Should bards be a class or a skill/path?

[Kzach]

EDIT: I posted this at 3am in the morning when I was drifting off to sleep in-between typing. So, the poll choices are a bit vague. Since I can't edit the actual poll, what I meant for the three choices to be was the following:

1. Bards should give the gift of music to adventuring groups everywhere!

This one is saying they should be a full-blown PC class unto themselves.

2. Bards blow more than just their own trumpets...

This one is saying that bards just don't cut it as a PC class and should be either some sort of paragon path or just a skill that anyone can take.

3. I don't care. And I don't like pie either.

And this is that you don't care either way.

The only bard I ever liked was a 1e one. It suited my concept of bards having been an avid fan of Celtic history and folklore.

But as the prancy, jack-of-all-trades, dabbler, they just don't cut it.

IMO, the lack of a strong ideological basis for the bard is the reason why they fail as a class.

But it seems many people like fail bards, so here's a poll to see what the general consensus is amongst us cool kids.

By skill, I mean, simply a skill that anyone can take, and by path I mean probably a paragon path available to rogues or any class that qualifies or some iteration like that, ie. anyone can be a bard as all it requires is a bit of singing and other prancy stuff.

By class I mean a full-blown, 1st to 30th-level class with it's own unique identity.

 

[Lord Weh]

I think the poll might be more informative if the choices available matched the question being asked. You ask which we would prefer - Class, Paragon Path or similar; poll choices are for want bard, don't want bard, don't care.

 

[pawsplay]

I think they should be a flavor of gummi fruit snack.

 

[Xethreau]

I think that a class is the only acceptable way to do it. How would a Bard even look like as a Path?

 

[small pumpkin man]

3.x Bards are silly and annoying but the 4e fluff for Bards looks interesting enough that I'm willing to give it a try.

 

[tombowings]

I kinda wish the bard was a variant of the rogue, but I'm happy with it as an arcane leader as well.

 

[MaelStorm]

Bard will be a full blown class in 4E.

 

[TwinBahamut]

Bards really only work as their own class.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Seriously, totally vague poll options are not cool.

Even when explained.

For my answer, I think bards should be a skill tree, they do not do enough to be a full class.

 

[lutecius]

Ok, now that makes sense. I didn't see the contradiction between option 1 and 2.
Actually, it could make adventuring groups everywhere more tolerant of the Bard's gift of music.