Bard



Bard is a base class in NWN2.

NWN2 Bard
A bard brings forth magic from his soul, not from a book. He can cast only a small number of spells, but he can do so without selecting or preparing them in advance. His magic emphasizes charms and illusions over the more dramatic evocation spells that wizards and sorcerers often use. In addition to spells, a bard works magic with his music and poetry. He can encourage allies, hold his audiences rapt, and counter magical effects that rely on speech or sound. Bards have some of the skills that rogues have, although bards are not as focused on skill mastery as rogues are. A bard listens to stories as well as telling them, of course, so he has a vast knowledge of local events and noteworthy items.

Spellcasting
A bard casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the bard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a bard must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Cha 10 for 0-level spells, Cha 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). Starting at 8th level, and every three levels after, bards can replace one known spell with a new spell of the same level. The spell that can be replaced must be two spell levels below what the bard can currently cast (1st level spell at 8, 1st or 2nd level spell at 11, 1st or 2nd or 3rd level spell at 14, and so forth). Bards do not suffer from arcane spell failure when wearing light armor. Medium and heavy armor, as well as all shields, still incur the normal failure chance.


 * Bard spell list
 * Bard spell progression

Bard ability & spell progression
* Provided the bard has sufficient charisma to have a bonus spell of this level.

Bardic Knowledge
You can identify items more easily than other classes, adding your bard levels to any Lore skill checks.

Inspirations
You can sing songs that can improve moral and mystically enhance the offensive and defensive strengths of the bard and his or her companions.
 * Inspire Courage: Increased combat damage
 * Inspire Competence (2nd level): Bonuses to all skills.
 * Inspire Defense (5th level): Improved armor class
 * Inspire Regeneration (7th level): Wounds heal over time.
 * Inspire Toughness( 8th level): Improved saving throws.
 * Inspire Slowing (11th level): Enemies might move more slowly.
 * Inspire Jarring (14th level): Disrupts enemies' concentrations.

Bardic Music
You can sing a song to help allies and hinder foes. As you progress in level and Performance skill, new songs become available and older songs become more powerful (Bard level/day).
 * Countersong (requires Perform 3): Protects someone from an enemy spell.
 * Fascinate (requires Perform 3): Mesmerizes nearby enemies, preventing them from taking actions.
 * Haven Song (3rd level, requires Perform 6): Causes enemies to avoid attacking you (but not your allies).
 * Cloud Mind (6th level, requires Perform 9): A more potent version of Fascinate, but it only affects a single opponent.
 * Ironskin Chant (9th level, requires Perform 12): Grants the party damage reduction for a short time.
 * Song of Freedom (12th level, requires Perform 15): Ends enchantments on allies.
 * Song of Heroism (15th level, requires Perform 18): Improves party's AC and saving throws.
 * Legionnaire's March (18th level, requires Perform 21): Greatly enhances party's combat abilities.

Armor restrictions
A bard can cast bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass bard still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes. There is also an additional feat (Battle Caster) that can be taken by bards (not inherent) that allows them to wear medium armor (but not use shields) without spell penalties. Note however that Medium Armor Proficiency is not included and bards do not get that feat for free.

Casting
A bard casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the bard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. Every bard spell has a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music). To learn or cast a spell, a bard must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a bard’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the bard’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a bard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day.

In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. The bard’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A bard begins play knowing four 0-level spells of your choice. At most new bard levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Bard Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a bard knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the Bard Spells Known is a fixed number.) Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third bard level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), a bard can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the bard “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level bard spell the bard can cast. A bard may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level. As noted above, a bard need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.

Ex-bards
A bard who becomes lawful in alignment cannot progress in levels as a bard, though he retains all his bard abilities.

Pre-release notes

 * The skills climb, jump and swim have been confirmed as not being implemented in NWN2.
 * Dispel, healing, and summoning magics are confirmed to be in NWN2.
 * Lore was used in NWN as a collective version of knowledge and other information skills. NWN2 will include it for the same reasons.
 * Obsidian stated that Bard instruments will include the lute, drum, and flute. Character models will be shown to carry them and animations will be used when playing them.
 * The NWN2 game client interface will include a bard bar "that makes switching between their various songs much easier." (This is actually for Inspirations, not Bardic Music)
 * NWN2 Bards will gain inspirations that are constantly active, though only 1 may be active at any given time.

NWN comparison

 * The discipline skill that was created for NWN was removed in NWN2 and combat feats relating to it now function closer to 3.5 rules.
 * All classes now no longer have a randomized hit point gain per level. They now gain their maximum hit die roll upon each level up.
 * NWN allowed bards to use tower shields as it made no distinction other than size.
 * NWN did not feature the 3.5 rules for Arcane Spell Failure in light armor for Bards.

3.5 Rules Comparison

 * The parry skill was created by NWN and is not a feature of DnD 3.5. It has returned in NWN2 for the same reasons it was in NWN.

3.5 DnD Bard
Description: It is said that music has a special magic, and a bard proves that saying true. Wandering across the land, gathering lore, telling stories, working magic with his music, and living on the gratitude of his audience - such is the life of a bard. When chance or opportunity draws them into conflict, bards serve as diplomats, negotiators, messengers, scouts, and spies.

A bard's magic comes from the heart. If his heart is good, a bard brings hope and courage to the downtrodden and uses his tricks, music, and magic to thwart the schemes of evildoers. If the nobles of the land are corrupt, the good bard is an enemy of the state, cunningly evading capture and raising the spirits of the oppressed. But music can spring from an evil heart as well. Evil bards forego blatent violence in favor of manipulation, holding sway over the hearts and minds of others and taking what enraptured audiences "willingly" give.

Alignment restrictions: Any non-lawful

External resources

 * NWNWiki:Bard
 * NWNWiki:Lore
 * Neverwinter Nights 2 manual (pdf file) - pretty much all information from this article can be attributed to this source