What do you do for... Bards?
trav_laney
First Post
I like bards that are more "fighter-like," similar to the character of Fflewddur Fflam in the Prydian Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. So I start with the SRD fighter, remove the bonus feats, add Perform as a class skill, and give him the Bardic Music and Bardic Knowledge abilities. Presto, Fflewddur lives!
I suppose I could accomplish the same things with an unmodified SRD bard, by selecting the right feats and skills, using certain equipment, and so forth. But to each his own, right?
I suppose I could accomplish the same things with an unmodified SRD bard, by selecting the right feats and skills, using certain equipment, and so forth. But to each his own, right?
Random Axe
Explorer
Funny timing, this thread
I've JUST THIS LAST WEEKEND finished writing up a set of house rules for bards, which I am preparing to introduce into our campaign, as we have a bard PC. It involves using the bard's Sense Motive check to determine what a given audience would appreciate hearing a bard play. I identified eight different musical categories/styles. If the bard fails to read the crowd and plays the wrong style of music, he faces a range of consequences, from being bums-rushed off the stage and out of the bar, or being ignored... if he reads it right AND performs well, he gets benefits from the crowd, etc.
And I've just realized, LOL, what's in my sig...
I've JUST THIS LAST WEEKEND finished writing up a set of house rules for bards, which I am preparing to introduce into our campaign, as we have a bard PC. It involves using the bard's Sense Motive check to determine what a given audience would appreciate hearing a bard play. I identified eight different musical categories/styles. If the bard fails to read the crowd and plays the wrong style of music, he faces a range of consequences, from being bums-rushed off the stage and out of the bar, or being ignored... if he reads it right AND performs well, he gets benefits from the crowd, etc.
And I've just realized, LOL, what's in my sig...
Sir Brennen
Legend
IMC, Players may choose between the bard class as presented in the PHB, or use the alternate bard from the Complete Book of Eldritch Might. To distinguish the two, the PHB Bard is referred to as a Skald. Skalds are typically human, dwarven or gnomish, while bards are almost always elven or half-elven, usually with ties to House Kesirek.
Also, IMC, most classes are *not* automatically literate. Literacy is granted as a class feature for bards.
My other big change to bards is mostly fluff, but to me it helps explain the "magic" of bards better, as well as creating more "heroic" plot hooks for the class:
The Litany
Keepers of local knowledge, tellers of inspirational tales, entertainers of troops and sailors, merchants and farmers alike, skalds have existed since Horan created the first tribes of men. While libraries and institutes of learning have replaced them somewhat, they still have a place, especially as literacy and schooling are mostly reserved for the upper classes.
The Litany is an epic poem of the true history of the world. Its telling serves to instruct and inspire, entertain and warn. The recitals of wandering skalds are its primary means of delivery to the people. The poem is so massive it would take an individual a lifetime to master; even then, it shifts and grows, as new events unfold across the land.
To prevent the record of these events from being colored by those in power, any additions to the Litany must be agreed upon by at least five master skalds, each from differing kingdoms. Kings, mercenaries and adventurers strive to curry favor with trained storytellers to ensure their deeds will be immortalized within the Litany. However, such persons might also attempt to silence skalds who know tales showing them in an unfavorable light.
While they know many stories, poems and songs, it is the truth of the Litany that grants skalds their supernatural insight into the history, culture and psyche of their race. Mastery of the Litany not only involves rote memorization, but discovery of these hidden relationships and subtexts within the poem. This mastery allows skalds to remember facts about legendary items, places and people, and proper recital of the poem for an audience lets them create supernatural effects of inspiration or captivation. Also, hidden within the Litany, sometimes coded and split across separate cantos, are more powerful incantations.
In times past, disloyal tale spinners have attempted to subvert the Litany for their own gain, causing the power of all storytellers to suffer until the false verses were discovered and an accurate record of the relevant events created. Even omissions have been known to affect the poem, and the uncovering of secret influences on history is a common activity of skalds.
The human, dwarven and gnomish cultures each have their own Litany. Other races, of course, have oral and written histories, but none that tap into the same level of universal truth and the power contained there. Attempts have been made to create such poetics for some of these cultures, as well as train new skalds, with mixed results. The history of the Elves, for example, seems too closely tied to the influences of nature for culture influences to manifest in the same way as humanity's.
Some skalds of prominent traditions seek to create a compilation of all existing Litanies, to see what new relationships and understandings might be discovered from such an undertaking. Many, though, doubt that such a voluminous poem could ever truly be mastered
Also, IMC, most classes are *not* automatically literate. Literacy is granted as a class feature for bards.
My other big change to bards is mostly fluff, but to me it helps explain the "magic" of bards better, as well as creating more "heroic" plot hooks for the class:
The Litany
Keepers of local knowledge, tellers of inspirational tales, entertainers of troops and sailors, merchants and farmers alike, skalds have existed since Horan created the first tribes of men. While libraries and institutes of learning have replaced them somewhat, they still have a place, especially as literacy and schooling are mostly reserved for the upper classes.
The Litany is an epic poem of the true history of the world. Its telling serves to instruct and inspire, entertain and warn. The recitals of wandering skalds are its primary means of delivery to the people. The poem is so massive it would take an individual a lifetime to master; even then, it shifts and grows, as new events unfold across the land.
To prevent the record of these events from being colored by those in power, any additions to the Litany must be agreed upon by at least five master skalds, each from differing kingdoms. Kings, mercenaries and adventurers strive to curry favor with trained storytellers to ensure their deeds will be immortalized within the Litany. However, such persons might also attempt to silence skalds who know tales showing them in an unfavorable light.
While they know many stories, poems and songs, it is the truth of the Litany that grants skalds their supernatural insight into the history, culture and psyche of their race. Mastery of the Litany not only involves rote memorization, but discovery of these hidden relationships and subtexts within the poem. This mastery allows skalds to remember facts about legendary items, places and people, and proper recital of the poem for an audience lets them create supernatural effects of inspiration or captivation. Also, hidden within the Litany, sometimes coded and split across separate cantos, are more powerful incantations.
In times past, disloyal tale spinners have attempted to subvert the Litany for their own gain, causing the power of all storytellers to suffer until the false verses were discovered and an accurate record of the relevant events created. Even omissions have been known to affect the poem, and the uncovering of secret influences on history is a common activity of skalds.
The human, dwarven and gnomish cultures each have their own Litany. Other races, of course, have oral and written histories, but none that tap into the same level of universal truth and the power contained there. Attempts have been made to create such poetics for some of these cultures, as well as train new skalds, with mixed results. The history of the Elves, for example, seems too closely tied to the influences of nature for culture influences to manifest in the same way as humanity's.
Some skalds of prominent traditions seek to create a compilation of all existing Litanies, to see what new relationships and understandings might be discovered from such an undertaking. Many, though, doubt that such a voluminous poem could ever truly be mastered
I've possibly gone overboard nevertheless nobody wants to play one:
- d8 hit die;
- bonus feat at 1st level that allows Perform to apply to 1 + Int different types of instruments/performances;
- bonus feat at 2nd, 5th, 8th etc... levels to better reflect being a "jack-of-all-trades".
I have a bard assassin coming up plus a hobgoblin warchanter. It will be interesting if their abilities convince my players that they are a viable class to play.
- d8 hit die;
- bonus feat at 1st level that allows Perform to apply to 1 + Int different types of instruments/performances;
- bonus feat at 2nd, 5th, 8th etc... levels to better reflect being a "jack-of-all-trades".
I have a bard assassin coming up plus a hobgoblin warchanter. It will be interesting if their abilities convince my players that they are a viable class to play.
I'd bumped Bards up to 6x skills in 3e already. The new class is decent IMO but better for campaigns that aren't combat-centric. I also gave my players the choice between the standard class or the one in the Book of Eldritch Might. I basically made it a one off thing however -- at character creation if anyone wanted to be a Bard it was their choice which bardic magic we used in the world.
I think bards should out-strip sorcerers in spells known. They do, for a few levels (basically before sorcerers get 6th level).
I would increase 0-level spells known to be faster than sorcerers.
I would increase all other spell levels to be equal or on par with spells known.
The caveat is that sorcerers will still actually know more spells at higher levels, due to having a faster spell progression, but this gives the bard more utility (which is supposed to be their area of expertise).
Spells per Day is fine, in my opinion. The balance goes - Sorcerer: limited spells known, many spells per day; Wizard: many spells known, limited spells (and must be prepared) per day; Bard: many spells known, limited spells (spontaneously) per day, but also better HD, BAB, skills, and of course Bardsongs.
Oh, and why isn't Magic Missile on their spell list? I coulda sworn it used to be...
I would increase 0-level spells known to be faster than sorcerers.
I would increase all other spell levels to be equal or on par with spells known.
The caveat is that sorcerers will still actually know more spells at higher levels, due to having a faster spell progression, but this gives the bard more utility (which is supposed to be their area of expertise).
Spells per Day is fine, in my opinion. The balance goes - Sorcerer: limited spells known, many spells per day; Wizard: many spells known, limited spells (and must be prepared) per day; Bard: many spells known, limited spells (spontaneously) per day, but also better HD, BAB, skills, and of course Bardsongs.
Oh, and why isn't Magic Missile on their spell list? I coulda sworn it used to be...
