg3Defensive Flourish (Ranged)​ based on various combat situations and allows maximizing ranged damage.
  • Extra Attack icon passive feature bg3Extra Attack​ is one of those powerful passive features that greatly improves the damage of martial classes.
  • Bardic Inspiration icon action bg3Bardic Inspiration​ which can be used for flourishes or helping with various dice rolls.
  • Full spellcaster progression, giving access to plenty of spell slots.
  • Song of Rest icon action bg3Song of Rest​ for additional short rest, helping to manage resources.
  • Magical Secrets - allows you to learn 2 spells from other classes, giving some unique combos like Banishing Smite (Ranged) icon action bg3Banishing Smite (Ranged)​ or Counterspell icon action bg3Counterspell.
  • Access to multiple skill Expertise icon passive feature bg3Expertise​ helping with world exploration and dialogue checks.

2 Fighter

  • Obtain all weapon and armor proficiencies, you can freely wear any item that you like or that helps you to adjust the build to your needs.
  • Second Wind icon action bg3Second Wind​ is a minor addition to restore health when things go bad.
  • Action Surge icon action bg3Action Surge​ - one of the most powerful actions in the game, giving a full action point. This will work together with Extra Attack icon passive feature bg3Extra Attack​ for two attacks or one spell casting.
  • Archery icon passive feature bg3Archery​ fighting style, which will improve the chance of landing bow attacks.

Leveling Overview

Here is a concise table with all the main picks during your leveling progression. For more detailed reasoning, I go further in the article. Also, do not forget to check the recommended gear as it is crucial.

Level Class Selection
1 Bard 1 Cantrips: Vicious Mockery icon action bg3Vicious Mockery, Friends icon action bg3Friends
Spells: Healing Word icon action bg3Healing Word, Dissonant Whispers icon action bg3Dissonant Whispers, Faerie Fire icon action bg3Faerie Fire, Longstrider icon action bg3Longstrider
STR - 8, DEX - 17, CON - 14, INT - 8, WIS - 10, CHA - 16
Skills: Sleight of Hand, any Charisma-based.
2 Bard 2 Spells: Feather Fall icon action bg3Feather Fall
3 Bard 3 Spells: Enhance Ability icon action bg3Enhance Ability
Subclass: College of Swords
Skills: Sleight of Hand, any
Fighting Style: Two-Weapon Fighting icon passive feature bg3Two-Weapon Fighting
Replace Spell: Dissonant Whispers icon action bg3Dissonant Whispers​ -> Cloud of Daggers icon action bg3Cloud of Daggers
4 Bard 4 Cantrips: Light icon action bg3Light
Spells: Blindness icon action bg3Blindness
Feat: Sharpshooter: All In icon passive feature bg3Sharpshooter: All In
5 Bard 5 Spells: Glyph of Warding icon action bg3Glyph of Warding
6 Bard 6 Spells: Hypnotic Pattern icon action bg3Hypnotic Pattern
Replace Spell: Faerie Fire icon action bg3Faerie Fire​ -> Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person
7 Respec to Fighter 1 and go through Bard 1-6 Fighting Style: Archery icon passive feature bg3Archery
8 Fighter 2 -
9 Bard 7 Spells: Confusion icon action bg3Confusion
Replace Spell: Cloud of Daggers icon action bg3Cloud of Daggers​ -> Fear icon action bg3Fear
10 Bard 8 Spells: Greater Invisibility icon action bg3Greater Invisibility​ or Freedom of Movement icon action bg3Freedom of Movement
Feat: Ability Improvement - +2 Dexterity
11 Bard 9 Spells: Hold Monster icon action bg3Hold Monster
12 Bard 10 Skills: anything related to Dexterity or Charisma.
Spells: Greater Restoration icon action bg3Greater Restoration
Magical Secrets: Counterspell icon action bg3Counterspell​, Command icon action bg3Command

Starting the Game - Level 1

This section covers the creation screen and what would go into the best Races, Abilities, and Skills for the Swords Bard build. Some of these choices are impactful as you cannot respec them.

Races

Picking a race provides various benefits - abilities, dialogue options, looks, etc.

If you are having difficulties making a choice, pick whatever you prefer in terms of looks or roleplay. "The perfect race pick" is important if you are into extreme min-maxing.
Race Features Description
halfling bg3Lightfoot Halfling
  • Halfling Luck icon passive feature bg3Halfling Luck
  • Brave icon passive feature bg3Brave
  • Naturally Stealthy icon passive feature bg3Naturally Stealthy
One of the best races overall, and gets an advantage on stealth checks, in case you want to get into better positions for some combat encounters.
dwarf bg3Dwarf Duergar
  • Dwarven Combat Training icon passive feature bg3Dwarven Combat Training
  • Superior Darkvision icon passive feature bg3Superior Darkvision
  • Dwarven Resilience icon passive feature bg3Dwarven Resilience
  • Duergar Resilience icon passive feature bg3Duergar Resilience
Gets special Invisibility icon action bg3Invisibility​ which can be used to set up surprise rounds, if you are interested in a more stealthy approach.
Half-Elf Baldur's Gate 3Wood Half-Elf They offer improved movement speed and shield proficiency. This is excellent for early game, to improve your survivability when using a bow.
gnome bg3Gnome
  • Gnome Cunning icon passive feature bg3Gnome Cunning
  • Darkvision icon passive feature bg3Darkvision
No matter which subrace you pick all of them are good the key here is Gnome Cunning icon passive feature bg3Gnome Cunning. Besides that, Deep Gnomes are good as they come with stealth checks advantage.
Githyanki Baldur's Gate 3Githyanki
  • Martial Prodigy icon passive feature bg3Martial Prodigy
Githyanki comes with a wide array of utility actions like Astral Knowledge icon action bg3Astral Knowledge, Misty Step icon action bg3Misty Step, etc. These can help both in combat and world exploration.

Class

Overview
bard Baldur's Gate 3Bard
Features
Bardic Inspiration icon action bg3Bardic Inspiration Iconic bard feature, that can improve damage, dialogue dice rolls, and saving throws.
ico_mini_spellSlot Baldur's Gate 3Spell Slots These can be used to cast spells and are restored each long rest.

Cantrips

Cantrip Description
Vicious Mockery icon action bg3Vicious Mockery Although the damage is low, it has its purpose. The cantrip can be used to impose a disadvantage on enemy attacks, in case you see that your normal attack would not kill it. However, the cantrip loses purpose in later levels.
Friends icon action bg3Friends If you are the main character and do most of the dialogues, this is also a good choice as it gives an advantage during rolls.

Spells

The spells will be useful early on, as you will only have light armor, and being a frontliner with it is risky. Choose 4:

Spell Description
Dissonant Whispers icon action bg3Dissonant Whispers The only truly offensive level-1 spell. It can also frighten enemies making them unable to move. Later on, it loses its purpose, once ranged attacks become stronger.
Longstrider icon action bg3Longstrider It will boost the movement speed by 3m. This is a huge bonus and will allow you to get better positions when in combat. You can also activate it on all party members when not in combat, after a long rest!
Faerie Fire icon action bg3Faerie Fire In the early game, this spell is wondrous as it makes it easy to get an Advantage on attack rolls. Once the spell is cast you can exploit it next turn or by your group members.
Healing Word icon action bg3Healing Word Although this is not a healer build, having a way to instantly make an ally stand up is great way of action point use.

Starting Instrument

As this is a fun feature, pick the one that you like the best! There are no combat advantages to picking a different one.

Background

Backgrounds are mostly for role-playing and you can pick whatever you prefer. If you want to optimize, then it would be good to pick backgrounds that are based on your ability points. However, this build can become the main pickpocket or lockpicker with a few optimizations.

Background Skills Description
Charlatan Deception
Sleight of Hand
I think this is the best pick if you plan on being the one to disarm traps and lockpick chests.
Soldier Athletics
Intimidation
The most relevant background as it gives a skill using both strength and charisma abilities.
Entertainer Acrobatics
Performance
Uses both dexterity and charisma modifiers that you will have a good investment.
Guild Artisan Insight
Persuasion
Persuasion proficiency is the main aspect of this background.
Noble History
Persuasion
Similar to the above, but gives History skills.

Abilities

Now let's take a look at the abilities of the Swords Bard build. Correct allocation will allow you to maximize the early gameplay and get good modifier bonuses.

Ability Value Description
strengthStrength 8 The build will only need strength once you get Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow, but this can be addressed with items or elixirs. So you can dump this stat.
dexterityproficient_ability Baldur's Gate 3Dexterity 17 (15+2) All around great stat as you can round it up to 18 with Auntie Ethel Hair. Dexterity gives additional AC, and initiative and improves ranged weapon damage.
constitution bg3Constitution 14 Improves health pool and constitution saving throw success.
intelligenceIntelligence 8 Irrelevant stat.
wisdomWisdom 10 A slight investment to remove negative modifiers against some of the deadliest spells in the game.
charismaCharisma 16 (15+1) The main spellcasting stat of Bard also improves the dialogue ability check success rate.

If you are not getting the Auntie Ethel Hair for +1 Dexterity, then I would go with 16 Dexterity and 17 Charisma. Later in Act 3, you have a chance to get +3 and round it down.

Skills and Expertise

Overall, the skills should be impacted by your roleplaying and background decisions. However, you would still want those that will give you the best benefits. My recommendation would be to go for these, most relevant to the theme of the build:

  • Sleight of Hand
  • Stealth (if you will use this mechanic)
  • Deception
  • Persuasion
  • Intimidation
  • Performance

Leveling Progression - Levels 2-12

Here is the detailed progression for the Swords Bard Paladin build to get you started. You can use it as a guideline because early games can be daunting and overwhelming. Later on, once you get a feel for the class you can start picking your options

Level 2

By this time you should have landed in the first area already. The level-up gives some welcome improvements for your Bard.

Feature Description
Jack of All Trades icon passive feature bg3Jack of All Trades This will improve your chances of success when doing various dice rolls that you are not proficient in. It's not huge, but will help out during the game.

We gain a very good utility action to gain additional HP restoration and action reset:

Action Description
Song of Rest icon action bg3Song of Rest Unique action to Bards. It acts as a third short rest. This is especially useful for Warlocks, as they will gain even more spell slots during the day.

Spells

I have covered most of the important level 1 spells, that the build needs. In case you need help:

Spells Description
Feather Fall icon action bg3Feather Fall A useful ritual spell that will help with world exploration and is especially good in some parts of Act 1.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace this early in the game.

Level 3

The build reached a very special moment - subclass. It will give some sweet actions that make the Bard much more powerful.

Skills/Expertise

You can select 2 skills in which you become an expert. I would recommend something, that you want to ensure the Bardadin cannot fail. For example, due to high Charisma bonuses, dialogue-related ones are great. Choose two out of these:

  • Sleight of Hand -  If you are the only one doing lockpicking, this will ensure some irritating fails and wasted time.
  • Deception
  • Intimidation
  • Performance
  • Persuasion

Spells

Spells Description
Enhance Ability icon action bg3Enhance Ability If playing on Honor Mode, this spell is mandatory. It can save your group from many problems and overcome ability checks where you are not proficient. Otherwise, you can do without it, but I would still recommend someone in your group to have it.

Subclass

Overview
bard_sword Baldur's Gate 3College of Swords
Features
Slashing Flourish (Melee) icon action bg3Slashing Flourish (Melee) Attack up to 2 enemies at once.
Slashing Flourish (Ranged) icon action bg3Slashing Flourish (Ranged) Attack up to 2 enemies at once.
Defensive Flourish (Melee) icon action bg3Defensive Flourish (Melee) Attack defensively, increasing your Armour Class by 4 if you hit.
Defensive Flourish (Ranged) icon action bg3Defensive Flourish (Ranged) Attack defensively, increasing your Armour Class by 4 if you hit.
Mobile Flourish (Melee) icon action bg3Mobile Flourish (Melee) Thrust your weapon with enough force to push your target back 6m. Afterward, you can Teleport to the target.
Mobile Flourish (Ranged) icon action bg3Mobile Flourish (Ranged) Shoot a target with enough force to push it back 6m. Afterwards, you can teleport to the target.
Swords Bard also gets access to Medium Armor proficiency.

Fighting Style

For this build, there is no difference in which one you pick in the long run, for the short term:

Fighting Style Description
Two-Weapon Fighting icon passive feature bg3Two-Weapon Fighting This can be useful early in the game, as you can use dual Hand Crossbow +1 icon bg3Hand Crossbow +1 and get bonuses to damage. Later on, this will be replaced by a stronger Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow and make the fighting style irrelevant.

Replace Spell

I would recommend removing Dissonant Whispers icon action bg3Dissonant Whispers​ for:

Spells Description
Cloud of Daggers icon action bg3Cloud of Daggers Cast this, if you will not be able to reach a group of enemies to use Flourish. It hits two times - on the initial cast and enemy turn. This is a very effective level 2 spell in the early game.

Level 4

Finally, the Swords Bard build will get the first Feat.

Cantrips

Choose one:

Cantrip Description
Light icon action bg3Light This one might be useful in the upcoming Act 2 or in general dark areas.
Minor Illusion icon action bg3Minor Illusion You can use this one to move enemies together before combat. This can then be utilized

Spells

Spells Description
Blindness icon action bg3Blindness What makes this spell good is that it targets enemy CON and makes it easier to land hits once they are Blinded. It also does not use a Concentration slot and works for 10 turns.

Feat

For the first Feat, there are a lot of options, and it all depends on your knowledge of the game:

Feat Description
Sharpshooter: All In icon passive feature bg3Sharpshooter: All In The best pick for a feat as it will give a +10 damage increase. This of course comes with a downside of -5 to attack rolls. However, there are multiple ways to increase them. If it comes to worst you can disable it via a special button in Spell Book and temporarily don't get any penalty or bonuses to damage.
ico_features Baldur's Gate 3Ability Improvement Here you can go for +2 Dexterity, but in my opinion, it will become redundant especially if you take Auntie Ethel's Hair for +1 Dexterity and The Graceful Cloth icon bg3The Graceful Cloth. On the other hand for a better spell success chance, you can go with +2 Charisma, but I think it is not that relevant this early in the game.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace

Level 5

This level is a big one. First, we obtain level 3 spells, which are okay. However, we get awesome class features:

Feature Description
Font of Inspiration icon passive feature bg3Font of Inspiration Greatly improves your damage output throughout the day as you can use flourishes more often.
Improved Bardic Inspiration icon passive feature bg3Improved Bardic Inspiration The bonus gained from Bardic Inspiration increases to +1d8, this will give a higher damage bonus for Flourishes.

Spells

Spell Description
Glyph of Warding icon action bg3Glyph of Warding Get this spell as soon as possible. It is amazing! You can cast various types of elements, but most importantly it can put enemies to sleep without HP limitations. So this is the perfect crowd control option.

Replace Spell

Nothing yet to replace as many of the spells are still relevant.

Level 6

This is the last Bard level we are taking before moving to Fighter. This is a huge improvement to the build.

Feature Description
Extra Attack icon passive feature bg3Extra Attack You can now attack two times and this can be done together with Flourishes. So you can easily hit 4 enemies in one turn, without Haste or Elixir of Bloodlust.

We also get additional action, that can freely be used before combat:

Action Description
Countercharm icon action bg3Countercharm You and any allies within 9m have an advantage on Saving Throws against being Charmed or Frightened. Did not use much during the playthrough.

Spells

Pick one:

Spells Description
Hypnotic Pattern icon action bg3Hypnotic Pattern It can destroy the whole encounter by hypnotizing foes. The result is that they cannot move or take any actions. It will become very powerful once you start using Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity for increased Spell Save DC.

Replace Spells

This is the level where I would start cleaning up not-so-useful abilities, especially as you will start getting better and better gear for Archer setup. Remove Faerie Fire icon action bg3Faerie Fire​ for:

Spells Description
Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person A very powerful spell that is useful against humanoids, and can guarantee critical hits from close range once the targets are paralyzed.

Level 7 - Respec to Fighter Lv 1

To improve the Archer setup of Swords Bard build you will respec to Level 1 Fighter and continue leveling with Bard. The main benefits:

  • Access to all weapon proficiencies
  • Constitution saving throw proficiency which gives a better chance to avoid enemies breaking your concentration.
  • Archery icon passive feature bg3Archery​ fighting style to improve ranged weapon hit chance
  • Action Surge icon action bg3Action Surge​ for a strong nova round when you need an extra action point.

Class

Overview
fighter bg3Fighter
Features
Second Wind icon action bg3Second Wind You can use this to heal yourself in tight encounters, to get a little bit more of survivability.

Fighting Style

Style Description
Archery icon passive feature bg3Archery This is the important passive feature as it will improve hit chance and make it easier to land shots with Sharpshooter: All In icon passive feature bg3Sharpshooter: All In​ being active.

Abilities

Pick the same ones from the Level 1 Bard: STR - 8, DEX - 17, CON - 14, INT - 8, WIS - 10, CHA - 16

After you are done picking Fighter, multiclass back into Bard and go through levels 1-6:

mutliclass button bg3

Level 8 - Fighter Lv 2

The last level of Fighter dip, gives important actions for the build.

Actions Description
Action Surge icon action bg3Action Surge The key action of the level 2 fighter. This will allow the Swords Bard to have an extremely strong nova round. For example, you can use it to build up Spell Save DC with Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity or cast additional spells, all is up to you.

Level 9 - Bard Lv 7

We finally unlock level 4 spells these will be one of the strongest control options in the game.

Spells

The aim is to get the best control spells

Spell Description
Confusion icon action bg3Confusion This is an amazing spell, that can make many of the combat encounters much easier. It will make enemies wander around, skip turns, or attack allies. Truly a devastating spell.

Replace Spell

This is a perfect time to replace Cloud of Daggers icon action bg3Cloud of Daggers​ if you still have it:

Spell Description
Fear icon action bg3Fear A powerful spell, that is excellent against enemies relying on their weapons - fighters, archers, etc. This will leave them helpless.

Level 10 - Bard Lv 8

You reach level 8 Bard, which will give you the last Feat for the build. You get the first level 5 spell slot.

Spells

More or less everything is covered for the build. Feel free to pick anything that you find fancy. My recommendations:

Spell Description
Greater Invisibility icon action bg3Greater Invisibility Can be useful for some stealth attacks, if you have high Stealth bonuses or have an ally like Gloomstalker Assassin.
Freedom of Movement icon action bg3Freedom of Movement
Can be used to help an ally escape a dire situation. But this will rarely be useful, especially as Swords Bard can inflict huge damage and take care of most enemies.
Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth A control spell that has no concentration spell cost, but this will still use the whole action point, reducing the number of attacks.

Feat

Make sure you have Sharpshooter: All In icon passive feature bg3Sharpshooter: All In​ as this is the highest damage boost you can get. Here are other options:

Feat Description
Ability Improvement You can either go with +2 Dexterity or +2 Charisma. My recommendation would be the former as it will slightly improve your hit chance with a ranged weapon.
Dual Wielder icon passive feature bg3Dual Wielder Dual Wielding opens multiple options of good gear that you can wear. For example, you can mix something like Knife of the Undermountain King icon bg3Knife of the Undermountain King with Staff of Spell Power icon bg3Staff of Spell Power to improve both weapon damage and spell success. In addition, you will get +1 Armour Class. However, this means that you will have to either sacrifice Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow or get strength through Elixirs or Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength icon bg3Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength.
Alert icon passive feature bg3Alert Very popular feat, that easily guarantees that you go first. I do recommend having at least 1 character with the feat as it will help in combat encounters where enemies might surprise you.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace, unless you want to try something.

Level 11 - Bard 9

Additional level 5 spell slot is unlocked and Swords Bard gets level 5 spells. This will be a big improvement to overall control capabilities throughout the combat encounter.

Spells

Spell Description
Hold Monster icon action bg3Hold Monster With this option, Hold Monster, Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity, and Band of the Mystic Scoundrel icon bg3Band of the Mystic Scoundrel, you can paralyze humanoids and Monsters. Then follow up with critical hits in close range, for ridiculous amounts of damage.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace, besides your personal preferences.

Level 12 - Bard Lv 10

The last level of the build but also with plenty of surprises. The build gets access to bonus features and a plethora of new spells to improve the build further.

Feature Description
Improved Bardic Inspiration icon passive feature bg3Improved Bardic Inspiration The bonus gained from Bardic Inspiration increases to +1d10, this will give a higher damage bonus for Flourishes.

Lat, we get bonus skill expertise. Feel free to select anything that you would like to get, this will give an additional boost.

Skills

You can choose an additional 2 skills to obtain expertise in them. I recommend picking any of the Charisma or Dexterity-related ones.

Cantrips

Cantrips Description
Mage Hand icon action bg3Mage Hand A utility spell, that can summon a spectral hand. It can help with puzzles and shove enemies.

Spells

For the spell section, I think nothing stands out, and you already picked what was needed. Just choose what you prefer. However, the next section will show how to unlock some very powerful spells.

Spell Description
Greater Restoration icon action bg3Greater Restoration Having this spell might be useful in some situations where you want to remove a negative condition.

Magical Secrets

Okay, this is an awesome spell list that gives you 2 spells to choose from. The downside... There are too many good spells. Of course, I would recommend setting up priorities. First, remember, that you can only have one concentration spell active at one time. Second, think about what situations and encounters were difficult to handle. The spells that you choose could make these much easier.

Spell Description
Counterspell icon action bg3Counterspell At least one party member should have this in the group. It allows canceling any spell and can save your whole group's lives. However, having two of them is even better.
Hunger of Hadar icon action bg3Hunger of Hadar The scariest spell you can use to control the battlefield. Use it to cover enemies and force them to move out of the fog. This will damage them, and you can wait for them outside to hit with your smites. Moreover, they become blind, giving you an advantage.
Command icon action bg3Command This is a very powerful control spell. It can target multiple enemies by being upcast and does not use a Concentration slot. So it can work together with other control spells.
Banishing Smite (Ranged) icon action bg3Banishing Smite (Ranged)​​ Although this is a paladin Smite, the only one to obtain it can be Bard. What makes it powerful, is that it removes an enemy combatant from a fight if it is successful. On top, it deals 5d10 damage. If you can land a critical hit, this is huge. Unfortunately, you will be able to use 3 of them maximum during long rest.

These are just a few spells, and you can choose many more based on your preferences.

Replace Spell

You can remove anything that is not used and pick another spell to try it out.

Maximizing Ability Scores

Now, as the build progression is covered there are a few aspects and important decisions you will have to make throughout the game. These will decide your final score for abilities. There are a few abilities to concentrate on as this is a multi-ability dependant build:

Strength

Strength is important, especially as you will want to reach maximum damage with Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow. If you skipped the weapon or used it on another character then I would disregard strength.

  • Elixir of Hill Giant Strength - sets to fixed 21, excellent for early game, but does use up elixir slot.
  • Club of Hill Giant Strength icon bg3Club of Hill Giant Strength - sets to fixed 19 value. An early-game alternative that you can dual-wield with another finesse weapon.
  • Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength icon bg3Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength - sets to fixed 23 value. This will give a good boost to Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow damage.
  • Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength - sets to 27. This is the highest possible value for Act 3. However, you will have to sacrifice Elixir of Bloodlust which will provide a substantial damage boost with an additional hit.

I would go with Club of Hill Giant Strength icon bg3Club of Hill Giant Strength for simplicity stake, and it will be the best option till Act 3. After that, you can continue using the club or equip Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength icon bg3Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength as you will get access to some powerful stat stick weapons.

Dexterity

To reach high Dexterity you have two main ways, you can have 18-22, depending on which setup you pick:

  • Gloves of Dexterity icon bg3Gloves of Dexterity will enable you to have a flat 18 dexterity, and put points elsewhere (like naturally pumping strength, constitution, wisdom). This is a good mid-game pick until you get some better gloves.
  • Natural Investment into dexterity allowing to reach 22.

Here is how you can reach high Dexterity naturally:

  1. Character Creation - 17 Dexterity.
  2. Ability Improvement - +2 Dexterity.
  3. Act 1 - Auntie Ethel Hair - you will want to get +1 Dexterity if you pick this choice.
  4. Act 1 - The Graceful Cloth icon bg3The Graceful Cloth for +2 Dexterity, but it will be dropped later in Act 3.
  5. Act 3 - Mirror of Loss - pick +2 Dexterity.

This will result in 22 Dexterity.

Charisma

This is the main spellcasting stat of Bard and will improve the success chances of your control spells. You should be able to reach 20-22:

  • 16-17 from initial character creation
  • Feat - Ability Improvement - +2 Charisma.
  • Act 3 - Mirror of Loss - Charisma +2 and additional +1 from Patriar's Memory.

No matter if you end up with 20 or 22 it will be enough for a solid controller build.

Potions, Elixirs and Consumables

Let's take a look at what consumables you can use to further empower the build.

Potions

These are general consumables, and most of them are activated for a few turns. Potions are separate from Elixirs and can be active together.

Consumable Description
oil of accuracy bg3Oil of Accuracy Gives +2 to attack rolls, which minimizes the negative impact from Great Weapon Master: All In icon passive feature bg3Great Weapon Master: All In.
diluted oil of sharpness bg3Diluted Oil of Sharpness Gives a bonus attack roll and damage. It is a good coating if you can apply it before combat.
potion of speed bg3Potion of Speed You can chug this potion before combat, or during combat using bonus action. It gives another action point that gives an additional attack or one more spell cast. Sadly its duration is only 3 turns.
potion of animal speaking bg3Potion of Animal Speaking Although not something powerful, it is worth stocking up and saving a spell slot.
potion of invisibility bg3Potion of Invisibility Can be used to get a perfect position before the encounter starts.

Elixirs

Unfortunately, only one Elixir can be active at a time. However, the good thing is that they last until a long rest, making them very useful and economical.

Be sure to activate them before combat as otherwise, you will need to use Bonus Action.

Remember to activate one elixir after each Long Rest. These are found plentiful throughout the game, so don't save them too much.
Consumable Description
elixir of bloodlust bg3Elixir of Bloodlust As you will be able to easily kill at least the weakest foe, this ensures additional attacks per turn. I recommend starting using it once you obtain Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength icon bg3Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength.
elixir of vigilance bg3Elixir of Vigilance For some encounters, you will want to go first. This elixir will ensure that it overcomes even surprise mechanics.
elixir of hill giant strength bg3Elixir of Hill Giant Strength Sets strength value to 21 until the Long Rest. With this option, you can easily gimp on strength in the early game. You can put those points in Dexterity or Strength. Here is a farming guide for Elixir of Hill Giant Strength
elixir of hill giant strength bg3Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength An upgraded version that is available mostly in Act 3 via crafting or purchasing. Sets Strength to 27, the highest value possible.
elixir of peerless focus bg3Elixir of Peerless Focus Another good choice that allows to better maintain spell Concentration.
superior elixir of arcane cultivation bg3Superior Elixir of Arcane Cultivation Grant's a single level 3 spell slot. Could be useful in case you are preparing for a longer encounter.
supreme elixir of arcane cultivation bg3Supreme Elixir of Arcane Cultivation Grant's a single level 4 spell slot. Could be useful in case you are preparing for a longer encounter.

Arrows

This is a very important part of the build and makes it over-the-top powerful. By stocking up with a few of these you can reach very strong potential.

Consumable Description
arrow of many targets icon bg3Arrow of Many Targets One of the most overpowered arrows in the game. What makes it powerful is that it can hit up to 4 targets. This may not seem much as you already have Slashing Flourish (Ranged) icon action bg3Slashing Flourish (Ranged), but with a single shot, you can get 8 Arcane Acuity stacks while wearing Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity. After that follow up with a control spell for a very high success chance.
arrow of slaying icon bg3Arrow of Humanoid Slaying All of these arrows can replace Slashing Flourish (Ranged) icon action bg3Slashing Flourish (Ranged)​ as they deal double damage. This means that you can use Bardic Inspiration icon action bg3Bardic Inspiration​ for other things, or just utilize these arrows when you already use up your resources.
arrow of slaying icon bg3Arrow of Aberration Slaying
arrow of slaying icon bg3Arrow of Dragon Slaying
Other same-name arrows...

Illithid Powers

This special mechanic in Baldur's Gate 3 allows you to consume tadpoles and unlock special Illithid Powers.

At first, you can only use the base powers. As you move to Act 3, you will be able to unlock the outer ring powers.

Illithid Power Type Description
Favourable Beginnings icon passive feature bg3Favourable Beginnings Base Beneficial power to take as it does not have any costs, and provides only benefits on the first hits.
Luck of the Far Realms icon passive feature bg3Luck of the Far Realms Base Guarantees a critical hit, use it on important targets, that you want to make sure are killed. Works well with Arrow of Many targets, making each hit a crit.
Cull the Weak icon passive feature bg3Cull the Weak Base Can help to kill an enemy faster if it is left with a few HP.
Ability Drain icon passive feature bg3Ability Drain
Base Can help to reduce enemy abilities, particularly dexterity, which then decreases their Armour Class.
Psionic Backlash icon action bg3Psionic Backlash Base A great way to weaponize your reaction before obtaining Counterspell icon action bg3Counterspell.
Illithid Expertise icon passive feature bg3Illithid Expertise Elite Can be used to maximize the effectiveness of charisma based skills if you have not done that.
Black Hole icon action bg3Black Hole Elite Very powerful spell that can be used to pull enemies together.
Psionic Dominance icon action bg3Psionic Dominance Elite Can be used to save yourself from a deadly spell. This is especially relevant as you will have a disadvantage on mental saving throws.
Freecast icon passive feature bg3Freecast Elite Remove the cost of spell slots or charges.
Mind Sanctuary icon action bg3Mind Sanctuary Elite You can now use action and bonus action interchangeably, giving two full spell casts each turn. It's not as important for you, but it will help other casters in the group.

Equipment Recommendations

Now I would like to go through some gear recommendations to maximize the Swords Bard Build. Items are especially important as they take the build to the next level thanks to their unique effects.

I recommend checking the Item Checklists this will help you plan your run and assign items so that they do not overlap.

Act 1

The core items of the build are obtained in Act 1, so be sure not to miss those items as they will play a crucial role in making the build effective later on, based on your setup.

Ranged Weapons

Slot Item Description
ranged slot bg3Ranged Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow The best bow in the game, however, it does require you to pump up strength. I covered some options in the ability maximization section. Generally, my recommendation would be to use Club of Hill Giant Strength icon bg3Club of Hill Giant Strength as it simplifies things.
Bow of the Banshee icon bg3Bow of the Banshee An interesting alternative bow, that applies Frightened on enemies. If you have Arrow of Many Targets, this is a perfect way to apply some control with each of your shots.
Hand Crossbow +1 icon bg3Hand Crossbow +1 Equip two of these early in the game. This is the best option in my opinion for high damage, and before you obtain Club of Hill Giant Strength icon bg3Club of Hill Giant Strength.

Melee stat stick slots

You can equip both or equip just one and use a shield. If you have shield proficiency, there are some decent options in the off-hand:

Slot Item Description
melee slot bg3Melee (One-Handed) Club of Hill Giant Strength icon bg3Club of Hill Giant Strength This is my recommendation if you plan on using Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow as it will result in a very high damage boost.
Knife of the Undermountain King icon bg3Knife of the Undermountain King One of the best stat sticks in Act 1, giving improved crit chance and a slight damage boost via dice rerolls.
offhand slot bg3Shield Adamantine Shield icon bg3Adamantine Shield The best shield in Act 1, with good bonuses and immunity to crit hits.
Safeguard Shield icon bg3Safeguard Shield Can be obtained very early with a slight boost to saving throws.

Other Equipment

Slot Item Description
helmet slot bg3Head Diadem of Arcane Synergy icon bg3Diadem of Arcane Synergy Gives a damage boost based on the spellcasting modifier. The activation of the bonus should be easy.
Shadow of Menzoberranzan icon bg3Shadow of Menzoberranzan Allows for becoming invisible, perfect for some surprise round setups.
Haste Helm icon bg3Haste Helm Improves movement speed, to reach perfect shooting position. However, I would prioritize this on melee characters.
cloak slot bg3Cloak The Deathstalker Mantle icon bg3The Deathstalker Mantle Become invisible after killing an enemy.
armor slot bg3Armor Adamantine Scale Mail icon bg3Adamantine Scale Mail Another powerful armour from Grymforge, that is best worn with 14 Dexterity, to get Bonus Armour Class, making it equal to Heavy Armour.
Scale Mail +1 icon bg3Scale Mail +1 A 15 AC armor with slight damage reduction.
Githyanki Half Plate icon bg3Githyanki Half Plate This can be equipped when starting the game by taking it from Lae'zel. Very solid option with a high Armour Class that you can use from level 3.
gloves slot bg3Gloves Gloves of Dexterity icon bg3Gloves of Dexterity These can be an excellent choice if you are not using Cloud of Hill Giant Strenght elixirs. Moreover, they are also useful thanks to the +1 Attack roll bonus.
Gloves of Archery icon bg3Gloves of Archery Ranged attacks will deal an additional 2 damage. Moreover, these gloves will give proficiency with Longbows if your race doesn't have it.
boots slot bg3Boots Disintegrating Night Walkers icon bg3Disintegrating Night Walkers It is one of the best boots, giving a total advantage for movement on difficult surfaces. It also gives Misty Step icon action bg3Misty Step​ to increase that mobility.
Boots of Striding icon bg3Boots of Striding Gives improved movement when you cast a spell with Concentration. Moreover, you can walk on Ice without falling.
Boots of Speed icon bg3Boots of Speed Excellent boots that improve movement capabilities, especially if enemies are far.
amulet slot bg3Amulet Broodmother's Revenge icon bg3Broodmother's Revenge The only amulet in the game that gives a direct boost to damage.
ring slot bg3Rings Caustic Band icon bg3Caustic Band Adds flat 2 damage bonus.
Strange Conduit Ring icon bg3Strange Conduit Ring Gives a slight psychic damage boost while concentrating on spells.
Ring of Protection icon bg3Ring of Protection The bonus Armour Class is a great boost for survivability.
Crusher's Ring icon bg3Crusher's Ring Improves movement speed, making it easier to reach your targets.

Act 2 - mid-game

Slot Item Description
melee slot bg3Melee (One-Handed) - Use the same stat stick weapons from Act 1. You can dual-wield them or use only one + shield.
ranged slot bg3Ranged Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow The best bow in the and continues to be for the rest of the game.
offhand slot bg3Shield - if not dual-wielding Ketheric's Shield icon bg3Ketheric's Shield One of the best shields in the game. It will improve Spell Save DC and make it easier to land spells.
Sentinel Shield icon bg3Sentinel Shield Gives a huge boost to initiative.
helmet slot bg3Head Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity Allows to start stacking Arcane Acuity for higher spell success.
Diadem of Arcane Synergy icon bg3Diadem of Arcane Synergy The bonus damage based on your Charisma modifier will give a significant boost.
Marksmanship Hat icon bg3Marksmanship Hat Gives a slight boost to ranged attack rolls.
cloak slot bg3Cloak Cloak of Elemental Absorption icon bg3Cloak of Elemental Absorption It allows you to get bonus damage from an element. However, it is bugged and works only once a long rest.
Cloak of Protection icon bg3Cloak of Protection Improves survivability and Saving Throw success. You want to equip this cloak to maintain that good Armour Class.
armor slot bg3Armor Dark Justiciar Half-Plate icon bg3Dark Justiciar Half-Plate No matter, which one you get, both of these are powerful armor choices. They will be useful for the start of Act 3.
Dark Justiciar Half-Plate icon bg3Dark Justiciar Half-Plate
Yuan-ti Scale Mail icon bg3Yuan-ti Scale Mail A solid medium armor, that has no limit to AC bonus from high Dexterity.
gloves slot bg3Gloves Flawed Helldusk Gloves icon bg3Flawed Helldusk Gloves Gives bonus fire damage. It is not much better than Gloves of Archery icon bg3Gloves of Archery, but a slight boost to strength saving throws can be useful in a few situations.
Gloves of Dexterity icon bg3Gloves of Dexterity Great intermediary gloves, opening up dexterity abilities and giving a bonus to attack rolls.
boots slot bg3Boots Evasive Shoes icon bg3Evasive Shoes The additional Armor Class is a great bonus.
Disintegrating Night Walkers icon bg3Disintegrating Night Walkers One of the best boots, giving a total advantage for movement on difficult surfaces. It also gives Misty Step icon action bg3Misty Step​ to increase that mobility.
Boots of Striding icon bg3Boots of Striding Gives improved movement when you cast a spell with Concentration. Moreover, you can walk on Ice without falling.
amulet slot bg3Amulet Broodmother's Revenge icon bg3Broodmother's Revenge The only amulet in the game that gives a direct boost to damage.
Amulet of the Harpers icon bg3Amulet of the Harpers Allows casting a Shield icon action bg3Shield​ spell, and can be a lifesaver if attacked heavily for one turn.
ring slot bg3Rings Risky Ring icon bg3Risky Ring A very powerful ring, that will give a permanent advantage on attacks. This will greatly improve your hit chance and make most of Act 2 encounters a cakewalk.
Callous Glow Ring icon bg3Callous Glow Ring Adds a radiant rider to improve total damage.
Strange Conduit Ring icon bg3Strange Conduit Ring Gives a slight psychic damage boost while concentrating on spells.
Shadow-Cloaked Ring icon bg3Shadow-Cloaked Ring An alternative option for improved damage while obscured.
Ring of Protection icon bg3Ring of Protection Solid ring for improved Armour Class.

Act 3 - Final Build setup

Act 3, is where the Loredin Build can split into a few variations depending on what gear is available and the playstyle you want to go for.

Slot Item Description
melee slot bg3Melee (One-Handed) Club of Hill Giant Strength icon bg3Club of Hill Giant Strength
(BiS)
If you are not using Strength Elixirs or Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength icon bg3Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength this is the easiest way to maintain high enough Strength to get substantial damage bonuses on Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow.
Rhapsody icon bg3Rhapsody One of the best stat stick weapons in the game. It will improve not only damage but Spell Save DC with each enemy kill for a total of +3 bonus.
Dolor Amarus icon bg3Dolor Amarus Another crazy powerful stat stick, that allows dealing additional damage on critical hits. This is fairly easy in the late game as you can use Hold Monster icon action bg3Hold Monster​ or Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person​ to easily guarantee these.
Staff of Spell Power icon bg3Staff of Spell Power A spellcasting option that comes with Arcane Battery icon passive feature bg3Arcane Battery​ and improved Spell Save DC.
ranged slot bg3Ranged Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow
(BiS)
Still the best bow in the game, with how high strength you can get via various items.
Gontr Mael icon bg3Gontr Mael Second best bow in the game. It does trade blows with Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow, especially if you will not use Bhaalist Armour icon bg3Bhaalist Armour for piercing vulnerability. In that case, I would go with this option.
The Dead Shot icon bg3The Dead Shot A decent bow, which is generally used as a stat stick for other builds.
helmet slot bg3Head Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity
(BiS)
This is the best item for the build to help stack Spell Saves DC via the arcane acuity effect.
cloak slot bg3Cloak Cloak of Displacement icon bg3Cloak of Displacement
(BiS)
Powerful cloak especially when you need to avoid enemy hits to maintain spell concentration.
armor slot bg3Armor Bhaalist Armour icon bg3Bhaalist Armour
(BiS)
The best armor in the game comes with a major caveat. It does require you to enter close range to enemies for the Aura Of Murder icon passive feature bg3Aura Of Murder​ effect. If you can, I would use this on another melee build so that you could safely attack from range while the effect is active.
Armour of Agility icon bg3Armour of Agility The best medium armor in the game, that has no Armour Class bonus limits from Dexterity.e
Elegant Studded Leather icon bg3Elegant Studded Leather Light armor option with Shield icon action bg3Shield​ and bonuses to the initiative.
gloves slot bg3Gloves Legacy of the Masters icon bg3Legacy of the Masters One of the best gloves in the game, giving improved hit chance and damage boost. The damage boost will also work with Aura Of Murder icon passive feature bg3Aura Of Murder​ from Bhaalist Armour icon bg3Bhaalist Armour piercing vulnerability.
Helldusk Gloves icon bg3Helldusk Gloves I like these gloves as they fit the build very well, giving both weapon damage bonuses and improved Spell Save DC.
Craterflesh Gloves icon bg3Craterflesh Gloves These gloves are bugged and ridiculously powerful. With an easy way to land critical hits using Hold Monster icon action bg3Hold Monster​/Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person,​ you get separate instances of damage, creating a trickling effect of more damage, which is a bug rather than a feature.
Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength icon bg3Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength These gloves will most likely go to one of the martials to get the strength to 23. If not, it can be worn on this build for additional damage with Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow.
boots slot bg3Boots Evasive Shoes icon bg3Evasive Shoes
(BiS)
As this is a ranged build, there is not much need to walk on slippery surfaces, so just pumping AC slightly is the best option here
Helldusk Boots icon bg3Helldusk Boots Allows you to force a successful Saving Throw using a reaction.
amulet slot bg3Amulet Amulet of The Devout icon bg3Amulet of The Devout
(BiS)
Gives +2 Spell Save DC. However, this item is highly contested by casters and particularly clerics, so I would leave it to them.
Broodmother's Revenge icon bg3Broodmother's Revenge One of the best amulets as it gives bonus damage.
Amulet of Greater Health icon bg3Amulet of Greater Health Gives a huge survivability boost and ensures that it's highly unlikely that your Concentration saving throws fail.
Spellcrux Amulet icon bg3Spellcrux Amulet Can be used to restore a spell slot and then unequip it.
ring slot bg3Rings Band of the Mystic Scoundrel icon bg3Band of the Mystic Scoundrel
(BiS)
The best ring for this build. Together with Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity you can pump up spell save DC, and then cast most of the control spells with bonus action.
Ring of Feywild Sparks icon bg3Ring of Feywild Sparks
(BiS)
The only ring in the game that gives a direct boost to Spell Save DC.
Risky Ring icon bg3Risky Ring Less of a priority especially as it will be easy to get an Advantage through various control spells at your disposal.
Callous Glow Ring icon bg3Callous Glow Ring An easy +2 radian damage on each attack.
Ring of Protection icon bg3Ring of Protection +1 Armour Class and Saving Throws, excellent ring for improved protection.

Build Mechanics

In this section, I would like to dive deep into how to play the Loredin Build. This will help you utilize it to the fullest and correctly use various actions and spells throughout the game.

Important Mechanics and Combos

Let's go through key mechanics and tips on how to use the build effectively.

Managing Sharpshooter

The build mainly uses archery attacks to inflict damage. One of the biggest boosts from the early game is Sharpshooter: All In icon passive feature bg3Sharpshooter: All In​ feat, giving a 10 damage boost but inflicting -5 to attack rolls. To overcome this problem there are a few ways:

  • Archery icon passive feature bg3Archery​ fighting style bonuses
  • Oil of Accuracy and Diluted Oil of Sharpness
  • High Ground bonuses

I have a full article on increasing attack rolls. that goes into depth on various mechanics that work especially well in the early game. This is when the -5 attack roll, hurts the most.

Stacking Spell Save DC for 100% spell success chance.

The big highlight of this build is the Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity + Band of the Mystic Scoundrel icon bg3Band of the Mystic Scoundrel combo. It allows you to stack Spell Save DC with the Arcane Acuity effect. Just use Arrow of Many Targets or double hit with Slashing Flourish (Melee) icon action bg3Slashing Flourish (Melee).

Once it is pumped, you can use bonus action with Band of the Mystic Scoundrel icon bg3Band of the Mystic Scoundrel and cast various control spells from Illusion and Enchantment schools - Confusion icon action bg3Confusion, Hypnotic Pattern icon action bg3Hypnotic Pattern, Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person​, Hold Monster icon action bg3Hold Monster, etc. So you can inflict a lot of damage, and later follow up with an almost 100% spell success chance on these spells. Enemies will not be able to do anything and fights will become a cakewalk.

Guaranteed Critical hits

With the mentioned Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity and Band of the Mystic Scoundrel icon bg3Band of the Mystic Scoundrel combo, you can easily get a very high Spell Success chance. Now, this can also get you guaranteed critical hits. Use Hold Monster icon action bg3Hold Monster​/ Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person​ and target the enemies that you want to disable and get crits on.

Once the spells land, you can come into a 3-meter range. Try to get as close as possible without getting Threatened status, so that you would not lose bonuses to attack rolls. Now fire your arrows away for a huge damage bonus.

Remember this can be the main pickpocket, lockpicker, and trap disarmer.

One thing that may be overlooked is that Bard's are perfect pickpockets and experts in Sleight of Hand. Generally one would assume this is reserved for Rogues. However, you can check my pickpocket guide on how Bard can be very effective with that in the early game.

One thing to remember is that you want to pick proficiency in Sleight of Hand, and later at level 3 expertise in it. This way, with high Dexterity you will get good bonuses making it easy to disarm traps and lockpick chests.

Early Game Combat

Let's cover how you should progress combat levels 1-6. This plays as a normal Archer, where you utilize mostly your weapon attacks and a few spells.

  • I recommend relying on dual Hand Crossbow +1 icon bg3Hand Crossbow +1 until you obtain Titanstring Bow icon bg3Titanstring Bow + Club of Hill Giant Strength icon bg3Club of Hill Giant Strength. This way you will have a good use for bonus action and later a powerful weapon setup.
  • To maximize the number of attacks early on you can use Slashing Flourish (Ranged) icon action bg3Slashing Flourish (Ranged)​ and follow up with bonus action offhand attack using Hand Crossbow +1 icon bg3Hand Crossbow +1.
  • Cloud of Daggers icon action bg3Cloud of Daggers​ is a very good early-game spell. It can target multiple stacked enemies and hit them two times. It is perfect against some fights like Gnolls, or Goblins where they are close together or need to go through a choke point.
  • I would try to maintain distance with Ranged builds. This way you avoid attack penalties but also can make sure enemies will have a harder time hitting you.
  • You can disable Sharpshooter: All In icon passive feature bg3Sharpshooter: All In​ if your hit chance is below 70%, to make it easier to land hits.
  • Use Longstrider icon action bg3Longstrider​ to buff your allies and yourself to give you a better position in combat.

Late Game Combat

Late game is where this build lifts off and can attack and cast spells on the same turn:

  • With Helmet of Arcane Acuity icon bg3Helmet of Arcane Acuity, you can attack with arrows especially Arrow of Many Targets, and build up Spell Save DC easily. Then you can cast a control spell like Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person, Fear icon action bg3Fear, Confusion icon action bg3Confusion, etc.
  • If you can, prioritize Hold Monster icon action bg3Hold Monster​/Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person​ as you can greatly improve your damage via guaranteed critical hits. This will work both for allies and you, just try to be in the 3-meter range.
  • Freely utilize arrows like Arorw of Many Target and Arrows of Slaying. The latter are extremely powerful and deal double damage to specific enemy types.

Build Variations

Here are some variations that work similarly and utilize the same classes at their core.

Setup Description
  • 10 Swords Bard
  • 1 Fighter
  • 1 Wizard
A very popular Swords Bard setup, that allows scribing level 6 spells from Wizard. So you can learn something like Globe of Invulnerability icon action bg3Globe of Invulnerability​ or other cool stuff to get access to wide utility stuff.
  • 10 Swords Bard
  • 1 Fighter
  • 1 War Cleric
Gives access to weapon attacks with bonus action via War Priest Charge. Moreover, you retain 6th level spell slots, for the stronger control spell upcasting.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading the best Swords Bard Build for Baldur's Gate 3. I hope you enjoyed reading this very powerful build setup and how it offers a unique playstyle between an archer and a caster. This is one of the best options for Honour Mode runs.

Cheers!

Discussion

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Post author zanuffas avatar zanuffas
Gamestegy Founder. I have been writing game guides and builds for 4 years. I like to push myself to create something wonderful for the readers!