Good feedback.
Viscous Mockery: The piddling damage is always sort of a downside but against inflated health pools and large numbers of enemies in encounters this spell sucked. It didn't help my luck with getting it to stick seemed to be cursed, but there's not a lot of soft targets for wis saves either. In context it doesn't really compete with a crossbow, let alone a crossbow that's been dipped in a candle.
An additional nerf is that you can buff Attack Rolls via High Ground (+2) but you can't similarly buff ST spells. Plus, some enemies (Gith patrol mainly, I think) have inflated stats = inflated STs.
Dissonant Whispers: I'll chalk this one up as unfinished but it's kind of the bread and butter of Bards' spells at low levels and one their very few worth while damaging spells. Missing half its utility is a significant nerf to the class. In fairness it's a spell that is about swinging the reaction economy in a context where major changes are coming to that but this spell need to do what it's meant to do (deny reactions to target, trigger useful reactions in allies)
It's interesting because BG3 originally implemented Frightened as "must use your turn to run away," which would have swung the other way for BG3 Bards' Dissonant Whispers, making it more powerful than 5e RAW.
Friends: This cantrip was the cause of so much frustration for me. It is kind of worthless as implemented. The spell as written is kind of vague on down side but how its been converted into mechanical consequences makes it unusable. You don't really know if the consequence will trigger, if it will be disapproval conversation, which in itself makes the spell a net negative (you've traded a check without advantage for check with advantage followed by a check without advantage, or it's a cantrip with a ridiculously high material component cost), or straight to hostile. The best example I found of this not making the slightest sense was using it at Waukeen's rest with the Bard option to encourage the guards to knock down the door, going immediately to combat... in the middle of a burning building. Even from a simulation point of view it should be specific checks with friends that trigger consequence not any check with an NPC. If you aren't willing to role back the consequences by reloading then this cantrip is far too risky to use, and if you are then why not reload on failure. Either be upfront about what the consequence of using it will be and moderate those down a bit, remove the downside if it can't be implemented sensibly, or remove Friends as a trap spell choice.
I agree that the consequences of this spell should be more clear. A reasonable implementation could be similar to the stealing mechanic; after the spell ends, the NPC comes up to you and you have to persuade/intimidate them not to be hostile. Regardless, the NPC gets -100 attitude towards you. As for surrounding NPCs who witness this...idk, maybe any within 20 ft take a -30 attitude hit..?
In your example, are you saying that the guard you cast Friends on immediately became hostile, or only the surrounding guards? If the latter...then I think that makes sense, if maybe a bit extreme. You did just use magic to influence the mind of their ally; they don't know your full intentions. The casting of Friends is inherently problematic, in addition to any specific things you ask a target to do while Friendly.
