Bards can't dual class into anything, and no class can dual into a Bard. It's…a calling? Actually I don't have a good reason. Probably why they changed it after 2E.
Bards are just too cool for dual classing. It would just dilute their awesomeness.
@Antagonist, I used Garrick in my past couple of runs all the way through the final battle, and he did great. A bard's strength is his extreme flexibility. In one of those runs, I was also playing a bard (mine was a skald), so there were two of us. Did you know that multiple bard songs stack bonuses? And don't forget that fast level progression!
A lot of people either don't know how to use that to their advantage, or don't have the right playstyle for it.
When he gets his third weapon pip, I always put it in bows, (he's strong enough to use either short or long), and I give him what items I can to increase his Thac0 with it. He holds his own quite well as an archer, and he helped a lot in the final battle shooting arrows of detonation and dispelling. When he ran out of the good arrows, he started blasting the bad guys to kingdom come with wands of fire and lightning.
With the Rogue Rebalancing mod, he can also sing his song to give +1 to hit and +1 to saves for the whole party, (+2/+2 at level 8), if that's what I decide to have him do. In the run where I was a skald, once we hit level 8, my song was giving +3 to hit and damage, and +3 to AC. WIth Garrick and I both singing, the melee fighters and other archers were getting +5 to hit, +3 to damage, +3 to AC, and +2 to saving throws, along with Fear protection.
Our party with the two "weak" bards was overpowering the game by then. Karoug might as well have been a Chihuahua.
He casts lots of spells from scrolls through my games, as well, and he uses his first level spell slots to help the arcane specialists cover everybody with Protection from Petrification spells during the basilisk map. He's always good for an extra spread of Magic Missiles (and he'll get 5 in a spread before the mages), or an extra Web when we need one.
He'll end the game at level 10 if you go to level cap, so he even has a shot (albeit a long shot) at petrifying Sarevok with a Chromatic Orb.
I'm not using him in my latest cleric-mage run, in favor of the canon party, and I already really miss him. It was a hard decision for me to not dump someone from the canon party and not take him this time.
Oh, and to pull this back around to topic - Garrick could teach Imoen the basics of arcane casting. Especially since, according to the NPC Project, she has a crush on him.
Imoen crushing on Garrick was really funny, and I kinda wish they played it up even more, lol!
Also Belgarathmth makes very good points about bards (while not even bringing up the "awesomeness" factor) I used to be down on them as well, until I learned how to use them properly. I actually think all the kits help out in this aspect (all three are unique and cool in their own ways) but mostly what helped me was taking advantage of their quick level progression.
When you use spells that really power up with level it really shows. My level 23 blade right now in SoA is destroying everything with his skull trap (does 23d6! basically 23-138 damage, average 80.5) while Neera, Imoen and Nalia are all level 17 doing a measly 17-102 (averaging a disappointing 59.5). Also, guess who's dispel magic always works? Only Keldorn would be able to match my blade with this, and this is the one time I have not really missed having him in my party.
If you install Rogue Rebalancing bards are even more useful (in addition to the spell points I just mentioned). I installed this and my blade gets an automatic 3 pips in Two-Weapon Style (you may consider this cheating, which I can understand). What does this mean? He is proficient in like... EVERY weapon right now. You know those types that no NPC really seems to be proficient in, but have some powerful magical weapons? Your blade can use them! You know those weapons that are usually so-so but in certain, specific situations are EXTREMELY useful? Your blade can use them! Not only a blade, but all bards can get a pip in most weapons, giving them a diverse arsenal. They may not be as powerful as a fighter (though with offensive spin a blade kit in particular can be devastating) but they are definitely more diverse than most fighter-classes.
PS: Sorry about this being completely off-topic, I just love my bard right now. I usually get bored of my main character at the end of chapter three and restart the game, but with my blade the fun is endless.
PS part 2: Make Garrick a jester! It's kinda fun. You can just imagine different meanings to most of his lines "Music has charms to soothe the savage breast. ...oh, hi there Shar-Teel" Xan: "Garrick?" "Yes.... siirrr" "Life is so hollow" "Life... is glorious!" "we're all doomed" With Edwin: "I am at your service" "Again you disturb me! What is it now" "Make short the miles with talk and smiles" "You are sooooo irritating!" "With joy sir"
Honestly, I played with Garrick in my last game and I used him basically as the worst thief in the world- running around in armor with a short sword, because Immy and CHARNAME Archer did all the ranged I could need. Occasionally I'd remember what class he was and put on his bard song. Eldoth is just about as useful.
Having said that, a bard can be awesome, and will easily bring the way to glory. Bard's are a decent class, it's just that neither Garrick or Eldoth are that good.
I used Garrick as the worst mage in the world and he was actually pretty good. Same with Eldoth. He identified stuff and acted as a Haste dispenser and blasted away with his wand of fire, which is all I really ask for in a mage. I was pleasantly surprised and I would use him all the time if Silke wasn't so terrifying to fight.
I'm starting to wonder if I had actually ever given this game a chance to show me it's full potential. @Belgarathmth you are correct, it's my playstyle that prevents me from giving other classes (especially the bard) a chance. So I'm going for a solo FMT run just to break the habit.
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No seriously, I tried many times in the past and to this day I have no idea, how is it possible to get through this game with a bard
A lot of people either don't know how to use that to their advantage, or don't have the right playstyle for it.
When he gets his third weapon pip, I always put it in bows, (he's strong enough to use either short or long), and I give him what items I can to increase his Thac0 with it. He holds his own quite well as an archer, and he helped a lot in the final battle shooting arrows of detonation and dispelling. When he ran out of the good arrows, he started blasting the bad guys to kingdom come with wands of fire and lightning.
With the Rogue Rebalancing mod, he can also sing his song to give +1 to hit and +1 to saves for the whole party, (+2/+2 at level 8), if that's what I decide to have him do. In the run where I was a skald, once we hit level 8, my song was giving +3 to hit and damage, and +3 to AC. WIth Garrick and I both singing, the melee fighters and other archers were getting +5 to hit, +3 to damage, +3 to AC, and +2 to saving throws, along with Fear protection.
Our party with the two "weak" bards was overpowering the game by then. Karoug might as well have been a Chihuahua.
He casts lots of spells from scrolls through my games, as well, and he uses his first level spell slots to help the arcane specialists cover everybody with Protection from Petrification spells during the basilisk map. He's always good for an extra spread of Magic Missiles (and he'll get 5 in a spread before the mages), or an extra Web when we need one.
He'll end the game at level 10 if you go to level cap, so he even has a shot (albeit a long shot) at petrifying Sarevok with a Chromatic Orb.
I'm not using him in my latest cleric-mage run, in favor of the canon party, and I already really miss him. It was a hard decision for me to not dump someone from the canon party and not take him this time.
Oh, and to pull this back around to topic - Garrick could teach Imoen the basics of arcane casting. Especially since, according to the NPC Project, she has a crush on him.
Also Belgarathmth makes very good points about bards (while not even bringing up the "awesomeness" factor) I used to be down on them as well, until I learned how to use them properly. I actually think all the kits help out in this aspect (all three are unique and cool in their own ways) but mostly what helped me was taking advantage of their quick level progression.
When you use spells that really power up with level it really shows. My level 23 blade right now in SoA is destroying everything with his skull trap (does 23d6! basically 23-138 damage, average 80.5) while Neera, Imoen and Nalia are all level 17 doing a measly 17-102 (averaging a disappointing 59.5). Also, guess who's dispel magic always works? Only Keldorn would be able to match my blade with this, and this is the one time I have not really missed having him in my party.
If you install Rogue Rebalancing bards are even more useful (in addition to the spell points I just mentioned). I installed this and my blade gets an automatic 3 pips in Two-Weapon Style (you may consider this cheating, which I can understand). What does this mean? He is proficient in like... EVERY weapon right now. You know those types that no NPC really seems to be proficient in, but have some powerful magical weapons? Your blade can use them! You know those weapons that are usually so-so but in certain, specific situations are EXTREMELY useful? Your blade can use them! Not only a blade, but all bards can get a pip in most weapons, giving them a diverse arsenal. They may not be as powerful as a fighter (though with offensive spin a blade kit in particular can be devastating) but they are definitely more diverse than most fighter-classes.
PS: Sorry about this being completely off-topic, I just love my bard right now. I usually get bored of my main character at the end of chapter three and restart the game, but with my blade the fun is endless.
PS part 2: Make Garrick a jester! It's kinda fun. You can just imagine different meanings to most of his lines
"Music has charms to soothe the savage breast. ...oh, hi there Shar-Teel"
Xan: "Garrick?" "Yes.... siirrr" "Life is so hollow" "Life... is glorious!" "we're all doomed"
With Edwin:
"I am at your service"
"Again you disturb me! What is it now"
"Make short the miles with talk and smiles"
"You are sooooo irritating!"
"With joy sir"
Having said that, a bard can be awesome, and will easily bring the way to glory. Bard's are a decent class, it's just that neither Garrick or Eldoth are that good.