Well, technically, the bard can still open locks and disable traps. Opening locks would use Knock, disarming traps would require buffing and just marching him through it
Good luck in BG2 with that, there are very nasty traps there
Still, for BG2 and with rogue rebalance I'd go for the Skald kit (or BGEE->BG2 or maybe BG2EE). His song gets further upgraded to +5 damage/-5 AC and negates stun/fear/confusion. (with SCSII installed you'll encounter these debuffs 'very' often). He also gets a HLA summon that is equal to Deva/Planetar (or Skalds' is stronger than the other bard/kits) and uses the proper PnP spell-table.
And specially the damage boost for every damage dealer is a huge asset, he wouldn't even be needed to deal damage himself..just playing his song makes easily up for a missing damage-dealer spot in the party.
A Skald can still play his/her song and get the odd ranged shot (or even quick spell) off in-between, without dropping bard song, if you're careful...
Mirror image blocks nearly all traps that deal direct damage, except spell based and will block most of those as well, save aoes or status effects. And you can cast spell immunity for most of the status based ones.
As far as I recall, summons can't set off traps, or at the wand of monster summoning summons can't, except familiars which are considered NPCs.
Mirror image blocks nearly all traps that deal direct damage, except spell based and will block most of those as well, save aoes or status effects. And you can cast spell immunity for most of the status based ones.
But isn't there a chance the trap will hit your real image, even when you have mirror images left or doesn't it work that way for traps?
As far as I recall, summons can't set off traps, or at the wand of monster summoning summons can't, except familiars which are considered NPCs.
You could well be correct, I've never tried this, as have always had a thief in my party.
Anyway, a Bard (apart from a Blade, perhaps, maybe a Jester) is usually better in group, especially a Skald, so you'll probably have someone on Find Traps duty (currently I'm using Imoen, with Edwin casting invisibility on her).
A Skald can still play his/her song and get the odd ranged shot (or even quick spell) off in-between, without dropping bard song, if you're careful...
I think that can easily be managed with a self-made script, there ain't really a bard-script that'd satisfy my needs, as I tend to cast my spells myself and only let the script do very minor stuff, like moving to the party leader if no enemy in sight, do nothing while turning or prioritize an attacker or just attack at least something
I guess my Bard/Skald 'd also prefer shortbows ^^ Currently busy playing another char, and maybe I'll give it a try some time thereafter, cause waiting for BG2EE is way too long.
edit: traps in BG2 are odd, there are quite a few, which needs to be disabled, else they do endless damage. +maze/imprisonment-versions, nasty death-spell-traps and alike. So having some1 to disable them seems very important to me. But the 'basic' NPC thiefs usually suck or I just don't like to have them around...
I wish the Enhanced Bard Song was customized for the different kits. I really want to roll a Skald, but the fact that an epic level Jester or Blade gets the same song makes it hard to commit to the redundancy.
Regarding the bard-only list, there are also several items only usable by bards OR thieves. Notably in ToB, there's the Master Harper's Chain (or similar, I forget the exact name of the item), which for a caster bard means extra AC, pickpocketing, and a permanent vocalize effect. Not bad.
I wish the Enhanced Bard Song was customized for the different kits. I really want to roll a Skald, but the fact that an epic level Jester or Blade gets the same song makes it hard to commit to the redundancy.
You might really look into 'Rogue Rebalance' .. though it only works for BG2. Installation skips completely in BGEE [..and you can pick the components you like and don't have to install everything]
Enhanced Bard Song (True Bard only) This mighty battle chant grants the Bard and his allies +4 to hit, +4 to all saving throws, +10% bonus to magic resistance and immunity to Fear and Charm. The Bard himself receives an 8 point bonus to all of his saving throws while singing the song.
Enhanced Skald Song (Skald only) This mighty battle chant grants the Skald and his allies +5 to hit, +5 to damage, -5 to AC, +10% resistance to physical damage, immunity to Fear, Stun and Confusion. The Skald himself receives a 10 point bonus to his armor class while singing the song.
Enhanced Jester Song (Jester only) The Enhanced Jester Song affects all opponents within hearing range who must save vs. spells once per round or become distracted (-2 save penalty) confused (no save bonus) or mesmerized (+2 save bonus). The Jester himself becomes immune to all mind-affecting spells and abilities while singing the song.
Well, technically, the bard can still open locks and disable traps. Opening locks would use Knock, disarming traps would require buffing and just marching him through it
Good luck in BG2 with that, there are very nasty traps there
Still, for BG2 and with rogue rebalance I'd go for the Skald kit (or BGEE->BG2 or maybe BG2EE). His song gets further upgraded to +5 damage/-5 AC and negates stun/fear/confusion. (with SCSII installed you'll encounter these debuffs 'very' often). He also gets a HLA summon that is equal to Deva/Planetar (or Skalds' is stronger than the other bard/kits) and uses the proper PnP spell-table.
And specially the damage boost for every damage dealer is a huge asset, he wouldn't even be needed to deal damage himself..just playing his song makes easily up for a missing damage-dealer spot in the party.
For only BGEE I guess I wouldn't necessary play a bard :P
- Aslyferund Elven Chain +5 - Bladesinger Chain +4 - Jester's Chain +4 (Bard only) - if sided with Bodhi: Elven Chain +1 in chapter 3
[upps sorry, Bard only Jester's Chain...though usually Vecna goes to my mage..so the elven armor whoever casts too and can wear it]
SOme of these intruments can be used by anyone. (the valhalla-series) not sure about the other horns, but the harps are limited to bards only and without Rogue Rebalance to Thiefs and the HLA (use any item)
Not Bard-only, but Bard and Thief only and particularly useful to bards (as prevent silence):
Also according to Gamebanshee there's Greagan's Harp in BG1 at Ulgoth's Beard: Dominates a Single Victim each time it's played, same as 5th Level wizard Domination spell, victim must save at -2 to avoid affect, has finite number of chargers http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgate/equipment/miscellaneous.php
I can't see this item listed in Shadowkeeper for BGEE, though, maybe it was removed?
Darn, am about to stall my BG2 campaign and re-roll a Skald :> But won't visit every single stupid area again, easier to farm the XP somewhere else...and only go for the Tomes in BGEE.
Well, technically, the bard can still open locks and disable traps. Opening locks would use Knock, disarming traps would require buffing and just marching him through it
Good luck in BG2 with that, there are very nasty traps there
Still, for BG2 and with rogue rebalance I'd go for the Skald kit (or BGEE->BG2 or maybe BG2EE). His song gets further upgraded to +5 damage/-5 AC and negates stun/fear/confusion. (with SCSII installed you'll encounter these debuffs 'very' often). He also gets a HLA summon that is equal to Deva/Planetar (or Skalds' is stronger than the other bard/kits) and uses the proper PnP spell-table.
And specially the damage boost for every damage dealer is a huge asset, he wouldn't even be needed to deal damage himself..just playing his song makes easily up for a missing damage-dealer spot in the party.
For only BGEE I guess I wouldn't necessary play a bard :P
- Aslyferund Elven Chain +5 - Bladesinger Chain +4 - Jester's Chain +4 (Bard only) - if sided with Bodhi: Elven Chain +1 in chapter 3
[upps sorry, Bard only Jester's Chain...though usually Vecna goes to my mage..so the elven armor whoever casts too and can wear it]
SOme of these intruments can be used by anyone. (the valhalla-series) not sure about the other horns, but the harps are limited to bards only and without Rogue Rebalance to Thiefs and the HLA (use any item)
Not Bard-only, but Bard and Thief only and particularly useful to bards (as prevent silence):
Also according to Gamebanshee there's Greagan's Harp in BG1 at Ulgoth's Beard: Dominates a Single Victim each time it's played, same as 5th Level wizard Domination spell, victim must save at -2 to avoid affect, has finite number of chargers http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgate/equipment/miscellaneous.php
I can't see this item listed in Shadowkeeper for BGEE, though, maybe it was removed?
Found Greagan's Harp, it's under "The Captive Audience" and is item MISC2P. Strangely in BGEE it can also be used by a Monk, an error I presume?
Silence does negate bardsong. I've had it happen to me a time or two.
The invisibility while singing is something I really like, and consider a special power. I just love to invisibly sing my way through the game, while writing down the grand epic adventure of my party's true heroes, which are not me! But that's a roleplaying thing. Nobody is more surprised than my bard characters that they have a special heritage that is generating a whole lot of the unwanted kind of attention.
It still doesn't make sense, bard song uses also verbal/voice components like a common spell, and you should be locatable as soon your hand touches the strings of your harp.
'd consider it myself the same way as an abusive mechanic like the unfixed helm of valor. Still, better that way than the massive cheating version from IWD2, that prevented me from ever rolling a bard.
aTweaks fixes it btw, to the question above - got some nice sub-modules as well, like 'bring-back-the-damage-to-my-enchanted-arrows' :P
But what if you sing or whistle, rather then play an instrument? Talking doesn't break invisibility (and is a free action, unless particularly verbose), just any action more strenuous then simple movement that effects another object. Then you've just got this creepy faux-latin chanting playing in the background. While the enemies are all standing around like, "WTF!?". And then get jumped by your party mates.
Singing or reciting poetry...the instrument is optional, depending on your character's preference for performance (there's no hard and fast rule, but if your character says he plays a lute as part of his act, then he needs to play the lute as part of his bard song). If you're using the non-combat prof rules, then you declare your performance style you use by default, and can learn additional styles or instruments via non-combat points.
Singing or reciting poetry...the instrument is optional, depending on your character's preference for performance (there's no hard and fast rule, but if your character says he plays a lute as part of his act, then he needs to play the lute as part of his bard song). If you're using the non-combat prof rules, then you declare your performance style you use by default, and can learn additional styles or instruments via non-combat points.
Also arguably a Jester doesn't necessarily sing, but could caper about, to cause confusion?
I wish the Enhanced Bard Song was customized for the different kits. I really want to roll a Skald, but the fact that an epic level Jester or Blade gets the same song makes it hard to commit to the redundancy.
Yes, but you have 2/3 of the game with probably the best song and still get the +1 THAC0/+1 damage and full Lore (unlike a Blade). Jester song seems more difficult to keep up and still be able to attack.
What about the Jester's song then? Isn't it considered an offensive action..or can he still just play by the rules invisible as he is? For the non-combat part I could live with...kind of a Bardic Sanctuary.
Well technically..the PnP version basically just flips the enemies off and makes rude remarks about their parentage and lovers and manliness or whatever, instilling an intense desire to kill jester in enemies ("Causing confusion" in the ranks, by breaking up their battle plan...which I think Bioware took a bit literally when designing their version of the song), if they're not bright enough to realize they're being played (or too stupid to even comprehend the exchange). After looking it over, I wouldn't mind the proper Jester song, if it wasn't too hard to set up.
I might check some old books, sadly most of them are placed or stored somewhere else, so I have to rely on pdfs. I have installed by 'instinct' the jester-only-version anyway (makes you visible or partially), cause it wouldn't make sense taking an offensive action and stay invisible, same like a cleric under sanctuary-protection. But I haven't had any major bard-experience in pnp so it was just a vague guess.
Also according to Gamebanshee there's Greagan's Harp in BG1 at Ulgoth's Beard: Dominates a Single Victim each time it's played, same as 5th Level wizard Domination spell, victim must save at -2 to avoid affect, has finite number of chargers http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgate/equipment/miscellaneous.php
I can't see this item listed in Shadowkeeper for BGEE, though, maybe it was removed?
Graegan's Harp can actually be used by Monks as well, oddly enough. They must meditate whilst playing?
Also according to Gamebanshee there's Greagan's Harp in BG1 at Ulgoth's Beard: Dominates a Single Victim each time it's played, same as 5th Level wizard Domination spell, victim must save at -2 to avoid affect, has finite number of chargers http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgate/equipment/miscellaneous.php
I can't see this item listed in Shadowkeeper for BGEE, though, maybe it was removed?
Graegan's Harp can actually be used by Monks as well, oddly enough. They must meditate whilst playing?
It's a bug, I've reported it and it's be acknowledged
Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and fire arrows of a thousand Kobold Commando's or roll a Berserker and take arms against a sea of Hobgoblins.
Comments
As far as I recall, summons can't set off traps, or at the wand of monster summoning summons can't, except familiars which are considered NPCs.
Anyway, a Bard (apart from a Blade, perhaps, maybe a Jester) is usually better in group, especially a Skald, so you'll probably have someone on Find Traps duty (currently I'm using Imoen, with Edwin casting invisibility on her).
I guess my Bard/Skald 'd also prefer shortbows ^^ Currently busy playing another char, and maybe I'll give it a try some time thereafter, cause waiting for BG2EE is way too long.
edit: traps in BG2 are odd, there are quite a few, which needs to be disabled, else they do endless damage. +maze/imprisonment-versions, nasty death-spell-traps and alike. So having some1 to disable them seems very important to me. But the 'basic' NPC thiefs usually suck or I just don't like to have them around...
Luckily there are some well-made NPC mods...
Enhanced Bard Song (True Bard only)
This mighty battle chant grants the Bard and his allies +4 to hit, +4 to all saving throws, +10% bonus to magic resistance and immunity to Fear and Charm. The Bard himself receives an 8 point bonus to all of his saving throws while singing the song.
Enhanced Skald Song (Skald only)
This mighty battle chant grants the Skald and his allies +5 to hit, +5 to damage, -5 to AC, +10% resistance to physical damage, immunity to Fear, Stun and Confusion. The Skald himself receives a 10 point bonus to his armor class while singing the song.
Enhanced Jester Song (Jester only)
The Enhanced Jester Song affects all opponents within hearing range who must save vs. spells once per round or become distracted (-2 save penalty) confused (no save bonus) or mesmerized (+2 save bonus). The Jester himself becomes immune to all mind-affecting spells and abilities while singing the song.
Amulet of the Master Harper
+20% To Find Traps/Pick Locks (not that a Bard would benefit), +3 AC, Wearer is Immune to Silence
see: http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgateii/equipment/amulets.php
Also according to Gamebanshee there's Greagan's Harp in BG1 at Ulgoth's Beard:
Dominates a Single Victim each time it's played, same as 5th Level wizard Domination spell, victim must save at -2 to avoid affect, has finite number of chargers
http://www.gamebanshee.com/baldursgate/equipment/miscellaneous.php
I can't see this item listed in Shadowkeeper for BGEE, though, maybe it was removed?
EDIT: I've bug-reported this here:
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/13974/misc2p-itm-greagans-harp-description-says-can-be-used-by-monk-not-just-bard
Also Bardsong does not cancel Invisibility, which is a little strange, though I think there are mods that change this
The invisibility while singing is something I really like, and consider a special power. I just love to invisibly sing my way through the game, while writing down the grand epic adventure of my party's true heroes, which are not me! But that's a roleplaying thing. Nobody is more surprised than my bard characters that they have a special heritage that is generating a whole lot of the unwanted kind of attention.
'd consider it myself the same way as an abusive mechanic like the unfixed helm of valor. Still, better that way than the massive cheating version from IWD2, that prevented me from ever rolling a bard.
aTweaks fixes it btw, to the question above - got some nice sub-modules as well, like 'bring-back-the-damage-to-my-enchanted-arrows' :P
hmm
For the non-combat part I could live with...kind of a Bardic Sanctuary.
some proposed changes....
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/comment/224600/#Comment_224600
I don't even know how you'd really describe the actual effect of the BG version of the jester song in PnP terms.
yet, doesn't hurt to ask....