Bards: Arcane or Shadow?

[Klaus]

Bard Powers:

Pump Up The Volume: Encounter, +d10 sonic damage to an ally's next hit.

Walk this Way: at will, allow one ally to shift towards the bard.

Stairway to Heaven: Daily, once per day, when the Bard dies, a stair appears and a host of Axes come and take one +30 v WILL attack action on all opponents, on hit 10d6 points of damage and stunned until successful save, on miss stunned for one round.

Ooh, let's do this!


More Bard Powers:

God of Thunder: Encounter; close burst 5, 3d10 sonic and 3d10 electricity damage.

Born to Run: Encounter; bard and one ally within 5 squares gain +6 speed until the end of bard's next turn. Neither provoke Opportunity Attacks if they run.

 

[TwinBahamut]

I think it would be best if the Bard has a Music power source (after all, Music has a very distinct role in both the fantasy genre and real-life that makes it as unique or more than any current power source), but barring that, Arcane fits it best in my opinion.

I really don't think Shadow Power Source fits the Bard very well. Shadow is essentially the Death power source, and while it is stated as having illusion as part of it, there is so much other baggage tied into that that it wouldn't work very well. Besides, illusion is probably a part of the Arcane and Psionic power sources as well.

 

[Amakar]

Power Source

I am actually thinking that the bard works by motivating inner feelings, or touching the heart with music. While it could be said ot be arcane, or shadowy.. I would think that the source of much of the bards inspiring abilities is Primal. - It would also hit the need for a primal leader.

Also, an aside. I hear talk about Shadow power sources, and Primal, and Psi... what about Ki?

It would seem that Monk, Samurai, Ninja and the other oriental class types would fit nicely in a 'Ki' group.

It seems to be a natural fit but noone's mentioned it (that I've read anyway)

 

[Gloombunny]

Earlier on I was hoping that bards would be primal, so they'd be linked to druids as they ought to be. But now it seems like primal is more about the material world and stuff dealing with the Feywild is more arcane (such as eladrin wizards), so I want bards to be arcane.

The fey link is important to me - it's the only way I can see a singing storytelling character and not hate it immediately.

 

[Gloombunny]

It would seem that Monk, Samurai, Ninja and the other oriental class types would fit nicely in a 'Ki' group.

It seems to be a natural fit but noone's mentioned it (that I've read anyway)

It's been mentioned just about every time that people wonder what the monk will be.

I hate the idea, personally... we don't need "Asian" to be a power source. Samurai should be fighters.

 

[LowSpine]

I think Bards should be built up from the Primal power source, tapping on the primal song of creation itself, and having a thematic link to Druids.

I was going to put almost the exact same thing until I read this - so I will just say Seconded.

 

[Belorin]

Ooh, let's do this!

More Bard Powers:

God of Thunder: Encounter; close burst 5, 3d10 sonic and 3d10 electricity damage.

Born to Run: Encounter; bard and one ally within 5 squares gain +6 speed until the end of bard's next turn. Neither provoke Opportunity Attacks if they run.

Here's a couple more;

I Am Ironman: Encounter
Bard Feature 1
Area: one ally within 3 squares
Effect: the Bard increases one ally's defenses by +4 till the end of the Bard's next turn.

Welcome to My Nightmare: Encounter
Bard Attack 1
Area: blast 5
Attack +4 vs.Will
Effect: all foes in the blast area are affected as by the Scare spell.

What exactly a Ki power source? I know that Ki or Chi or Qi or even Prana refers to life energy allowing the body to perform beyond it's normal capabilities, but this seems to be what the martial power source is all about at higher levels.

Bel

 

[Gloombunny]

What exactly a Ki power source? I know that Ki or Chi or Qi or even Prana refers to life energy allowing the body to perform beyond it's normal capabilities, but this seems to be what the martial power source is all about at higher levels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orientalism

 

[LowSpine]

I am actually thinking that the bard works by motivating inner feelings, or touching the heart with music. While it could be said ot be arcane, or shadowy.. I would think that the source of much of the bards inspiring abilities is Primal. - It would also hit the need for a primal leader.

Also, an aside. I hear talk about Shadow power sources, and Primal, and Psi... what about Ki?

It would seem that Monk, Samurai, Ninja and the other oriental class types would fit nicely in a 'Ki' group.

It seems to be a natural fit but noone's mentioned it (that I've read anyway)

I cannot think of a more SHADOW character than the Ninja. I know it is Asian themed but that isn't a good reason to just pop it in with the Monk and Samurai. The same way Tao Wizard should not be Ki either.

I wish they would not use the Ki power source. They need to give it a different name. For a start the Monk is Chinese where they use Chi and is not the same as Ki. Shaolin never use Ki. They should create a new named power source that encompasses both Ki and Chi but leave behind the specifically Earth Asia flavour. They would still be the same. Wizards, rogues, clerics and fighters are not stuck in Western Europe flavour - they can be from virtually any where so why not Ki classes.

They should use lesser known names as well such as Shinobi instead of Ninja.

 

[Klaus]

I cannot think of a more SHADOW character than the Ninja. I know it is Asian themed but that isn't a good reason to just pop it in with the Monk and Samurai. The same way Tao Wizard should not be Ki either.

I wish they would not use the Ki power source. They need to give it a different name. For a start the Monk is Chinese where they use Chi and is not the same as Ki. Shaolin never use Ki. They should create a new named power source that encompasses both Ki and Chi but leave behind the specifically Earth Asia flavour. They would still be the same. Wizards, rogues, clerics and fighters are not stuck in Western Europe flavour - they can be from virtually any where so why not Ki classes.

They should use lesser known names as well such as Shinobi instead of Ninja.

Since the waning days of 3.5, WotC has been equating Ki with Psionics.