Bards - Why do so few people play them?
- Thread starter Xilo
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The Sigil
Mr. 3000 (Words per post)
*shameless plug*
The reason most people don't play bards is that most people don't have the Enchiridion of Mystic Music.
Seriously, I think it's because the bard's "special abilities" (Bardic Knowledge and Bardic Music) don't seem as combat-cool (like the monk's) or diverse (fighter bonus Feats) as other classes.
That said, my favorite PC thus far has been a dwarven bard with while proficiency and a Lash of Saumar (Bastion Press' Alchemy & Herbalists), some of the Alchemical Items from Dragon Magazine's "Better Living Through Alchemy" article, a couple of Bardic Music abilities from the Enchiridion of Mystic Music, and maxxed ranks in Alchemy... always playing with new concoctions and being the sort who kept pulling tricks out of his backside... almost gnomish in personality - except that every "trick" was designed for combat effectiveness/power rather than "look what I can do."
Basically, a chanting, drumming, bagpipe-playing guy with a fetish for alchemist's fire, liquid ice, thunderstones, and other such things. Being gruff and dour, he was every bit the "misunderstood chemistry professor" with a touch of craziness. He took joy in the way alchemical concoctions (mineral stuff) worked.
The rest of the party thought he was a little off his nut - until noticing that even when happily tossing alchemist's fire everywhere, he was scrupulously careful not to catch his friends with "Friendly Fire." Very quickly, they realized that while he might seem loopy, he was just eccentric and an excellent, fiercely loyal companion (and tactician - high Cha, Int and average other attributes).
After all, what more epitomizes the dwarves love of earth and stone and mineral than using those things to wipe out your enemies? Much more fun than a lousy axe or hammer (though these are close seconds).
--The Sigil
The reason most people don't play bards is that most people don't have the Enchiridion of Mystic Music.
Seriously, I think it's because the bard's "special abilities" (Bardic Knowledge and Bardic Music) don't seem as combat-cool (like the monk's) or diverse (fighter bonus Feats) as other classes.
That said, my favorite PC thus far has been a dwarven bard with while proficiency and a Lash of Saumar (Bastion Press' Alchemy & Herbalists), some of the Alchemical Items from Dragon Magazine's "Better Living Through Alchemy" article, a couple of Bardic Music abilities from the Enchiridion of Mystic Music, and maxxed ranks in Alchemy... always playing with new concoctions and being the sort who kept pulling tricks out of his backside... almost gnomish in personality - except that every "trick" was designed for combat effectiveness/power rather than "look what I can do."
Basically, a chanting, drumming, bagpipe-playing guy with a fetish for alchemist's fire, liquid ice, thunderstones, and other such things. Being gruff and dour, he was every bit the "misunderstood chemistry professor" with a touch of craziness. He took joy in the way alchemical concoctions (mineral stuff) worked.
The rest of the party thought he was a little off his nut - until noticing that even when happily tossing alchemist's fire everywhere, he was scrupulously careful not to catch his friends with "Friendly Fire." Very quickly, they realized that while he might seem loopy, he was just eccentric and an excellent, fiercely loyal companion (and tactician - high Cha, Int and average other attributes).
After all, what more epitomizes the dwarves love of earth and stone and mineral than using those things to wipe out your enemies? Much more fun than a lousy axe or hammer (though these are close seconds).
--The Sigil
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Draxus the Tainted
First Post
My characters usually tend not to care about the rest of the party! 
KnowTheToe
First Post
Draxus the Tainted said:My characters usually tend not to care about the rest of the party!
Not to rain on anyones parade, but I have to agree with Draxus, So I can sing to help others, and have a few spells that are weaker than my comrads or most opponents of equal level, and until it is fixed, I don't have enogh skill points. So lets go over my skills....I play the taberine and I can juggle and tell jokes. I sing in battle and if it is not all over by the time I am done singing, I can get involved. Singin sminging, Bards are skirt wearing faries that deserve to be mocked. Patoowey on bards.
Zerovoid
First Post
Someone has to say it: The reason not many people play bards is that they are a weak class.
They were my favorite class in 2nd edition, but I don't play them anymore. I actually think 3rd edition has improved on the concept of the bard, and I think the current bardic spell list suits the class very well, but they just are not very good.
Alot of people will say that the bard is good, and that people who think the class is weak just don't want to be a support character.
Well, I say the cleric is twice the support character a bard can ever be. The have approximately twice the spellcasting power of a bard, can wear platemail, and have more hp.
What does the bard get in return? 2 extra skill points, mediocre music abilities, and bardic knowledge.
Those are all nice things to have, but when you consider that the party rogue has probably used his ample 8 skill points to max Diplomacy, Sense Motive, and Bluff, what do you really need the bard for?
In practice, the bard ends up serving as a second string cleric.
They were my favorite class in 2nd edition, but I don't play them anymore. I actually think 3rd edition has improved on the concept of the bard, and I think the current bardic spell list suits the class very well, but they just are not very good.
Alot of people will say that the bard is good, and that people who think the class is weak just don't want to be a support character.
Well, I say the cleric is twice the support character a bard can ever be. The have approximately twice the spellcasting power of a bard, can wear platemail, and have more hp.
What does the bard get in return? 2 extra skill points, mediocre music abilities, and bardic knowledge.
Those are all nice things to have, but when you consider that the party rogue has probably used his ample 8 skill points to max Diplomacy, Sense Motive, and Bluff, what do you really need the bard for?
In practice, the bard ends up serving as a second string cleric.
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Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
Few people play bards because few modules are written that let a bard use his abilities.
Bards are terrific in home games, where the DM can improvise on the fly and can tailor adventures to his players' characters.
Bards suffer when you play in RPGA games or stick to published modules, where the DM often mistakenly feels constrained by the text of the adventure and is often afraid to improvise.
Bards require a good DM. There are few good DMs. Therefore, there are few bards.
-z
Bards are terrific in home games, where the DM can improvise on the fly and can tailor adventures to his players' characters.
Bards suffer when you play in RPGA games or stick to published modules, where the DM often mistakenly feels constrained by the text of the adventure and is often afraid to improvise.
Bards require a good DM. There are few good DMs. Therefore, there are few bards.
-z
NoOneofConsequence
First Post
If our party didn't have a bard, we'd be hard pressed figuring out what anything was, especially magic items. It's not as if a Horn of Blasting (tm) comes with a warranty card and instructions on use.
"This end towards foe."
"This end towards foe."
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