the bard's broken ... in a good way

[darkbard]

okay, my lead in is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but.... with all the talk about the ranger class being front-loaded (and similar discussions), i can't recall having it pointed out yet that the abilities of a bard don't require advancement in the class. that is, the number of times per day you can use bardic music only increases with bard levels but the power of your bardic music does not. you can spend skill points in perform from another class (as a rogue, for example, or even cross-class, as a cleric, what-have-you) and, as your ranks pile up, so advances your bardic music ability to: inspire competence, suggest, inspire greatness. you can be a 9th level cleric/1st level bard and inspire greatness in a comrade (albeit only one)!

how 'bout them apples?

 

[Crothian]

He has been brough t up before. However, many people don't feel the musical ability is powerful enough to really matter.

 

[Balgus]

i thought perform was a class exclusive skill? Most classes don't have this skill-

and if he is so broken, why not go Monte? It has really cool new thing called notes, chords, melody. Basically three levels of spells, but you can mix and match them ... get the book- it will clear up (BOEM II)... which reminds me- I still need to get BOEM 1

 

[darkbard]

damn and blast! my brilliant original observation rendered passe by someone outposting me 100 to 1!

 

[Dinkeldog]

Shhh. I'm hoping my DM doesn't notice that...

 

[darkbard]

once a multiclass character has a skill from another class, it is on his skill list, though he may have to spend twice the skill points to advance the ranks.

 

[Utrecht]

Actually,

I was planning on something very similar with my next character - getting 1 level of Bard and taking the Feat from Song and Silence that adds 4 additional bardic uses per day......

Also, perform is a class skill for rogues.

 

[darkbard]

and if he is so broken, why not go Monte? It has really cool new thing called notes, chords, melody. Basically three levels of spells, but you can mix and match them ... get the book- it will clear up (BOEM II)... which reminds me- I still need to get BOEM 1

actually, i don't really think the bard broken. i just thought it interesting that the frequency of the class abilities but not their strength was class-based. as for monte's bard ... i have boem II, and while i love the alternate sorcerer, i just can't groove to the new bard. i guess it just doesn't feel very d&d to me for some reason (despite being designed by one of my favorite d&d designers. go figure!)

 

[Crothian]

once a multiclass character has a skill from another class, it is on his skill list, though he may have to spend twice the skill points to advance the ranks.

Unless it's an exclusive skill, which perform is not. This works and I've seen people do it. I've also seen them waste a feat on the feat that gives more Bardic Music's per day. Personally, I don't think this is that big a deal as the bardic music is not the reason to become a bard.

 

[Umbran]

The perform skill is not exclusive, merely cross-class for anyone but Bards, monks, and rogues. That means advancing it is pretty darned expensive.