Bard Suggestions

[One_With_Nature]

Just a few things I think are worth considering with bards when you compare them to changes made with others classes:

Bard Song - Make this a free action like barbarian rage

Songbook System - Implement the songs into a player tool system rather then having a physical songbook. Being able to steal a bards entire song collection seems massive - when you compare it to something like a wizards spell book (which can't be stolen) it can undo huge amount of work collecting rare and  interesting songs.

Obtaining Songs - There are multiple ways in game to obtain songs but they are all randomized and cost a fair amount of gold. I don't think the cost element to this is a problem but the fact that a bard can't browse a store to choose songs they want to buy makes no sense to me or why this is desired. You can spend excessive amounts of gold only to end up with duplicate songs which become useless. I would either recommend: significantly reducing the cost of random songs, allow bards to sell songs back to the vendor for half the value (if the existing system remains with the random songs) or just have shops with appropriate prices for bard songs depending on power level. I assume particularly rare songs will still be located in quests or by DM loot only.

Bard Specific Feats: Similar to brewing and wand craft, I think it would be nice to have a means in game to purchase the feats Lingering song and extra music.

[MAGIC]

I don't like the random song shops either. I would rather see the songs be available as loot drops for quests where they would make thematic sense, and maybe a few reliquary style quests?

[Anonymous Lemur]

I strongly feel that pure bard needs some love. I really hate seeing the old 2 fighter/ 8 bard being the pinnacle of bard and so I suggest the following: Change default song for pure bards only  at level 8 to: +3 Ab, (up from 2) +1  uni (same as before) +1 skills (same as before), +2 temp hp per level (so 16 at 8 instead of 8 ), singing bard receives +2 con and 20% movement for the duration.

This would make pure bard as attractive as multi classed bard to both the bard and those traveling with the bard.

Alternatively grant pure bards an inspiration bonus of +1 ab per 6 levels to themselves and all nearby allies which is lost if multi classed.

While I'm not sure I agree with lingering song being purchasable, it would be nice if the purchase of armor/weapon proficiency was a thing. Which again would make pure bard a lot more attractive.

[SunrypeSlim]

Maybe increasing the drop rate of bard songs on random quests would be good. Having not played a bard: is it possible to start a second songbook? If so, having multiples may not be a bad idea.

I think Bards deserve more skill points per level. I also think that changes that favour pure bards are a little demoralizing.

Could the duration of bard song be like Barbarian rage, where the more non-Bard levels you have, the shorter your duration? This discourages multi-classing but doesn't cripple it.

[Anonymous Lemur]

Bard multiclasses in general are top tier in so far as mechanical power goes as you gain hugely in will and reflex without losing much thanks to bard song. That is without factoring in wand use etc.  As such I feel anything that makes them stronger would impact negatively upon efu as a whole and instead a focus should be put upon those bards who remain pure, as presently you lose out big time for lack of the extra hit points, fortitude, armor proficiency, weapon proficiency and improved critical said multiclasses provide.

My suggested changes would also not really negatively impact the already extremely powerful multiclassed bards at all.