D&D 5E Bards have an identity problem!

[FrogReaver]

Merlin is a Bard.

Merlin is a wizard.

 

[Haldrik]

Because the Wizard class can do anything and everything, except heal magic, it is the Wizard that has an identity problem.

If the spells divided up by theme, there would be different kinds of mages, with different kinds of identities.

 

[Cadence]

Merlin Sylvestris was a Bard who Geoffrey of Monmouth later coopted into the legends of King Arthur.

So based on Merlin Im happy with the Bard regaining its historic role as Prophet-Loremaster and mysterious wizard

Merlin is a Bard.

Myrddin Wyllt / Merlin Sylvestris seems like a bard. The co-opted one most people think of and who has the place in popular culture, not so much?

Does the 5e bard match the original source Geoffrey pillaged?

 

[Haldrik]

Merlin is a wizard.

No, he is a Bard.

Merlin is a composite of historical persons, especially Myrddin, a Bard.

The 5e Bard draws largely from British concepts relating to lore about the magical aspects of the Bard.

The 5e Bard also is excellent for mythologically accurate shamans of various other cultures.

The Bard makes sense.

It is the Wizard class that lacks sense.

 

[Haldrik]

Myrddin Wyllt / Merlin Sylvestris seems like a bard. The co-opted one most people think of and who has the place in popular culture, not so much?

Does the 5e bard match the original source Geoffrey pillaged?

The historical Myrddin is mainly a prescient.

The mythological Merlin who advises Arthur and so on, feels more like a shaman − things like shapeshifting, and so on. And the 5e does all of these kinds of magic well.

 

[CleverNickName]

Somewhere, somehow, the Bard class managed to get a reputation as "the character class that can do it all" at my table. So my players are always really surprised when they realize they don't bring anything to the table that wasn't already brought (and done better) by the other characters. Well, except vicious mockery I suppose. That's a pretty fun cantrip.

The bard would make an excellent subclass for rogue or wizard, but as a stand-alone class it just feels uncommitted. Like a diluted wizard, or a rogue with low battery.

 

[FrogReaver]

Somewhere, somehow, the Bard class managed to get a reputation as "the character class that can do it all" at my table. So my players are always really surprised when they realize they don't bring anything to the table that wasn't already brought (and better) by the other characters. Well, except vicious mockery I suppose. That's a pretty fun cantrip.

The bard would make an excellent subclass for rogue or wizard, but as a stand-alone class it just feels uncommitted. Like a diluted wizard, or a rogue with low battery.

Yes but not just that. The supposed way it powers it’s magic just don’t make sense that it would be on par with the other 5e Full casters.

wizards studies magic. Clerics granted magic by the gods. Bards pick up a lite and cast spells?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Yes but not just that. The supposed way it powers it’s magic just don’t make sense that it would be on par with the other 5e Full casters.

wizards studies magic. Clerics granted magic by the gods. Bards pick up a lite and cast spells?

Bard are not just musicians, they're an magical tradition of their own. If a spell can be inscribed in a book then surely it can also be sung?

But ultimately there are too many caster classes and thus their thematic design space is cramped. And of course, as noted, the wizards being 'can do anything with magic except heal' leaves little room for others.

 

[DEFCON 1]

If anyone thinks Bards have an identity problem, no amount of defense that other people give here is going to change that. You either grok the Bard's identity or you don't.

Truth be told, all magic in D&D is a mish-mash and none of it makes any really categorical sense. So the Wizard vs the Cleric is just as wishy-washy as the Wizard vs the Bard, or the Cleric vs the Druid, or the Cleric vs the Warlock, or the Bard vs the Sorcerer etc. etc. etc. Whether you like their identities is all going to be personal preference and I'll bet anyone here $10 that not a single one of you is going to come out of this thread slapping your forehead and saying "Oh my god, you're right! What was I thinking? I GET it now!"

Heh... that ain't happening. So don't even bother trying. Waste of all of your times.

 

[Shiroiken]

Every time I've seen a bard in a group they lift the group up with their support. I've listed a few ways, in due they're not exclusive.

I guess our experiences differ, in the groups I've seen, the bars maintains a very separate identity from the Wizard.

I agree with both of these statements. Bards can seemingly fulfill almost every role in the game, with support being the primary focus. I've seen groups using the Bard as the healer, as the trapfinder, as the face, and as the mage. I've not yet seen a tank bard, but I've been told by others in my group they've seen it in other games. The only thing that seems out of the bard's grasp is great DPR.