Bard Supplement

[Dimirag]

Solo: Shouldn't this be on the Showcase or Download page?

[daryen]

I would recommend four things:
1) Definitely use a d6. When I copied your Bard, that is the one thing I did automatically change.
2) Make the progression harder. Honestly, using a Cleric's chart works for me. I think using a Magic-User chart is probably too punitive. (And a Thief's is probably too fast.)
3) Change "max bonus" to "bonus" and rescale the bonuses. This bonus will be automatic and will increase for all songs they know. Simplistically, I'd start at +1 and increase by another +1 for each four levels. That means they'd get +2 at 5th level and top out at +5 at 17th - 20th levels.
4) Let them fight like a Cleric/Thief and save as a Fighter. (I don't see where your document specifies that. Probably just missing it.)

Doing this means that if they are not singing, they can still contribute as well as a Cleric or Thief in raw combat. This gives them more versatility, but still doesn't overshadow Fighters because Fighters still fight better.

On the songs, having to choose either a new song or a +1 for an existing song means they will be incredibly limited on their songs. Just letting them pick a new song every other level gives them much more song versatility, and letting the bonus be automatic means they are always increasing in power. This lets them increase both in power and versatility as they level up. And even with this, there are enough default songs that there is no way for a Bard to get them all.

Just some thoughts.

[Dimirag]

The Bard could be like the thief on combat, same AB, HD, and weapon and armor access
His songs needs a boost.
Learning and improving songs should be separate things as Daryen said...
Instead of having a bounded accuracy for the songs making him equally good at every song make him that every Odd level the Bard gains a new song at +1 proficiency bonus, and that every 3 earned levels (4th, 7th, etc) the bonus increase by +1.

There will be an issue with this, not every song is meant to have up to a prof bonus of 7...

With gives me another idea, Flexible Singing, Bards are able to improvise songs rather than just learn a few ones... with this the Bard does not learns songs per se, but "Effects", and does not have Proficiency Points but a Performance Pool.

The Performance Pool is used to buy and upgrade the effects when the Bard is singing, so it can combine different songs at the same time. This points are recovered once the bard stop singing.

If you want to give some extra flair, add Inspiration Points, this are a secondary Performance Pool but with a daily use, so the Bard can do a little more in some songs.

[tkdco2]

I like the fact that there are different options for the in the Bardic Supplement. That way you can choose which version suits you best. Or better still, include them all as different bardic traditions.

[SmootRK]

I like the fact that there are different options for the in the Bardic Supplement. That way you can choose which version suits you best. Or better still, include them all as different bardic traditions.

Yes, all the different options in the Bard Supplement (as well as the Bard Quasi-Class) are all built in nearly identically manner (structurally). This was very much on purpose to show clearly how one can take the basic idea and apply it in different ways so that the GM can cater the concept to the campaign or personal idea of how a bard should be. I suppose one could use multiple varieties simultaneously, but that was not necessarily my goal.

Personally, (of the versions I wrote) I like the non-magical "core class" design best. The character is weak overall taken by itself (again, by design), but as a social class the role is to support/augment allies (or weaken opponents). Each ability is specifically geared as best when supporting his adventuring comrades. The Bard is point man for negotiations, an interpreter, a lore-master, and more. But, a bard by himself is likely to get into trouble; however as a part of a large party the bard is quite a benefit!

I am also fond of the Quasi-Class version so that the basic functions can be layered upon the other classes. The world needs singing Rangers and Burglars... even better, singing Goblins!

[SmootRK]

I am interested in any playtest info on Bards (any of the Bards)... specifically the use of the Bard Song which is a constant across all these versions of the Bard. I just never really got much input from my players with Bard class, so my experience is all theoretical, or based upon previous experience in other games/editions to base the power levels.

Overall Weak/Strong?
More Proficiencies/Songs needed? (I was conservative when I produced this, or thought I was. Starting could be increased and perhaps increased progression as well).

[tkdco2]

If I play a game soon, I'll include a bard and see how well it plays. I'm curious about it myself.

[FakeHealer]

I prefer the Quasi-class bard personally. Just feels how I think a bard should.

[tkdco2]

I'm eager to try the bard as a core class. I'm creating a party of four human characters (bard, cleric, thief, fighter). I'll start them at level 1 and run them through "The Ruins of Darkfir Castle" from Adventure Anthology 1. This will be a solo game.