The AD&D 1st Edition bard class ...

Christian · Feb 18, 2002

... is the original Prestige Class.

Third Edition has been out for ages, and I just noticed that. Odd.

James McMurray · Feb 18, 2002

Yeah, but those requirements were prety freaking hard to get.

Henry · Feb 18, 2002

Absolutely! Very, very difficult to get, but the player had more of the prestige than the character did, if he or she attained it.

In fact, there were sort of prestige classes in the Wizardry series as well - possibly inspired by the Bard from 1E.

I had a human once that aspired to be a Bard - but he died in an adventure, and was reincarnated - because the group wizard (the bastard) thought it would be funny for me to come back as a bunny rabbit or a gnome. It kind of shocked him when I came back as a troll.

So, I followed him and played a harp nonstop and sung in my troll voice at all hours - just to tcik him off.

Enforcer · Feb 18, 2002

You remember the Bard's Tale computer games? Those had prestige classes as well. Your magician could become a conjurer who could become a sorcerer who could become an archmage. Cool games, those were.

Zappo · Feb 18, 2002

The Demise game had prestige classes of a sort, too. All classes had requirements, but a good number had so high ones that you could only reasonably take them after having upped your stats in the game (by finding potions of stat upping or whatever).

SableWyvern · Feb 18, 2002

Christian said:
... is the original Prestige Class.

Third Edition has been out for ages, and I just noticed that. Odd.

I've already listed the 1st ed Bard as my favourite prestige class in 2 ENWorld surveys.

I'll take this opportunity to make my love of real Bards public once more.

djrdjmsqrd · Feb 18, 2002

Now this is something...

…That I have been thinking about. Since 3E came out I have truly loved the version, however, the Bard just didn't feel right. So, to rectify the problems I was feeling, I left the Bard as a PrC instead of a standard class. Adding some small requirements.

Having never played AD&D 1E, started playing d20 on the heels of 2E, I am wondering if some one, old-school player, could post his/her view of what the 1E Bard would look like as a 3E PrC? Any chance of that happening?

SableWyvern · Feb 18, 2002

Re: Now this is something...

djrdjmsqrd said:
…That I have been thinking about. Since 3E came out I have truly loved the version, however, the Bard just didn't feel right. So, to rectify the problems I was feeling, I left the Bard as a PrC instead of a standard class. Adding some small requirements.

Having never played AD&D 1E, started playing d20 on the heels of 2E, I am wondering if some one, old-school player, could post his/her view of what the 1E Bard would look like as a 3E PrC? Any chance of that happening?

I don't have any 1e material with me, and its been a long time since I even looked at a true bard, but some broad stats might be:

Requirements:
BAB: +8
10 ranks in each of decipher script and use magic device
6 ranks in each of disable device, diplomacy
Ability to disarm traps above DC20 as a class feature (to force thief class)
Weapon Mastery (to force fighter class)
Find Druid tutor

d6 hit die

6 skill points/level
Class skills: as core bard

Druid spell progression and list, up to 10th caster level. Caster level based on bard levels.

Bard levels stack with fighter levels for fighter bonus feats.
Bard levels stack with thief levels for sneak attack damage.

Cleric bab progression.

Bardic Music and Bardic Knowledge at 1st level.

A bard who develops a level in any class apart from bard can never again increase his bard level.

Probably some major problems in there, but it just came off the top of my head.

djrdjmsqrd · Feb 18, 2002

Hmmm...

This has me thinking a great deal. I have had the privilege of talking on a one-on-one basis with many of the people from WotC (from different departments…manly the authors and a few others) and come to respect the work they have done. As far as 3E is concerned I love it - even the ranger (the only problem is I allow the Ambi/TWF to trade for RS/PS).

The PrC idea is greet, only problem I have is all the clones (i.e. you have so-and-so’s Ninja, and that other’s guy’s ninja). Are there some 1E who would work on this with me?