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Message: <blockquote data-quote="James Gasik" data-source="post: 8555480" data-attributes="member: 6877472">Well the xp tables only help them in the early parts of the game.  While it takes 2500 xp for a Mage to hit level 2 and the Bard is already level 3 at that point, by the time the Bard can cast a 10-die fireball at level 10 (160,000 xp), the Mage is level 9, and has a 5th level spell to throw around, an order of magnitude above the Bard's single 4th-level spell.  Because Mages can specialize, they gain more spell slots, and they automatically receive spells when they level up.  Similarly, a 20th level Bard has 6th level spells, but with the same xp, a Mage is 16th level and throwing around 8th level spells; a big difference.The Bard must always find spells to scribe into their book, subject to the same rules as the Mage.  The Bard also does not receive a 10% bonus to experience for having his Prime Requisites at 16 or higher (and unlike the Mage, even if he did, he has two, Dexterity and Charisma vs. Intelligence).This isn't to say the Bard doesn't shine in some situations; their ability to use magic items was superior to the Thief's, they had a chance to identify magic items or produce useful bits of lore without needing magic, and in cases where caster level matters (say you're playing a Spelljammer campaign, a Bard makes for a great helmsman).  But their other abilities are too lackluster; their fighting ability is poor, while they could have better AC, it turns off their spellcasting, and inspiring others is about as useful as a Bless spell, and harder to use.  I would suggest the following: allow Bards to cast spells in armor (no shield).  Or at the very least, allow them to wear leather armor, if that's a sacred cow you're not willing to slay.  Allow for elven chain maybe?  Make bardsong easier to use in battle (one turn as opposed to three full rounds), and provide better bonuses than a simple Bless spell at higher levels.  Trade out Climb Walls and Pick Pockets for more useful abilities to a group (I like Find/Remove Traps and Open Locks to be good choices) so that your Bard provides real utility for a party worried about traps and ambushes, and is a viable alternative to a Thief (or Thief/Mage).And that's probably enough; while I'd like the Bard to have slightly better combat ability, survivability, and magic use, you can't have all three.  If you still find the Bard a bit weak, you could offer them one of two choices at creation: d8 Hit Die and Cleric Thac0 OR the ability to specialize in a school of magic if they desire.</blockquote>

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