So Bards...
viktorh
Member Posts: 9
I never liked Bards. I mean i like the idea of Jack of All Traits and people person, but the whole "and you're literally harming/helping others with playing a guitar" is just absurd... I know about martial music in armies but that's something entirely different. Sure, we shouldn't take fantasy literally but I think we all agree that there are some boundaries. And for me, that boundary is crossed with a guy playing an instrument or singing while his party of buddies is torn to pieces. And he's actually making a difference! I just don't know how to interpret it. Hell, how am I supposed to imagine it without the whole thing not being absurd and ridiculous?? Am I missing something?
But... maybe I'm missing something. I would like to play bard some day but the absurd "combat music" always turn me out... So, I'm asking if anyone thought about how silly the concept is? and maybe found a way to make it believable and plausible somehow?
Thanks
But... maybe I'm missing something. I would like to play bard some day but the absurd "combat music" always turn me out... So, I'm asking if anyone thought about how silly the concept is? and maybe found a way to make it believable and plausible somehow?
Thanks
0
Comments
Also, part of the reason people love bards is they are a bit absurd and ridiculous. They're a bit of light heartedness in a world filled with dark deeds and dark times.
More then that, when names are forgotten, when deeds are old, when books have wasted away, the bard song still remains.
P.S. yes that last comment was just an excuse to post that song its awesome don't judge me.
Soldiers in modern militaries listen to music on headphones. It's a method to distance yourself from the bloodshed, which is another way to maintain morale.
That's all a bard is. Their song doesn't have to be literally magical--and in fact I would venture to say that it isn't intended to be distinctly magical. When you're fighting a dragon and you're thinking about running away, sometimes you need someone at your back reminding you why you're fighting.
Several of the most powerful characters in Jin Yong's Wuxia series use music to channel their inner energy and attack enemies with effects that resemble Horror, Chaos, Stun and even Death Spell.
I didn't entirely know what I was doing. And for sure he wasn't my tank, or my best spell caster, and he never lifted a finger to heal anybody.
But with high charisma and Lore ability, he was a good lead character. In addition to songs & spells, he could sneak around and scout, and wasn't too shabby in a fight. I even read all the novels you find across the game, because I figured as a Bard he would do that.
The ol' rascal wasn't the most powerful character, certainly, but for roleplaying it was a blast.
And in both Greek and Celtic myth the story-teller himself often takes on a larger than life aura.
So I think an epic, magical musician/story-teller is a perfectly fitting character for heroic fantasy.
If you look at a bard the same way it will help you see him as fitting in with the setting.
Also listening to Blind Guardian helps. A lot.
check out the first 30 seconds of the below clip to see how magical music can be
Those dragons have pathetic saving throws... some of them also need a diet, tis' a wonder they can fly!
@Heindrich the flute doesn't permit a saving throw its pretty op. Also the big bellies is actually how they can fly and breathe fire. They basically inflate themselves with gas in order to fly and exhale it in order to land and breathe fire(they can ignite it in there mouth). its also how the knight kills it as his super heated sword ignites the gas in the dragons belly. I actually quite like the concept
Music does definitely have psychological impact though. The Men Who Stare at Goats (the book, not the film) has a few damning chapters about Psyops (Psychological Operations) and enhanced interrogation techniques involving sleep deprivation and deafening music.
Not that this really relates to bards, unless they're Cacofonix levels of bad.
Don't try to make sense of it. There's nothing absurd about it.
And Bards aren't just musicians or minstrels. That's just a Commoner or Expert that raises the Perform skill in DnD 3.5E.
And Clerics aren't just devout people. A Fighter could be really devout and be unable to cast spells.
Bards are people that learned to channel their magic through music.
They're not musicians that harm people with a lute (unless it's used like an improvised blunt weapon).
Oh you did NOT just post that. Anyone that likes Blind Guardian is an official bro of mine.
Now if you excuse me I'm going to make stats for a wookie bard. Because I can.
The biggest examples of bardic superiority in pathfinder are the Arcane Duelist, who is a gish on steroids reminescent of the Anointed Knight (can have Inspire Courage as well as the ability to have up to 5 enhancements to your weapon, heavy armor proficiency with casting included, fighter feats and full access to the bard spell list), and the Magician, which boosts caster effectiveness for the group up the wazoo (its main song boosts caster level and concentration up to 4 levels higher, a great boon on buffs, spell penetration and AoO prevention), as well as having access to the Wizard/Sorcerer and Witch (bests Save or Sucker in the game, with a level 1 debuff that forces the target to reroll on a successful save against your own spells) spell lists and a great potential for conterspelling and magical neutering, with the ability to use your performance pool to fuel metamagic as the big cherry on top, putting it firmly on the second tier of effectiveness, rivaling the sorcerer and oracle in single combat and far surpassing them when in a group (being able to easily replace the tier 4 rogue also makes them much more desirable).