Bard suggestion

[ConcreteBuddha]

Okay, I really don't want to start a WHOLE other 145 page thread on bards being broken or not.

I was just thinking of a neat idea and I decided to share it:

What if a Bard casted his spells as divine, not arcane?

He could wear armor, and it wouldn't affect his bard spells. It wouldn't seem like such a contradiction in his class abilities.

His divine focus would be his art, whatever that may be...

Would this overpower the bard?

This switch makes the bard kinda neat to me. He can cast spells, though not as well as a mage, he can heal, though not as well as a cleric, he can fight, though not as well as a warrior type, and he's pretty good at utility, though not as well as the rogue.

And none of them contradict each other...

Granted, I'm not too keen on mage armor in the first place, but I also don't like the idea of a bard in full plate. (Unless he went Bard/Fighter)

But I like skalds using shields, being able to cast spells and being able to fight somewhat...

And the ingame explanation for this?

Have you ever felt the rush of being in front of an audience of 400 people, the exhilaration...?

If that isn't divine, I don't know what is...

(Except for maybe the inner calm of a pure mountain lake. But that's a druid...)

 

[CRGreathouse]

You stated the exact problem I'd have - bards in full plate.

 

[The Kender]

Remember, the DM has final say on EVERYTHING. Might I suggest then that you let Bards use Light Armor & a Buckler or small shield at no penalty. Otherwise, they suffer full spell failure. This is kind of a 75% Divine, 25% Arcane deal.

 

[Ravellion]

My house rule: Arcane Spell Failure % for Bard Spells only is reduced by the perform rank. (20th level Bard could reduce failure by 23% with a maxed out perform)

Rav

(edit: deletion of double word)

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Check out the Geomancer from MOTW.

 

[The Kender]

I like the idea of ignoring a spell failure equel to the bard's perform rank. I think I'll use that next time I DM.