Bards vs Alignment?

[swordsmasher]

Curious question: How come a bard can't be lawful?

While I was making the kool-aid today (orange, 2 litres, 1 cup a sugar, and a two year old tugging on the pants leg) cranking on Manowar, i was curious about this.

I envisioned a Lawful Evil bard in a society where he spreads the glory of the Nation (Big Brother), you know, like a Lawful Evil nation.


what do you guys think?

kc

 

[irdeggman]

PHB pg 104 under Law vs Chaos

"On the downside, lawfulness can include close mindedness, reactionary adherence to tradition, judgmentalness, and a lack of adaptability."

It is the last part which is used to justify bards not being lawful.

At its heart the bard is adaptability and nonpredicatability, neither of which coincides with a lawful alignment. At least that's my opinion on how this works.

 

[IanB]

It probably wouldn't break anything if you house-ruled it.

Note that WotC broke their own bard alignment rules with the D&D stats for the Standardbearer mini - LG bard 1/paladin 2...

 

[Hypersmurf]

Note that WotC broke their own bard alignment rules with the
D&D stats for the Standardbearer mini - LG bard 1/paladin 2...

Not necessarily.

"A bard who becomes lawful in alignment cannot progress in levels as a bard, though he retains all his bard abilities."

If he started as NG, then changed to LG, it's a perfectly legal character

-Hyp.

 

[IanB]

I'll have to retrofit the hps/skill points when I get home to see what order he took the levels.

 

[swordsmasher]

I'll have to retrofit the hps/skill points when I get home to see what order he took the levels.

Thanks. Love the avatar (my very first memory was being 3 and watching Conan on the big screen with my parents.)

 

[The Souljourner]

I agree that it's stupid. Lawful Rogues can stab people in the back, but if you're a singer, you can't sing about the glory of the law. Stupid.

Monks and paladins, sure. Even barbarians, sure. But bards? No way.

-The Souljourner

 

[The Spectrum Rider]

It probably wouldn't break anything if you house-ruled it.

Note that WotC broke their own bard alignment rules with the D&D stats for the Standardbearer mini - LG bard 1/paladin 2...

I house-ruled it (any alignment) and so far it hasn't broken anything.

The Spectrum Rider

 

[Nifft]

I house-ruled it (any alignment) and so far it hasn't broken anything.

Likewise, and likewise for Druids and alignment.

-- N

 

[Darklone]

If you're at it, houserule all alignments

Honestly, given the celtic bards tradition as oral lawkeepers and knowledge dudes, it's strange.