Bards: Useful or Useless

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For this question i hear alot of different answers. In IWD they were kind of good for identifying and saving spells and money but in HoW i think they are a great adition to your party. First they can identify stuff w/o spells, cast spells of theyre own and pick pockets. also in HoW the songs are great. the first 1 isnt great but when you level up,its worth the effort. One song they learn is a song that gives your party regeneration abilities (which is good by itself and) a +2 bonus to each charecters AC. Is that great?

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Bards are fun to play..and give you options. If you like to play with options then I think you'll enjoy bards. If you stick to one thing all the time...you probably won't

 

It's my second time through IWD:HOW and I'm using a Bard this time. So far, I'm finding it pretty useful. I'm at the point of IWD where I'm ready to detour to the HOW expansion area with this party so I've stopped playing until the downloadable addition has been released. But here's a few thoughts on bards so far...

1st: Don't put ANY points into your Thief's pickpocket ability. It's just wasteful if you have a bard.

2nd: I've picked one good mage spell per level and given it to my bard. This gives you a character with several magic missiles, several stinking clouds, etc. Thus freeing your mage to memorize more varities of spells. (Be nice and give your mage magic missile too, or else he'll feel incomplete without it. )

3rd: I've put points in bows for my bard to keep him out of combat since he's only got bracers on (for spell casting). Also, points in Halberds so if the situation calls for melee he can poke the monsters from behind my front line.

4th: I've only had one point in the game where my bard's lore was below the rating of items I was finding. One potion of genius was enough to boost the lore to identify most items I had. Then the song that gives added thief skills and lore was enough to raise it further and identify the last item. Only spending one potion (so far) and no gold to identify items is a great feeling.

And last the songs. Well the last song (AC bonus and regeneration) is almost too powerful, IMHO. After any battle, I find myself turning on this song (if it wasn't already on) while my party sorts through the bodies for gold and good items. By the time everythings found and identified, my party's almost fully healed. Might as well forget all my cleric healing spells and sell my healing potions now that I've got this song.

The other songs are interesting, but I find I can live with or without them. It just depends if I feel like having the bonuses for the rest of the party, or want to include the bard in the fight. Doesn't seem to make too much of a difference either way.

But all in all, other than the unbalance of the last song, the bard has been very fun to play.

 

useless... and thats all i have to say!

 

Bards...the thinking players...character.

 

This is my second time through and I am really enjoying my bard. The regeneration song does kick ass (maybe a little to much) but I must admit I don't miss wasting 2-3 minutes after every combat casting cure light wounds on a character with 120 HP.

Goliath

 

I was skeptical at first, but I'm starting to enjoy having a bard in my party. She saves me a bundle of gold with her "identifying" and dickering with shopkeepers. She has an 18 Charisma, so I let her do all of the talking while my main character fighter "tank" stands around with a dumbass look on his face.

 

Another thought I had on bards...

Since they level up on the thieves XP table, they'll be higher levels than a mage that has the same XP total. Thus any spells that improve by level should be more powerful when cast by a bard with the same XP as your mage. I'll have to go back and check the spells I gave my bard with this in mind.

 

I think Bards are cool, plus there are some voices in IWD that really fit a bard. "Let us begin...".

 

I haven't figured out what I think of the bard yet, but...

* What does the "bard's song" do?
* I read somewhere that the bard is a great
talker or something, when, where, huh??

And to BOWIE:

Why do you use only bracers ?? I have an armor with AC 2, and resistance or something like that on my bard, plus helmet and boots..
Anyway, my bard also use a bow

 

Virik - a)The bard songs give you some bonuses. If you have HOW you get more songs as you level-up that and these have to do with battle, immunity to fear, luck, dispell effects etc bonuses.
b)Sometimes, and especially in Easthaven, talking to a specific person with a bard will open a different dialogue option and give you more XP. The bards' usually have high charisma so that helps too.

And in answer to the original question
BARDS ROCK!!!

 

Someone (not me) just bumped an old post that answers your question Virik, but completeness I'll respond here too...

While Bards can where any armour up to chainmail, they can't cast spells with it on (except for elven chainmail which is pretty rare). They can cast spells with bracers on though. BTW, my bard currently has an AC of -2 even with the bracers on.

 

Bowie:

Sure about that ? I can cast spells with my armor! Hmm, maybe I've got the elven chain mail

Stargazer rb-rjd:

Can you name one place I actually can get more experience by talking to a person with my bard ?
My bard has now reached level 14, and I'm going to buy HOW this week. Does my bard get the songs automaticly, or do I have to start all over again ?

 

Yes, you have to start all over! HAHA!

No, just start the game, and all your characters will already have the new skills, if you have added the HOW patch. If not, then you have to level up once, if I remember correctly.

 

I sure hope I don't have to level up once, because several of my characters don't get more xp

 

Virik- When I say more XP I don't mean tons you know. The first place I can think of is Easthaven. If you talk to one of the villagers in the tavern with a bard you get a chance to perform and get a gem. But the most important thing you can do here is talk to the sea-elf with your bard. You can communicate with her via a song and then learn another tune from her for some experience. Keep your eyes open...

 

OK, Thnx!

I checked my bard's armor, and the name was:
"Elven Chainmail of the Hand + 3"
(armor class 2 : +20% cold res)

Is this the "rare" armor you talk about ?

I also use "Sune's Laurel of Favor" for my head protection...
(armor class bonus 1 : +1 charisma)

When you talk about great bracers... what
kind of bracers are you talking about ?
I also need som boots, what should I look for?