Any good Bard Variants?

[thorimar]

Are there any Bard variants around worth considering? I read the version in the PHB and it leaves me feeling a little flat. I've seen a few PrC in various sources that I like, but I want to make the starting class more interesting. I will be the DM for the campaign this bard will be available in, so any source book or variant will be considered. If you have a reworked version of your own I'd be happy to see them too. Perhaps they will help me realize what I think is missing.

Thorimar

 

[Li Shenron]

Unearthed Arcana has 3 major and 1 minor Bard variants among which a savage-tribal bard, a sage bard and a divine spellcaster bard.
There is also a prestige class version but it has the same features as the core PHB bard, except spellcasting which is that of the arcane class you previously had levels in (Wizard or Sorcerer).

All of those variants don't change the core class completely, but significantly enough to give it a distinctive feel. Together with the other class variants, they are also good examples for variants to make yourself.

 

[Darklone]

Basiran Dancer in the Kalamar Players Guide is a bard variant class more heading towards sword dancer. Stealth&Style is the sourcebook where they are even better defined. They are rather setting specific, but you can still use them somewhere else.

Another spellsinging option in the KPG is the spellsinger, essentially a sorcerer variant... but he sings

To make a more martial oriented bard, I'd use the 3.0 spell list with Magic Weapon, Bulls Strength and other bash goodie spells (Keen Edge and GMW for archer bards). One level of barbarian and you're playing a nice skald.

Minstrel was a non spellcaster bard class somewhere... Sovereign Stone? Conan? Wheel of Time? No idea right now.

Then there's Monte Cooks machine gun bard in the Book of Eldritch Might.