Faolyn
(she/her)
Oh yeah. I mean, if you don't have another option, then the bard is the shoe-in. I'm talking about in comparison to someone who is dedicated to that role.You can still be the best in your party as a bard, though. For instance, I've been in several games where the bard was the primary healer; a life cleric would have been better, but the party didn't have a life cleric. Or sometimes the bard is the best in the party at a particular skill, thanks to the "jack of all trades" feature, when no one else is trained in that skill.
Of course, even then the bard is sometimes better. Expertise means that the bard can outshine a wizard, cleric, or druid in Arcana, Religion, or Nature.