Complete Guide to College of Glamour | Bard Subclass D&D 5e Deep Dive

Summary

This deep dive into the College of Glamour Bard subclass from Dungeons & Dragons explores its unique features, from the empowering *Mantle of Inspiration* to the commanding *Mantle of Majesty*. The video highlights the subclass's versatility, excelling in both combat and roleplay, with a focus on charm, protection, and leadership. The speaker emphasizes the flavor of the subclass, combining Fae magic with powerful tactical advantages, and showcases how it allows for strategic manipulation of allies and enemies alike. The College of Glamour Bard is presented as a well-rounded and flavor-packed subclass for players who enjoy charismatic, influential characters.

Takeaways

• 😀 Bards are versatile and can be effective with any subclass, so choose based on flavor rather than power level.
• 🎶 Mantle of Inspiration (3rd level) grants temporary hit points to allies and lets them move without provoking opportunity attacks.
• 💥 The number of temporary hit points from Mantle of Inspiration increases as you level up (5 at 3rd, 8 at 5th, 11 at 10th, 14 at 15th).
• 🎭 Enthralling Performance (3rd level) allows you to charm humanoids with a performance lasting for one hour, with no indication they’ve been charmed if they succeed on the saving throw.
• 💼 Enthralling Performance is great for out-of-combat scenarios, like stealing or gathering information, by charming a target for an extended period.
• 👑 Mantle of Majesty (6th level) lets you cast Command as a bonus action without expending a spell slot, and you can use it repeatedly during combat.
• 💡 Command synergizes well with Enthralling Performance, as you can command charmed targets multiple times during the charm’s duration.
• ✨ Unbreakable Majesty (14th level) gives you a permanent majestic aura, forcing attackers to make Charisma saving throws or waste their attack on a different target.
• 🛡️ If an attacker succeeds on the Charisma save, they can still attack but with disadvantage on saving throws against your spells.
• 🎤 The College of Glamour Bard is a well-rounded subclass that excels at support, mobility, and crowd control, offering both combat and role-playing advantages.

Q & A

What is the key advice for selecting a Bard subclass in D&D?

The key advice is to choose your Bard subclass based on flavor and personal preference, rather than power. Bards are powerful enough that almost any subclass will be viable, so the focus should be on the thematic elements and roleplaying aspects that appeal to you.

What does the Mantle of Inspiration feature do in the College of Glamour?

Mantle of Inspiration allows a Bard to use their Bardic Inspiration as a bonus action to grant temporary hit points to allies and let them move up to their speed without provoking opportunity attacks. The number of temporary hit points increases with character level.

How does Mantle of Inspiration compare to other spells like Aid and Scatter?

Mantle of Inspiration functions similarly to Aid (providing temporary hit points) and Scatter (offering movement without provoking attacks), but it is a class feature usable at 3rd level, making it an early-game, low-level alternative to these spells.

What is the effect of the Enthralling Performance feature?

Enthralling Performance allows the Bard to charm humanoids who witness a performance for at least one minute. The charm lasts for an hour unless the target takes damage, or if the Bard attacks or harms any of the target's allies.

What are the limitations of the Enthralling Performance feature?

The primary limitation is that it requires a full minute of performance, and only humanoids who listen and watch the entire performance can be charmed. Additionally, once the charm is broken, it cannot be used again until the Bard finishes a short or long rest.

How does Mantle of Majesty enhance the Bard’s combat abilities?

Mantle of Majesty allows the Bard to cast Command as a bonus action without expending a spell slot. This feature enhances control by enabling the Bard to command enemies multiple times, forcing them to drop weapons, flee, or take other actions.

What makes the Mantle of Majesty feature especially powerful in combat?

Its ability to allow the Bard to cast Command repeatedly on enemies during combat—while they are charmed—makes it a very powerful tool for controlling the battlefield. The synergy between Mantle of Majesty and Enthralling Performance allows for almost constant control over charmed targets.

How does Unbreakable Majesty provide defensive benefits?

Unbreakable Majesty gives the Bard a bonus action to assume an aura of majestic presence. This forces attackers to make a Charisma saving throw before they can attack the Bard. If they fail, they can't attack, and if they succeed, their attack rolls against the Bard are disadvantaged.

How does Unbreakable Majesty support the Bard’s role in both offense and defense?

Unbreakable Majesty protects the Bard from attacks while also supporting their offensive capabilities. By imposing Charisma saving throws on attackers, it prevents damage and debuffs while allowing the Bard to use their spells and abilities more effectively, especially in controlling or debuffing enemies.

What is the overall assessment of the College of Glamour subclass?

The College of Glamour subclass is considered to be one of the best-designed Bard subclasses. It offers strong support abilities, both in and out of combat, with features that promote versatility, charm, and battlefield control, all while staying true to the Bard's thematic elements of music and performance.