Optimizing a spellsword bard

Question

I recently rolled a bard for a new game set in a low fantasy world. It's a halfling bard, with 17 CHA and 16 DEX and +0s or +1s elsewhere. In the party there is also a defensively minded Paladin, a gunship rogue with a crossbow, necromantic offensive warlock and a fighter inspired by 4e warlords.

The party lacks a bit in healing and utility spellcasting I would like to fill in that niche while still having a considerable presence in combat. To accomplish that I wanted to embrace a Spellsword approach.

I would like to be able to combine spellcasting (buffs and debuffs, preferably as cantrips or low level spells) with DEX-based combat opportunities. I know that College of Valor has some options, but it seems like a huge waste (I have high Dex and therefore prefer light armor, I will not use non-finessable martial weapons, and Extra Attack doesn't seem to fit well with eventual Battle Magic). I would like to have a "cast and slash" battlefield presence, but if I had opportunities to use my bonus action for added awesome I would consider it gladly.

Is it possible to optimize the character to accomplish those gameplay goals and if yes, how?

I am limited to PHB and I need a very good arguments to be allowed to multiclass. I briefly I mentioned possible MC into a Paladin and had a mixed response.

Answer 1

Do you have access to "Xanathar's Guide To Everything"? If so, you should also consider the College of Swords, which is another weapon-based bard college option. It offers the ability to use a melee weapon you are proficient in as a bardic spell casting focus, which works well for bards who want to use melee weapons in one or both of their hands.

However, keep in mind it does not offer the same "Battle Magic" feature as the College of Valor does, which means you will likely be casting and slashing on different turns.

Answer 2

Valor is the better option

"Cast and slash" in the same turn is basically impossible before Battle Magic, and far from powerful even then.
"Cast one turn, slash next" is possible, but suboptimal, as one of them would need Charisma, the other Dexterity, you would need different feats and magic items. You should pick one or the other, and focus on that.

If you want to be good with melee weapon attacks, you should go with Valor, unless you can get Extra Attack from 5 levels of Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger or Bladelock. You said multiclassing might be impossible, so Valor is basically the only option for a fencer.

If you are fine with using spells instead of weapons, a Lore Bard might be viable. Unfortunately bard cantrips from PHB are mostly bad in combat.
Thunderclap from Elemental Evil is nice, especially if you can get more than one enemy with it, but it is unsuited for stealth missions.
Vicious Mockery's disadvantage becomes inefficient when most enemies get multiattack, and the damage is ridiculous even before that.

A Magic Initiate feat can fix that, or you can spend Additional Magical Secrets for getting a worthwhile cantrip. I suggest Acid Splash if you expect more than one enemy to receive it, Shocking Grasp if not, and Thorn Whip if you use Additional Magical Secrets.

In the front line you will need AC. As you lack the Strength for Heavy Armor, not even multiclass will help you with it. The shield is your best friend. Valor gets it for free on level 3, but Lore needs to pay another feat, fortunately it increases Dex as well. Either way you get Expertise, if you put it on Athletics, you can provide near constant Advantage for you melee party members with Shield Master.

Comparing the two options on level 8:

Valor

level 4: +2 Dex
level 8: +2 Dex
AC: 19 (Studded, Shield, 20 Dex)
Attack: +8 (weapon)
Damage: 2x 1d8+5 (Rapier)
DPRvs16: 12.35 (19 x 0.65)
Casting: Cha 17, has to drop weapon for spells

Lore

level 4: Moderately Armored
level 8: +1 Dex, +1 Cha
AC: 18 (Studded, Shield, 18 Dex)
Attack: +7 (both with cantrips and weapons)
Damage: 2d8 (Shocking Grasp)
DPRvs16: 5.6 (9 x 0.6)
Casting: Cha 18, right hand empty

So in combat prowess Valor is clearly superior, while only a tiny bit weaker as a caster (spell DC 14 vs DC 15). Even on level 17, Shocking Grasp will do only 18 damage, compared to 19 with a Rapier.

To sum it up, if you want to stay alive and relevant in the front line, Valor gives you the defense and the offense.

You don't need multiclassing

Starting as Fighter and then changing to Lore bard would be great, as it gave you heavy armor, but you lack the Strength for those.

A Valor bard does not really benefit from multiclassing (probably a few levels of Rogue for DPR).

Other options

If you do not want to be melee: Your party can get by with only two melee characters, and bards perform much better in the second line.

1. Go Lore, get a good cantrip, meaning Eldritch Blast through multiclassing or the feat Magic Initiate, and you will be optimized enough.
2. Go Valor with a Hand Crossbow, Crossbow Master and Sharpshooter. Huge amounts of damage, spells only for Advantage and utility.

If you can multiclass, change your race and ability scores: 1 level of Fighter, continue in Lore bard. Swap Dexterity and Strength. In heavy armor AC costs money, not attributes, and you will always have more money than Ability Score Improvements. Second Wind is great at low levels. Fighting Styles are good too.

Answer 3

My answer to what spells you should take for Crowd Control is definitely sleep. When you cast a spell that isn't a cantrip you generally want to end the encounter within a round for the first 3 levels. sleep does this in cases where you are against a single tough enemy or a horde of tiny pests.

cantrips-wise you want vicious mockery and then one of the following:

true strike: if you are throwing daggers at people this is the best option otherwise ignore this; Minor Illusion: best cantrip hands down if your DM is willing to work with you on it, otherwise it is the worst possible cantrip and a waste of time; mending: if the rogue is strapped for cash this will be a godsend in repairing crossbow bolts and just generally a good after battle and RP spell; light: if the Paladin doesn't have it then you should definitely take it.

hopefully this helps and may ye tell many a fair story of ye fair travels.

Answer 4

You'll want to go College of Valor and take Spiritual Weapon as one of your magical secrets. This will allow you to heal with your main action and still attack with a bonus action each round. You can use higher level slots to deal higher damage as well.

Another good spell to take is Flaming Sphere as it allows you to damage at least one creature each round and sometimes more and like Spiritual Weapon it scales with spell slot level.