College of Lore | Baldurs Gate 3 Wiki

This + 1lv in life cleric, and you have one of the biggest support from the game.

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Did my first run as a college of swords which was great but my second run was with a duergar college of lore bard and it was just stupidly strong. College of lore is about turning every battle into your advantage be it bosses, pack of mobs or random ambush. You're a great face , can lie, steal and cheat your way through most dialogues and just turn enemies into a blubbering moron in battle (or make them wet and nuke them with lightning / frost).

Yes the college of swords is excellent but it wont be as strong as fighter or paladin if you're looking for dps. It's a great hybrid because you get a piece from both,
The college of lore is the controll king through and through. You are a full caster with a lot of spell versatility combined with unparalleled ability to bolster your party and like a brick of lego can work with pretty much any setup.

Don't sleep on this subclass.

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I tried lore bard and loved cutting words. I did struggle mid game though when I just couldn’t get the AC very high and I eventually cottoned on the enemy AI target squishies first. I was with Laezel, Shadowheart and Astarion and my lore bard Tav just kept getting rocked. I’m sure there’s things you can do to mitigate that, but it’s my first play through and I’m a D&D noob. Changed him to a swords Bard with medium armour and it was a much smoother ride.

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In DnD 5e, i took College of Eloquence for my bard precisely because he can lower enemy save with BONUS action using inspirations. But i thought College of Lore was close second because it uses only REACTION to increase ally's armor class, a) allowing to use bonus action for other things, b) never wasting inspiration on allies that didn't have a chance to use them, and it happened very often (inspiration lasted only ten minutes in 5e), and c) it's extremely effective on tanks with already high armor class, allowing to close that small gap in their armor class, making them almost invincible.
Let's put Baldur's Gate 3 College of Lore into perspective, shall we?
Level 6 bard College of Lore can:
1) 16/day lower enemies' saves by 1d8 (4.5 average). This is better or equivalent to disadvantage that Hightened Spell gives, lvl 6 sorcerer can use it 2-5/day, bard 16/day. Already ridiculous.
As if that wasn't enough, unlike Hightened Spell, Cutting Words can be used AFTER casting your spell to decide if you want to spend it or not.
And unlike 5e College of Eloquence, it's not a bonus action, but a reaction, allowing to use bonus action for attacking, casting, or applying poison.
Oh, of course it can also be used to raise my or ally's armor class by 1d8, give an ally 1d8 to any attack or save without any action (before battle).
2) Can select 2 spells from any class, in addition to bard-exclusive spells.
3) Doubles the bonus of two proficiencies.
4) Three bonus proficiencies.
5) Gains half of the proficiency bonus on all other skills.
6) +1 bonus to initiative, dispel magic, or counterspell check. (initiative is extremely important for casters)
7) 5 HP/level (same as Draconic sorcerer actually)
8) Light armor proficiency.
9) Additional short rest, healing 50% of allies' hit points and restoring their short rest abilities.
10) Countercharm (extremely situational, but still)

Draconic Bloodline sorcerer has:
1) Better spell selection.
2) 4 more damage to Fireball.
3) 50% Resistance to your own Fireball.
4) 2-5/day metamagic (the best ones are Hightened Spell, Twinned Spell).

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All I want is shocking grasp god dammit

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Conjure Barrage is currently not on the magical secrets list. A real shame, it does weapon damage + 2d8 in an AoE (taking all weapon damage modifiers with it). Would make some fun melee bard builds. I loaded the game, respecced at Withers, and confirmed its not an option.

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Banishing Smite is missing from Magical Secrets spells list. Seems to be the only class that can learn it as far as I can tell.

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Improved Bardic inspiration seems bugged?
At level7 Bard I am getting an Improved Bardic Inspiration class action under common with a 1D12?
Am I missing something?

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Is Cutting Words still bugged?

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Today's update fixed it:

"College of Lore bards can now pick which additional skill proficiency they receive. Bards that are already of the College of Lore need to respec to get this choice."

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Cutting Words seems bugged.
Even at Bard 12 it remains a 1d6 instead of upgrading to a 1d8 and 1d10.
Shows a 1d6 on the Reaction screen and the Reaction prompt doesn't appear if the enemy succeeds their saving throw by 7 or more.

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try avoid backgrounds with the proficiencies it gives you at level 3 or it gonna be a waste

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"Oh no! Not only is the bard spoony, but their smart too! We're doomed!" - The Absolute probably

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The page currently says "Additional Proficiencies: Gain Proficiency in Arcana, Intimidation and Sleight of Hand."

Are you forced to take those three? In the PHB you get to choose any three.

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