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About Bards.


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#1 Hoo

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Posted 21 July 2012 - 08:31 PM

Hello.

I'd like to suggest something for Bards.

Even though RR did many great works for Bards and I've played each kit many times, I felt that Bards still look less attractive. Their identity can be summarized as "Songs and spell casting ability with weapons".

The revised songs were very good enough imo, but, I think that the current "song or fight" combat strategy of Bards makes them to be merely useful, especially when the characters are low level. So...

I thought the Lingering song HLA would be better to come at low level and normal ability as IWD2 did (the feat can be obtained very early time comparing with the HLA).


Secondly, I felt that Bards should be allowed both wearing 'something' and 'casting spells'. It means that Bards might be able to cast spells with wearing leather armors, or Bards might be able to wear robes.


Since Bards cannot wear robes and cannot cast spells wearing leather armors, they become 'archer' without wearing anything in early of game. Even though they are allowed to do dual wielding by RR, they hardly did in my game playing. Mmm...

But, yes, Bards get more and more be useful indeed according to their level up. I just felt a little sorry about their early time playing.

What do you think about these?

#2 Cal Jones

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Posted 21 July 2012 - 09:57 PM

Yes, I do think bards need to be able to wear something. I don't see why (as casters) they can't wear mage robes, for instance. I took a bard through BG1 (and I've had Garrick and Eldoth along for a couple of runthroughs) and it's a big handicap. Why take a bard when you can have a mage (in robes that add benefits) or a fighter (in armour)?

#3 Hoo

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Posted 21 July 2012 - 11:10 PM

Exactly. And I hope Bards can open locks with pick pockets, haha. Then Bards would more outshine than now.

#4 -gkathellar-

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Posted 30 July 2012 - 05:50 AM

The OP has a point. I don't want to underwrite all the work RR has done to improve the bard, but it's still true that bard, as a class, still doesn't actually do anything of particular value. The bard is a Jack-of-All-Trades, which helps its subpar casting and fighting to some degree, but it's also the worst Jack-of-All-Trades. A fighter/mage or mage/thief can do everything a bard is intended to do better and twice on Sundays. The song, which is supposed to make up for this, is mutually exclusive with actually doing anything as a character. It puts the class in a situation where it can either play the role of a subpar fighter/mage, or you can turn one of your six character slots into a set of passive bonuses and a hunk of HP. There's no situation where that space wouldn't be better-occupied by a character who can actually do things effectively.

Given this, the Lingering Song point is probably far more important than the armor point, although limited armor or robe access would certainly help. But as is, even with the massive improvements to the bard kits, either you're getting a terrible fighter/mage, or a terrible set of buffs.