Posted by Polemachus on March 27, 2000 at 18:59:52:
In Reply to: I think they should be allowed in, just limited in number. (not textual and stuff) posted by Polemachus on March 27, 2000 at 18:56:18:
> > Why don't Bards belong in Battleragers?
> >
> > Because bard songs are magical.
> >
> > Yes, it’s true that music and the spoken word can have a great impact on the attitude of a person. However, there is no way some arbiter or Imperial, half beaten to death and scared shitless, is going to sit and listen to a lullaby from some Battlerager and be put to sleep. I don’t care if you rock like Metallica, there is no frickin’ way you’re actually going to convince someone that they’re on fire or a frightful fiend is out to get them unless you’ve dropped some SERIOUS acid.
> >
> > In 95% of fantasy gaming systems, bards are considered a magical class, with their actual songs having quite minor effects (+1 hit/dam) but most of their real power coming from spells. Additionally, some take the angle that magic and music are pretty close with spells being some sort of a chant.
> >
> > Bards don’t belong in Battle. You tell me that a group of magic-hating barbarians are gonna let some guy into their ranks who can call up fire and ice and other weird effects with a few hand gestures and some fancy words? Would look like magic to me.
> >
> > Not only that, but it throws off the game balance just a tad. The disadvantage of being in ragers is, obviously, that you have no access to clerical or normal magic. With a bard in battle, he can fight like, well, a Battlerager, use songs that mimic clerical spells, songs that mimic invoker spells, and an area effect sleep song that a Necromancer would kill for.
> >
> > Essentially, Battle-Bards are uber classes, not as bad as that Sylvan Lich idea that Rome had, but getting there.
> >
> > -An Old Arbiter