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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Alexemplar" data-source="post: 7085456" data-attributes="member: 6874182">Fluff-wise, the fact that the 5e Bard page shows us a smirking elf with a lute/guitar. And the constant references to music, being an entertainer, and the approach that their knowledge comes mostly in the form of rumors and personally embellished tales.  It does a very good job of contrasting the Bard as a genial, charming, sly spinner of yarns with other more knowledge based classes like the Wizard and Warlock. Even the class name Bard, despite its original origins is -in modern contexts- more commonly encountered as a synonym for a poet/minstrel/musician/entertainer.   Mechanics-wise despite the change of Bardic Song to Bardic Inspiration (which still describes it as singing/music), we still get Song of Rest, and a spell list that focuses on illusions, charms, trickery but not much in terms of knowledge/divination etc.  And the automatic proficiency with musical instruments which are also your spellcasting focus. You have to make a very specific effort to not fall into the stereotypical musical trickster shtick. The Skald comes across as more of a subversion than anything.   And that's just 5e D&D. Not touching upon art/class abilities/options in other editions or in regards to the many D&D imitators I alluded to.  I would compare the D&D Bard class and description to those of classes like the Noble from Star Wars or the Sage/Keeper from Fantasycraft. They fill a similar role in the game to the D&D Bard and even have very similar mechanics, but their descriptions don't really bring to mind a more flamboyant wandering entertainer- even though they could very easily be used to make one and such characters are cited as examples.</blockquote>

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