Ultimate Glamour Bard Build for College Domination

The College of Glamour is a fascinating new subclass for the Bard class in Baldur’s Gate 3, introduced with patch 8. This bard excels at leveraging the fears of foes and crafting hazardous surfaces to hinder them.

With access to a wide array of spells, a College of Glamour bard can cripple enemies while also providing critical support to allies. Mastering mind control allows you to manipulate foes, even turning them against one another with this build.

This guide will walk you through creating the ultimate College of Glamour build in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Level 1 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

At level 1, you won’t be able to choose your subclass yet, but you can set up your character with the following attributes.

Race: Half-Elf

Subrace: Drow Half-Elf

Class: Bard

You also get to pick two cantrips as your starting bonus for the bard class.

Vicious Mockery: Insult an enemy, causing them 1d4 Psychic damage and imposing disadvantage on their next attack roll.

Mage Hand: Summons a spectral hand that can manipulate objects.

Additionally, you can learn four spells at level 1. Here are our recommendations:

Healing Word: Restores 1d4 + 3 Hit Points to an ally.

Dissonant Whispers: Deals 3d6 Psychic damage to frighten a creature, inflicting disadvantage on their attack rolls.

Thunderwave: Causes 2d8 damage to enemies and pushes them away.

Longstrider: Increases movement speed by 10 feet.

Skill Points: Strength (8), Dexterity (15+1), Constitution (14), Intelligence (10), Wisdom (10), Charisma (14+2).

With these selections, you’ll gain the following proficiencies:

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords, and Spears.

Skills: Medicine, Deception, Intimidation, Performance, and Persuasion.

Level 2 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

At level 2, your Hit Points increase from 10 to 17, and you gain an action for your class.

Jack of All Trades: Add half of your proficiency bonus to skill checks you aren’t proficient with.

You also receive another bonus action:

Song of Rest: Revitalize yourself and your allies during a short rest.

You can choose one spell now; we recommend Faery Fire.

Faery Fire: Illuminates enemies, making them visible and granting advantage on attack rolls against them.

Level 3 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

Upon reaching level 3, your HP will rise to 24 from 17, and you can now choose your bard subclass.

Subclass: College of Glamour.

This subclass grants you another bonus action:

Mantle of Inspiration: Bestow 5 temporary Hit Points to two allies, charming any attackers.

You can also learn a new spell, and we recommend Hold Person.

Hold Person: Paralyzes an enemy, preventing them from acting or moving. Attacks against them within 10 feet are critical hits.

Level 4 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

At level 4, your HP will increase to 31 from 24. You also receive a bonus cantrip.

Minor Illusion: Creates an illusion that can distract enemies.

Opt for the spell Cloud of Daggers.

Cloud of Daggers: Summons a storm of blades that inflict 4d4 slashing damage to enemies within.

The first feat slot opens as well:

Feat: Ability Improvement: Invest two points in Charisma to raise it to 18.

Level 5 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

By level 5, your HP will rise to 38 from 31, along with these class features:

Font of Inspiration: Regain all Bardic Inspiration after a long or short rest.

Improved Bardic Inspiration: Increases the bonus from Bardic Inspiration by +1d8.

As for spells, choose Fear.

Fear: Causes enemies to drop their weapons and flee, imposing disadvantage on their Ability Checks and Attack Rolls.

Level 6 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

At level 6, your HP will jump to 45 from 38, and you gain two more bonus class actions:

Countercharm: You and your allies within 30 feet have advantage on saving throws against charm and fear effects.

Mantle of Majesty Command: You can command an enemy to approach, retreat, fall, or freeze.

Select Glyph of Warding as your next spell.

Glyph of Warding: Inscribe a protective circle that activates when an enemy steps inside.

Level 7 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

At level 7, your HP rises to 52 from 45. You’ll also access level 4 spells and can select one.

Confusion: This spell causes a group of enemies to act unpredictably, leaving them to attack erratically or skip their turns.

Level 8 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

At level 8, your HP will increase to 59 from 52. Choose Plant Growth for your next spell to aid in crowd control.

Plant Growth: Summons thorny vines that slow down enemies by 25%.

Your first feat slot also unlocks:

Feat: Ability Improvement: Boost both points in Charisma to elevate it to 20.

Level 9 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

At level 9, your HP will rise to 66 from 59, and you can choose a level 5 spell now. We suggest Hold Monster.

Hold Monster: Paralyzes a creature, preventing them from taking action. Attacks within 10 feet of them are always critical hits.

Level 10 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

At level 10, your HP will increase to 73 from 66. You also gain the class feature:

Improved Bardic Inspiration: The bonus from Bardic Inspiration increases to +1d10.

You can now add two more skills; we recommend Intimidation and Performance.

As a bonus cantrip, select Friends.

Friends: Gain advantage on Charisma checks against non-hostile creatures.

Your next spell selection should be Dominate Person.

Dominate Person: Control a humanoid to act on your behalf. Whenever they take damage, they make a Wisdom saving throw against your control, and it can’t be used on allies.

For your Magical Secrets, pick these spells:

Spirit Guardians: Summons a guardian to shield you, dealing 3d8 radiant or necrotic damage to enemies nearby. They take half damage on a successful save.

Hunger of Hadar: Causes 2d6 cold and 2d6 acid damage at the beginning and end of enemies’ turns, also blinding everyone within the sphere.

Level 11 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

When you reach level 11, your health will increase to 80 from 73. Prepare Eyebite as your next spell.

Eyebite: Inflict dread or sickness on an enemy, potentially putting them to sleep.

Level 12 Selections for College of Glamour Bard

At level 12, your HP will rise to 87 from 80. Choose Otto’s Irresistible Dance for your final spell.

Otto’s Irresistible Dance: Forces an enemy to dance uncontrollably, granting you advantage on attack rolls against them.

Moreover, the last feat slot becomes available:

Feat: Alert: This provides a +5 bonus to initiative rolls, and you won’t be surprised.

Best Gear and Accessories for College of Glamour Bard Build

Hood: Hood of the Weave: Roll your damage die with advantage.

Cloak: Cloak of Protection: Increases your Armor Class and Saving Throws by 1.

Armor: Bhaalist Armor: Grants a +2 bonus to initiative rolls. Enemies within 5 feet become vulnerable to piercing damage unless resistant or immune.

Gloves: Helldusk Gloves: Provide a +1 bonus to Spell Attack Rolls, Spell Save DC, and Strength Saving Throws. When attacking with a weapon, deal 1d6 bonus fire damage.

Boots: Evasive Boots: Increase Acrobatics and Armor Class by 1.

Rings: Ring of Protection (provides a +1 bonus to Armor Class and Saving Throws) and Band of Mystic Scoundrel (allows casting illusion or enchantment spells as bonus actions after hitting an enemy).

Amulet: Amulet of Greater Health: Sets Constitution at 23.

Best Weapons for College of Glamour Bard Build

For our recommended College of Glamour Bard build in Baldur’s Gate 3, we suggest using Hellrider’s Longbow as your ranged weapon. Here are its features:

• +1 weapon enchantment.
• Deals 1d8 + 5 piercing damage plus 1d6 fire damage.
• Gains a +3 bonus to initiative rolls and advantage on Perception checks.
• Has a chance once per turn to cast Faerie Fire on an enemy.

For a shield, the legendary Viconia’s Walking Fortress is recommended. Its properties include:

• When hit by a melee attack, use your reaction to deal 2-8 Force damage, knocking enemies prone unless they succeed on a Dexterity Saving Throw.
• Grants advantage on saving throws against spells, while spell attack rolls against you are made with disadvantage.

For your main-hand weapon, consider using the legendary staff, Markoheshkir. Its features are as follows:

• +2 weapon enchantment.
• Deals 1d8 + 10 bludgeoning damage.
• Gives a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and Spell Attack Rolls.
• Includes an Arcane Battery, allowing the next spell cast to be free of a spell slot.
• Features Kereska’s Favor spell.
• Includes a Topple weapon action.