Human College of Glamour Bard Build Guide
With human adaptability backing your otherworldly fey charm, a Human College of Glamour Bard effortlessly commands any room and secures the battlefield.
Free — no signup needed for the free tier.
Why College of Glamour?
The College of Glamour Bard is a premier support character, channeling the breathtaking majesty of the Feywild to manipulate enemies and bolster allies. As a Human, your natural adaptability perfectly enhances this charismatic playstyle. Thanks to your Skillful trait, you gain an extra skill proficiency at level 1. Combined with the Bard's natural talents, you become an unmatched social powerhouse, capable of talking your way through any encounter before your magic is even needed.
When combat begins, your Human Versatile trait shines by granting you a free Origin feat at character creation (like Alert or Musician) to boost your initiative or support your team. Once you hit level 3, you can use your Mantle of Inspiration feature, spending a Bardic Inspiration die to grant temporary hit points to your allies and allow them to move immediately without provoking opportunity attacks.
Finally, the Human Resourceful trait grants you Heroic Inspiration after every long rest. This gives you a crucial reroll on important saving throws or ability checks, ensuring your spellcasting and fey-themed charms land exactly when your party needs them most.
College of Glamour Features
Beguiling Magic
Level 3You always have the Charm Person and Mirror Image spells prepared. In addition, you can cast each of these spells without expending a spell slot by expending one of your Bardic Inspiration dice. You can't cast them this way again until you finish a Short Rest.
Mantle of Inspiration
Level 3You can weave fey magic into a song or dance to bolster the confidence of those around you. When you use your Bardic Inspiration feature, you can spend a Bardic Inspiration die to create a magical ward around yourself. The ward has a number of Hit Points equal to 1d4 + your Bard level + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). When a Charmed creature within 5 feet of you takes damage, you can use your Reaction to reduce the damage it takes by the current Hit Points in the ward.
Mantle of Majesty
Level 6You always have the Command spell prepared. As a Bonus Action, you can expend one of your Bardic Inspiration dice to cast the Command spell using your current maximum Bardic Inspiration die size. You can't cast it this way again until you finish a Short Rest.
Unbreakable Majesty
Level 14As a Bonus Action, you can assume a magisterial bearing for 1 minute. During this time, whenever a creature within 60 feet of you that you can see makes an attack roll against you, they must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll. At the end of the minute, you can't use this feature again until you finish a Short Rest.
Recommended Ability Scores
Human Traits That Benefit College of Glamour Bard
Skillful
An extra skill proficiency expands the Bard's out-of-combat versatility.
Versatile
A free Origin feat provides a meaningful boost to any Bard build right from level 1.
Resourceful
Free Heroic Inspiration each long rest gives a reliable reroll for critical moments.
Combat Effectiveness
| Level | HP | Melee DPR | Spell DPR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 | 33 | 3.9 | 7.8 |
| Level 11 | 69 | 3.58 | 10.18 |
| Level 17 | 105 | 3.58 | 13.2 |
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Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- ♦ College of Glamour grants Beguiling Magic at level 3
- ♦ Strong species-class synergy enhances core abilities
- ♦ Versatile spellcasting options
- ♦ Jack of all trades with inspiration and spellcasting
Weaknesses
- ♦ Low Wisdom — vulnerable to common saving throws
- ♦ No Darkvision — may need light sources in dungeons
Pro Tips
Use Mantle of Inspiration early in combat to give allies temporary hit points and let them reposition safely before enemies surround them.
Combine your Skillful trait with Beguiling Magic to easily charm targets in social situations, then effortlessly talk them into assisting you.
Save your Resourceful Heroic Inspiration to reroll crucial saving throws, keeping you concentrated on powerful charm and illusion spells.
Activate Mantle of Majesty to cast Command as a bonus action every turn, locking down threats while still using your main action to cast cantrips.
Other Bard Subclasses for Human
Other Races for College of Glamour Bard
Frequently Asked Questions
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