|
|
Post by ancientempathy on Mar 3, 2011 14:30:09 GMT -5
Bards come in all shapes and sizes. Not all bards do the same as the other, though, and yet many of them still share likeminded qualities despite not having similar tradeskills. What are the various potential roles of a bard? What can bards do, for you, or be? Here's a list of some of my perceptions (I'm not looking for a definite source 'list'):[/i] Historians Story Tellers Jesters Song Writers Poets Play Writers Museum Curators Event Planners (festivals) Entrepeneurs (business men, hurray persuade and appraise) Artists (painting, maybe even modeling...) Performers (singers, acrobatics) Scribes Musician Instrument Tender (fixes broken instruments) So it's a class that has a lot of potential and good roleplay to it. Who else can come up with something?  |
|
|
|
Post by lucesi on Mar 3, 2011 14:45:22 GMT -5
The bard I play is an archaeologist and relic hunter, exploring the ancient ruins of Cormyr for artifacts. Provides a good rp reason for any dungeon crawling you may get into and good if you want to play a more scholarly character. I must say I think bards are one of the best classes for rp and are very versatile both in terms of skills and the type of character you want to play.
|
|
|
|
Post by ancientempathy on Mar 3, 2011 15:01:30 GMT -5
Archeologist? Nice! Go dr. jones.
|
|
|
|
Post by MechaMistress on Mar 3, 2011 16:46:48 GMT -5
I have a few unique talents for my bards.
Jasswyn is interested in dolls and has learned how to make her own, and how to make them imitate people's appearances to some extent. I hope that as she progresses as a bard to move onto puppets, and maybe ventriloquism. That is itself is an artistic talent that could be made into a performance.
I've also been working on a character that hasn't officially been made yet, that will also have bard levels. She performs some forms of fortune telling for entertainment.
More so importantly and why I'm posting, is that she overall fills the role of a psychologist more. She has an interest in learning different cultures, their lore and determining how it effects people. This to me sounds like it could be a bardic approach to knowledge, by actively participating in learning, rather than reading all day like a wizard.
Thats my contibutation. : ]
|
|
|
|
Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Mar 3, 2011 17:13:22 GMT -5
I'll just gives a brief history of James. It'll cover a few, I think. James has gone through many stages since he started roaming Cormyr. (see my account activation date and add a month or two for that time.) When I first started here I wrote songs for him and performed in the Griffon quite often, as I, at this time, was an active musician. Over time the band fell apart... and the band got back together...the band fell apart... and things change. This stage was that of an active musician. Generic "bard." Second would be a very neutral stance and a strong desire to witness and understand the things around him. He's traveled with many unsavory people just to ask them questions about undead and fiends. He's very interested with the planes and planar travel. I love it when someone gives him the chance to actually speak to their planar summons. This stage was that of almost a follower of Oghma. Neutral observer and collector of knowledge. (CN) The next stage would be when I returned and James started to get into the high teens in level. My plan for him was to take CoT levels, which would use charisma centered melee skills in a "leadership" type role. CoT never happened, but I stuck with the leadership qualities and my alignment slowly shifted to "good." Despite this, he still has a very high level of tolerance for "evil" people, because he now understands what brings people to summon undead or planar beings. This comes from his past. And I'm sure he won't mind if I pick on him, but an example of this is Rodan's Mummy Dust being much more to him than simply an undead monster. This stage is turning more to a combat role. He's still RP'd as almost being a CoT (sharess) but without the levels in it or a strong reverence for that deity... hence not having levels in it. Anyone who has ever traveled with James knows that he's usually in front. He's the one that directs the band, so to say. He charges, he tanks, he collects and he later sells and splits. He's the conductor in most situations, and he usually is the one that devises the strategy... 8 wisdom means that it's not always sound. BUT... he's pretty damn good at it. His travels speak to this. This added to the difficulty of constantly RPing a musical expression of some kind every time I use that bard song (curse song being different, as James taunts, belittles or sings the DOOM SONG whenever this is employed. Or Barks. *BARK BARK BARK!* Yes. Barks.) is very cumbersome for someone who never sang. I played (and continue to) play guitar. This is what James does best out of combat. He's a Bladebard who inspires others much the same way a sorcerer casts a spell. Part of it is that he knows what he's doing, and part of it is just his personality. As emoting "plays his guitar" is so silly, I will... one day... post what James has played. I have many instrumental tracks that I've recorded while James has been sitting around Suzail market, or waiting for AFKers (Kain!) to go to Icingdwell with Gerard, Kain and Vorel. They just need to be cleaned up and posted. So all through this he continues to be a musician but, much like his RL puppeteer, his band is now defunct and he's left a guitarist without much love for singing. OR a voice that is much good at it. He also takes on a bit of a performer role often... Telling jokes and being a generally ridiculous character when the mood strikes. BLACKGUARD OF FOG! This is James. He has well covered many of the mainstays of bardic life from musical performing to knowledge gathering to inspiring the masses around him with his combat ability and testicular fortitude. He's a bard. |
|
ritefoot
Old School
Daisy Elf Bard
Posts: 494
|
Post by ritefoot on Mar 3, 2011 18:31:29 GMT -5
I started Telk as a Rogue/Bard. I have always loved mixing rogues and magic and as I had never played a bard before, so I went that way.
Thing is I never thought that Bard would become the core of him. I have had him sing 100s of songs. I think the song lists count well over 200 at this point. I wrote about 12 or so from scratch the others were just heavily changed. I am not a musician at all.
The music became it all. How he saw magic. His pure view of the a world where things can be absolute. Like in the songs!
Telk has described things to people in song for hours many times.
For RP a Bard is wide open. Bards are a rag tag lot that seems to have a toe in every camp. They are very fun.
I know singing is a normal thing for Bards but I love it.
For me it is the songs. The only thing I let Telk be smart in.
Rite.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2011 20:36:21 GMT -5
Don't forget con artist. With a good persuade + bluff to go with a high base charisma, a bard can be very good at convincing and ripping off the unsuspecting. Pick pocket could also be used in conjunction with other bard abilities. While I think you were looking for professions more than party roles, bards also shine there. A bard is not the best at any party role, but they're decent at pretty much every role. This flexibility is a great strength for a PW where you are likely to not have the same party every time. - Support Caster? 3rd (after cleric, wizard/sorc)
- Offensive Caster? Distant 4rth (after wizard/sorc, cleric, druid). Only one good disabling spell and one good offensive spell and you need to be 20+ to get much out of the latter. It shines then though.
- Healing Caster? Distant 3rd (after cleric, druid). Healing circle, cure critical and neutralize poison can be somewhat useful, but can't compare to heal, regenerate, etc.
- Archer? Depends, but bard song is one of the few ways to get extra ranged damage, which helps a lot.
- Tank? Definitely could be top 5 with tumble and bard song. Bards often have the int for expertise as well.
- Offensive Melee? Depends a lot ... they could be horrible or exceptional depending on build.
- Sneaker? Probably 3rd (after ranger, rogue) though not every bard will have enough skill points
- Detector? 1st or 2nd (vs ranger) though not every bard will have enough skill points for high listen and take the +listen spells.
- Locks/Traps? Distant 3rd with every other class (after rogue, wizard)
|
|
|
|
Post by lakhena on Mar 3, 2011 21:36:28 GMT -5
I <3 bards and have played all different flavors of bardlings, because they have such a diverse skillset to choose from.
My bards have been most of the above, plus:
- spies
- teachers
- diplomats
- politicians
- public relations specialists for organizations
- playwrights
- arbitrators
- scholars of xyz (ancient history, ruins, demonology, etc)
- dancers
- painters / artists
Of course, I do love playing the traditional minstrel as well. Over the years, I've written quite a number of songs and poems for my nwn bards. I try to not use other people's materials, with the exception of the tasty virgin song, which I find far too clever and amusing to not use.
One day, I may break down and make a bard here. It's bound to happen, though I'm trying to challenge myself to see how long I can last. ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by darinder on Mar 3, 2011 21:43:51 GMT -5
...I try to not use other people's materials, with the exception of the tasty virgin song, which I find far too clever and amusing to not use. Hey now... you can't make a comment like that and not post the song itself. Curious minds want to know! |
|
|
|
Post by minion on Mar 4, 2011 1:41:46 GMT -5
the most interesting bard i've played in a while is more akin to an evangelist for his faith (along the lines of the "- public relations specialists for organizations" that lakhena included, only w/o any formal sponsoring by the organization).
the healing magic that 3.X gave bards has always irked me, and including a more clear and appropriate "source" (at least from the bard's own opinion, even if not in any technical sense) really helps me get past that. he considers himself akin to a "priest" in the name of his god (though he'd never actually claim the title), even though he is not a cleric (bearing in mind that the clergy of many faiths are not made up exclusively and in some cases even substantially by characters of the Cleric class, instead including everything from NPC classes like the Adept, Expert and Aristocrat to PC classes of all stripes, but particularly spellcasters).
|
|
|
|
Post by catmage on Mar 4, 2011 4:10:01 GMT -5
Ailren is a scholar before just about everything, and he's both a wizard and a bard. His specialty is the planes, dragons, and the folklore of evil magic/creatures/artifacts. His lore is damn high, and I think many people consider him more as a loremaster than as a wizard, his primary class.
Taihaer became a bard because his ability for innate magic was almost non-existent. He uses harmonics in order to help his magic know what it's doing, and he channels his music and bard song using whistling as the verbal component(thanks to a certain sci-fi/fantasy series I read, I picture him essentially whistling in binary code). But more than that, being a bard encompasses his jack of all trades personality. He can fill just about any party role, he usually knows the right people to hear about this or that goings on. Finally, while it's not in a traditional performance capacity, Tai's definately a story-teller. Just give him time, and he's sure to go on about his history in Waterdeep, the exploits of this or that member of his peculiar family, or his recent time in Maztica. He writes songs every now and then, but mostly as alark or a challenge, rather than primary bardic nature.
|
|
|
|
Post by lakhena on Mar 4, 2011 5:19:40 GMT -5
...I try to not use other people's materials, with the exception of the tasty virgin song, which I find far too clever and amusing to not use. Hey now... you can't make a comment like that and not post the song itself. Curious minds want to know! Hmm. I wonder if I can just have Oenemi sing it at a festival sometime. Let's see... What are the chances of that happening given her embarrassment at certain topics? Hmm.... nil. Looks like I will have to make a bard..! |
|
|
|
Post by ancientempathy on Mar 4, 2011 17:38:58 GMT -5
While I think you were looking for professions more than party roles, bards also shine there. Nope! I was looking for party things too, hence, what they can do for you! So far I like a lot of the feedback I got to wondering just now...Is it possible to have a percussionist bard, similar to what we see today, in modern rock drummers? |
|
|
|
Post by The Supreme Watcher on Mar 4, 2011 22:41:21 GMT -5
While I think you were looking for professions more than party roles, bards also shine there. Nope! I was looking for party things too, hence, what they can do for you! So far I like a lot of the feedback I got to wondering just now...Is it possible to have a percussionist bard, similar to what we see today, in modern rock drummers? Military drum corps. They used to be part of battlefield deployments. Since a commander couldn't broadcast his orders to a large deployment, they would use percussion to present orders. Each beat, means a different thing. |
|
|
|
Post by highknight on Mar 4, 2011 23:07:02 GMT -5
Nope! I was looking for party things too, hence, what they can do for you! So far I like a lot of the feedback I got to wondering just now...Is it possible to have a percussionist bard, similar to what we see today, in modern rock drummers? Military drum corps. They used to be part of battlefield deployments. Since a commander couldn't broadcast his orders to a large deployment, they would use percussion to present orders. Each beat, means a different thing. Horn calls meant about the same thing. |
|
|
|
Post by probablyamage on Mar 4, 2011 23:14:45 GMT -5
Drums can also be used to aid soldiers staying in step when moving about. Add a little bardic magic to that and you could probably get some decent battlefield results.
|
|
|
|
Post by EDM Entori on Mar 5, 2011 0:08:05 GMT -5
Military drum corps. They used to be part of battlefield deployments. Since a commander couldn't broadcast his orders to a large deployment, they would use percussion to present orders. Each beat, means a different thing. Horn calls meant about the same thing. they still do.. as a member of a british styled mitliary band, DUM DUM ... DUM DUM .. DUM is a halt. Dumdum - DUmdum ... (1 , 2,3 ) is cease playing.. etc |
|
|
|
Post by EDM Entori on Mar 5, 2011 0:43:19 GMT -5
actually while I'm Geeking out here, in a bandy way. british band drummers especially of the royal marines, drum core specifically their drummers are the ones who carry bugles. and do Bugle calls as well.
British and their traditions, they hold them up really well, theres lots of youtube videos of their stuff, as well there is one poster I think his USertag on youtube is Zehelie or something like that..
Anyways he has more "Classic marchs" then you would imagine, from Washington grays(American civil war), Wellington (German composer), to kenneth Alfred +more
I know my band plays alot of whats on their
|
|
|
|
Post by darinder on Mar 5, 2011 0:49:58 GMT -5
Every year, there's a festival held in Scotland... the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. It features military, civil and sometimes school bands from around the world.
I tried finding a particular drum act from a couple of years ago but my YouTube search fu isn't the best. Here's one video though that does provide something of a highlight.
|
|
|
|
Post by EDM Entori on Mar 5, 2011 3:55:52 GMT -5
I raise you top secret!
|
|
|
|
Post by EDM Entori on Mar 5, 2011 4:03:00 GMT -5
Every year, there's a festival held in Scotland... the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. It features military, civil and sometimes school bands from around the world. I tried finding a particular drum act from a couple of years ago but my YouTube search fu isn't the best. Here's one video though that does provide something of a highlight. at 4:18 anyone whos interested will hear a drum signal like I was talking about.. the drum major raises his arm out the mace at 35 degrees or so,this signals the "cut off" the drummers then on the bass double tap .. double tap... boom boom boom.. they do that at the end of the phrase to cut off the song. around 4 minutes, when all the pipers are faced inward you can hear a boom .. Boom boom, thats the signal for the about face. |
|
|
|
Post by amorphousblob on Mar 5, 2011 20:06:55 GMT -5
Military drum corps. They used to be part of battlefield deployments. Since a commander couldn't broadcast his orders to a large deployment, they would use percussion to present orders. Each beat, means a different thing. Horn calls meant about the same thing. *nods excitedly* Thanks to the work of two dms i have an excellent warhorn carved from a minotaur one that I rp using as a signal giver. Now I just need to drill dem troops o Oghranns. |
|
