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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kennew142" data-source="post: 4022176" data-attributes="member: 18490">I can't disagree enough on this point. I understand that some players may find it fun to play a cowardly character who is ineffectual in a fight. I support that. But designing classes so that this is all you can do with them once the fight begins is just bad design. No character should be ineffectual in combat, just because it takes such a large chunk of real time at the gaming table.The bard character doesn't have to be as good a combatant as the fighter in order to have interesting abilities to use in combat. Assuming that the bard will be an arcane leader, they should have inspirational type abilities similar to the cleric and warlord, but with different flavor. Even if the character's powers are more "tricky" than lethal, they can be effective. Imagine a power (gods! how I hate that term for combat maneuvers) that distracts an opponent, giving them a penalty to hit for a round, or allowing allies to make an opportunity attack, or dazing them for round, etc.... The bard doesn't have to deal large amounts of damage in order to contribute to combat in an interesting and creative way.I'm hoping that we see this kind of powers for the bard. Combine it with good social skills and some illusion and/or enchantment powers and I would love to play one.I love the concept of the bard. It is the mechanics in 3e that I don't like.</blockquote>