Bard advice

Baxyratty

So i'm doing a playthrough as a bard and i was wondering if anyone had any advice for me because he seems to be rather weak atm. i love playing bards in bg2, but that may be simply because you start at a higher level. keep in mind i am playing a vanillia bard not ay of the specialty kits.

Deucetipher

Casting and wands. Endgame, he has 10 caster levels, enough for a double strength flame arrow, etc. Treat him like a wizard, basically. In the future, I'd strongly recommend using a kit when taking a bard. Skald Song + summons is ridiculous, and the blade is reasonably effective in melee (and is fantastic in the later games).

You don't really lose much by kitting, as you'll still have the best lore progression in the game and still get really high pickpockets, eventually.

Baxyratty

Deucetipher said:

Casting and wands. Endgame, he has 10 caster levels, enough for a double strength flame arrow, etc. Treat him like a wizard, basically. In the future, I'd strongly recommend using a kit when taking a bard. Skald Song + summons is ridiculous, and the blade is reasonably effective in melee (and is fantastic in the later games).

You don't really lose much by kitting, as you'll still have the best lore progression in the game and still get really high pickpockets, eventually.

What about jester?

stygga

Jester is practically useless. Might as well go vanilla bard.

Xiviriel

Id stick with blad, I just finished a solo playthrough of BGEE with one today. I used him like I would a fighter/mage. I cast armor at the start of each area/building (it lasts 9 hours). His offensive spin makes him awesome. Plus if you can get a ring of free-action it works wonders when used while casting web.

Xiviriel

Oh and be sure to be a half-elf, not human. For the sleep resistance and also they have higher minimum stats so rolling is easier.

TJ_Hooker

Xiviriel said:

Oh and be sure to be a half-elf, not human. For the sleep resistance and also they have higher minimum stats so rolling is easier.

They also get a bonus to pickpocket. Overall, because bards can't dual class, there is absolutely no reason to be a human bard other than for roleplaying reasons.

Deucetipher

Jester isn't bad. His song attacks enemies, so that's nice. Bypasses magic resistance and doesn't break invisibility. I just don't particularly like the imagery of the class. Skald and Blade I can really get behind.

Half-elves also get a bonus to pick pockets.

If you're planning to go into ToB, go blade without a doubt. All bards can take improved bard song and takes away the blade's disadvantage against other bards.

Sed

I just did a playthrough with a Blade - awesome after a few levels.
They are also adding the elven chainmail (one npc wears it but doesn't drop it - bugfix on the way). I just CluaConsoled it into the game ^^

Xiviriel

I Clua it in once I get to Baldurs Gate. I was used to getting it from Kivan's side quest with NPC project installed. Plus it feels like a fitting time in the game to get it.

Elendar

Just play a Fighter / Mage instead :P

LadyEibhilinRhett

Just. Be a bard. Always. Bard it up. Do all of the bard stuff. All of it.

Also know your kits. Some bards are good in combat, like the Blade, but others are better as support. The most important thing to know is your playstyle. A lot of the bard kits, Charname is NOT going to take center stage. You are going to be the badass support dude making battles winnable when they otherwise would not be and your party members are going to be your meatshields.

Philhelm

Elendar said:

Just play a Fighter / Mage instead :P

Fighter/Mage doesn't have a hood, so it's a no-go.

elminster

I'm playing a jester at the moment. Stick with a bow, and with aoe debuff/control spells like glitterdust, slow, greater malison, web, etc. It frees up room for your party mages to stick with damage dealing spells. I do have magic missiles available for spell disruption, but otherwise its either mirror image or a few other buffs.

Edit: I've edited this post from what it was before so feel free to unlike it lol.

Elendar

Philhelm said:

Elendar said:

Just play a Fighter / Mage instead :P

Fighter/Mage doesn't have a hood, so it's a no-go.

You could always Shadowkeeper him into the rogue model instead :P

Xiviriel

Philhelm said:

Elendar said:

Just play a Fighter / Mage instead :P

Fighter/Mage doesn't have a hood, so it's a no-go.

I actually base a lot of my character creation on this! Well I did until I got shadowkeeper working.

Philhelm

Elendar said:

Philhelm said:

Elendar said:

Just play a Fighter / Mage instead :P

Fighter/Mage doesn't have a hood, so it's a no-go.

You could always Shadowkeeper him into the rogue model instead :P

I really wish that having a choice of which paper doll you use was a standard feature. That would please a lot of people.

Xiviriel

I agree, especially for multi-classes and dual classes.

Philhelm

Xiviriel said:

I agree, especially for multi-classes and dual classes.

And *especially* for Rangers.