Bardic magic

[kenty191]

I confess to being increasingly interested in the Bard class, yet I have never played one before, either online or in solo-gaming. I have been thinking around the idea of this class and have come up with some questions about the magical abilities of a Bard.

How do Bard's cast their magic - I know it is spontaneous, but is it through musical manipulation or song in some way? Or is it entirely through more 'traditional' ways of casting? ie. sorcerers and raw energy.

Having played many sorcerers and wizards as well as other casting classes (druid, cleric) I am finding it difficult to get my head around the ways in which a Bard casts.

Aside from this if anyone has any links to useful bard information I would be very greatful. I'm working from scratch more or less and any information is useful at the moment!

Many Thanks

[Ozy_Llewellyn]

The manner in which bards cast their spells is almost as varied as bards themselves. Some do indeed manipulate magical energies with song to acquire the desired effects. Others devote themselves industriously to magic and thru study and flamboyance perform the incantations of wizards or sorcerers. Some have in popular fantasy even been known to only cast thru use of runes similar to Duager Runemasters. The choice in the end, until Leanthar pins down a coherent “what do bards do” somewhere, is up to the individual players.

Suffice to say they are considered spontaneous casters, however http://srd.pbemnexus.com/ has all the general information about bards as of 3.5.

[kenty191]

I knew I could count on you Ozy to have something to say about Bards! Thanks for the information, seems like if I were to play a bard, it is very much a case of RPing in any way I want, especially in regard to the magic element.

Also I know NWN is 3rd edition rules but I was wondering if this server used 3.5 for bards, considering the link you gave above?

The idea of arcane spell failure is a scary prospect indeed!

[Ozy_Llewellyn]

Neverwinter Nights uses Neverwinter Nights rules for bards not particularly any predated system. The link provided was merely for a proper introduction to the class. Many facets of bards are not taken into account for obvious mechanical reasons. Thus it’s a play it fast and loose environment when it comes to this very strange class.

[kenty191]

Well thanks again for the information. I will go away and read through the website thouroughly in an attempt to absorb the information like a sponge. It will take some more thought before I am ready to play a bard I think, but I am at least more confident I wont be doing anything seen as completely 'wrong' by other players and in particular other bard players.

Many thanks again

[SquareKnot]

When I use Bardic Magic, I always imagine that it works this way. There is a place within me where my soul touches the Weave. Just as I can sing high notes or low notes, I can sing notes so low that they reverberate in the Weave-touched "place." If I sing a lullaby, then a sleep spell happens. If I send a cry there, then animals from other planes hear it and come to help me. And after doing this a few times in a day, I just can't quite reach the right notes until I rest again. Over the years, I've discovered some of the music that I can send to this Weave-place that will elicit a magical response. Perhaps I'll learn more in the years to come.

Just my 2 quarter notes.

[SuperMunch]

Freldo just pulls it out the weave for some reason that's obscure to him, sings a song and moves his hands and viola!  The only spell he wants but hasn't been able to pull yet is See Invisible - tricky spell, must require something he hasn't learned to do yet (his justification for it).

[crazedgoblin]

sing to inspire with some magic thrown in