How/Can you roleplay a non-musical bard?

[DJCupboard]

How about a smack talking (for discouraging enemies) bard who is just real good at the right kind of encouragement to get his friends going too. Try Perform (motivational speaker). "And I know, friends, that if you gig deep into the well of your own self-empowerment, the courage, the tenacity, the will to overcome these obstacles is well within your capable reach. All you have to do, friends, is try and the power can be yours!" "I feel the power coming from you today! I see it in your eyes! If you try, really try, and put your all into, I know, and believe me, I've seen it before a thousand times, you too can be successful!"

 

[cmanos]

Now and then I've contemplated playing a bard but I've always been put off by my own complete lack of musical ability (I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket) which leaves me stumped as to how to RP a bard at the gaming table.

Thankfully, 3.5E Bards offers a few "Performing" non-musical options I think I can use, especially things like Acting and Oratory, maybe even Comedy.

I'm still a little fuzzy on how to present that kind of Performing at the gaming table when using the Bard's Perform-based abilities.

I think it will wear a little thin if all I can say is "I rattle off a quick speach/joke/poem to Inspire everyone's Confidence".

Can anyone offer any tips?

Think the insiprational St. Crispan's Day monologue from Henry V and you'll be on the right path.

 

[DragonLancer]

Play a storyteller, rather than a minstrel. Be the chronicler of the party's exploits. Wander the land telling stories of heroism, vanquished evil and the like... teaching the common man moral tales.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Juggle and Balancing act.
Knife Thrower.
Ribbons and dance (Olympic gymnastic event).
Mime is just going to get you killed but I hear dwarves get a kick out of them doing golems and orc in a box.

 

[Mark Hope]

I've posted this idea before, but it might bear repeating. The bard class in my game is called the thaneblooded. They are modelled after the Dunedain from Lord of the Rings - in their veins runs the blood of a lost kingdom, giving them sorcerous abilities, deep insight into the ways of men, lore of legendry and forgotten myths, and the ability to stir the soul with their voice. They don't use music, but instead rely upon oration, heroic exhortations and an almost mystical insight into the soul to power their abilities. Some do sing (if the player is so inclined to reproduce something along the lines of Aragorn's bouts of elvish music) but this is not the focus of the class. It works really well and has done away with the "dude with a lute" image completely. If you use Arcana Evolved, they work especially well with The Voice feat and mirror the Bene Gesserit from Dune in this way as well.

(For spellsingers, I instead use Monte Cook's variant bard from the Eldritch Might books - fits the musical archetype far better imho).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

With apologies to the Dragon Compendium, one can also play a bard as a jester quite successfully. Smack-talking the enemies or cracking a joke to lighten the mood are just as effective as music for a bard.

Plus you dress really stylishly.

 

[an_idol_mind]

Bards can really be anything. I played a bard at one point who was basically a hick and whose tales all revolved around cow tipping. They eventually evolved into more exotic things like gorgon tipping, but the point is that a bard can entertain in any way you wish.

 

[shilsen]

A limerick specialist- not reccomended for the grandma-freindly game.

You just reminded me of my PC in an online game at ENWorld that folded very quickly. His forte as a bard was to make up and recite completely scurrilous limericks about the enemy, amusing and emboldening his allies. Damn good fun while it lasted.

 

[Henry]

I've actually (briefly) played one idea for a bard that I would love to explore more in-depth one day: An Ambassador/Diplomat.

This is the person who could perform literally magical feats with his voice. He can convince a raging orc to stand down, he can freeze people in place with a commanding tone, he can "talk the fire out" of wounds. (Anyone ever hear of the old folklore to "talk the fire out" of a burn? Only this guy can do it for real, with sword wounds!)

I played one for a short while, but would love to get a chance to explore such a character in detail one day.

 

[Kesh]

I've always wanted to play a bard who does the "evil villain who talks too much" thing. He intimidates his enemies and cajoles his comrades through describing just how well he's beating the enemy, and supporting his friends as they fight.

"I've just broken two of your ribs. *crack* Sorry, make that three."