Should bards be a class or a skill/path?

[Kzach]

Seriously, totally vague poll options are not cool.

Even when explained.

Then go make your own poll, sheesh.

 

[MortalPlague]

I've always had a beef with 3.x bards; they should not be spellcasters! Bards should be swashbuckling roguish types with an instrument in their hands (and a woman in the other). The only problem with this view of the class is that they infringe heavily on the rogue's trade. The solution, in my books, is to go with a few feats or powers or the like to grant the bard abilities to rogue.

Would it be so bad to, as a rogue, pick 'bardic talent' as a feat and gain the ability to inspire a +1 attack bonus in my allies? Other bardic music pieces could be further feats, or perhaps powers? That, in my mind, would give rogue an interesting class direction, and offer us the opportunity to play bards.

 

[parvatiquinta]

I would like a full-fledged bard class - and an unique one at that. I'm not sure they will achieve uniqueness, but I don't think it can be done if the bard is not an indipendent class.
You can still have bard-ish feats with the new multiclassing system anyway.

I don't mind bards working magic at all, after all bards were somewhat close to the special world of fairies and tales. The last thing I'd like them to be is just a rogue copy.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Not sure if the options match the thread heading, but I think that bard is variant rogue with or with out the magic, not a separate class.