Does anyone like bards? How do you get the best out of them?

[Bredalbane]

I've played BG1 and am a good ways along with BG2 and every bard I,ve encountered and put in the party just don't do very well. Haer'Dalis, while cool, just gets his butt kicked. While "Sir" Garrick(in BG1) is almost an outright coward. Has anyone here soloed a bard? That must be a challenge!

[Dron_Cah]

Actually, a bard might be a good class to solo with, as they are the "jack of all trades." I think bards have to be used a certain way, or they're completely useless.

[Jaradu]

Soloing a bard is wierd. I have neverdon it because I have never seen the point: their main ability is to increase the stats of other members... What other members?? Well, you get the abilities of a fighter mage and thief rolled into one class which can help levelling up.

[Xen]

Originally posted by Jaradu: Soloing a bard is wierd. I have neverdon it because I have never seen the point: their main ability is to increase the stats of other members... What other members?? Well, you get the abilities of a fighter mage and thief rolled into one class which can help levelling up.

I am currently soloing a Blade and it is fun,fun,fun. I just arrived in chapter six.

[Jaradu]

I can't complete the game on novice, let alone with a solo character. Some people go solo with insane difficulty! Man, I must be bad...

[Xen]

Originally posted by Jaradu: I can't complete the game on novice, let alone with a solo character. Some people go solo with insane difficulty! Man, I must be bad...

I play on Insane with Tactis,Battels and Ascension... You are not bad. Just un experienced or maybe you don`t know so much cheese. It wasn`t so tough,. I have just arrived to the Final Battle. I think it will be a fun with Improved Jon Boy.

[Mr_Krift]

Playing reg. D&D bards are really fun.... can save your butt some times too

[Arias De'Minal]

Yay. A topic on bards. Bards are the bomb. High level bards are like walking boxes of death. Soloing with a bard can be very fun. If you think they're just good with their melodys play with a skald.

[SixOfSpades]

I, personally, heve never liked Bards. They'd make a fun roleplay, I suppose, but only if you never really had to depend on them for anything. Sure, they can be extremely powerful in some situations--but only by using cheese, and any character can kick butt with cheese. I've never really understood why some people call them a "Jack of all trades" when they suck equally bad at everything.

Part of my opinion rests on party dynamics: When you're limited to 6 people in a party, each slot is precious. Given the choice between
A) Backup Wizard who can hold a Halberd,
B) Backup Wizard who can also be the party's only Priest, and
C) Backup Wizard who can also be the party's only Thief,
damn right I'd go with B or C, especially when their combat abilities are pretty much equal to A's.
So if I could have ten people in my party, I'd probably have a Bard in there for fun. But in all my games with 6, taking a Bard along usually hobbles the party, unless I really know what I'm doing.

[Userunfriendly]

i have to agree with six here...

(sorry for giving you a heart attack....hehheheheh)

i would actually prefer a fighter thief or mage thief rather than a bard, due to missing out on the most useful thief abilities...

now if the bard was implemented differently...

i believe according to 3rd edition rules, or something like that (I don't play pen and paper) bards can cast spells like a sorceror, without having to fill up slots, that would make bards worth it for me...

as it is, i would much rather take jan...