Bard Orator = Pointman = Inspiring Leader?

[Tonguez]

Okay replacing the whole 'song' bent with a more Rhetoric/Oratory one (ie a Bard that makes stirring speeches) could/would the Bard make a good Pointman (as per Spycraft usage) and thus model the Inspiring Leader (Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Maximus the Gladiator) who rallies the troops, inspires the mob and leads the them on to glorious victory!

 

[mmadsen]

I prefer the notion of modifying the Aristocrat by giving him the Bard's inspirational powers. That fits the inspiring leader quite well without mixing in the Bard's Rogue-like skills and magic spells.

 

[Nifft]

Personally I'd rather have a class which gives oratory power separately from Aristocratic rank, Rogue skill or magic spells. That way you could have many different kinds of inspirational leaders, from kings with Divine Right (Paladin/Aristocrat/Leader) to rabble-rousers (Rogue/Leader) to revivalists (Cleric/Leader) to grand vizers and necromancer-kings (Wizard/Leader).

Maybe some day...

-- Nifft

 

[Henry]

Personally I'd rather have a class which gives oratory power separately from Aristocratic rank, Rogue skill or magic spells. That way you could have many different kinds of inspirational leaders, from kings with Divine Right (Paladin/Aristocrat/Leader) to rabble-rousers (Rogue/Leader) to revivalists (Cleric/Leader) to grand vizers and necromancer-kings (Wizard/Leader).

How about Expert? His class skills are Diplomacy, Bluff, Sense Motive, Perform, and Intimidate. They don't necessarily need magic powers to inspire, and mixing them with levels in Paladin/Rogue/Cleric/what have you helps define what path they take, and the uses they put their oratory skills to.

Back to the Bard idea - the only thing that a Bard has now that really doesn't fit the package is the magic spells they automatically get. The access to rogue skills don't bother me - mainly because they don't need to be taken, and if they aren't, the character doesn't come off as roguish in ANY way.

However, the automatic granting of spells might be a problem, since you also have the trappings of spells on them (material components). The fact that they are stopped by anti-magic isn't a bother, because anyone who can convince crowds of people to do something against their will could be construed as supernatural, anyway.