The bard...

[Datt]

is not lawful!?!?! I couldn't believe it when I saw that today. I have no clue how I had missed that before. Oh wait yes I do I never bothered to look at the bard. But anyway, according to the PHB you can't be lawful and be a bard. What? Is it just me or does that strike anyone else as odd? So all those song loving bards out there are at best NG. I guess it just doesn't sound right to me. There just has to be a LN jester in the world somewhere!

 

[Moe Ronalds]

there are Lawful performers. Thing is they aren't inspiring, nor can they cast spells.

 

[Datt]

Yes, but I can have a LG Rogue out there stealing the world blind. As long as he doesn't do anything unlawul or evil he is fine. That is just not right.

 

[Moe Ronalds]

stealing IS unlawful/evil.

 

[Shadowdancer]

I would be shocked at a lawful bard. The very concept of a bard -- traveling performer -- suggests they are chaotic.

Yes, you can have a LG rogue who is a thief. If he is a dedicated member of a lawful organization, and he steals for the greater good, then yes he can be LG. Just keep saying to yourself "James Bond. James Bond."

 

[Green Knight]

Or Robin Hood.

Still, Lawful doesn't mean you have to abide by the law. It can mean that, but not always.

For instance, picture a thief who's a consumate professional. Who likes to plan his robberies down to the last detail. That's a lawful thief.

 

[Michael Tree]

Yes it's a pointless restriction. Even if we accept the assertion that being a wandering performer is inherently non-lawful (which I don't), not all bards are wandering performers. Can't a magical keeper of oral lore, a guardian of old traditions and ancient ballads, be lawful? Can't the musical archer disciple of Apollo, a guardian of lawfulness, social order, and decorum be lawful? Why can't a follower of the strict dictates of chivalry and courtly love be lawful?

Bah.

 

[Taloras]

I agree. Good thing the EQ RPG bard doesnt have that alignment restriction.

 

[darkbard]

perhaps you'll find it interesting that in the Iron Kingdoms [as outlined in the lock & load character primer] bards [or "war bards" as they are termed due to their assumed military training] are prohibited from being chaotic! in fact, they tend towards lawful alignments. basically, the IK bard is someone born with sorcerous power that focuses that innate talent through military training to become less socially ostracized. the point, however, is that the creators of the IK have a distinctly different vision of a skill and magic based "jack-of-all-trades" charismatic character class.

edit: well, not esactly prohibited from being chaotic per se [upon actually checking the book] but encouraged more to the lawful scale of things.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Yeah, it's one of those silly alignment restrictions.

If Bards can't be lawful WTF is all up in that "Music of the Spheres" stuff? Why is writing music such an organized practice? Why do bands like, say, every boy band in existance, exist and become successful?

It's organized. It's programmed. It's order and pattern and beat and measure, and it is NOT incompatible with inspiration.

Of course, yeah, if you go with the flavor that the bard is a wandering entertainer who doesn't like lingering, it implies Chaotic.

....but why does a Bard have to be that, is my question...

Though I'm not a fan of alignment restrictions in general.