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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 7142160" data-attributes="member: 92511">The other thing that I've thought of the Bard, and vacillate over, in my own homebrew system......is making Bards (and Paladins and maybe a couple of other things) their own "Prestige style" class. It kind of harkens back to the 1e original, in that you have to become this and then become that before you are a "Bard" and there's something about that that appeals to me.It also would allow for the "Fighter/Wizard/Rogue(or Ranger or Druid or whatever)" focused flavors of Bards that it seems everyone wants. For example, if you could not be a bard before, say, level 6. So you get in a solid base of Fighter, Mage, Cleric [of a music deity perhaps?], or whatever.THEN, through your travels, experience, studies, interest in, whatever the story justification, you find a Bardic mentor or enter into a Bardic College/organization that broadens your horizons...and things take off from there. The magical voice effects, countering charms, comprehending/translating languages, being a diplomat [or historian/archivist or scald/warlordy guy or womanizing/maneating cad or in-demand musician/entertainer or whatever] In effect Bard IS the subclass...the flavor of bard is based on whatever it was you were before. If you didn't have spellcasting in your pre-bard life, you gain a bit of spell casting ability. If you couldn't use armors or weapons before your bardic life, you get taught how to use them [certain ones, any way].  Maybe only build it out to 10 levels worth of class. So, any time after 6th, you can become a bard...and then that's what you are for the rest of the game...if that takes you to only 16th, so be it. But you're gaining a bag of tricks and abilities nd features that no other class combines in itself. Another way to go, and relatively easy fix, if you want to keep it an independent class, curb the spellcasting and feel more "Bardy" would be to make/use/allow Inspiration Dice as Sorcery Points. So, you want to use your Bardicky goodness to help yourself or other roll, fine. Or you can use an Inspiration Dice (maybe make it two or three at higher levels) to be your "sorcery points" for the day and with those is how you use magic/cast spells. Keep the progression -of what is possible for them to cast within a day- just as it is. Use the Bardic spell list (or not). Spend the Inspiration Die as one would spend Sorcery Points to fuel your magic.Just a thought.</blockquote>

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