Wow, the Bard was huge difference in last nights game.

[Ysgarran]

This might be old news for some people but I just didn't realize just how much a bard could pump up combat abilities.

We knew a fight was coming up so the 10th level Bard started with 'Inspire Courage', a +2 morale bonus to hit. When the fight started he dropped the 'Inspire Courage' and switched to 'Inspire Greatness' which was a +2 competence bonus for a single character. I'm not 100% sure but I'm pretty sure that he had something from 'Song and Silence' that gave a +1 to one of these bonuses.

He then dropped the 'Inspire Courage' to cast 'Haste'. While the bonuses didn't last that long, I was surprised to see to just how much they added up to be. For a short time in combat the bonuses were +5 or +6 to hit.

The Power Lunging, Great Cleaving, Raging barbarian had a grand time.

 

[Darklone]

Had a nice battle once with such a bard and a cleric... they had a lot of level 1 -2 warriors with them. Bear's Heart, Bless, Prayer and the bard buff abilities really tore my players apart.

 

[Ysgarran]

It definately gave me some ideas regarding some battles that are going to be happening in my campaign. With such large bumps in combat ability who wouldn't want to have a bard like that around?

I'm pretty sure we would have had some fatalities if we didn't have that Bard around.

Had a nice battle once with such a bard and a cleric... they had a lot of level 1 -2 warriors with them. Bear's Heart, Bless, Prayer and the bard buff abilities really tore my players apart.

 

[Darklone]

It's not that great though if your group carries the new long time buff Heroism on a wand around...

 

[Emirikol]

Ha, ha ha, that's the funniest thing I've ever heard. A bard that made a difference

Just kidding. I'm DMing a game where one of the players is plotting to take the Leadership feat. He was wondering what kind of cohort to go after (i.e. make). I recommended a Bard. They make great secondary characters. They can sing, heal a little, and are interesting if the primary character goes down (they can talk their way into saving the primary

jh

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

My cleric's cohort is a bard. I picked it for both political and practical reasons and he works out very well. The Inspire Courage ability combined with other bumps really make a difference, especially with Power Attack types.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

IME bards make great support for villains.

They're fun to play from an RP aspect, but they aren't fun in combat. Sure, you get bonuses, but the fighter and cleric can use those bonuses better than you can. So nyah!

Worse, the only benefits that help spellcasters (skill and the one that boosts AC and saves) helps everyone equally, and the former takes all your time, too. And the latter only works on one creature when you first get it.

 

[The Souljourner]

Lingering song, my friends, lingering song. Makes inspire courage and greatness last 10 rounds after you stop singing, which is almost always most if not all of a fight.

Inspire courage first round gives everyone +2, inspire greatness in yourself round 2, then you're getting +4 to hit and +2 to damage... if you have power attack you can move that around how you like... it's good stuff! Plus you get a decent number of temporary hitpoints, which rocks.

I have a bard and he's actually pretty decent in combat, you just need to go in with the idea that you'll try to be good in combat. That means you need decent strength, and probably dex.

Bards rock. They're going to be second string in whatever they try, but they can be a solid second string.

-The Souljourner