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Old 08-30-2001, 11:09 AM   #11
Baron Nocturna
Dungeon Master
 

Join Date: August 27, 2001
Posts: 53
I'm reprinting this from another post but it seems pertinent here.

My favorite character for Baldurs Gate though is a bard. Since you are pretty much constantly swapping out characters, its nice to have one who is so adaptable as your main guy. A bard can be nearly as effective as a fighter when necessary (no mastery of itemry though) and can sit in as a mage when necessary. Plus the skald's song is GREAT at higher levels. Finally there is the fact that you can identify ANYTHING just by looking at it. A very under rated class and with the versatility that the Baldur's Gate series seems to need due to the somewhat unique fact that you constantly change your party.

Even though the bard song is technically its special ability that no other class has, I have found its this versatility that makes the real difference. I can put a bard in any position in the party and still come out ok. They are terrible for solo play but are well suited to being the "multitool" in your group.

BTW, I find the Jester and Blade to be weak kits. The Jester can confuse enemies with his song but just find the harp of dischord and voila, that need is filled so he's like a regular bard at that point. The blade loses his identify ability but gains the spins. The spins in theory are cool, except that there are a VERY limited number of them per day and you have to sort of commit to the idea that your bard is going to be a melee attacker to use this talent. I find the Skald most useful because he is +1 with EVERYTHING. That means he's closer to an actual fighter with a sword, a bow, or anything ALL THE TIME, not just during brief respits like the blade. His bard song rules too with the pluses he grants, especially at 15th level, combined with the 5th level spells he can hurl at 15th makes him a truly formidible character.

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Old 08-30-2001, 11:11 AM   #12
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Join Date: April 28, 2001
Location: Cambridge
Age: 40
Posts: 3,877
Bards are Jack of all trades although they become immensely powerful in ToB they are still limited and NOT for power gamers. They are essential in role playing though.

BARDS can never memorize level 7+ spells whatever their level!
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Old 08-30-2001, 11:15 AM   #13
Rikard
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Advanced Bard Song is a Huge Support for fighters
Also a Bard is really fun for roll-playing
 
Old 08-30-2001, 06:35 PM   #14
Sir Kenyth
Fzoul Chembryl
 

Join Date: August 30, 2001
Location: somewhere
Age: 54
Posts: 1,785
Bards are the classic "Jack of all Trades and master of none" characters. They play much like a Fighter/Mage/Thief. They are weaker in each respective area, but gain levels quicker. They can also wear chain and cast spells. One problem is that there are few magic items that specialize in enhancing bards. I've found that all characters in this game are fun to play as long as your party has enough from each food group (Magic, Muscle, and Guile). Truthfully, the most powerful parties have 3 good fighters, one being a paladin or cleric for verstility. Two mages and a thief. A thief dualled to a mage is good also if you prefer less sneak'n'stab and more magic. At higher levels, dualled or muti-classed characters tend to get respectively weaker for equal experience in regards to single classed ones. I prefer dualling to multi-classing personally. It allows you more control over your character development. There is that period of pathetic weakness though!
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Old 08-31-2001, 11:05 AM   #15
Gedd
The Magister
 

Join Date: August 15, 2001
Location: London, UK
Posts: 119
I've had Haer Dalias since almost the beggining of the game (i got him quickly) and when fully kitted up (stoneskin, mirror image, strength, spirit armour) and then offensively spinned he makes a really good melee fighter, you just have to remember to cast strength and stoneskin after waking (get mage to cast strength because then it lasts nearly all day). Problem is dispel magic. Happened against Firkraag and suddenly he was very vunerable
swords are quite nice to.
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Old 08-31-2001, 12:22 PM   #16
NiamhFoxling
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Join Date: August 11, 2001
Location: A nice little room with softly padded walls.
Posts: 59
I'm another bard fan, though I don't actually play any at the moment, ALL my parties have made good use of Haer'Dalis.

And as the other pro-bard folks are saying, the joy of bards is that they are EXCELLENT back-up for the other party members. I keep HD towards the rear of the party formations, and then just send him in as it seems he's most needed for the given situation. I don't use his song much, but his spells and swords are certainly a help.

One thing to keep in mind is that most of the things that make bards 'useless' are things that can be solved with spells, potions, or magic items. And it's not like there's a shortage of any of these in the game.

Trademeet in particular has one of my favorite items of equipment for HD, that cloak of displacement. One I stick that on him, I generally don't bother with having him cast mirror image..it gives him a good enough edge in a fight- and lets me have him memorize spells more useful to the party as a whole.

Sure bards can't find or disarm traps, or pick locks, but between the other thief NPC's, and the spells 'Find Traps' and 'Knock', they're not really needed for that sort of thing...and as some other person posting here said, you can't beat bards for picking pockets.

------------------
Playing the cutest li'l Chaotic characters since 1996.
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