I would play a bard if. . .

[RFisher]

Gnome bards NEVER die.

Unless the player is stupid. (^_^) Which I was. (u_u) RIP Gnigel.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Except when mechanics trump. Hey, my Barbarian can have a great reason for wanting to take on the world armed only with his adrenal glands and a garden hoe but that doesn't make the garden hoe do 2d6 19-20 X2 or 1d12 X3 damage.
Oratory is great, smack talking is great, playing the effing bongo drums is great, but it comes at a trade. 3 or 4 spells a day and upwards of +12 on your Suggestion DC. Now you can spend the money elsewhere, that is certainly the character's perogative, but there has to be a tradeoff.

Your garden hoe argument is faulty.

We are talking about variant magic items that grant the orating bard "3 or 4 spells a day and upwards of +12 on your Suggestion DC."

If the magic item exists for a bard that sings or plays an instrument, a similar item that grants the bonus to a person using Perform (Oration) would not be difficult to imagine. The list of magic items in the DMG is not exhaustive and is not set in stone like the damage range of a garden hoe. Granted, it does require your DM's approval to research magic items not listed in published sources, but finding any magic item requires DM approval.

 

[Jubilee]

I've always wished the miniature handbook "Marshal" came with bard-spellcasting/spells, then it would be a perfect replacement for the bard, imo. I would play that.

/ali

 

[Fishbone]

Its called a bard for a reason. You want an orator I say you make a class called the Orator.
Refusing to be a singer or musician runs absolutely contrary to the class as intended.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Its called a bard for a reason. You want an orator I say you make a class called the Orator.
Refusing to be a singer or musician runs absolutely contrary to the class as intended.

As who intends it? You? The designers? Perform (oratory) is a valid form of the skill that uses sonics. And that is the only requirments by RAW for what types of Perform skills can be used.

From the SRD:

"While these abilities fall under the category of bardic music and the descriptions discuss singing or playing instruments, they can all be activated by reciting poetry, chanting, singing lyrical songs, singing melodies, whistling, playing an instrument, or playing an instrument in combination with some spoken performance."

A bard using inspiring speech (i.e. Perform [oratory]) does not run contrary to what the designers have described above. It only runs contrary to the small little box you have placed bards in. And that's fine when you play a bard or run a campaign and limit your players to your vision of the bard. But don't try to tell the rest of us that the bard is pigeon-holed into your 'wandering minstrel' stereotype.

 

[Voadam]

Its called a bard for a reason. You want an orator I say you make a class called the Orator.
Refusing to be a singer or musician runs absolutely contrary to the class as intended.

Hah hah hah. Oh wait, there was no smiley indicating this was a joke. Never mind.

 

[sniffles]

While I wouldn't say I love bards, I don't see anything wrong with the class. I think bards get a bad rap because somewhere in the mists of time some fool got the idea that they have to be poncy singers with lutes. I'm looking at you, Fishbone. The term bard is often used to describe Shakespeare, if you'll recall. If you want them to just be musicians then just change the class name to minstrel.

If people would just use their imaginations, bards can be extremely versatile. They get so many skills and skill points, they have some pretty handy support spells, and Perform doesn't just mean singing and playing a musical instrument.

I'm playing a bard right now whose Perform skills are in Poetry and Storytelling. I figure she does her Inspire Courage by reciting stirring passages from epic poems or stories of heroic deeds. She's also got the highest Strength score in the party.

I'm considering a bard for another campaign as well. I'm thinking this one will be a journalist who goes adventuring to get story material.

 

[Valesin]

I'd love to see some of these new multiclass feats for Bard/Swashbuckler, Bard/Rogue or Bard/Scout...

Yet I'm always playing bards if the group does not urgently need firepower.

Seconded. I personally love bards and would play one with no incentive, but I would love for the swashbuckler/bard in my current party to get some goodies. I will make some of my own but some official ones would be nice.

 

[Darklone]

Check out houserules

 

[Fishbone]

Poncy singers with lutes? I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that Magic-blooded Orcs with as much strength as the party fighter were "poncy". Bards are often played as against-the-grain warriors by people seeking a fun challenge. Savage Bards fit the bill for that perfectly.
I'd make custom devices for people who want to play without instruments, people who want to vocalists are fine. But no music=no Bardic MUSIC. Its called Bardic MUSIC for a reason. Nothing is stopping your bard from maxing ranks in Perform(oratory) and making fancy speeches.