What makes a bard a bard?

[cdrcjsn]

What makes a Bard a Bard?

With 4e's mechanic of most effects requiring an attack, do you think the Warlord will be the model used for a Bard, substituting magic instead of martial attacks?

What is it about the Bard that is core to the class concept?

Social skills? Jack of all trades? Music? Bard Songs? The mix of magic and martial ability? Party buffing?

 

[mach1.9pants]

Running around naked yelling 'look at me I'm invisible!'

But really, it depends on your favoured edition. The lack of coherent class concept was a reason for the bard not making PHB1.
To me it is music and charm and jack of all trades..not really magic/spells. If they could make a jack of all trades not rubbish, that would be great!

 

[hong]

Music, charm and illusion.

Prime controller schtick.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Illusion, charm, social expertise/social abilities.

 

[Sirea]

Music would be a great power source, flavorful and unique, so my feeling is music should be the core of the Bard class.
Using that music, he can be a Jack-of-all-trades, encouraging allies, charming people, annoying enemies, even invoke thunderous attacks.

I don't feel illusion as being that important though.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

Inspiration, music, and charm. With some decent fighting skills. The "leader" role, in other words. If they have magic, it should be magical music not standard spellcasting, using songs to enthrall opponents and the like.

Definitely not jack of all trades, or illusions. If a 4e bard wants to be a jack of all trades, he can take multiclassing feats like everyone else.

 

[Disconzi]

Music -- spellsongs, to be more precise.

The one author who got the bard right was Monte Cook in his Complete Book of Eldritch Might -- by blending bardic music and spells into spellsongs. Even the spellsong levels -- notes, chords and melodies -- are flavourful!

The focus IMO should be sonic evocations -- attacks and even "walls" of sonic vibration -- and mind-affecting effects -- includes illusions, not in the sense of holographic images, but hallucinations that appear only to the target of the spellsong.

 

[Mercule]

Druid spells, bardic colleges, and a lute.

 

[Vradna]

Druid spells, bardic colleges, and a lute.

Yeah Yeah!

 

[cthulhus_pinky]

The main thing that makes a bard a bard is their ability to annoy.

Proof!