Bard - Overview
Three bard classes are presented here - two of them are playable classes.
Bard - skald: The warrior bard. This is the Castle and Crusades bard. This class is presented here for player reference and interest. It is not a playable class in the accompanying adventures. Essentially, this is a warrior with a few bard skills. The combat skills are impressive. However, there is not much beyond these skills. The skald can offer a few support skills for battle. But, the existing system already offers warriors who can lead and inspire others (knight and paladin). (Link to detailed skald description).
Alternative Bards: What the system is missing is a 'face'; a character type devoted to people skills with other strengths as well.....First, both of the following bard types have improved people skills. They have all the support skills of a skald plus the ability to assess a person/group. This ability allows the bard to be an extremely astute people watcher. After all, any entertainer always needs to judge her audience and be an able negotiator - in a world where a displeased audience is likely to be armed and dangerous... The rest of these bards' skills are tailored to two different paths inspired by the traditional D&D bard...
Bard - minstrel/gleeman: Here is the lovable rogue bard. This is the bard you will find in inns, fairs, and many far less reputable places. This bard loves to interact with his audience and will change his performance to draw them in. The audience becomes part of the performance. This bard lives for his audience's acclaim. Unfortunately, this situation can lead to indiscretions on the bard's part... Whether to escape the jealous lover of his latest fan or to get out of town quickly and quietly after that especially funny song about the local lord.... this bard has developed the skills to make a stealthy and quick exit. After all, many of these bards have a shady past and all of them have at least one friend who is wanted by local law enforcement. Luckily, a bard's wanderlust and their love of their craft keeps them usually on the side of the law (not due to respect so much as it is too much trouble to try to perform when also needing to run from the law....)
Adventuring prospects: This bard has impressive combat skills (not as good as a skald or fighter classes, but better than the other classes). The minstrel makes a very talented information gatherer - especially from talking to people. A few rogue skills also makes an effective scout or guide to getting out of town. This is the common man's entertainer who also has the desire to be the common man's hero.... and then sing about it... (Link to detailed minstrel page).
Bard - troubadour/jongleur: This is the performance centered bard. People fondly remember the minstrel; people talk for years about the troubadour's performance. The troubadour is found at staged performances or in the halls of the wealthy or powerful. The troubadour presents the most accurate, pure, and inspiring performance of each piece she performs. Troubadour performances not only seem magical, they can be actually magical if the troubadour infuses them with spell effects. Troubadours are able to cast spells when they perform. However, troubadour magic is distinctly different than both arcane and divine magic. Troubadours can only learn from other bards, while they can cast an arcane spell from a scroll they have successfully deciphered, they cannot learn how to make that spell part of their known spell repertoire. However, besides their own distinctive magic, troubadours can duplicate the effects of some arcane and divine spells. Finally, being on constant quest for new stories and songs or more 'pure' versions of traditional epics, troubadours are equally eager to adventure or delve into dusty and forgotten libraries.
Adventuring prospects: A troubadour lacks the rogue skills of a minstrel nor is as formidable at combat; but the troubadour's support skills are much more impressive and powerful. Troubadours have the same 'people skills' as other bards, making them useful information gatherers and negotiators. Troubadours tend to have more connections among the merchant/craftsmen class and the upper class. (Link to detailed troubadour page)
Bard - skald: The warrior bard. This is the Castle and Crusades bard. This class is presented here for player reference and interest. It is not a playable class in the accompanying adventures. Essentially, this is a warrior with a few bard skills. The combat skills are impressive. However, there is not much beyond these skills. The skald can offer a few support skills for battle. But, the existing system already offers warriors who can lead and inspire others (knight and paladin). (Link to detailed skald description).
Alternative Bards: What the system is missing is a 'face'; a character type devoted to people skills with other strengths as well.....First, both of the following bard types have improved people skills. They have all the support skills of a skald plus the ability to assess a person/group. This ability allows the bard to be an extremely astute people watcher. After all, any entertainer always needs to judge her audience and be an able negotiator - in a world where a displeased audience is likely to be armed and dangerous... The rest of these bards' skills are tailored to two different paths inspired by the traditional D&D bard...
Bard - minstrel/gleeman: Here is the lovable rogue bard. This is the bard you will find in inns, fairs, and many far less reputable places. This bard loves to interact with his audience and will change his performance to draw them in. The audience becomes part of the performance. This bard lives for his audience's acclaim. Unfortunately, this situation can lead to indiscretions on the bard's part... Whether to escape the jealous lover of his latest fan or to get out of town quickly and quietly after that especially funny song about the local lord.... this bard has developed the skills to make a stealthy and quick exit. After all, many of these bards have a shady past and all of them have at least one friend who is wanted by local law enforcement. Luckily, a bard's wanderlust and their love of their craft keeps them usually on the side of the law (not due to respect so much as it is too much trouble to try to perform when also needing to run from the law....)
Adventuring prospects: This bard has impressive combat skills (not as good as a skald or fighter classes, but better than the other classes). The minstrel makes a very talented information gatherer - especially from talking to people. A few rogue skills also makes an effective scout or guide to getting out of town. This is the common man's entertainer who also has the desire to be the common man's hero.... and then sing about it... (Link to detailed minstrel page).
Bard - troubadour/jongleur: This is the performance centered bard. People fondly remember the minstrel; people talk for years about the troubadour's performance. The troubadour is found at staged performances or in the halls of the wealthy or powerful. The troubadour presents the most accurate, pure, and inspiring performance of each piece she performs. Troubadour performances not only seem magical, they can be actually magical if the troubadour infuses them with spell effects. Troubadours are able to cast spells when they perform. However, troubadour magic is distinctly different than both arcane and divine magic. Troubadours can only learn from other bards, while they can cast an arcane spell from a scroll they have successfully deciphered, they cannot learn how to make that spell part of their known spell repertoire. However, besides their own distinctive magic, troubadours can duplicate the effects of some arcane and divine spells. Finally, being on constant quest for new stories and songs or more 'pure' versions of traditional epics, troubadours are equally eager to adventure or delve into dusty and forgotten libraries.
Adventuring prospects: A troubadour lacks the rogue skills of a minstrel nor is as formidable at combat; but the troubadour's support skills are much more impressive and powerful. Troubadours have the same 'people skills' as other bards, making them useful information gatherers and negotiators. Troubadours tend to have more connections among the merchant/craftsmen class and the upper class. (Link to detailed troubadour page)