First time using a bard.. question on this minor annoyance when selecting the party

rickcr

I've never really used a bard before and I'm starting IWDEE using a Skald. One of the issues I'm having is that I typically like to often focus the entire party on one mob at a time, so I select all (hotkey A) then select the mob to attack, and then adjust other party members as needed for spells if need be etc. The issue is that I want the bard song to just keep playing which makes it annoying when I select the entire party to go after the next mob after the last one dies. How do I avoid this? I have his kit set to autoplay but that obviously doesn't help when I do a select All to attack something.
Thanks for some advice

sarevok57

the only way that I would know of, is that you would have to make your own custom script so that he will only use his bard song, even if told to attack enemies or not ( from the select all force attack)

that's why I find bards kind of a pain because they are much more useful singing then they are battling I find and it requires more micromanagement for them to sing ( especially for skalds since they need to be kind of close to your front guys to give them those sweetski bonuses)

the advanced AI in the bgee's do a better job of it, but even then its still not quite flawless

I will give you a copy of the advanced AI script that the new patch in the EEs made, although im not 100% sure where you need to put it ( either in the override folder, or script folder, or perhaps both? - I would give those a shot) and then see if that helps a bit

rickcr

Thanks sarevok57. I'm on both a Mac and Android (I sync the save folder to dropbox so I can play on both.) I'd still be stuck though on the android without that script I'd think.

I think I'll just roll a new party without a bard in it. I only made one since I've heard on these forums they're great to have (although obviously not 100% necessary.) Or else I'll just keep him along and then periodically micromanage him when needed I guess. I was thinking of going with a 4 or 5 person party anyway.

sarevok57

well I've had quite a few IWD runs in my time, and I have never brought a bard along, from what I've heard they have some different banters with some NPCs and in IWD the bard had some pretty decent bard songs ( things like regeneration and the such) but other than that, I never found them necessary, not even druids, and they get quite the nice spell selection in IWD as well ( much better than the druids of the BG games)

I will just stick with my 3 warrior types, 1 cleric type, 1 thief type, and 1 mage type

subtledoctor

Bard songs stop whenever you attack or cast spells.

BUT I have completely torn down and rebuilt the bard song mechanic in my mod, which turns bard songs into passive auras that persist even when you attack:

https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/837685/#Comment_837685

It also allows a few non-bard kits (2 fighters and 2 thieves) to use these new bard auras. It also gives every bard kit access to two auras (one at 1st level, another at 6th level) that you can switch between. And finally, if you also includes the mod's feat system, all bard kits will be able to learn even more songs.

The most recent release can be found here, the bard song changes are in component #210:

https://github.com/subtledoctor/Might_and_Guile/releases

Wesboi

Bards aren't too bad if used as buffers, cast the buffs start song and forget about them. The bard song has quite a large radius.

If the bard casts buffs it means your mage/sorcerer can be more offensive so it negates the missing damage output.

BelgarathMTH

When I have a bard in the party, I use marquee select to separate out the party members I want to attack, leaving the bard out of the selection. Then I move the bard up closer to the frontliners while they're attacking. It definitely takes more micromanagement.