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Bards Should Be Half-Casters in 5.5e/6e
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<blockquote data-quote="Hawk Diesel" data-source="post: 8391541" data-attributes="member: 59848"><p>So I could get behind a half-caster bard. I think they should continue to get cantrips similar to the artificer if that happened. But I can't really make a judgement call one way or the other without seeing the execution of a half-caster bard design.</p><p></p><p>A few interesting mechanics I can think of if this were done:</p><p></p><p>-Rather than being able to maintain concentration on multiple spells at once, perhaps let a bard who is maintaining concentration on an ongoing spell to substitute it with a different concentration spell. Or maybe just any spell, regardless of concentration. A bard concentrating on Calm Emotions could change it to Heat Metal or Silence or Shatter. As long as concentration is maintained, a bard could substitute in a new spell. If they substitute in a spell that has an instantaneous duration or if it would end when all possible targets save on their saving throw, then that would cause the spell to end and prevent further substitution without casting a new spell slot. This would give them flexibility in their spells despite their lower number of spells slots if they were made a half-caster.</p><p></p><p>-Make a bard choose all their spells to have only verbal or somatic components at 1st level (to differentiate a dancer/mime bard vs instrumentalist/singer/orator bard). Even if a spell would normally have other components, for a bard it would only have their chosen component.</p><p></p><p>-Either costing a bardic inspiration or by sacrificing a spell they are already concentrating on, they can use a reaction to counter a spell by another caster. Or maybe just make the casting harder by forcing an opposed caster check or something. The spell would need to have a verbal or somatic component, and the bard can only attempt this on spells that use the component they chose for their own spells. Ok, so that's clear as mud. But as an example, a bard who chooses their spells to only use verbal components could interfere with another caster's spell in this way only if that spell requires a verbal component.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Hawk Diesel, post: 8391541, member: 59848"] So I could get behind a half-caster bard. I think they should continue to get cantrips similar to the artificer if that happened. But I can't really make a judgement call one way or the other without seeing the execution of a half-caster bard design. A few interesting mechanics I can think of if this were done: -Rather than being able to maintain concentration on multiple spells at once, perhaps let a bard who is maintaining concentration on an ongoing spell to substitute it with a different concentration spell. Or maybe just any spell, regardless of concentration. A bard concentrating on Calm Emotions could change it to Heat Metal or Silence or Shatter. As long as concentration is maintained, a bard could substitute in a new spell. If they substitute in a spell that has an instantaneous duration or if it would end when all possible targets save on their saving throw, then that would cause the spell to end and prevent further substitution without casting a new spell slot. This would give them flexibility in their spells despite their lower number of spells slots if they were made a half-caster. -Make a bard choose all their spells to have only verbal or somatic components at 1st level (to differentiate a dancer/mime bard vs instrumentalist/singer/orator bard). Even if a spell would normally have other components, for a bard it would only have their chosen component. -Either costing a bardic inspiration or by sacrificing a spell they are already concentrating on, they can use a reaction to counter a spell by another caster. Or maybe just make the casting harder by forcing an opposed caster check or something. The spell would need to have a verbal or somatic component, and the bard can only attempt this on spells that use the component they chose for their own spells. Ok, so that's clear as mud. But as an example, a bard who chooses their spells to only use verbal components could interfere with another caster's spell in this way only if that spell requires a verbal component. [/QUOTE]
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