Bard controversy

[GreasyDogMeat]

In NwN 2 I'm currently playing a Bard named Swift Tard who can be quite Hard to best with his Shards.

 

Ok, that was crap, but its true.

 

I can't speak for the PnP bard, but in NwN 2 they are very helpful in a party. The points where I really have a hard time involve one on one events, especially in the Mulsantir lodge in MotB.

[Walsingham]

Maybe it's more to do with the fact that you don't notice them doing any good. I mean a warlock stands there blasting things. But the songster?

[ramza]

I have kinda created a variant Bard class. They keep bardic lore and bardic singing, and they gain bonus feats every 5 levels (starting at level 5). Moreover, the spellcasting system and the bardic song are handled differently. I got inspired from both the NWN bard and the Monte Cook bard.

 

From what I understand, a Bard's greatest advantages are his skill points, his spells and his singing. I have tried to develop the latter two features in order to make them more viable (especially on one-on-one combat).

 

1) I decided that bards cast spellsongs. These are divided in four different levels : Spellchords (lv1), Spellnotes (lv2), Spellmelodies (lv3), Spellchants (lv4). I mostly use Monte Cook's spellcasting system for that (Complete Book of Eldritch Might or something like that).

 

2) I also decided to use NWN 1's bardic music feature. It may seem overpowered to some of you but I really think that it is that particular ability that improves a bard's odds of survival. To balance a bit things, I have made the bardic music bonuses increase in a much smoother way. I have completely changed the way they were handled in NWN2 but I recycled some ideas: I have kept some of the inspirations because they determine the bardic music bonuses as the bard progresses in levels.

 

I still haven't finalized my variant bard class' description, but I may post it here once it is done.

Edited November 20, 2007 by ramza

[Walsingham]

Inspired by this thread I have started a NWN2 persistent world character who is a bard. And just to make certain I'm not even a very good one I am a Tiefling with a -2 cha starter. It's been roleplaying fun so far, but I must say next to a wizard I look pretty pokey.

[ramza]

Inspired by this thread I have started a NWN2 persistent world character who is a bard. And just to make certain I'm not even a very good one I am a Tiefling with a -2 cha starter. It's been roleplaying fun so far, but I must say next to a wizard I look pretty pokey.

 

Nice... However, I am interested to see how much better (or worse) your character will fare compared to a pure wizard (or any other class for that matter) when you will have reached higher levels (above level 15)...

[Walsingham]

ramza, indeed. That should be interesting. We'll see how it goes, and also how non-combat goes. I think I may be going to become a sort of roving reporter in the LA Confidential style. Or possibly a cop. Not really sure what I can get away with.

[ramza]

So, how is it going?

[Walsingham]

My graphics card is dying of leprosy. I can't play.