Marandahir
Crown-Forester (he/him)
If it's in the DMG, it's not as popular an option for Players and it's not what the game is balanced around, though. It's an optional plug-in, and the PHB is the base-game.
D&D (2024) Playtest 6: Bard
- Thread starter Yaarel
- Start date
Vaalingrade
Legend
Marandahir
Crown-Forester (he/him)
Ummm… I think we have different goals in mind. :0
To that end though -- it is IN the game. It's something we can use, and they thought about it enough to include it. It's just if we want to fix the balance of characters' major abilities recharge times and stave off situations where some players want to rest at completely different times as other characters, it needs to be front and center baked into the core mechanics.
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Vaalingrade
Legend
To be fair, the actual best part is good game design where the Epic Heroes of Greatness don't have to slump into a puppy pile for nap time every few fights to avoid resorting to nothing but basic swings and misses instead of having a grand, exciting climax.
Ruin Explorer
Legend
Oh damn it really is nap time, isn't it? I was thinking it was lunchbreak but you actually do stuff during lunchbreak.
Marandahir
Crown-Forester (he/him)
Just had a thought, especially wanting @Yaarel 's opinion!
People who wanted Charisma shaman characters? Primal Bards.
In fact, the College of Spirits might be a perfect choice for this. I'd still houserule that you can use a ceremonial mask as your spell focus when you take the College of Spirits (instead of a Tarokka Deck or a Candle or whatnot) -- thinking Griots, for example.
People who wanted Charisma shaman characters? Primal Bards.
In fact, the College of Spirits might be a perfect choice for this. I'd still houserule that you can use a ceremonial mask as your spell focus when you take the College of Spirits (instead of a Tarokka Deck or a Candle or whatnot) -- thinking Griots, for example.
Yaarel
🇮🇱 🇺🇦 He-Mage
I know. I agree the desire for 2024 to be compatible with 2014 makes spell points less likely in the Players Handbook. Not impossible, but less likely.
Spell points are an important variant, and the short rest points work better. (Besides, in the 2014 DMs Guide, the long rest spell points with their awkward costs hurt the eyes and are practically unusable.) By contrast, I suspect many players will use the simpler short rest points, even when in the 2024 DMs Guide.
When switching from the long-rest slots in the 2024 Players Handbook to the short-rest points in the 2024 DMs Guide, as a DM, I prefer every caster at the table switches to the short-rest schedule, to make the adventure time management simpler.
I guess it depends on what the Warlock will look like, whether it switches to the UA long-rest or reverts to the 2014 short-rest.
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Yaarel
🇮🇱 🇺🇦 He-Mage
I already use the Bard for shamanic concepts, especially the Celtic bard and the Norse vǫlva. The main themes are: psychic divination, mind magic enchantment, shapeshifting healing, and outofbody travel and teleportion. The shamanics are clearly Charisma mages.
The Primal spell list adds elemental magic. This is less so for the Norse vǫlva, but actually great for the nature beings themselves, who literally are river, ice, fire, sunlight, lightning-thunder, wind, mountain, etcetera. Also, the Sámi noaidi has a reputation for weather magic, whence the Primal can make sense.
The Divine Bard can make sense for the Norse warrior magic, which is "honorable" and "courageous", mainly with abjuration magic that buffs, defends, and heals allies. I have been using the Paladin (and sometimes a paladinesque Cleric) for the warrior mages. I will think about how a Bard might work.
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Marandahir
Crown-Forester (he/him)
Yeah, thought you already liked Bard = Shaman, so I was eager to hear your thoughts on the new variable spell lists!
Looks at 4th ed. sadly, with its blend of at-will, encounter, and daily abilities.
