Wyll — Bardadin (Honour Mode)

Final composition: Vengeance Paladin 7 / Swords Bard 5

Character Creation

Wyll is human by default but can be respecced at Withers. Race doesn’t affect attributes in BG3 (freely assign +2/+1).

Stats (point buy)

Start Paladin — heavy armour proficiency requires Paladin as first class. Multiclassing into Paladin only grants medium armour.

How Paladin spells work (read once)

• Spells prepared = Paladin level ÷ 2 (rounded down) + CHA modifier. You can swap them any time out of combat.
• Oath spells are always prepared, free — they don’t count against your prepared limit.
• Divine Smite is a class feature, not a spell — uses any spell slot, upcastable. Always set reactions to “Ask.”
• Bard spells are known (not prepared) — pick carefully, you can only swap one per Bard level-up.

Why stop at Pal 7 / Bard 5

• Pal 6 gives Aura of Protection — the single best defensive feature in the game. Pal 7 adds Relentless Avenger (mobility on OA).
• Bard 5 gives Font of Inspiration (Inspiration dice refresh on Short Rest), d8 Bardic Inspiration dice, and 3rd-level spells.
• Swords Bard 6 would give Extra Attack — redundant with Pal 5 in Honour Mode (Extra Attack does NOT stack across classes).
• Caster level: Pal 7 (half-caster = 3) + Bard 5 (full = 5) = caster level 8 — up to 4th-level slots for smiting.

Level-by-Level

L1 — Paladin 1

Starting proficiencies: Heavy armour, shields, WIS + CHA save proficiency. Oath of Vengeance: Inquisitor’s Might (bonus action: CHA-mod radiant damage on weapon attacks, can Daze), Tenets. Lay on Hands: 3 charges (heal or cure poison/disease).

L2 — Paladin 2

Fighting Style: Defence (+1 AC). Divine Smite unlocked — 2d8 radiant baseline, +1d8 per upcast level, +1d8 vs fiends/undead. Spell slots: 2 × 1st-level. Prepared (2): Bless, Command.

L3 — Paladin 3

Oath spells (free): Bane, Hunter’s Mark. Channel Oath: Abjure Enemy (frighten), Vow of Enmity (bonus action: advantage vs one enemy, short rest recharge). Divine Health (disease immunity). Prepared (3, add 1): Shield of Faith.

L4 — Paladin 4 — first feat

Feat: Savage Attacker — rerolls ALL melee damage dice including smite dice. Mathematically the highest DPR increase for any smite build. Prepared (4, add 1): Cure Wounds.

L5 — Paladin 5

⭐ Extra Attack — 2 attacks per action. Oath spells (free): Misty Step, Hold Person. Spell slots: 4 × 1st, 2 × 2nd. Prepared (5, add 1): Magic Weapon or Lesser Restoration.

L6 — Paladin 6 — defensive spike

⭐ Aura of Protection — you and allies within 3m gain +CHA mod to ALL saving throws. Toggle on in spellbook; stays active permanently (no concentration). At 15 CHA: +2. At 16+: +3. This is why the build exists in Honour Mode.

L7 — Paladin 7

Relentless Avenger — hitting an opportunity attack gives +4.5m movement next turn. Spell slots: 4 × 1st, 3 × 2nd. Prepared (6, add 1): Aid (upcast at 2nd level: +5 max HP to 3 allies until long rest).

L8 — Bard 1

Bardic Inspiration: d6, CHA-mod charges (3 at 16 CHA), refresh on Long Rest. Cantrips (2): Vicious Mockery, Minor Illusion. Spell slots bump — now caster level 4 (4×1st, 3×2nd). Spells known (4): Healing Word, Longstrider, Faerie Fire, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter.

L9 — Bard 2

Jack of All Trades — half proficiency to all non-proficient skills. Song of Rest — extra Short Rest per day (huge for the party’s resource economy). Spell slots bump — caster level 5.

L10 — Bard 3 — College of Swords

⭐ Blade Flourishes (cost 1 Bardic Inspiration die each):

Fighting Style: Duelling (+2 damage with one-handed weapon, no off-hand). Expertise: Persuasion + Intimidation. Spells known (add 1): Silence or Cloud of Daggers.

L11 — Bard 4 — second feat

Feat: ASI CHA +2 → CHA 17. Boosts Aura of Protection (+1 to all saves), spell DC, and Diadem of Arcane Synergy damage. New cantrip (1): Friends (use cautiously in Honour Mode — can aggro NPCs). Spells known (add 1): Hold Person (redundant with Vengeance oath but frees paladin preparation; needed for Band of Mystic Scoundrel later).

L12 — Bard 5 — build complete

⭐ Font of Inspiration — Bardic Inspiration dice (now d8) refresh on Short Rest. Improved Bardic Inspiration — d8 instead of d6. Spells known (add 2, 3rd-level slots online): Hypnotic Pattern, Fear (both Enchantment — work with Band of Mystic Scoundrel).

Final spell slots (caster level 8): 4 × 1st, 3 × 2nd, 3 × 3rd, 2 × 4th.

Permanent STR / CHA Bonuses

• Hag’s Hair: Goes to Storm Sorc (only one in the game). Bardadin skips it.
• Mirror of Loss (Act 3, House of Grief): +2 to any stat (DC 25 Religion, or sacrifice Necromancy of Thay for guaranteed). Take +2 CHA → CHA 19. With ASI → 20.
• Potion of Everlasting Vigour (Act 2, Moonrise, Araj Oblodra): +2 STR permanently (let Astarion bite her). STR 17 → 19.

Key Items

Combat Pattern

The Core Engine (fully online at L12 with Band of Mystic Scoundrel)

Pre-fight: Cast Longstrider on everyone. Toggle on Aura of Protection. Stand near allies.

Turn 1 — Build Acuity, then Control:

1. Action: Attack with weapon. Use Slashing Flourish (Melee) to hit 2 adjacent enemies. Extra Attack → second Slashing Flourish → up to 4 hits.
   • Each hit stacks Arcane Acuity (+1 spell DC per stack, max 10).
   • Each hit triggers Diadem of Arcane Synergy (if wearing it) → +CHA to weapon damage.
   • Divine Smite on crits or high-priority targets.
2. Bonus Action (Band of Mystic Scoundrel): Cast Hypnotic Pattern (AoE disable, WIS save), Fear (AoE frighten + disarm), or Command: Grovel (upcasted, no concentration). With 4+ Acuity stacks, enemies virtually cannot save.

Turn 2+ — Cleanup: 3. Move to disabled/paralyzed enemies. Melee attacks on paralyzed targets auto-crit. Slashing Flourish + smite on both hits. 4. Use Misty Step (bonus action, Vengeance oath spell) for repositioning.

Early Game (Act 1, Paladin only)

• Bless as concentration spell (buff your sorcs + Lae’zel).
• Vow of Enmity (bonus action) for advantage on priority targets.
• Divine Smite on crits only — conserve slots. Enable “Ask” in reactions.
• Command: Grovel on dangerous melee enemies.

Mid Game (Act 2, Pal 6+)

• Aura of Protection is online — stay within 3m of sorcs and cleric.
• Hold Person from Vengeance oath (action cast). Set up crit chains for yourself + Lae’zel.
• No Band of Mystic Scoundrel yet — alternate between attacking (building Acuity) one turn and casting control (with boosted DC) the next.

Full Power (Act 3)

• Band of Mystic Scoundrel enables the attack → BA control loop every single turn.
• Font of Inspiration (Bard 5) + Song of Rest = Flourish dice refresh 3× per Long Rest (12+ Inspiration dice per day).
• With Haste/Potion of Speed + Bloodlust Elixir, you can pump out 6+ attacks in a turn, stacking massive Acuity.

Bardic Inspiration Economy

• Day start: CHA-mod d8 dice (3-4 at 16-18 CHA).
• After Short Rest: Fully refreshed (Font of Inspiration).
• With Song of Rest: 3 Short Rests per Long Rest = 4 full recharges (up to 16 × d8 flourishes per day).

Act-by-Act Priority

Act 1

• Rush Paladin 6 for Aura of Protection — biggest powerspike.
• Get Ring of Protection from Mol’s hideout (steal or quest reward).
• ⭐ Forge Adamantine Splint Armour at Grymforge (reduces incoming damage by 2, cannot be crit).
• Get Phalar Aluve in Underdark (pulled from stone, Religion check).
• Get Diadem of Arcane Synergy from Crèche Y’llek (Inquisitor’s Chamber).
• Don’t take Hag’s Hair — Storm Sorc gets it.

Act 2

• ⭐ Mason’s Guild → Helmet of Arcane Acuity (Reithwin, basement, Gilded Chest — trapped).
• Buy Cloak of Protection and Amulet of the Devout from Quartermaster Talli (Last Light Inn).
• Moonrise: Let Araj take Astarion’s blood → Potion of Everlasting Vigour (+2 STR).
• Get Sentinel Shield from Moonrise Towers vendor.
• Spare Nightsong (Vengeance oath requires fighting evil — killing her breaks your oath).

Act 3

• ⭐ Circus of the Last Days → pickpocket Akabi’s ring → spin jackpot → Jungle → Band of Mystic Scoundrel.
• Duellist’s Prerogative from Lower City (Florist’s shop questline).
• House of Grief → Mirror of Loss → +2 CHA.
• House of Hope → Helldusk Armour (if no Adamantine), Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength (23 STR).
• Dammon sells Armour of Persistence (permanent Blade Ward + Resistance, best heavy armour for tanking).

Oath of Vengeance — What NOT to Do

Breaking your oath costs gold to restore and can happen mid-dungeon without a vendor nearby.

Party Coordination

Combat coordination:

• Stack on Wyll for saves. Aura of Protection is +3 to +5 on all saves for anyone within 3m. In Honour Mode, this prevents party-wiping failed saves.
• Slashing Flourish clears packs. While sorcs AoE from range, you handle enemies that cluster up front by hitting both with Slashing Flourish → Smite.
• Hypnotic Pattern is your win button. With Arcane Acuity stacked, you can CC entire rooms as a bonus action. Sorcs focus on damage while you lock down threats.
• Song of Rest is a party resource. 3 Short Rests per day means Battle Master’s Superiority Dice, Action Surge, Channel Oath, and Bardic Inspiration all refresh 4× daily.

Honour Mode Reminders

• Aura of Protection positioning is everything. Before combat, check that allies are within 3m. Post-combat, keep it toggled on — it’s always active.
• Arcane Acuity stacking works on weapon hits including flourishes. Slashing Flourish hitting 2 enemies = 2 Acuity stacks from one attack. You’ll hit max stacks (10) in 1-2 turns.
• Band of Mystic Scoundrel only works with Enchantment/Illusion spells. Not all control spells qualify. Hypnotic Pattern, Fear, Hold Person, Command, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter — all work.
• Don’t smite on everything. Save smite slots for crits (paralyzed targets = auto-crit) or high-threat enemies. At caster level 8, you have only 12 slots total.
• Vengeance oath warnings are real. In Honour Mode, you can’t reload after an accidental oathbreak. Know the forbidden actions (see table above).