D&D 5E (2014) Anyone else think the Bard concept is just silly?

[Aldarc]

I love just how un-Greek Orpheus looks here. Dude's paler than a sheet!

That's because he's not Greek; he's Thracian.

 

[Derren]

Words are for wimps! Heroes solve all their problems with violence!

In D&D that is usually the case especially in a random encounter.
So just imagine that in this picture a lion is mauling the dwarf cleric while the human decapitates a leopard with his greatsword while Orpheus plays his harp.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

You can make everyone look heroic in a specially crafted scene where he is the only protagonist, but how would Orpheus look like in a generic random encounter with dire wolves while he viciously mocks them?

Well, assuming he didn't just charm them or make them flee by the magic of his music, I'd guess he would be stabbing wolves with the rest of his companions while inspiring them to feats of even greater heroism and confusing or distracting the wolves. Probably with song rather than harp.

 

[Yunru]

Well, assuming he didn't just charm them or make them flee by the magic of his music, I'd guess he would be stabbing wolves with the rest of his companions while inspiring them to feats of even greater heroism and confusing or distracting the wolves. Probably with song rather than harp.

Nonsense, a Harp is a much better stabbing instrumemt than a song

 

[Aldarc]

Nonsense, a Harp is a much better stabbing instrumemt than a song

But a song can B sharp.

 

[Guest 6801328]

I will agree that the way bards are interpreted by most players I meet leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Doesn't mean the concept is bad.

EDIT: In any event, pretending you are an elf casting magic spells to slay a dragon is also silly. So....yeah. Whatever.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Nonsense, a Harp is a much better stabbing instrumemt than a song

But a song can B sharp.

And someone with a suitably penetrating voice can produce quite piercing tones.

 

[Lylandra]

Just want to throw in Luthien Tinuviel into the ring. She basically did everything Orpheus did (oh, and she succeeded), pleaded with and put to sleep the maybe mightiest god-like power in her world and also befriended a giant hound which became so loyal he helped her defeat Sauron. If you'd ask me of a picture of a really powerful, epic solo bard, Luthien is your woman.

But I agree that bards and the usual bardic way of solving problems (at least how it is depicted in fiction) doesn't work too well in your standard D&D troupe where social encounters only happen with people who are at least indifferent towards you. However, if your group agrees on using violence only as the second-best answer to running an encounter, then having a bard around is pure gold.

 

[Garthanos]

Flesh coated in pale lumps of green and darkest shale
you cannot kill with fire for its after your ire.
A litany of hate, it thinks makes it great
A sirens call somehow discordant and small
to those imagination suppressed
rubbing in others face his song without grace
a haggle toothed grin
do not call him on his sin.
opinion opinion a shield some raise for him!!!
he laughs in ironic mockery
dredging up darkest comradery.
how droll

 

[Alexemplar]

I like the idea of the magical power in words, knowledge, and even music. I love the idea of a class that focuses more on their ability to control/influence/manipulate/inspire others rather than kill them.

I don't like how D&D and its imitators have so closely bound said powers to what's essentially the spoony minstrel character in terms of fluff and mechanics.