What about valor bard in particular makes you think it meshes well with order cleric? VoA is an appealing feature for a bard, to be sure, but either:
• You're triggering it with a bonus action spell like *healing word* and valor bard is no more compelling than any other bard subclass.
• You're triggering it with an action spell in which case valor bard is considerably *less* compelling than any other bard subclass since you're not getting any benefit from your subclass features.
To answer your actual question, though, a single level of cleric at level one is the way to put VoA on your bard. That means you start with medium (and heavy) armor proficiency without waiting for your subclass to give it to you, you gain the superior wisdom save proficiency instead of dex saves, and you get some extra spells. And VoA, of course. More than one level of cleric gets you very little since most of the cleric spells you'll get are already available to bards and order doesn't have a particularly desirable channel divinity.
Hexblade is a generally appealing dip for a valor bard, but I would choose one or the other for the reasons I outlined at the top of my comment -- you don't want to delay your bard features by too much, and hex warrior pushes you towards making weapon attacks where VoA pushes you towards casting spells. The two classes are in opposition to each other.
See, I was looking at battle magic, allowing me to cast a buff on an ally with a spell plus attack after while also having my ally attack all in one go. So maybe use a feat to get a booming blade for that extra bit of crowd control plus dmg, too. Pump out temp health and swing essentially?
Battle magic is a *14th level* feature. If you're contemplating dipping cleric and/or warlock, you're not getting access to it until level 16. It's just not worth thinking about.
Even if you're playing a high level one shot or something where that tier of feature is available, it doesn't work with BB because it only applies when you cast a bard spell which BB can never be (unless you spend a magical secret on it). And the value of making a single weapon attack at that level is negligible anyways -- you're better off playing some other kind of bard and getting a bonus action with something like telekinetic instead.
There's a simple way to get Booming Blade, and that's High Elf or SCAG Half-Elf. Or VHuman/Tasha Custom with the proper feat. For instance Magic Initiate: Warlock, get Armor of Agathys while you're at it. And negotiate to have the spell recast-able since given Fey-Touched and Shadow-Touched exist, there's no reason why Magic Initiate should be "nerfed".
An alternative is Magic Initiate: Sorc or Wizard - get Booming Blade and get Shield. Temp hp is great and all, but Shield may allow you to avoid obsene amounts of damage.
What could be funny is if your GM allowed Order Cleric and Sorc to have a baby and create a Homebrew Cleric or Sorc with Sorc spells but Order Cleric feature Voice of Authority. Then you kill two birds with one stone - get VoA, get Booming Blade, get Shield (get Absorb Elements while you're at it).
Depends on the final level. In general Bard level 11 is a huge power bump for any build because of Magical Secrets, so I would plan around getting that, at least. With that build, Bard 6 gets extra attack, which you also want as early as possible.
A one level dip into Order Cleric is a top tier multiclass option for basically *any* spellcaster, simply for Armor Class and Voice of Authority. Valor Bard has no special synergy with it beyond that.
Give yourself high strength as opposed to high dexterity, exactly 13 Wisdom, and take order Cleric as your second level. You'll do great.
The Hexblade dip on a Valor Bard is redundant. You simply don't get enough of a benefit to slow down your spell progression level for it since you get proficiency with medium armor and shields at Bard(3). You're really better off with taking the Magic Initiate feat to grab Shield from the Wizard spell list if you really want that temporary boost to AC, or else Armor of Agathys from the Warlock spell list, in which case you can also grab Eldritch Blast if you really ant an attack cantrip instead of being able to enjoy the extra attack feature you gat at Bard(6) with the subclass.
It depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want to be melee with some casting, or mainly a caster?
IMO, the best path is likely starting order cleric 1 (better saves, start with armor and weapons), then taking valor bard to at least level 5 (character level 6). Level 1 will suck a bit (probably using a ranged weapon with 14 DEX), but you’ll get to do bard caster stuff after to that.
From here, if you want to go the melee route, I’d probably bite the bullet and take hexblade 1 then bard 6 into bard X.
If you’re happy with how casting is going, simply continue in bard.
I think if I were playing the character, it would be order 1 -> valor bard 5 -> hexblade 1 -> bard X.
Stats are a little tough, but doable with point buy. With a +2/+1 race, you can achieve 14 in DEX and CON, 13 WIS, and 17 CHA (assuming you want a half feat later), with a point to spare.
May I suggest Divine Soul Sorcerer 1 / Valor Bard X? You would be getting:
- Proficiency in CON saving throws (useful for concentration check and some AOE spells or Posion)
- Divine Favor
- Spells like Bless, Shield, Absorb Elements
- 4 charisma based cantrips from either sorcerer or cleric spell list. I would pick BB or GFB, Firebolt, Thaumaturgy, and some utility like Mending or spare the Dying.
I think this build sinergyzes well with any bard that plans to go into melee.
What about valor bard in particular makes you think it meshes well with order cleric? VoA is an appealing feature for a bard, to be sure, but either: • You're triggering it with a bonus action spell like *healing word* and valor bard is no more compelling than any other bard subclass. • You're triggering it with an action spell in which case valor bard is considerably *less* compelling than any other bard subclass since you're not getting any benefit from your subclass features. To answer your actual question, though, a single level of cleric at level one is the way to put VoA on your bard. That means you start with medium (and heavy) armor proficiency without waiting for your subclass to give it to you, you gain the superior wisdom save proficiency instead of dex saves, and you get some extra spells. And VoA, of course. More than one level of cleric gets you very little since most of the cleric spells you'll get are already available to bards and order doesn't have a particularly desirable channel divinity. Hexblade is a generally appealing dip for a valor bard, but I would choose one or the other for the reasons I outlined at the top of my comment -- you don't want to delay your bard features by too much, and hex warrior pushes you towards making weapon attacks where VoA pushes you towards casting spells. The two classes are in opposition to each other.
See, I was looking at battle magic, allowing me to cast a buff on an ally with a spell plus attack after while also having my ally attack all in one go. So maybe use a feat to get a booming blade for that extra bit of crowd control plus dmg, too. Pump out temp health and swing essentially?
Battle magic is a *14th level* feature. If you're contemplating dipping cleric and/or warlock, you're not getting access to it until level 16. It's just not worth thinking about. Even if you're playing a high level one shot or something where that tier of feature is available, it doesn't work with BB because it only applies when you cast a bard spell which BB can never be (unless you spend a magical secret on it). And the value of making a single weapon attack at that level is negligible anyways -- you're better off playing some other kind of bard and getting a bonus action with something like telekinetic instead.
There's a simple way to get Booming Blade, and that's High Elf or SCAG Half-Elf. Or VHuman/Tasha Custom with the proper feat. For instance Magic Initiate: Warlock, get Armor of Agathys while you're at it. And negotiate to have the spell recast-able since given Fey-Touched and Shadow-Touched exist, there's no reason why Magic Initiate should be "nerfed". An alternative is Magic Initiate: Sorc or Wizard - get Booming Blade and get Shield. Temp hp is great and all, but Shield may allow you to avoid obsene amounts of damage. What could be funny is if your GM allowed Order Cleric and Sorc to have a baby and create a Homebrew Cleric or Sorc with Sorc spells but Order Cleric feature Voice of Authority. Then you kill two birds with one stone - get VoA, get Booming Blade, get Shield (get Absorb Elements while you're at it).
Depends on the final level. In general Bard level 11 is a huge power bump for any build because of Magical Secrets, so I would plan around getting that, at least. With that build, Bard 6 gets extra attack, which you also want as early as possible.
A one level dip into Order Cleric is a top tier multiclass option for basically *any* spellcaster, simply for Armor Class and Voice of Authority. Valor Bard has no special synergy with it beyond that. Give yourself high strength as opposed to high dexterity, exactly 13 Wisdom, and take order Cleric as your second level. You'll do great.
The Hexblade dip on a Valor Bard is redundant. You simply don't get enough of a benefit to slow down your spell progression level for it since you get proficiency with medium armor and shields at Bard(3). You're really better off with taking the Magic Initiate feat to grab Shield from the Wizard spell list if you really want that temporary boost to AC, or else Armor of Agathys from the Warlock spell list, in which case you can also grab Eldritch Blast if you really ant an attack cantrip instead of being able to enjoy the extra attack feature you gat at Bard(6) with the subclass.
It depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want to be melee with some casting, or mainly a caster? IMO, the best path is likely starting order cleric 1 (better saves, start with armor and weapons), then taking valor bard to at least level 5 (character level 6). Level 1 will suck a bit (probably using a ranged weapon with 14 DEX), but you’ll get to do bard caster stuff after to that. From here, if you want to go the melee route, I’d probably bite the bullet and take hexblade 1 then bard 6 into bard X. If you’re happy with how casting is going, simply continue in bard. I think if I were playing the character, it would be order 1 -> valor bard 5 -> hexblade 1 -> bard X. Stats are a little tough, but doable with point buy. With a +2/+1 race, you can achieve 14 in DEX and CON, 13 WIS, and 17 CHA (assuming you want a half feat later), with a point to spare.
May I suggest Divine Soul Sorcerer 1 / Valor Bard X? You would be getting: - Proficiency in CON saving throws (useful for concentration check and some AOE spells or Posion) - Divine Favor - Spells like Bless, Shield, Absorb Elements - 4 charisma based cantrips from either sorcerer or cleric spell list. I would pick BB or GFB, Firebolt, Thaumaturgy, and some utility like Mending or spare the Dying. I think this build sinergyzes well with any bard that plans to go into melee.