Divine Bard

[Wik]

So, making Wik PC #3, and I'm gonna go with Bard, I think. I was looking at the Divine Bard, and I generally like what I see.

You get a few spells to your spell list which are alright, but in return you wind up having to split points between wisdom and charisma, instead of just loading into charisma as with regular bards.

I think, to give the clas a bit more "oompf" and flavour, changing the skill list around:

ADD Heal and Spot (two more wisdom-based skills; both of which would help a "buffer" or healing-based bard)
LOSE Appraise, Intimidate, Escape Artist, Forgery, and Disguise (more roguish skills, or criminal skills, that don't mesh as well, I think).

 

[Rystil Arden]

I'll vote YES to the as-written Divine Bard and perhaps the variant with your proposed skill list changes if you explain one thing--I know it's a Wisdom skill, and I also know it's very powerful, but why does Spot make sense for a Divine Bard when the Bard doesn't have it? Heal I totally get though and agree with you.

 

[Wik]

I'll vote YES to the as-written Divine Bard and perhaps the variant with your proposed skill list changes if you explain one thing--I know it's a Wisdom skill, and I also know it's very powerful, but why does Spot make sense for a Divine Bard when the Bard doesn't have it? Heal I totally get though and agree with you.

Spot gets added because a) Bards should have it anyway and b) Doctor's and other healers are usually good at picking up on things. After all, perception is sort of necessary in that line of work. Since I see the Divine Bard as something of a doctor or priest, both of whom tend to pick up on details the average man would miss, I think spot should be a class skill.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Spot gets added because a) Bards should have it anyway and b) Doctor's and other healers are usually good at picking up on things. After all, perception is sort of necessary in that line of work. Since I see the Divine Bard as something of a doctor or priest, both of whom tend to pick up on details the average man would miss, I think spot should be a class skill.

Other doctors and priests don't get Spot though--I can see adding anything else from the Cleric skill list, but there aren't any more other than Heal. And if you mean spotting something during a physical examination for a diagnosis, I think that's actually covered by Heal.

 

[Wik]

Other doctors and priests don't get Spot though--I can see adding anything else from the Cleric skill list, but there aren't any more other than Heal. And if you mean spotting something during a physical examination for a diagnosis, I think that's actually covered by Heal.

Fair enough. But when I say "doctors and priests", I'm thinking Experts. And I guess I'm just thinking more along the lines of mystery novels over fantasy, here, where those characters usually solve crimes (and typically have ranks in Spot).

I'm fine with just adding Heal as a class skill, but I think we should knock some skills back on to the list - Intimidate and Disguise, maybe?

 

[Rystil Arden]

Fair enough. But when I say "doctors and priests", I'm thinking Experts. And I guess I'm just thinking more along the lines of mystery novels over fantasy, here, where those characters usually solve crimes (and typically have ranks in Spot).

I'm fine with just adding Heal as a class skill, but I think we should knock some skills back on to the list - Intimidate and Disguise, maybe?

Ah, I see. For a detective doctor, consider the Master Inquistive class and the Investigator feat. That could be quite cool!

I'd be okay with adding back Intimidate and Disguise. The issue with taking some skills off and some skills on by choice, of course, is that if the skills taken off were ones the player wouldn't want in the first place but the new ones she'll take, then there was a gain that didn't really have a commensurate loss (even if more skills were lost). That said, I personally have no problem with it because it fits the Divine Bard quite well to have Heal.

 

[Wik]

Alright. So one vote for Divine Bard, with Heal added to list (and Forgery, Appraise, and Escape Artist off the list).

 

[Rystil Arden]

Alright. So one vote for Divine Bard, with Heal added to list (and Forgery, Appraise, and Escape Artist off the list).

Yep, and I also vote to allow the regular version. It may be a favourable trade to lose those three if you just want Heal, but if someone else wants to be a Halfling DB with maxed Escape Artist and doesn't care about Heal, I'm for letting her do it also.

 

[Velmont]

I think you should simply exchange Heal for Forgery and Escape Artist. Appraise is not simply a value loot skill, it is also a mercantile skill, perfect for merchant like people, and a Divine Bard who want to be some kind of mercantile healer, like a bearer of the Mark of Healing.

 

[Rystil Arden]

I'm okay with that too, really.