Bards and Bard Song

Beridel

I mentioned this in a reply in General, but I thought maybe it should have its own thread here.

I'm not sure how it's supposed to be implemented in PnP but in BG, the bard song is practically useless and requires you to activate between rounds to keep the bonus going.

Would it be possible to to use it while just attacking and perhaps turn it off when casting spells or something like that (have to speak anyways to cast spells)? That way bards can contribute something unique to the party instead of being just the 2E gimps that they are. We might even have a reason to pick Skald if that happened :P

ALSO: In that general discussion thread, someone said that the bard song doesn't level up like it's supposed to. If so, then that should be fixed at the very least.

Cadros

If there are bugs to do with bard songs then they will be addressed, however I do not think they have the license to alter how a classes core mechanic works, I think you will have to wait for Beamdog's much hoped for original game.

FillaFillason

Beridel said:

I mentioned this in a reply in General, but I thought maybe it should have its own thread here.

I'm not sure how it's supposed to be implemented in PnP but in BG, the bard song is practically useless and requires you to activate between rounds to keep the bonus going.

Would it be possible to to use it while just attacking and perhaps turn it off when casting spells or something like that (have to speak anyways to cast spells)? That way bards can contribute something unique to the party instead of being just the 2E gimps that they are. We might even have a reason to pick Skald if that happened :P

ALSO: In that general discussion thread, someone said that the bard song doesn't level up like it's supposed to. If so, then that should be fixed at the very least.

The bard song works as it is supposed to, but in ad&d the bard song bonus is the same from lvl 1 to lvl 14 i belive. on lvl 15 it goes up to 2+ instead of just +1. But you will never reatch that lvl in bg1, so its stay the same.

I agree whit you about making the bard able to sing when fighting, if they could make the bard loose an attack pr round now and then that would work alost in the same way as it does now. Now you have to sing, let the other team mates get the bonus, then attack, when the bonus is removed after 1 or 2 rounds, then start singing again, then attacking all over again. This makes alot of pausing, so if the bard can sing when attacking but get less attack per round, that would have been practical and true to the original settup of the bard, in practic anyway

Beridel

FillaFillason said:

I agree whit you about making the bard able to sing when fighting, if they could make the bard loose an attack pr round now and then that would work alost in the same way as it does now. Now you have to sing, let the other team mates get the bonus, then attack, when the bonus is removed after 1 or 2 rounds, then start singing again, then attacking all over again. This makes alot of pausing, so if the bard can sing when attacking but get less attack per round, that would have been practical and true to the original settup of the bard, in practic anyway

That is definitely workable and eliminates the biggest issue I have with it.

I did just look around a bit and I got this from a PnP site. I imagine it wouldn't be that hard to work in:

By the books (PHB p.60), it is an out of combat ability that takes 3 rounds. The nature of the threat must be known (Our favorite song is "We're gonna up some gooooblins"), and must be sang about, recited about, or a story must be told about that threat for 3 rounds. Then everyone that heard it, within 10feet per level of the bard, gets EITHER a +1 bonus to hit, +1 on saves, or +2 morale for 1 round per level of the bard. This cannot be renewed during the fight, but if someone leaves the fight, they can be reenergized by the bard.

I played by this rule, but allowed the 1 round per level to start when combat starts. At first level, it only affects the opening round of combat, but it quickly gets better as the bard levels.

So basically turn it on before combat, and it'll last a round for every level you are. It'll be a nice bonus for the beginning of every fight (while lasting longer and longer as you level up). It'll also do away with the annoying micro of keeping it up during combat, pausing every few seconds to turn it back on. What do you think?

FillaFillason

Well, then I was alittle misstaken. Then there is a perfectly fine rule to use allready, they just have to be sure it works as it should.

It makes sence that you have to start singing before the battle, as it is not likely that people will be able to sing very well, or tell a story well when fighting whit your sword ;-) So if a lvl 5 bards song last for 5 rounds, thats a good enough bonus for me!

I hope they "Fix" the problem whit the bard beeing able to start the song in battle, that is needless if the song works as described in the players handbook p.60. This is a muth better way to do it thatn what i sugested,hehe

Tanthalas

I think a request similar to this one has been made already. I too would like it if the Bardsong lasted 1 level per round of the Bard so he could attack.