From: pmenard@cse.unl.edu (Patrick Menard)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: bards
Date: 11 Dec 1992 21:45:57 GMT
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln	
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: cse.unl.edu
Summary: superbards
Keywords: bards killers

has anyone noticed that each of the books in the PHBR series (those nifty class
and race books) seem to be adding more and more power to the game.(by comparison
to previous books)  In 1st edition, things were ok with just the basic stuff
then got outrageous with the addition of unearthed arcana.  It seems the same
trend is being taken with our wonderful 2nd edition.

First of all, I used to like bards as described in the PHB.  They were really
fun and yet the game had some balance to it.  Then you add dual-class and multi-
class characters and things get a little out of whack. Lo and behold they come
out with kits for single-class characters and the world is saved again.  First
the fighter book came out with good kits.(but we really didn't know what was
to come in the future or we wouldn't have thought them so good) Finally the
thieves book came out and the prior books paled by comparison.  

Compare two similar kits from two different classes, the Swashbuckler.  They
both get a +2 reaction vs opposite sex, no disadvantages (trouble seeks him/her
out??? get real!), and both use Fencing weapons.  The fighter gets a -2 to
armor class and a free specialization in one weapon.  The thief gets to fight
as a fighter with one fencing weapon and gets to disarm.  Well, at first level
things are ok, the fighter fights better and the thief is sneakier.  But one
thing they forgot is that thieves advance faster and soon will attack better
than a fighter with the same amount of experience.  This and being able to 
sneak around and backstab for even more damage.  The fighter gets more hit
points.  Hmmmmm, by comparison I think the Thief has more than a little bit
of an edge.

Now think of this, the dwarf book comes along and introduces multiclass
character kits.  hmmmmm, well, maybe that makes more people want to play
dwarves so thats ok.  then.......the Bard's book comes out.

and the universe quakes under the new influx of music in the world.....

First none of the kits for any of the other kits give as much as those of the
Bard.  Many of them would be excellent as kits for other classes as they should
be there already(Blade-fighter...Jongleur/Riddlemaster/Gipsy-thief...Loremaster-
mage)  In the case of a Jongleur, its a better acrobat than a Thief with the
Acrobat kit! (kind of defeats the purpose of the Acrobat kit huh?)

Second, bards can now be multiclassed.  This was avoided in the PHB as bards
were taken to be "jack-of-all-trades" and as such took a bit from all classes
anyway.  This in itself throws in a great imbalance as now a fighter can
multiclass with a bard and gain spells and some thief abilities so why waste
time being a fighter-thief-mage when a fighter-bard advances as fast as a 
fighter-thief and gets spells to boot!

Third, to make matters worse, Multiclassed Bards can take Bard kits.  Why
be merely a Thief (Acrobat) when you can be a Thief-Bard(Jongleur) and do
everything better at all levels.  the Thief-jongleur is a better acrobat,
gets more thief points (60 from thief and 40 from Bard (plus 30 from thief
and 20 from Bard per level)) and spells. so you advance half as fast, you are
better than the thief at first level.(better than a second level thief actually)
and you actually get bonuses to skills as a Bard also.

Well, the question isn't what kind of Class will you be or what race will you
be.  Now the question to ask is, What color hair will your Half-Elf Bard be?

I can't wait until the elf book comes out, just think the elf Archer-Ranger
class.(Ranger-Thief with the special elf Archer kit giving +1 to hit with
a bow, per level and about 8 free non-weapon proficiency slots and the ability
to see invisible things and to fire behind you and mentally direct your arrows
flight so it hits things in front of you and.......(use your imagination, it'll
probably be in there))

I guess there will be a new saying among the realms.
"look on the horizon, 50,000 orcs are coming, we'll all die!!!"
"don't worry, we have more than enough Bards to handle the problem"

Shadow
(flames welcome, I'm short on cash this month so I can use the free heat)