Are any of the bard kits any good?

[Sierahk]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

[Nanobyte]

People say that both the Skald and Jester are. Most people don't like playing Blades because of the low Lore ability.

[Jake]

and low pickpocketing ability, but heck, leave that to the farmiliars

[Memnoch]

Skalds are very good, especially at higher levels when they can really augment your party's strength with their song. Jesters are funny, for a total paradigm shift in viewing your protagonist.

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Originally posted by Nanobyte: People say that both the Skald and Jester are. Most people don't like playing Blades because of the low Lore ability.

The low Lore ability is, IMHO, not that big a deal because most of the items a blade can't identify are cursed.

I, too, preferred the Skald and Jester over the Blade, but I'm testing one out now and having fun with it. Blades are a bit more melee oriented than the other kits - kind of like a poor man's Fighter/Mage. The one thing to remember is, since they can't wear helmets, send your tanks in first to attract the monsters' blows and then send the blade in to help out.

[Tuor]

I like all the bard kits personally.

What you choose has to depend on party balance there's no point using a blade if you've already got three pure fighters in your party.

But if as I have you only have an archer, a monk and a paladin then he fits in quite nicely.

Its important to remember that bards are jack of all trades so they are never going to be as good at a particular ability whether it be fighting/magic or thieving as pure class fighter/mage/thief but if you want some one who is going to be able to look after themselves whatever is thrown at them then the Bard is your man.

I personally like the jeter-just because he causes confusion when he sings, and I find it moderately amusing when we fight umber hulks for him to confuse them for a change. lol

[Messier]

Blade is the best bard kit, Skald's song ability well as you know in TOB (spoiler?)you can have. IMO Bard is the best single class in SOA, most people hate bards because its poor THACO, but I found that any class with mage spells
are powerful even if you only get up to lvl 6. My blade now lvl 18 still in Underdark, has THACO 2 and 5 with 2 attack duel wield CF and Dak'kon Zerth
Blade, with Tensers transformation THACO -8 and -5, AC -7, hitpoint 180. Thats not bad, not to mention he can use neat spells like Mislead, Contingency, Cone of cold(per level damage), and play harp to toss everyone away. I never play bards before because of all the bad reputation from other players. Finished my first game with a berseker, then undead hunter and a backstab thief it was boring.
IMO anything with mage spells are good, Talo priest, Avenger, swashbucker/mage
etc...