D&D (2024) What is the 2024 Bard Power Source?

[Blue]

No, Arcane, Divine, Primal, ( and more rarely )Shadow, Elemental, Psion magic are IN SETTING concepts, they are not like THACO, they are things that characters in a novel might discuss and acknowledge, they are not just Out of Character concepts like THACO, Hit Points, CR, Subclass, Feats and so on.

If you quote me as saying "Now, it might exist for a setting, in which case it's in that setting", and respond "No [list of types] are IN SETTING concepts", then it's obvious you haven't actually read what I wrote and are responding to what you think I wrote. My words are still there if you care to try again.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

If you quote me as saying "Now, it might exist for a setting, in which case it's in that setting", and respond "No [list of types] are IN SETTING concepts", then it's obvious you haven't actually read what I wrote and are responding to what you think I wrote. My words are still there if you care to try again.

I admit I stopped reading after THACO. Still it's a thing in all official settings, at minimum Arcane and Divine.

 

[Blue]

I admit I stopped reading after THACO. Still it's a thing in all official settings, at minimum Arcane and Divine.

Is it? Let me check.

Searching for "power source" in the official setting books.

Sword Coast Adventure's Guide - nope.
Eberron: Rising from the Last War - nope. (there was a reference to a Khyber crystal power source for a device)
Mystic Odysseys of Theros - nope.
Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica - nope.

Sorry, I don't have the Domains of Dread or Dragonlance.

It might be under a different name, can you give me sources that they are in all the official settings in 5e?

 

[Ashrym]

The PHB's in every edition since 2nd have had bards as arcane casters. That's not like to change.

 

[Staffan]

force of personality doesn't make you better at solving physics problems. This is learning magic, not being a salesman.
Chr has nothing to do with skill at magic.

Clearly, it does.

The wizard's magic is based on Intelligence, because it's about learning the hidden rules of the universe and manipulating them. The cleric's magic is based on Wisdom, because it's about being in tune with the universe. But the bard's magic is based on Charisma, because the bard is telling the universe how things are gonna be, and a high Charisma means the universe is listening.

 

[deadman1204]

Clearly, it does.

The wizard's magic is based on Intelligence, because it's about learning the hidden rules of the universe and manipulating them. The cleric's magic is based on Wisdom, because it's about being in tune with the universe. But the bard's magic is based on Charisma, because the bard is telling the universe how things are gonna be, and a high Charisma means the universe is listening.

Yes it does in 5th ed, which is a bs design failure. It lets whatever stat be your casting stat with no regard to how that actually works, because they designed 5th ed to be like a videogame instead of an rpg. Your suave smooth talker is somehow a better wizard than a wizard. Why? Because he has a high stat! Internally to the game it makes sense, because the basic conceit of 5th ed is to ignore ANY rational for anything. Unlike previous editions 5th ed doesn't even try to hold to any sort of reality simulation. Things are that way because they are that way.

This is the same thing as dex being the most OP stat in the game. A 7yr old child with a high dex will stab harder than a 8ft tall goliath warrior, because dex! If you try and imagine the game and play it as an rpg instead of a analog videogame, 5th ed doesn't make very much sense.

 

[WanderingMystic]

Yes it does in 5th ed, which is a bs design failure. It lets whatever stat be your casting stat with no regard to how that actually works, because they designed 5th ed to be like a videogame instead of an rpg. Your suave smooth talker is somehow a better wizard than a wizard. Why? Because he has a high stat! Internally to the game it makes sense, because the basic conceit of 5th ed is to ignore ANY rational for anything. Unlike previous editions 5th ed doesn't even try to hold to any sort of reality simulation. Things are that way because they are that way.

This is the same thing as dex being the most OP stat in the game. A 7yr old child with a high dex will stab harder than a 8ft tall goliath warrior, because dex! If you try and imagine the game and play it as an rpg instead of a analog videogame, 5th ed doesn't make very much sense.

Since 3rd ed Charisma has been a measure of your force of personality. Sorcerers do not learn magic they were born with it so Intelligence does not make sense. Wisdom is about being in tune with your surroundings, that level of begin in tune is why clerics, druids and monks work. D&D does not have a stat that represents willpower which is probably what it should use but in 3rd ed they determined that Charisma was the closest.

 

[Marandahir]

force of personality doesn't make you better at solving physics problems. This is learning magic, not being a salesman.
Chr has nothing to do with skill at magic.

Clearly, Bardic Magic is not Science. Arthur C. Clarke was generalizing magic as a Wizard or Artificer approaches it. That's Intelligence Casters.

Charisma Casters don't need to learn physics problems. They're self-taught. Some intelligence is needed, but the Charisma also reflects their ability to think outside the box and approach this as an artform.

This instagram post really reflects my understanding here well, comparing them to program coders, professional vs. self-taught:

 

[Fifinjir]

Bards using the left over divine words that were used to speak creation into existence….

Bards are ur-priests.

 

[James Gasik]

Bards using the left over divine words that were used to speak creation into existence….

Bards are ur-priests.

Ur-Priests with good PR! Maybe Snarf is onto something...