The 5 Best Races For Bards 5e D&D

Bards are most often considered boisterous, spellcasting musicians who know their way with words and emphasize staying out of physical altercations.

Their best races symbolize their natures, yet since no Bard is the same, each race has distinguishing Bard-like features, and some recognize their individual differences.

Best Races for Bards 5e D&D

5. Human (Standard or Variant)

Ability Score Increase (Standard) – Each score by 1.

Ability Score Increase (Variant) – Two different scores by 1.

Age – Humans mature in their late teens and live less than 100 years.

Alignment – Any

Creature Type – Humanoid

Feat (Variant) – Gain one Feat of your choice.

Size – Medium, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet, and almost any varying Human weight.

Skills (Variant) – Gain proficiency in one skill you choose.

Speed – Base walking speed of 30 feet.

Racial Features (Variant) – Depends on the Variant Human you chose.

Languages – Speak, read, and write Common and one language you choose.

Standard Humans give Bards an increase in all ability scores, while Variant Humans come with a free Feat, which stays valuable throughout the entire campaign.

Standard Humans don’t have any subraces, but the Variant Human even has different marks that might fit your Bard more than the extra Feat, so you have a lot of choices from essentially one race.

4. Tiefling

Ability Score Increase – Charisma by 2.

Age – Tieflings mature the same as Humans but live a few years longer.

Alignment – Tieflings have no innate tendency towards Evil, though many become Evil, and their independent nature pushes them towards a Chaotic nature.

Creature Type – Humanoid

Size – Medium, the same size as Humans.

Speed – Base walking speed of 30 feet.

Racial Features – Darkvision, Hellish Resistance, and Bloodline (your choice).

Languages – Speak, read, and write Infernal and Common.

Tieflings might seem quite dark, but they actually make excellent Bards, especially because of the increased Charisma score.

Hellish Resistance is good when facing a lot of Fire damage, and the fact that you have a ton of Bloodlines furthermore increases your versatility.

3. Half-Elf

Ability Score Increase – Charisma by 2 and two scores you choose by 1.

Age – Half-Elves mature at age 20 and usually live to around 180 years of age.

Alignment – Half-Elves share their Elvish knack for Chaos, but their Human side makes them equally capable of being Good and Evil.

Creature Type – Humanoid

Size – Medium, ranging from between 5 and 6 feet tall.

Speed – Base walking speed of 30 feet.

Racial Features – Darkvision, Fey Ancestry, and Half-Elf Versatility.

Languages – Speak, read, and write Elven, Common, and one other language you choose.

Half-Elves have innate added Charisma, as well as Fey Ancestry, which protects against magic using charms (which is quite ironic since Bards use a lot of charming magic).

You also have the Half-Elf Versatility feature, which lets you choose between various bonuses.

2. Changeling

Ability Score Increase – One score by 2 and a different one by 1 OR Three different scores by 1.

Age – Changelings mature slightly faster than Humans do, yet share a similar lifespan of around 100 years or less.

Alignment – Changelings are realistically Neutral, yet some embrace Evil.

Creature Type – Fey

Size – Medium or Small (choose when picking your race), ranging between 5 and 6 feet in height and with slender builds.

Speed – Base walking speed of 30 feet.

Racial Features – Shapechanger and Changeling Instincts

Languages – Speak, read, and write Common and two other languages you choose.

Changelings can pick their ability scores, but what’s most important is the Shapechanger feature, which allows you to have a dumbed-down Polymorph spell (without taking on its stats).

The Changeling Instincts is also not bad since you gain two added skill proficiencies. 

1. Satyr

Ability Score Increase – One score by 2 and a different one by 1 OR Three different scores by 1.

Age – Satyrs mature and age similarly to how Humans age.

Alignment – Satyrs seek freedom above all else, feeling nothing for Law and gravitate towards being Good, but can sometimes have more Chaotic streaks.

Creature Type – Fey

Size – Medium, ranging from just under 5 feet to around 6 feet in height with more slender builds.

Speed – Base walking speed of 35 feet.

Racial Features – Ram, Magic Resistance, Mirthful Leaps, and Reveler.

Languages – Speak, read, and write Common and one other language deemed appropriate by your DM.

Satyrs lets you choose which ability scores you want, has innate Magic Resistance, and even has the Reveler feature, which fits great with the charismatic aspect of Bards.

It’s, without a doubt, one of the better races to pick when playing as a Bard.

Final Thoughts

Bards might be simple when first observed, but their deeper habits and interesting backstories really bring them to life.

Therefore, by picking the right race, you won’t only have attention-grabbing gameplay but also social interactions to boot!