The Underestimated Class

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the spin is effective against multiple moderate opponents.... but I confess I haven't used the song much - or the harp I have....

I suppose I shall try it...

 

I use haerdalis always. Not sure why, though I must admit it's not because of the class I picked him, more the personality that fits the class.

In terms of power, I wouldn't say he's that powerful in a crpg. A real rpg perhaps, but crpg, not really. A bard is good at making friends (a thing that all can do in bg2, or not at all), just my 2c.

 

The song, although not brilliant (unless skald), can tip the scales of a battle. Sometimes you need to estimate whether the extra bonuses can assist your party to do more hits and damage than you could help provide in actual combat.

Haer'D can be powerful if used properly. The extra mage spells he can provide can assist your mage(s) do their jobs. Get him proficient in a 2HW and send him in spinning behind your frontline fighters - this way he can get in lots of extra hits/damage without taking too much damage himself. Use Tensers when higher levels and he can out-perform your fighters. Also, using defensive spin and some protection spells he can stand in the middle of a crowd and act as a diversion so your fighters can mop up. What an awesome character - plus a great personality!!!

 

I find the bard good for a reserve. He can run up and bolster the lines of my tanks or hand back and let loose with spells or a crossbow. A well placed blade can make a lot of difference. The enemies will rain their attacks down on his defencive spinninf while everyone else shoots/hacks at them. If all is going to hell then the bard will try and pull osmething off to save them (sure, he usually dies in the attempt, but it's the attempt that counts).

 

Well said Aikanaro.

I find I that crossbows suit the Bard far better than bows, but bows have more attacks per round so I usually end up using those. I would have my thievess using shortbows, bards using longbows and fighters using composite longbows and pallies use xbows.

Do you get your Bard to concentrate on the level related spells like MM abd Skull Trap?

Does anyone use Tensers at all?

 

I go for true warriors and true spell-caster. True warriors no need Tensers and anyway, as stated above, most Lv required spells are capped at Lv20, so true mage are still the ones who can rain more destructions on his/her foes.

No offences meant, just stating my point of view.

 

Just a thought.....

5 Jesters singing while a good fighter hacks at the opponents. I wonder if the opposition would get any hits in what so ever

 

Isn't it kind of a waste? A bard can give bonus to all allies but you are going to use 5 bards for 1 fighter? Anyway, If your 1 fighter is surrounded, there will be plenty of chances for the enemies to hit you so I don't recommend your tactic. I refer to have at least 2 or 3 warriors up front.
Unless you have tried the tactic yourself, and it really works well...

 

I would rather go with 6 Skald and use summon to attack

 

@Skywind

He wouldent take that many hits, If there were enough fighters to surround him they wouldent be on that high of a level as that would make the game to hard.
The 5 skald song would provide such penalties that they would have to roll a 20 to hit, which is a 1 in 20 chance, so even if there were ten people against the fighter, he would only, on average, take one hit every round (if the opponents have one attack per round)

 

It's a shame Bioware didn't include a proper Bard. Haer Dalis is a blade, the worst bard (bad lore, bad song), and he has little HP. He's a joke more than a probable NPC. If only, being alien, he had special resistances!
A scald would have been far more attractive.
A bard is rather useless in front-line battles. I tried with HD, he got hacked to pieces.
Tenser is somewhat useless, what makes a warrior is the number of attacks per round.
If you want a bard you must create one. Well, why not? But bring up the rear!

 

Ida know, Wil - I think it's all in how you play.

Most people around here know I'm historically anti-Bard. But at the moment I'm playing through the game and decided to pick up HaerD'alis, reluctantly, just long enough to complete the Planar Prison quest. I ended up keeping him along, and I'm having a blast with him. Yes, his CON sucks the big one, but I've equipped him with the Belt of Fortitude to supe him up before any major quest. I never use the bard song because I think it's lame personally, and his lore is plenty high for most items. But I like him for his proficiencies, and especially offensive/defensive spin. I've found him surprisingly useful in combat. He also makes a great secondary caster.

 

I really like Bards, all kits. They can fight, they can cast, and they eliminate the need to use identify scrolls, spend money at stores or temples, or waste spell slots on identify. The song really can make a sweet difference (especially if you're a Skald). I like the idea that the Skald in particular can hang back, avoid damage, but still make a good contribution to the battle. plus, without going into details, a bard can become even better in TOB . . .

 

a friend of mine soloed a bard through the game on insane difficulty.

i, myself, am using a bard right now, they are a good class though i prefer others
(i useally forget to use the skalds battle song :S

 

I think the problem here is that too many of you want the bard to be something he is not -- a fighter/mage/thief with no class restrictions! If you remember that he is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none, then you will be able to maximize his potential and see the worthiness of his benefits.

As an old PnP player, though, I hated the original AD&D bard, but I loved the Dragon Magazine's "Welsh bard" -- fewer thief abilities, and spells from the druid and the illusionist spell lists!

 

I like a bard for using items and spells that depend on the level of the character, since bards level so fast. Also, they can be deadly to the intelligent player. I think I'm going to install BG2 and hit it again with a bard, just for fun.

 

Does anyone remember the Bard's Tale? I honestly loved that game growing up! To finish the game, you had to have a Bard in your team. I never finished that game though, and back then I never really knew what the Bard was there for.

I think the reason why Bards don't get the glory that Fighter classes and Mage/Priest classes do, is because they are generally not known as a class that you can build a team around.

We know that if you surround the Fighter with magic specialists, and priest specialists, then your team will have good chemistry. But because, as someone mentioned earlier, the Bard is such a jack of all trades and master of none, we might be lead to believe that the Bard won't have the daily impact as other teammates would provide.

 

I had Haer D'Alis in my team and I don't regret. He can act as second mage casting all the spells that feebles enemy defenses (lower resistance, chaos, and all that) while the main mage cast hell upon them. Second, it's like having a poor thief, but sometimes useful. Third, probably the spin movements aren't good enough, but give him a good crossbow and +3 bolts ands that's another thing!!. Fourth, the most important thing: his LORE; do you know how many identify scrolls and spells I saved just giving all the unidentified items to the bard and saying "Haer d'Alis, pretty, what is this?". A Jack-for-all-Trades and quite amusing.

 

Yes, but as a Blade, his lore is 50% the normal lore. Some items, he can't identify. Personally, I don't like crossbows. When I played HD, I learned him bows and 2 hands swords.
Isn't there a "mod" with a decent bard?

 

Hmm, its always Blade or Skald...
Hasnt anyone ever used a Jester at higher levels? He can do waaaay more at level 15 and 20 than just confuse those poor saps near him!

There is nothing as astounding as him flattening some Drows or even bring an Adamantide Golem to his knees. It borders on the *cheesy*.