Bards - What Makes them Good?

[Klaus]

Bard offers:

- Armor and Weapon choices on par with warlords (and better than clerics).
- Melee and Ranged weapon powers, blast and area implement powers.
- Targets all defenses.
- As an Arcane Class, they can take a feat to use blades as an implement.
- Con/Cha valorous bard offers good HP.
- Multiclass Versatility lets you pick up feats that offer benefits like: mark all adjacent enemies 1/encounter, mark 1 enemy 1/encounter, gain +2 damage for an entire encounter 1/day, deal Sneak Attack 1/encounter, etc.
- Awesome skill monkeiry: up to +3 for all untrained skills with JoaT.

 

[ScorpiusRisk]

Bard offers:
- As an Arcane Class, they can take a feat to use blades as an implement.

I know I've heard this before but I just can't seem to remember. Anyone know the name and source of this feat?

 

[DracoSuave]

I know I've heard this before but I just can't seem to remember. Anyone know the name and source of this feat?

The feat that gives proficiency in an arcane implement is Arcane Implement Proficiency. You can get this level of power for arcane characters in Arcane Power.

 

[ScorpiusRisk]

Thank you.

 

[Rothe_]

There are even songblades and songbows ready to be used as a weaplement without the feat.

 

[Klaus]

There are even songblades and songbows ready to be used as a weaplement without the feat.

Arcane Implement Proficiency (heavy blades) + Dual Implement Caster+ Paired Longsword = x2 enhancement to damage!

 

[keterys]

Except you need the ranger feat for wielding two non-offhand weapons in order to wield two longswords. I ran into that problem when I tried to design a bard the other day - had to switch to shortswords to get around it.

 

[Klaus]

Except you need the ranger feat for wielding two non-offhand weapons in order to wield two longswords. I ran into that problem when I tried to design a bard the other day - had to switch to shortswords to get around it.

True, I forgot about that. But if you go shortswords, by the time you get a +6 paired shortsword your implement attacks will be getting +12 to damage.

 

[keterys]

Or +6 Radiant and +6 Subtle so you get +6 item bonus and +6 with CA and...

 

[Nifft]

The bard is very weak on area effects, and that's a real weakness.

He does get some stand-out area powers, like Song of Storms (e13) and Chant of Bad Fortune (e23).

Not very many, though.

Cheers, -- N