Your class of choice will determine your playstyle as well as how well you synergize with the rest of your companions in Baldur's Gate 3. It's important to have a party that balances offense and defense in order to beat the toughest enemies. One class that works great as either an attacker or a supporter is the bard class.
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PostsAs a bard, you use your words to either cut down enemies or buff your allies. There are subclasses of different colleges you can pick from as a bard, and one of the choices is the college of glamour. This subclass uses spells to charm enemies and have them submit to your will.
College Of Glamour Bard Overview
Thematically, the college of glamour bard is a spellcaster that was taught by fey creatures and possesses great magical ability. As a party member, this bard leans more toward the support role and helps defend the team against damage while also stopping enemies in their tracks with useful magic.
This subclass has unique spells that provide useful support to companions, especially against melee attackers. These spells can be unlocked at different levels and can grow more powerful at higher levels.
Using these spells with the bardic inspiration that every bard subclass enjoys will allow you to build a unit that can keep everyone in the party standing and succeeding their most crucial rolls.
College Of Glamour Bard Spells
Description
Mantle of Inspiration
Grant two allies five temporary hit points. If they’re hit with a melee attack, the attacker becomes charmed. (The number of targets increases at levels six and ten)
Mantle of Majesty: Command
You can command a creature to flee, approach, freeze, grovel, or drop its weapon. Targets that are charmed automatically fail their saving throw against this spell.
The Best Starting Stats, Species, And Spells For A College Of Glamour Bard
Species
You will want a species that can easily get away from difficult positions and closer to party members that need support because the college of glamour bard does not have much fighting ability.
The wood elf is a great pick because of the Fleet of Foot feature that increases your base movement speed for a total of 10.5 meters per turn. Wood elves also enjoy stealth proficiency and fey ancestry which grants advantage against being charmed and immunity against magical sleep.
If you prefer a species that grants more spell options, the high elf also enjoys fey ancestry as well as the ability to learn a cantrip from the wizard spell list. The drow is also a good choice for their drow magic which allows them to learn Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, and Darkness at certain levels.
Cantrips And Spells
As a bard, you can pick from the bard spell list for cantrips and spells. When it comes to the best choices, remember that the college of glamour bard is best used for support, so you should select spells that will put your attackers in the most advantageous positions.
Cantrip
Description
Vicious Mockery
This is a powerful cantrip that both deals damage and causes its target to have disadvantage on its next attack roll. It will be useful for whittling down an enemy’s health while reducing its chances of landing its next hit.
Mage Hand
This cantrip is useful for both exploration and combat. It can get into tight and hard-to-reach spaces to help solve puzzles or to scout areas ahead. In combat, it can be used to attack, but it’s more useful for moving items around such as tossing healing potions to allies without using up a companion’s turn.
Spells
Description
Longstrider
This is a ritual spell that can be cast without using up a spell slot when it’s prepared. This is recommended because it increases movement speed by three meters allowing you more options to execute your plans in combat and get out of bad positions quickly.
Longstrider lasts until your next long rest, so you should cast it at the start of each day.
Bane
This spell causes three targets to receive a -1d4 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws, granting your party additional protection from damage. It will also help in allowing any condition-inflicting spells aimed at targets to succeed.
Healing Word
The best support you can give your allies is additional health. This is why this spell is an essential in your spellbook.
Dissonant Whispers
This spell can frighten its targets which gives them a disadvantage on both ability checks and attack rolls. They’ll also be unable to move while additionally taking psychic damage, making it perfect for disabling enemies while dealing some damage.
Background
Bards have high charisma, making them the ideal party member to handle conversations with NPCs. That said, there are plenty of dialogue options where Persuasion and Deception can get you out of troublesome situations, so backgrounds that are proficient in those are recommended.
When it comes to selecting a background, you should pick based on the decisions you'll be making as these will grant you inspiration, allowing you to roll again whenever you fail.
Background
Description
Charlatan
This background is proficient at Deception, allowing for more devious dialogue options that will trick your target. In addition, you’ll also enjoy proficiency in Sleight of Hand, allowing you to empty the pockets of unsuspecting folks and disarming traps.
Guild Artisan
If you prefer a more morally good option for dialogues, this background grants proficiency in Persuasion. Also, this is a great background for detecting lies or reading body language thanks to proficiency in Insight.
Stats
For stats, it’s best to prioritize dexterity for armour class and charisma for more effective spells.
Ability
Score
STR
8
DEX
16
CON
13
INT
12
WIS
10
CHA
16
Tips To Best Play A College Of Glamour Bard
This bard is most powerful when the Mantle of Majesty: Command action is unlocked at level six. Unlike the Command spell, this can target undead creatures. In addition, you’ll be able to cast any of the commands on any targets while concentrating on the spell. That said, it works best when targets are already charmed.
This bard can also work well with another spellcaster that can disable enemies. By casting Bardic Inspiration on them, their spells can be more effective.
Ensure that allies closest to melee attackers are imbued with Mantle of Inspiration to charm creatures that attack them. Once charmed, command them to do what you want and put them at a disadvantage.
Best Level By Level Build For A College Of Glamour Bard
At different levels of the college of glamour bard, you'll need to decide on what cantrips, spells, and feats to pick for a bard that can sufficiently grant the team the support it needs against any opponent.
Level
Change
Recommendation
1
Cantrip
Vicious Mockery, Mage Hand
Spells
Longstrider, Bane, Dissonant Whispers, Healing Word
2
Song of Rest gained
-
Jack of All Trades gained
Pick whichever you find useful. Athletics is great for avoiding getting shoved.
Spell
Sleep
3
Subclass
College of Glamour
Spell
Hold Person
4
Feat
Ability Improvement: Charisma +2
Cantrip
Blade Ward for additional defense or Minor Illusion for exploration and ease in sneaking.
Spells
Heat Metal, Invisibility
5
Gain Font of Inspiration
-
Gain Improved Bardic Inspiration
-
Spell
Stinking Cloud
6
Gain Countercharm
-
Gain Mantle of Majesty: Command
-
Spell
Learn Glyph of Warding and replace Sleep with Charm Person.
7
Spell
Confusion
8
Feat
Ability Improvement: Charisma +2
Spell
Freedom of Movement
9
Spell
Learn Dominate Person and replace Healing Word with Mass Cure Wounds.
10
Gain expertise in two proficient skills.
Choose Persuasion or Deception for dialogues and one exploration skill if this is useful to you.
Gain Improved Bardic Inspiration
-
Cantrip
Choose either Minor Illusion or Blade Ward, depending on what you chose earlier.
Magical Secrets Spells
Misty Step, Counterspell
Spell
Dominate Person
11
Spell
Eyebite
12
Feat
Alert
Spell
Learn Polymorph for additional crowd control using a lower-level spell slot.
The Best Equipment For A College Of Glamour Bard
When picking equipment, you should select those that can increase your defense capabilities and deal additional damage to enemies that get targeted by your spells or actions.
Equipment
Item
Description
Location
Weapon
Phalar Aluve
Grants Phalar Aluve: Melody which grants nearby allies a 1d4 bonus to attack rolls while set to Sing or inflicts enemies with penalties to saving throws and attack rolls while set to Shriek.
Found stuck in a rock at X: 116, Y: -192 in the Underdark in act one.
Helm
Coldbrim Hat
When the wearer casts a spell condition, the target also gets Encrusted with Frost.
Inside a chest in a hidden room in Balthazar's Chambers in act two.
Cape
Cloak of Protection
Grants +1 to armour class and +1 saving throw.
Sold by Quartermaster Talli in Last Light Inn in act two.
Armor
Studded Leather Armour +2
Wearer has 14 armour class, takes one less bludgeoning damage, and a +1 bonus to initiative rolls.
Sold by traders.
Amulet
Spellcrux Amulet
Allows wearer to replenish a spell slot of any level as a bonus action once per long rest.
Can be looted from The Warden in the Moonrise Towers Prison in act two.
Gloves
Braindrain Gloves
When the wearer deals psychic damage, the target is also inflicted with mental fatigue for two turns.
Can be found at X: 748, Y: -141 in the Mind Flayer Colony in act two.
Or Wondrous Gloves
Armour class increases by one and gain one additional use of Bardic Inspiration.
Can be looted from a mimic found in Grymforge at X: -691, Y:374 in act one.
Ring 1
Ring of Geniality
+1 to both Persuasion and Deception.
Can be purchased from Barcus Wroot in Last Light Inn in act two.
Ring 2
Ring of Mental Inhibition
When a target fails a saving throw against the wearer's spells or actions, they are also inflicted with mental fatigue for two turns.
Can be found in a chest at X: 76, Y: 40 in the Shadow-cursed Lands in act two.
Boots
Boots of Brilliance
Per long rest, the wearer can restore one slot of Bardic Inspiration.
Can be found in a chest at X: -632, Y: -723 in the Gauntlet of Shar in act two.
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