Opinions on Bards?

I tried running a bard on my second time through and aside from the item identification, he really seems useless to me. They really aren't kidding when they call the bard "jack of all trades, master of none." He doesn't get enough spells to be effective there and he doens't have any theiving abilities beyond the picking pockets. Sure he can use any weapon, but still can't cast with armor (well, 'cept for the cool Elven mail and stuff like that later in the game!) I ended up dropping him in favor of a multiclass mage/theif. Any thoughts?

Under normal circumstances, a Bard's ability to identify magic stuff can save you thousands of gold over the long run. In the later parts of the game, where gold isn't really a problem, the Bard's ability still keeps you from having to trek back to town to get those items ID'd, or from having to rest so your mage can re-memorize Identify a few times.

The magic spells may not be heavy in number, but since he gains levels so fast, he can power up that magic missile or chromatic orb a bit more quickly... and when not casting, he's not completely useless (as a mage is) since he can have any weapons (thus, you should give him the best bow/crossbow you can find).

Of course, I can't say you made a poor choice in implementing the mage/thief, because that's one of my favorite multi-class combinations. Very weak in combat (much weaker than the bard), the mage/thief has a ton of different uses, especially scouting, casting an opportune spell from stealth, and offering missile support from the back ranks (slings and shortbows only...).

I like the bard, definately... but he doesn't fit everyone's playstyle.

Yeah, I agree with you Wretched. Don't get me wrong, it's a cool concept and I definitely like the Berserker summoning horn, whatever it was called. I'm still hooked on mages, but this game is very heavily slanteded toward the fighter/theif combination. Problem with mages in this is that there are too many confined area to really take advantage of the area spells that can make a mage truly formidable and the clerics lose out on call lightning much of the game since you're nearly always indoors. Bummage...I am having an absolute blast though on the second time around. Hehehe, nothing like a couple os seasoned vets to keep a couple of newbies alive while they're hitting their stride. I have a theif, like 16th lvl or something like that and a 14(?)th lvl mage to handle the dirty work while my fighter/mage and my theif/mage are advancing. Seriously debating a Ranger though. What do you think?

I think the female bard pic in IWD is quite a nice one.

Opinions, wasn't it???

*Rolls eyes*
Guess I left myself open for that...urgh!

I debated a Ranger once.

Lost badly. Probably something to do with my 5 INT...

I'm tempted to keep a bard in my party for those two magic items sold in Kuldahar. Summoning beserkers and getting 6 more spells could be enough to make the bard a worthy character to keep.

Single-classed Rangers are not too useful in IWD. There aren't many places for you to use that Charm Animal ability, the Ranger can't stealth while wearing decent armor, meaning you have to choose between the ability or being able to survive combat (or you can add/remove the armor depending on what you want to do, but that's tedious). Furthermore, the Ranger only gets low-level Druid spells (not very useful late in the game, which is where you'll get them), and can't grandmaster in a weapon. Some argue, however, that the dual-wield makes up for this... I think the combat bonuses of Grand-mastery are far more useful myself, though.

I have found one good use for a Ranger, though... I'm thinking about making an all-stealth party, which would look something like:

Ranger
Thief
Fighter/Thief
Mage/Thief
Cleric/Thief

They might be kindof fun, since every encounter will begin on their terms.

Always with a bard, even if the picture wasn't any good (stares wistfully into the distance ) Higher level mages are good, but just how many area effect spells have any of you used? I don't bother with them anymore, and won't until the AI gets smart enough for my characters to "run away!" Monty Python style when a mage lets loose with a fireball, cloudkill, or something similar and I don't have to pause the game every 1.3 nanoseconds to move those crackerheads out of the way. The bard I used for IWD memorised ... haste ... and that was her most useful spell by a country mile (cast before entering an unknown room - lotsa hits). Then there's your choice of weapon - any - which is a little better than mages slinging rocks and running away squealing like frightened kiddies when they've forgotten all their spells, or have been disrupted by a fast archer when trying to cast something.