A question have been nagging me for quite some time:
What is so great about bards ??

Aren't they just some pseudo spellcasters using stamina/instruments instead of spellpoints/spellbooks ? Isn't the "real" spellcasters better ?

Please note that this is not a flamebait; I've stuck with the same bardless party since Wiz 6 and am just curious.

Bards definitely are not necessary. My current party is playing in the Rapax Castle and I have not had a bard. When I play through the game next I will take a bard. I have found many cool instruments that my current party cannot use. Below I will summarize the advantages and disadvantages of a Bard over a pure spell caster.

Advantages
-Instruments only use stamina which is easily replaced.
-The power level of the spell tends to be higher than you spellcaster can cast safely.
-Much better fighter than a pure spellcaster.
-Gets Locks & Traps, Pickpocket skill

Disadvantages
-Instruments limit your spell selection so that it is not as broad as a pure spell caster.
-Instruments tend to be heavy.
-Instruments in general must be found not purchased limiting your choices.

Hope this helps.

You're right in suggesting that a bard will end up like a handicapped wizard in the late game, but Bards are great because :
1) You get more powerful spells earlier via the instruments - I tend to focus on using the rousing drums, pipes of pandemonium and heal all do-hickky
2)You advance in level faster than spellcasters, and have the option to switch to fighter or ranger class after reaching level 18 with a 90% music
3) You can pickpocket and defuse traps (but so can a rogue or ninja)
4) It's quicker to re-generate stamina
5) You rest and heal quicker - great for the fast recovery and interrupt camping before you get clobbered routine.
6) Can wear some quite good armour, and can be used as a relative tank if you let him develop his sword skill (my Bard carries Fang).

I would have a hard time giving up my bard in a future party.

Thank you for the quick response!!

>> 1) You get more powerful spells earlier via the instruments - I tend to focus on using the rousing drums, pipes of pandemonium and heal all do-hickky
K, so the use of instruments is unlimited as long as you have stamina ?

>>2)You advance in level faster than spellcasters, and have the option to switch to fighter or ranger class after reaching level 18 with a 90% music
Works fine for spell casters too. In my party I have:
Samurai / Mage 5/18
Lord / Priest 5/18
Ninja / Alchemist 5/18
By the time they reached level 18, they had their main magic skill at 125 and knew all spells of level 6-7, so I class changed them

>>3) You can pickpocket and defuse traps (but so can a rogue or ninja)
I do not miss defusing traps since 3 of my guys have Knock-Knock and I've looted stuff instead of pickpocketing, the save/reload process in PPing bothers me.

>>4) It's quicker to re-generate stamina
One of my 5 portals is at some special fountain [img]smile.gif[/img]

>>5) You rest and heal quicker - great for the fast recovery and interrupt camping before you get clobbered routine.
I haven't camped for ages because of 4) anyway

>>6) Can wear some quite good armour, and can be used as a relative tank if you let him develop his sword skill
So can my guys in 2) with a little bit of practice [img]smile.gif[/img]

I have noticed also that a bard using a instroment and and a spellcaster casting the same level spell the bard's instroment tends to work better, can't recall all the times pircing pipes and bard's lute saved my party.

IMHO, the reason I have a bard in my parties is that in the early game it helps alot, They are stronger in the earlier levels than the pure casters. Unless, you cheese and sit there casting a ton of crap out of combat to jack up your skills. In the late game, yeah the bard isn't all that. But, he's great early on and you can class switch him at 18(or 14 if you don't want the last few instruments).

Frosty

Bards typically "cast" spells via their instruments at a higher level earlier in the game than spellcasters do. Later on, they possess the advantage of casting spells without regard to mana. Provided you can keep a bard's stamina high (and Stamina is a cheap spell), they can keep playing as often as you like.

That Heal All bard item is tremendous. [img]smile.gif[/img]