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2e Bard vs Wizard Class Balance
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<blockquote data-quote="James Gasik" data-source="post: 8653719" data-attributes="member: 6877472"><p>Sure, but being a better than a multiclassed Mage isn't really a shining selling point for the Bard, which doesn't bring much else to the table. Detect Noise and Climb Walls are ok, but a spell can do what Read Languages can, and Pick Pockets only has slight utility.</p><p></p><p>Countersong is rarely used, and the inspiration ability is outdone by a Bless spell from a Cleric. I like to compare Bard to the Cleric, and it's pretty easy to see the Cleric is better in all categories and doesn't have to earn all that much more xp to get there.</p><p></p><p>So if you play a Bard, and your campaign allows you to easily amass a lot of spells, you eventually become a middling caster with 10 more hit points, lower Thac0, and some minor utility. Your caster level is higher than a pure Wizard's will be, but that's not a huge draw (though it is nice if you're playing Spelljammer).</p><p></p><p>If you look at what the multiclassed Wizard is bringing in from it's other side, however, there's no way the Bard can compete. Especially if the other side is Cleric 13. Or heck, if the Bard's Handbook is in play, Wizard 12/Bard 15.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="James Gasik, post: 8653719, member: 6877472"] Sure, but being a better than a multiclassed Mage isn't really a shining selling point for the Bard, which doesn't bring much else to the table. Detect Noise and Climb Walls are ok, but a spell can do what Read Languages can, and Pick Pockets only has slight utility. Countersong is rarely used, and the inspiration ability is outdone by a Bless spell from a Cleric. I like to compare Bard to the Cleric, and it's pretty easy to see the Cleric is better in all categories and doesn't have to earn all that much more xp to get there. So if you play a Bard, and your campaign allows you to easily amass a lot of spells, you eventually become a middling caster with 10 more hit points, lower Thac0, and some minor utility. Your caster level is higher than a pure Wizard's will be, but that's not a huge draw (though it is nice if you're playing Spelljammer). If you look at what the multiclassed Wizard is bringing in from it's other side, however, there's no way the Bard can compete. Especially if the other side is Cleric 13. Or heck, if the Bard's Handbook is in play, Wizard 12/Bard 15. [/QUOTE]
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