Allocating 27 Points for a Bard
Charisma drives every Bard spell save DC, so it takes the 15 and the 9 points that buy it. Dexterity then has to reach 14 for light armour, because a d8 hit die with no shield leaves Armour Class as the only thing standing between the caster and the front rank.
The Bard array, point by point
| Ability | Score | Point cost |
|---|---|---|
| STR | 8 | 0 |
| DEX | 14 | 7 |
| CON | 13 | 5 |
| INT | 10 | 2 |
| WIS | 12 | 4 |
| CHA | 15 | 9 |
| Total spent | 27 | |
Holding concentration at each Constitution
Bardic Inspiration and every concentration spell a Bard casts compete for the same body, and Constitution 13 is the softest number in this array. With no Constitution save proficiency the bonus stays at +1, which holds the DC 10 floor 60% of the time and falls away quickly once a hit lands above 20 damage.
| CON | Modifier | Save bonus | DC 10 check | 22 damage (DC 11) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | -1 | -1 | 50% | 45% |
| 10 | +0 | +0 | 55% | 50% |
| 12 | +1 | +1 | 60% | 55% |
| 13 ← | +1 | +1 | 60% | 55% |
| 14 | +2 | +2 | 65% | 60% |
| 15 | +2 | +2 | 65% | 60% |
| 16 | +3 | +3 | 70% | 65% |
| 18 | +4 | +4 | 75% | 70% |
Trading the primary score for Constitution
The Bard is the one caster on this site where the trade genuinely moves two numbers. Charisma 15 and 13 sit on opposite sides of a modifier step, and so do Constitution 13 and 15, so four points crossing the array buy a concentration bonus of +2 and pay for it with a spell save DC of 11.
- As recommended — STR 8 · DEX 14 · CON 13 · INT 10 · WIS 12 · CHA 15
- Save DC 12, concentration 60% against DC 10, 33 hit points at level 5.
- Charisma 13, Constitution 15 — STR 8 · DEX 14 · CON 15 · INT 10 · WIS 12 · CHA 13
- Save DC 11, concentration 65% against DC 10, 38 hit points at level 5, for the same 27 points.
Scores where the next point stops paying
- Charisma 15
- Spell save DC 12 at level 1, and a racial +1 on top lifts it to 13 without spending points.
- Dexterity 14
- AC 14 in studded leather without funding a third score for defence.
- Constitution 14
- Concentration at +2 — Hypnotic Pattern only counts for as long as it is held.
What this array gives up to afford that
- Strength at 8
- Nothing on the Bard list scales with Strength, and the class has neither a Strength save proficiency nor a reason to be grappling.
Subclasses that change the array
- College of Valour — STR 12 · DEX 14 · CON 13 · INT 8 · WIS 10 · CHA 15
- Medium armour and a martial weapon mean Strength 12 stops being dead weight at level 3.
- College of Lore — STR 8 · DEX 13 · CON 13 · INT 12 · WIS 12 · CHA 15
- Cutting Words spends the reaction, not a score, so the spare points buy the knowledge skills the college is built around.
- College of Swords — STR 8 · DEX 15 · CON 14 · INT 10 · WIS 10 · CHA 14
- Blade Flourish attacks with Dexterity, so DEX 15 outranks the fifteenth point of Charisma.
Races that fit this spread
| Race | STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half-Elf | 8 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 17 |
| Halfling (Lightfoot) | 8 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 16 |
| Satyr | 8 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 17 |
- Half-Elf. Charisma +2 plus two free +1s is the cleanest fit in the game for a class that wants one high score and two decent ones.
- Halfling (Lightfoot). Dexterity and Charisma together, plus Lucky on the attack rolls a Sword Bard actually makes.
- Satyr. Magic Resistance on a d8 chassis, with the Charisma the spell DC needs.
The mistake this array is built to avoid
Treating Charisma as the only score that matters and leaving Dexterity at 10. A d8 class in light armour at AC 11 spends the fight rolling death saves instead of handing out Bardic Inspiration.
Charisma decides how often a Bard spell lands and Constitution decides how long it stays landed. Funding the first alone produces a DC 12 caster that keeps its own spells three times in five.
Bard ability score questions
What should a Bard put the 15 in?
Charisma, without exception. It sets the spell save DC at 12 from level 1, powers Bardic Inspiration recovery, and doubles as the party face skill. The 9 points it costs are the single best purchase on the sheet.
How much Dexterity does a Bard need?
Dexterity 14 gives AC 14 in studded leather for 7 points. Below 14 the Bard is at AC 12 or 13 on a d8 hit die, and Cutting Words cannot be used while unconscious. A College of Swords Bard pushes it to 15 instead.
Is Constitution 13 enough for a Bard?
It holds concentration at +1, which fails a DC 10 check about 45 percent of the time. Constitution 14 lifts that to +2 and costs only 2 more points, which is why the Lore array trades an Intelligence point to get there.
Can a Bard dump Strength to 8?
Yes. Nothing on the Bard spell list scales with Strength, the class has no Strength save proficiency, and the 0 points a Strength 8 costs are what fund Charisma 15. Only a College of Valour Bard raises it, and only to 12.
Where to go next
- Sorcerer — The other Charisma caster, but on a d6 hit die that changes the Constitution maths.
- Warlock — Charisma-first as well, with short-rest slots that shift where the second-best score goes.
- Every array on this page is a plain 27-point spread, so you can run the numbers in the calculator and see each step priced as you go.