Hi everyone,

my current party has just finished the rapax castle and is about to disarm the savant's bomb. Since i visited Ferro everyone is well equipped - except my bard. He can't wear most armor, so his magical resistances aren't what i would like. Also he can't use the real good weapons, he uses the wrist rocket and recently started training staff and wand, using the flame staff.
Should i switch him to a fighter or something? Maybe a Samurai, he could stay in the back (he shouldn't get hit to often, not to run out of stamina) and use the zatoichi bo und an infinity helm, too! :)
Or maybe switch him to a psionic, only my bishop just started learning psionics. He would have some nice mental immunities, but would he learn enough spells till the game is over?
Or should he stay a bard, so his instrument-spells get more effective as his level increases (he is now level 22, music is above 90)?
My other party members are fighter, rogue (front), valkyrie (mostly for magic), ranger (flanks) and bishop (wizardry and alchemy) at the center, together with the bard.
I know the game isn't that challenging with this party, but it's my first time playing iron-man-mode and i didn't want to risk losing after investing so much time...

Thanks! Teddy

Bards can wear more than Rogues...
Usually the Robes of Rejuv and Oberon's Greaves are enough for me, but i usually also give everyone Stealth too.
In quite a few gemes i have switched Bards at various levels, mostly to Fighter, sometimes to Sam, so they can use Infy Helms. If you don't have anyone else for it, Zato sounds like a good idea, esp if your Bard has been building Staff/Wand Skill. You'll still be able to use all the Instruments, but you'll probably Ascend before your Wizardry is useful.

If he's in the front line, you could switch him to a fighter, to be able to berserk for double damage.

Otherwise, wouldn't change his profession (especially that late in the game). My bards stay bard all the way, and prefer instruments over melee or missiles.

If you change him to psionic, maybe he would be able to cast level 3 spells at the end of the game ... maybe not. Too late to start spellcasting.

wrist rocket? Yer still using slings at this stage? C'mon, there's tons of good bows out there! Or get him a decent sword or two.

I always have a female mook bard with me and switch her to fighter at lvl 20 because of the giant's sword and ebony plate. lvl 20 is enough to play all necessary instrument well. And she also uses the 3X-Bow.

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[ 07-06-2004, 02:41 AM: Message edited by: Loudhy ]

I switched my female mook bard at level 18 to a fighter. She's got Music maxed at 100 and a maxed out Dexterity and Speed. Currently raising her Strength and Vitality. ( Carrying capacity and stanima are critical issues for her )

She uses the Strong Bow ( I rejected the sling from the beginning. Heavy Ammo.... No open inventory slots..... ) and the giant sword. Overall she handles herself pretty good though I've noticed she fails when using the Infernal Horn about 1 out of every 3 times she uses it. She has no problems with any other instruments though.

Keep in mind that a bards equipment is usually rare bard only stuff. I think Crock sells some of it and others bits you can find. Most of it is quite good. I usually keep a bard as a magic user, not a fighter although switching them to fighter after they've enough music and bard levels to handle all instruments is a good idea.

I have 2 Bards, a Gadg. and a priest now. They're lvl 23 and I don't see much reason to switch them? Bard 1 has the Sw of hearts and stiletto and strong bow for ranged. +1 chain snake skin boots chain pants +2 brill helm, cloak many colours and 2 rings of the road.
Bard 2 is about the same except she has fang, stiletto, inf. helm.
The rings give them over 100 str. I wouldn't want to switch class since they'd lose the rings, benefit.
Freeze the enemy or make them insane, whatever. Then either shoot 'em up or get close and kill them. They do as much as 70 points damage and the insta kills are not uncommon!
I still find the Gadg. better though, even though they all have almost the exact same kills right now. The gadgets are just better longer. I find now that the instr. aren't as effective as they were at lower lvls.

I switch her, because I created her to do so. For some reason I like Giantsword and Ebony Plate.

I usually have a dual wielding Lord only, with maces mostly, not so strong, but very fast, so I don't like it to give him weapons or armour, that slow him down.
So the mook lady is me second fighting tank later.

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[ 07-07-2004, 06:35 AM: Message edited by: Loudhy ]

@Scatter: I agree, i think i will choose Samurai. It would be my first class change in this game... You're right about the rogue, but i somehow like him the way he is (now wearing fang + assassins cap).

@DBear and booklord: why no slings??? Medusa Stones deal the same damage as Mystic Arrows, and are not that much heavier (weight 0.3, arrows 0.2 and lightning bolts even 0.4!). I usually have at least one character use the sling, cause he trains also throwing and can use powders, quite usefull in the beginning. And i prefer the better chance of paralyzing to the smaller chance of instant killing... An enemy that can't even move is as good as dead :)

@Variol: Thats some argument, i never thought of using 2! rings of the road, getting a max strength of 140 :) But personally i rather like my characters well protected, more the defensive way..

Why do you like the Ebony Plate that much? Golden Breastplate is much better, i think? Or is there any way to get the Ebony Plate early in the game???