3.5 bard

[JPL]

so can those of you in the know show us what the 3.5 bard is gonna look like (assuming you are human not a gnome)

Anyone who is actually "in the know" is also under an NDA...so you'll just have to wait.

As I recall...more skills points, a modified spell list, and some new uses for bardic music [which might end up being linked directly to level, rather than ranks in Perform].

Oh, and they can cast in armor, right?

 

[Sejs]

From what's been leaked out:

d6 hd (no change)
6+Int Mod skill points/level (up from 4+/lvl)
Don't know about change to skill list
3/4Ba (no change)
Good Ref/Will saves (no change)
Expanded Bardic Music (woot)
Believe their spell list is getting some work
Can cast bard spells in light (possibly medium) armor without ASF%

I'm actually looking forward to the change. Bards that don't suck! What a novel idea~

^_^

 

[Sanackranib]

Re: Re: 3.5 bard

I've got my 3.5e rulebook right here, and let's just say that the Bard has gone through some major changes. Check it out:

**smirk** Gene Simons? well that beats gnomes I guess . . .

 

[Apok]

From what's been leaked out:

d6 hd (no change)
6+Int Mod skill points/level (up from 4+/lvl)
Don't know about change to skill list
3/4Ba (no change)
Good Ref/Will saves (no change)
Expanded Bardic Music (woot)
Believe their spell list is getting some work
Can cast bard spells in light (possibly medium) armor without ASF%

I'm actually looking forward to the change. Bards that don't suck! What a novel idea~

^_^

Well, the current incarnation of Bard doesn't suck, but at least now their abilities won't be contradicting each other. Yay!

I never understood why they gave bards Spells, Light Armor proficiency, and yet no way to mitigate the problem of ASF except Still Spell (which is a pathetic excuse for a workaround). At long last, Bards will now be able to take full advantage of their abilities without hamstringing themselves! Can't wait to see what they've done with Bardic Music. I'm hoping for alot more cool uses that scale well with level, and DC's that are based off of a Perform check.

 

[Zogg]

I hope they increase the number of spells known as well as the speed of the progression. I have a problem with the bard only knowing 4 1st-level spells until he is like level 16 or something. It would be nice if he could know 5 a little sooner.

 

[Nephet]

I also believe that bardic music will be tied to Bard level rather than perform - if not I'm changing it anyway.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I never understood why they gave bards Spells, Light Armor proficiency, and yet no way to mitigate the problem of ASF except Still Spell (which is a pathetic excuse for a workaround). At long last, Bards will now be able to take full advantage of their abilities without hamstringing themselves! Can't wait to see what they've done with Bardic Music. I'm hoping for alot more cool uses that scale well with level, and DC's that are based off of a Perform check.

I wonder if wizards and sorcerers will take 1 level of Bard, just to get the "cast arcane spells in light armor" ability.

Kind of like the current 3E situation where rogues and fighters will take that one level of Ranger to get TWF.

-z

EDIT:
Hmmm... I bet that instead of giving bards a "cast in light armor" ability, they'll just add a bunch of bard spells that don't have any somatic components.

 

[Destil]

I wonder if wizards and sorcerers will take 1 level of Bard, just to get the "cast arcane spells in light armor" ability.

Kind of like the current 3E situation where rogues and fighters will take that one level of Ranger to get TWF.

-z

EDIT:
Hmmm... I bet that instead of giving bards a "cast in light armor" ability, they'll just add a bunch of bard spells that don't have any somatic components.

Most likely it's just that they can cast spells they know as a bard without ASF.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Eek! I certainly hope not. Skill checks scale much much much more quickly than saves; basing saves off of perform checks would be an absolutely horrid idea unless you like the idea of DC 20-40 saves at 10th level and DC 35-60 saves at 20th level.

DC's that are based off of a Perform check.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Andy Collins has said (without specifics) that bardic music will be based on some other mechanic than perform checks -- to prevent a Bard 1/ XXX X from getting the full benefits of bardic music simply by continuing to put ranks in Perform. I've no clue what the new mechanism will be, though.