PC Concept: How Loud Are The Drums of War?

Overview

I feel like it's been forever since I've done one of these, and I'm so excited to hop back into them again! After all, this was the original idea for the blog's content, and I'd definitely be doing myself a disservice by not including the PC concepts. I have too many PCs in my brain, and I'm mostly a DM. I have to get them all out somehow!

In the D&D 5e Player's Handbook, there is the Soldier option for a background. I think that when people give this background a first look, they immediately think of the infantry, or maybe perhaps one of the officers. The book does provide a table of options for other types of occupations within the army, but in my opinion, they forgot a very important member of an army.

Armies of the past frequently had some sort of drummer or other instrumentalist who played marches. In my mind, this would also be someone who kept up morale in a battalion. While this role can also be attributed to the standard bearer occupation that the Player's Handbook provides, this one has a bit more musical flare to it.

Basically, in D&D terms, we're going to talk about the role of bards as soldiers because I think it's a very under-utilized aesthetic, and it could be really fun and compelling to play.

Race, Class, Stats, and Background

With this build, background is going to be our solid starting point here. Take the Soldier background (Player's Handbook) and let your DM know what your plan is for the "war bard" you're attempting to create. Certain armies may have different traditions, but in my mind, the two most obvious instruments a war bard could have at their disposal would be the drums, horns, and bagpipes.

As for class, I have one major idea in mind, and it's something I've already said: Bard. Bard is your easiest and most obvious pick if you want to be the morale booster, and a musician. Charisma is definitely going to be your highest stat, for spellcasting. Subclass is going to be a bit harder to nail down. For me, there are three choices:

- College of Valor (Player's Handbook) but the issue I have with it is that... it's simply not very good.

- College of Swords (Xanathar's Guide) is, in my opinion, everything that the College of Valor could have been. It allows for the player to create a "half-fighter" instead of a "half-caster" (like a Paladin or Ranger.) The only thing that doesn't sit right with me about it is that although it has the potential for the "war caster" aesthetic, it doesn't make sense to me. If your primary purpose in the army was to play an instrument, that doesn't mean that you're not good at sword fighting, it just means you don't use it as much.

- If it were me, I'd actually choose the College of Eloquence (Tasha's Cauldron) because, as a bard, you can still choose to spellcast using an instrument while also inspiring your teammates with your words. That will really hammer home the aesthetic of the "morale booster" of a party. It's a very support centered class, and I think it also fits the supporting role a war bard would play in an army.

I do also have a secondary option, but this option, I think, is better suited as a multiclass. If you intend to use this multiclass, remember to consult your DM about their rules on multiclassing. The secondary class I would pick is Paladin, and I'd pick either Oath of Devotion (Player's Handbook) or Oath of Glory (Tasha's Cauldron.) Both are solidly within the aesthetic of the "loyal, duty-bound soldier" and are more geared towards party support. For the level distribution, I think an even Bard 10 / Paladin 10 is the best choice. Paladins get the Aura of Courage feature at 10th level, which prevents friendly creatures in that aura from being frightened. That feature really fits the war bard aesthetic. You'll also still benefit from all except the last of your Bard subclass features if you go this route. Charisma is still definitely your highest stat, but you might want to invest in Strength as well.

Race is definitely the most fluid option here. I'd recommend something that boosts Charisma and Strength, especially if you're going the multiclass route. Half-Elves (Player's Handbook, Dragonborn (Player's Handbook), Fallen Aasimar (Volo's Guide), and Zariel Tieflings (Mordenkainen's Tome) are the first ones that come to mind for this. All of them grant bonuses to those two stats. This choice is all in what you like to play.

Roleplay Potential

Chances are, as a Bard or Bard / Paladin with the oaths I've mentioned, you're going to have high Charisma and you're going to be likable. This character would strike me as the type to be the face of the adventuring party. They're the type to lead the charge into battle, but never actually be the ones to kill the monster. They're supporting their companions instead, in whatever capacity they can. They're a leader.

The Soldier background also holds a lot of tragic backstory potential. These are some of the options for personality traits, bonds, and flaws that the Player's Handbook provides:

- "I've lost too many friends, and I'm slow to make new ones."

- "I'll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it."

- "The monstrous enemy we faced in battle still leaves me quivering in fear."

- "I made a terrible mistake in battle that cost many lives. I would do anything to keep that mistake a secret."

There are so many other options that you or your DM could come up with for this, especially in a homebrewed world. These statements alone could lead to really dramatic character moments and combat encounters.

Of course, there's also the potential for memorable war stories. There are those moments when the party gathers around the campfire, and they talk about stories they've heard from home, or stories from their past. This character, I think, would also be a great storyteller. Their stories are dramatic, exciting, maybe a little exaggerated, but they're always interesting, even when they end poorly.

This character is the type to lift others up, both in roleplay and in combat, and I think that's something really fun and valuable to have in a D&D party. Not only would you be getting the best out of this character, you'd be helping other players get the best out of theirs.