@Stargazer5781, ah, yes, Severn. I like him too. The trouble is, he won't pay attention to the PC - he always hooks up with that tramp, Teri. (Just kidding - I like Teri, too.)
I find none of the bards to be particularly useful. Bard is a pretty good class all said and done but these three aren't very good. Garrick is a crappy version of Eldoth. Eldoth requires the guantlets of dex to be any good and neither of them can scribe scrolls to save their lives. Haer'Dalis is possibly the best of the three but being a Blade he loses half his lore score (which i find to be a pretty handy aspect of the bard) loses his bard song increases, making it effectively worthless (why be a bard if you can't use their main mechanic?) and he focuses on melee but has abysmal hit points. The best bard that can be in your group is the one you make yourself.
People don't give Haer'Dalis enough credit! This isn't only from a personality perspective, though I do like him for his story and character.
However, why complain about his hit points? Stoneskin + mirror image! Problem solved. He's a great asset, whether you use him as a supportive spellcaster, supportive melee, short term tank, or all of the above! Combine the magic he can use with his close combat abilities and spins to make him last long in combat!
His lore is half what a normal bard gets, still it's more than enough. Keep a few scrolls of Identify or glasses of Identify and you're set.
@Stargazer5781, yeah, I was just kidding. Maybe my little joke wasn't such a good idea - somebody might not take it how it was intended and get offended.
I love your profile picture. That player's handbook cover is the one I grew up with - brings back memories.
Haer'Dalis. Among other stuff people have posted, he's also a lot more observant than he lets on (only he and Edwin are able to see behind Yoshimo's "dashing rogue" facade). The other are annoying - Garrick lacks any character development, and Eldoth is only interesting when you first meet him.
I don't get how people think bards are underwhelming. Let's review the facts:
1) At levels 1-5 their spell progression is very similar to a level 1-4 plain wizard's except they can't cast spells at level 1. Instead, they get a song that grants fear immunity (even the Blade's) and they can use Long Bows/Chain Mail. Yes, you heard that right: at super low levels Bards are essentially fighter/mages with significantly better casting progression and fear immunity. Their song even works in dead magic zones, which is nice you're like some people and you prefer tackling Watcher's Keep at lower levels because you enjoy a good challenge. 2) They can use most items (and all the best items in BG1). I mean seriously, in a game where most other classes only get to use [i]some[/i] of the most powerful items you'd think a class which can use all of them AND use bows AND cast spells AND give you fear immunity... Wands alone can be downright OP in both BG1 and 2. 3) Bards level quickly. In both games, that means they reach critical spell levels earlier than any other caster (more magic missiles, earlier Skeleton Warrior, etc). Character level also affects whether or not spells like Cloudkill will insta-kill you. Considering how popular the Death spell is in BG2, let's hope they don't introduce that spell to every mid-level caster in BG1... though if we have to be honest with ourselves then we know that's exactly what the developers should be doing if they wanted everything to be consistent. Maybe on "impossible" difficulty. 4) Bards are a well-rounded class in general, with decent THAC0 (they have a good chance of hitting anything as long as you keep their gear up to par) and spellcasting (seriously, just get the essentials: Magic Missile->Mirror Image->Melf's Minute Meteors->Stoneskin).
At the very least give him a good bow and he'll earn his keep.
I've played through the games four times now from BG1 to ToB and desperately wanted a bard in the party (even tried making one.) I just couldn't find a way to make it not suck. A bard isn't great at anything and I normally can't afford for one of the party members to sing a ditty while everyone else is fighting. The great thing about bards is that they can suck at a lot of different things. Maybe I missed the boat on this but they just don't earn the XP I have to split with them. I just let Boo chirp a song and wish I was smart enough to make journeying with Bards worth the trouble.
Comments
However, why complain about his hit points? Stoneskin + mirror image! Problem solved. He's a great asset, whether you use him as a supportive spellcaster, supportive melee, short term tank, or all of the above! Combine the magic he can use with his close combat abilities and spins to make him last long in combat!
His lore is half what a normal bard gets, still it's more than enough. Keep a few scrolls of Identify or glasses of Identify and you're set.
I rarely play BG2 without him.
2. Garrick/Eldoth
I love your profile picture. That player's handbook cover is the one I grew up with - brings back memories.
I don't get how people think bards are underwhelming. Let's review the facts:
1) At levels 1-5 their spell progression is very similar to a level 1-4 plain wizard's except they can't cast spells at level 1. Instead, they get a song that grants fear immunity (even the Blade's) and they can use Long Bows/Chain Mail. Yes, you heard that right: at super low levels Bards are essentially fighter/mages with significantly better casting progression and fear immunity.
Their song even works in dead magic zones, which is nice you're like some people and you prefer tackling Watcher's Keep at lower levels because you enjoy a good challenge.
2) They can use most items (and all the best items in BG1). I mean seriously, in a game where most other classes only get to use [i]some[/i] of the most powerful items you'd think a class which can use all of them AND use bows AND cast spells AND give you fear immunity... Wands alone can be downright OP in both BG1 and 2.
3) Bards level quickly. In both games, that means they reach critical spell levels earlier than any other caster (more magic missiles, earlier Skeleton Warrior, etc). Character level also affects whether or not spells like Cloudkill will insta-kill you.
Considering how popular the Death spell is in BG2, let's hope they don't introduce that spell to every mid-level caster in BG1... though if we have to be honest with ourselves then we know that's exactly what the developers should be doing if they wanted everything to be consistent. Maybe on "impossible" difficulty.
4) Bards are a well-rounded class in general, with decent THAC0 (they have a good chance of hitting anything as long as you keep their gear up to par) and spellcasting (seriously, just get the essentials: Magic Missile->Mirror Image->Melf's Minute Meteors->Stoneskin).
At the very least give him a good bow and he'll earn his keep.