Will Bards Improve?

I've always loved the concept of Bards, but in GS, they've always sucked so bad in comparison to the other professions.

In GS4, will Bards be beefed up to actually be a balanced profession? Will we see any fun bardic role-playing things like they have in DR?

I know there probably aren't any GMs about to post here, but I'm mainly asking the rest of you who keep up with the official bard boards.

[AnticorRifling]

My bard does fairly well but he's still young. Ask Makkah about his thoughts on it his bard has over 70 trains so I would think his opinion on the subject would far out weigh mine. Same with Soulpieced he's like what lvl 28? :cool: He should know some things on the subject...

[Back]

A long time ago I played one up to lvl 32. I didn't really have many problems, at least, I don't think I did, and this was years ago.

I've dusted him off to see what reallocating will be like in GSIV. Going with two weapon combat which is what I've always wanted to do with this char but was restricted by the outrageous cost. In GSIV, TWC is much lower. Going right up the bard list for all the free gear, and then up elemental for defence/utilities.

Hoping to squeeze in some picking/disarming if possible so if I get to be a geezer, I can annoy the regular pickers.

[Makkah]

I like being a bard... although I don't RP as the fruity troubadors that a lot of the GS bard population does... he's more of a battlechanter (which is, consequently, his profession title). With the addition of dodge and the new combat system, bards should start being more viable, I hope. My polearmer is 73 (57 after the reallocation), and I've honestly had a blast leveling him up over the years. Even though 1025 has been pushed bad indefinitely, I'm hoping there will be a few fun things we'll be able to play with after GSIV. Soulpieced is probably a better source of bard info... he's like 150 and has played his bard a lot longer than mine (i think).

rht

Also, with 1035 moving, that opens up another high-level slot for bards to hopefully get in the future... fun stuff. (shameless "Song of Charming" plug)

[Soulpieced]

Though I'm usually highly critical as well as being partially responsible for 90% of the bardic downtweaks in history, that just goes to prove that bards are in fact quite powerful. Under the current system, I actually got bored of hunting in Old Ta'Faendryl because it was flat out too easy after reallocating. I have all 10x sonic gear, about a 400 DS in offensive (1100 in defensive) and about 45% redux with the ability to wear and cast in AsG 16 (hauber) or if I don't feel like casting am fully trained for full plate.

Even with all the goodies, one spellsong, being lullabye, is the ultimate equalizer. As long as 1005 works like it does now, no single or group of changes can fuck bards over because the spell is simply that good (doubt it will be downtweaked due to me saying that on these boards either). But all-in-all, I haven't been keeping up with the GSIV changes because I simply don't give a damn anymore. And while other professions are getting stupid and new changes, I think bards should be fine.