I think, is the Blade. I haven't played as one yet, but I was reading in the Manual, and the Blade seemed like the only good Bard to play as. Who cares if they get half the lore an average Bard gets, they still get more than anyone else! Bard songs? Who cares, he is one of the fighter types, so he wouldn't really need to have improved bard songs. Anyone else like to voice their opinion on this matter?

skald. +1 to hit and damage and extremely good bard songs. my skald level 22
dual wielding crom faeyr and euqualizer kicked bhodis ass really hard alone. casting level 6 spells( do to low intelegence and bad planning) and twisted rune an kangaxx. there wasnt any hard fight in the game.

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http://www.angelfire.com/rpg/wildleprechaun/demon.gif
and the sky will rain fire...

And jester can walk into a room invisible, playing his bardsong - and just wait for the mayhem to end before mopping up...

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http://www.gldb.com/wayno/e1.jpg
Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas

I like my Blade, Diermot. He can cast Haste upon himself, Draw Upon Holy Might using his Bhaal-powers, go into offensive spin, and dual-wield twin longswords in the heat of battle. With the Melodic Chain allowing him to cast spells, for that brief 24 seconds he is a blur of dynamic energy, cutting a swathe through lesser creatures and striking at larger foes and darting back before they can even hit him. I haven't tried any of the other Bard types yet, but I imagine none of them can come close to that level of combat potency.

Yeah, but they don't have very many hit points.

Or swashbucklers, kensai's, kensai/mages, swashbuckler/mages, and any sort of paladin will wipe the floor with bards.

Kensai/Mages and Swashbuckler/Mages if min/maxed correctly, are much better in melee and much better spellcasters, and can get better armor than dinky little Melodic Chain +3.