This awesome sword bard build from Baldur’s Gate 3 is an absolute must-have if you’re trying out your first run in Honor Mode

To Baldur’s Gate 3 Fans who have been putting off their first Honor Mode run, or for those who haven’t tried one yet or want to try again with a new, fun new build, there are plenty of amazing builds that make Honor Mode a breeze. Creating custom builds can be a lot of fun, but You can also turn to the community and find some of the best ideas possible there. Those who are particularly experienced with Baldur’s Gate 3 or Dungeons and Dragons can go a long way with the game’s systems, shaping characters that are both powerful and fun to play with.

Although leaning into a singular strength leads to some powerful effects Baldur’s Gate 3 characters, versatility is usually even better. One build in particular that serves as a great example of this is the College of Swords Bard, which is the perfect option for a party face that can take it all. With a unique balance between high-damage martial skills and additional control abilities that casters typically benefit from, a good Swords Bard can make the game much more fun for players who want to finally experience their first Honor Mode race

Why the Swords Bard Build is Perfect for Honor Mode

The College Of Swords Bard subclass offers players the best of both worlds

A particularly excellent Swords Bard build comes courtesy of Reddit user Prestigious_Juice341which coded the construction as “Martial Control.“The Control Martial build is perfect for Honor Mode because it offers players a full bard spell progression while maintaining martial viability. Because of the way the Swords Bard subclass utilizes control spells, players will have the ability to paralyzes powerful enemies like Orin or Raphael and deals an absurd amount of damage throughout his run of honor.

Additionally, the Swords Bard subclass offers players the Bardic Inspiration collective action (and later, Improved Bardic Inspiration), offering a much-needed boost that will get players over the initial hurdle of their Honor run. They also gain the Song of Rest, essentially giving the party an extra short rest from the early to mid game, while they still get some of their best items in the slot. The Swords Bard also has early access to medium armor, two-weapon combat (useful for dual-wielding hand crossbows early in the game), and, crucially, extra attacks, which will feel like an unfair advantage late in the game

Although the Swords Bard subclass is the primary choice for this build, at level 8, players will dive a level into the Fighter and Wizard classes to reinforce their Swords Bard skills. Multiclassing for Fighter allows players to increase their concentration saving throws in the late game, provides proficiency with a longbow and bow and arrow fighting style, which is great alongside the Sharpshooter talent. Wizard Immersion allows players to memorize spells from scrolls and gain access to certain spells such as Hurry

and invokes spells, which do not depend on CD to be effective.

Key Features of Swords Bard Built in BG3

Cut Flourish and Helmet of Arcane Acuity Are Essential

A highlight of Control Martial Swords Bard is the Slashing Flourish action, which allows players to spend their bardic inspiration points on an additional attack. This action works with ranged attacks, so players will be able to accumulate Arcane Acuity and deal large amounts of damage multiple times in the same turn. Using Arrows from many targets

will stack Arcane Acuity as well and allow for even greater damage with a wider area of ​​effect (AOE). Arcane Acuity is a unique condition that provides players with powerful damage and DC bonuses to save spells.

Due to the way the build utilizes arcane acuity, two main items players will need are the Helmet of Arcane Acuity

and the Band of the Mystic Scoundrelboth of which are crucial to maximizing the effectiveness of this construction. The helmet is found at the beginning of the second act, in the basement of the Mason’s Guild, and players will see the build start to actually work when equipped. The ring will require some cunning when dealing with the Djinni in Act Three, but it allows players to cast their control spells as a bonus action, allowing them to attack and cast a control spell in the same turn.

Strategies to use with Swords Bard

Martial Control uses arcane acuity and spells such as hold person

u/Prestigious_Juice341’s article points out some important strategies to use in the early game versus late game. Before players acquire the above two main items, It’s important to wield two Hand crossbows

Purchased from Dammon in the woods. Using the Precision Oil

before a fight will negate the -5 penalty from the Sharpshooter talent, and Bardic Inspiration points should be reserved for Slashing Flourish. Players should “prioritize a Heat Metal or Hold Person,” reserving crossbow attacks for the Bonus Action. They must also take the Glyph of Protection

once they reach level 5.

At level 8, players will choose between Wizard and Fighter, but will also want to equip the Titanstring Bow from the first act. After acquiring the two main items, they will want “spend actions on shooting [the] bow and spend bonus actions on control spells.” Maintaining a stack of 8-10 Arcane Acuity will make attacks practically unmissable and add a ton of damage per round. For multiple targets in encounters like the House of Pain, upcasting Hold Person

will incapacitate up to six enemies, or launch Confusion

will cause targets to start attacking each other.

Finally, for tough opponents like Orin or Raphael, cast Hold Monster

will essentially cancel devastating legendary abilities. And while features like this are extremely great for running in Honor Mode, The build has some drawbacks, especially in undead encounters. This is why it’s useful to balance the party with a character who is very effective against undead, especially when exploring the Shadowfell. Ultimately, however, the advantages of this construction far outweigh the disadvantages, and Baldur’s Gate 3 Fans will want to read u/Prestigious_Juice341’s full article for a comprehensive breakdown of Swords Bard’s “Control Martial” build.

Sources: Prestigious_Juice341, ethan/YouTube