Neume's page

I wish I could do more society play. I was just starting to dive into GMing society "full-time" when the local PFS fell apart in the Phoenix area because our Venture-Captain quit suddenly last autumn. I haven't been able to find a PFS game since and I don't know anything about setting one up. I was in the process of learning how from the VC when he quit.

*HMM's cast was successful. The wild RVC appears.*

It's not a difficult process really.

Step 1: Find a location and talk to them about setting up a date and time to play.

Step 2: Announce to people that the game is going to take place with the who, what, where, and when.

Step 3: Select an adventure to run and prep to run it

We have some games happening in Tacoma but we definitely want to get thins up again in Phoenix. I'd love to chat more about it. Hit me up at my email: OPFSouthwestRVCJon@gmail.com

Why can't it be May 22nd now?!?!?!?! #INeedsMyMerfolk

Island adventure? Sounds amazing for my future merfolk when Howl of the Wild comes out!

Exactly what I was thinking! Pirate Merfolk UNTIE!!!

ERR... WE MEANT UNITE!!!

Finally somewhere to write my manifesto about how Paizo is hiding the truth about the Gap, Starfinder, and Pathfinder. IT'S A CIRCLE!!! #TheCircleIsReal

I hate making posts like this since I always feel like there are more important things to be talking about. I think everybody and their mom thinks bards are fine, and they are. However, over the past couple of months this issue has become more of a problem. Literally every GM I played with this year has ruled differently on this and they all seem to feel they needed more guidance. So this is me trying to get that.

It seems the intent of Harmonize is to allow the bard to use two compositions at the same time. However, rules as written says starting a harmonized composition ends a normal composition currently in effect (see rules below). This means if you start a normal composition as your first action in a turn and then Harmonize, your first action is wasted as that normal composition immediately ends as soon as you start your third action to play a harmonized composition.

The same is true if you use Lingering Performance (or the new Martial Performance) on the normal composition. Even if you don't get tripped up by the order of operations issue above and use your first action to Harmonize, then start your harmonized composition as your second action. Next you use a free action to use Lingering Performance and finally use your third action to cast a normal composition, in the next turn, as soon as you start your harmonized composition, the lingering performance normal composition ends.

Basically Harmonize allows the following.

- Start a normal composition the same turn as a harmonized composition.
- Start a normal composition without ending a harmonized composition.

What it doesn't do is

- Start a harmonized composition without ending a normal composition.

Without this, there is a problem with the order of operations that cause these edge cases. It seems like we don't want harmonize to work with the other spellshape feats, which honestly is fine but, it would be better to say so instead of having confusion, IMHO.

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Rules as Written (using non-remaster rules though none of this has changed in the remaster):

Composition (Source Core Rulebook pg. 629 4.0)
To cast a composition cantrip or focus spell, you usually use a type of Performance. If the spell includes a verbal component, you must use an auditory performance, and if it includes a somatic component, you must use a visual one. The spell gains all the traits of the performance you used. You can cast only one composition spell each turn, and you can have only one active at a time. If you cast a new composition spell, any ongoing effects from your previous composition spell end immediately.

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Harmonize (Source Core Rulebook pg. 101 4.0)
[one-action]
Feat 6
Bard Concentrate Manipulate Metamagic
Prerequisites maestro muse
You can perform multiple compositions simultaneously. If your next action is to cast a composition, it becomes a harmonized composition. Unlike a normal composition, a harmonized composition doesn’t end if you cast another composition, and you can cast another composition on the same turn as a harmonized one. Casting another harmonized composition ends any harmonized composition you have in effect.

I initially didn't join this Kickstarter specifically because it sounded like it was going to be a bit more 5e and generic focused. This tipped the balance. Totally in now.

It's exciting to see sanctioning so up to date. Gotta say I love it!

Neume wrote:

I've tried to write and re-write this a thousand ways to not sound so argumentative. At this point, I'm just going for it.

So far, for Secrets of Magic, we've heard A LOT about Arcane, Divine, and Primal casters. Is this book going to be like Gods & Magic and not really have much for the game's sole Occult caster? Put another way, WHAT ABOUT BARDS?!?!?!?! lol.

Like, I assume Bards are going to get updates that are more general, such as new spells, new rules regarding making custom staves, etc. It just feels like everything is being talked about through the lens of Arcane, Primal, and Divine casters but not Bards. Even Haunting Hymn was introduced as a Divine spell and we didn't really get clarity if that spell is also going to be Occult. It sounded like yes, but nothing was confirmed.

I'm really excited about this book either way, I'm just trying to prepare myself for what to expect because I was crushed by the dearth of Bard content in Gods & Magic.

I'm sure we can discuss this in the show, but I do want to point out that Gods & Magic is part of the Lost Omens setting line and more about lore than rules. Secrets of Magic is in the rulebook line so is is mostly "crunch" with many new occult spells and alternate rules that can apply to bards and occult casters. While not a bard, the Summoner can use occult magic. Let's see what else Logan has to say. :)

Thanks so much for the reply! Good to know! :D

I've tried to write and re-write this a thousand ways to not sound so argumentative. At this point, I'm just going for it.

So far, for Secrets of Magic, we've heard A LOT about Arcane, Divine, and Primal casters. Is this book going to be like Gods & Magic and not really have much for the game's sole Occult caster? Put another way, WHAT ABOUT BARDS?!?!?!?! lol.

Like, I assume Bards are going to get updates that are more general, such as new spells, new rules regarding making custom staves, etc. It just feels like everything is being talked about through the lens of Arcane, Primal, and Divine casters but not Bards. Even Haunting Hymn was introduced as a Divine spell and we didn't really get clarity if that spell is also going to be Occult. It sounded like yes, but nothing was confirmed.

I'm really excited about this book either way, I'm just trying to prepare myself for what to expect because I was crushed by the dearth of Bard content in Gods & Magic.

I was sad they didn't say anything about the primary occult caster, bard. Like, they mentioned a new cantrip, Haunting Hymn, which got me super excited but then said it's a Divine spell... Or maybe both. It wasn't clear. I hope it's Divine AND Occult because that sounds like an awesome bard spell.

It just felt like they went through the spells and were like Arcane > Divine > Primal and then pulled a John Travolta on Occult...

Seriously though, I get boiling a 250 page book down to 57 minutes is going to leave some things out. I think I'm just spoiled from being a bard in 1st edition where every new book had a bard archetype :).

That said, everything sounds amazeballs, I'm just hoping for some bard magic love.

I feel selfish for it but I think I'm just gonna play at this con. I'll GM at GenCOn.

That said, thank you to our EU overlords for offering late games for us Westerners. We appreciate it!

This is being put into immediate use in my home campaign. What a wonderful building block for adventure.

Thanks to the team for being so awesome and flexible. I know we had a number of last minute changes this year in our events and the Paizo team has been amazing in supporting us.

Onward and upward!

OK, so they're starting with the core 4 classes and adding more via the Kickstarter as stretch goals I'm assuming.

From the website:

We’re starting with Wizard, Fighter, Cleric, and Rogue. As part of the Kickstarter, you’ll get to help unlock the next group of classes.

Oh god... there's a certificate of death. I'm in love!

I literally didn't realize I needed this until I just saw it. #CantWait

So in the live stream it was mentioned that there would be options for non-casters to have some casting they can take. Which really sounded like John Smedley and Star Wars Galaxies when he said that if you didn't want to be a Jedi you could always just be force sensitive - AKA a Jedi. This was horribly unsatisfying for those who really didn't want to be a Jedi.

This really made me a sad panda when I heard it. So I wanted to come talk about Legend of the Five Rings and the Yojimbo. Specifically the Yojimbo of the Phoenix Clan who were bodyguards for the Shugenja. They studied in the same schools together but the Yojimbo never learned spells. They learned to protect their Shugenja, to increase the spells cast upon them by their allies and resist those cast by their enemies. Yojimbo were always melee artist, without any casting ability. But they learned at magic schools with the casters.

That is all.

If my players knew how little work I do prepping for games since 2ed launched they'd be very upset. The ease with which I can whip up an encounter with 2ed is truly the best part of the version change.

Online this has been difficult because, well in person I can just grab a flip-map throw it on the table, get a few minis, the Bestiary, and run. Online it will take sometimes 20-30 minutes to get ONE image to fit.

This new change to digital maps will literally mean I will spend half as much time prepping now. Less time prepping means more time drinking and who doesn't need more time for that.

I feel like I'm asking a stupid question, but I'll ask anyway.

You specifically point out PF2 and SFS. Does the smaller table size (running with 2 players and 2 pregens) affect PF1 as well?

Soooo I am having an issue where every PtP Boon I get is assigned to the same character, even if I change characters in the drop-down. For instance, I purched the level 3 boon for my character Mwindaji. Then I went to purchase the level 2 boon for my character Motigba Danseyre. Both boons appear to be purchased by Mwindaji (which probably shouldn't be possible anyway).

I thought I fat fingered it, so I decided to test again and purchase the free wayfinder PTP Boon for Mwindaji, no problem. Then I bought it for Motigba and immediately got an error saying I'd already purchased it for that character. When I look at my purchased boons I do not see any for Motigba, just 3 for Mwindaji (the level 3, the level 2, and the wayfinder boons).

I know for sure I changed the characters. ESPECIALLY, the second time when I purchased the wayfinder boons.

I was doing this on my Android phone on Chrome.

We quietly (unofficially) phased out 7 player tables in the Los Angeles area unless it was a group that plays together or the only other option was someone couldn't play. Making this official is the best birthday present ever. Even if it is just for 2nd ED.

7 player tables is/was our #1 complaint source.

Welcome. Make sure you bring cheese! And the correct answer is ALWAYS PANCAKES! Waffles are terribad and don't get me started with French Toast!

HUZZAH!

By the way if you haven't looked over all the uncommon spells- just spells alone, not even other options- you'll see a good number of spells that were commonly found in PFS.
** spoiler omitted **...

Umm... that list includes a bunch of Focus spells that you can indeed have in Society play. They generally require a Class Feat. For instance Dirge of Doom, Allegro, Counter Performance and more are all available to Bards who have selected them as class feats. That list includes a host of others from other classes that are totally available if you select that class feat.

Firstly: Huzzah?

Secondly: Home Run! Well done!

Not to be impatient, but

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!!

I'm so excited for this release, I just cannot wait! GenCon cannot come soon enough!

P.S. /wave Welcome to the madness!

I love this. I would second the concept of loving to see this applied to the 1ed factions as well, with similar requirements.

"The Unnamed Kingdom"

I cannot find a "Shut Up and Take My Money" meme to post. But please understand this post to be that.

Cyrad wrote:

I'd much rather have a ledger, like this one. Instead of an ITS or writing everything on the chronicle sheet.

It's a huge pain in the butt to audit and track a character by shuffling through 20+ pieces of paperwork.

In the past they have allowed your own personal tracking method as long as it had the required information. Hopefully in the future they still will.

Ummm... you cannot replace a chronicle sheet with your own tracking method. You can for an ITS.

Ultimately, I was REALLY hoping we'd move to a ledger system too. I do like the removal of the ITS, but as others said, the space on the chronicle sheet will not always be enough, leading to need 2 chronicle sheets?

A ledger would be so much more convenient for everyone (even the environment).

As a convention organizer, I LOVE a special that is repeatable by tier! Immediately apply this rule to The Cosmic Captive. Literally no one saw all of that adventure :).

Look I'm loving this and all, but if I lived someone called "Plaguestone" I'd immediately start looking for new living arrangements.

I'm not saying this is their fault, I'm also not NOT saying it either...

MOAR FLIP-MATS!!!

MUAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!

There is so much good stuff happening I can barely focus. This is SOOOOO awesome!

nice story...was really looking forward to seeing how 2e was going to handle the whole goblin-fear-of-writing thing...one thing that confuses me...the story said he had trouble seeing without a light but don't goblins have darkvision?...or is that being retconned?

They had darkvision in the playtest, I would assume they will in second edition. That said, I think there is a misconception with this ability.

Darkvision is only the ability to see in black and white. Having light on does make it easier to tell things a part. Just mechanically there is no penalty or bonus for the lack of color. In storytelling for Pathfinder (and for D&D) there is still the understanding that having light is better than having darkvision. Meaning you can see better because you have color.

As players who play in the meta darkvision is a great ability because you get no penalty to see AND you have the opportunity to sneak up on others. In most of the storytelling though the opposite is true.

For instance, asking an Orc to cut the red wire because as a human you cannot see any wires due to the lack of light. That Orc is rollin' randomly. I think this is what they are referring to in this intro.

SO very awesome.

CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT!

I'm saddened there wasn't at least one goblin trying to light a snowball on fire.

C'est la vie!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

And I LOVE the illustration of the Critamander!

And now we need a Critamander plushie.

The reason Heal gives D8s is because that's all it gives: HP. Lay on Hands gives AC, Soothe gives Saves v.s. Emotional effects, and Goodberry counts as eating food for survival. They are temporary benefits, true, but something that Paizo feels is worth the loss of dice. If we wanted to make Heal have the same dice (which is fine by me, but sacred cows and stuff), it needs to give something in exchange. Maybe temp HP with a duration and value equal to the spell level?

See this is flawed though because Heal/Harm DOES do other things too. In addition to being a single target spell, in addition to being able to be cast 3 times in a round, in addition to being able to heal AND damage all targets within 30 feat it heals/deals more than all the other heal spells. And that is BEFORE being specced into healing.

I still advocate that the issue ISN'T Channel Energy. That was hiding the real issue. The real issue is Heal. Either we have healing parity or we don't. Druids rarely get brought up in the healing discussion because they have access to Heal. They can cast Goodberry in the morning and hand them out (like an Alchemist) and still prep Heal to use during a fight. That is great versatility.

The reality is of the healing classes Cleric is the only one really given class feats to support healing. I think if the other classes had access to Heal - or a spell that has actual parity with Heal - and had additional class feat options to spec into healing specific, things wouldn't be so bad.

I made a suggestion elsewhere that maybe Soothe should get an effect like Inspire Heroics where you take an additional action to do a performance check and based on the result Soothe affects additional targets (the amount of healing is reduced to your casting stat). Maybe there is a class feat that allows Soothe and Soothing Ballad to do d8 heals. This starts to create parity. Clerics are still at the top but the distance between the two aren't as big and a group doesn't feel like picking Lem (who never gets picked anyway) destroyed the group.

I'd love to see Alchemist get some way to do a group heal. I keep saying a Healbomb would be fun. It heals the primary target an amount and those around take splash healing. Or even healing darts that obviously would heal less than an Elixir.

I know I've posted a lot of down on PF2 posts lately, but honestly, I am thankful you guys are trying new and different things. I just hope we can find a happy medium and in many places, I think that is where the sweet spot is. The 3 action change is for sure the #1 best change. The addition of Alchemist and Goblin to the core book being #2.

Anyway, thank you all for letting us be apart of this.

One thing about the card redesign. It seems you are doing this already (based on the fact you said the "FACES" are being redesigned) but PLEASE DO NOT REDESIGN THE BACKS! I don't mind incorporating new faces with old faces, but changing the BACKS will make things MUCH MUCH MORE difficult to integrate.

Honestly, who am I kidding, if you told me I'd have to buy all new cards I'd do it. But I know I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford something like that and not everyone is.

Koth'Vaul is going down!

I was worried we'd never hear about the card game again. I'm very excited to hear about the new difficulty options. I really like the idea of a smaller / faster game. One issue we have during conventions is there is never an opportunity to play a fast ACG game. I'd love to have an option that is 30 to 60 minutes. We could play over lunch or dinner.

Krysgg wrote:

A less silly version would be to prepare those elixirs of life with advanced alchemy in the morning and give them out, so that your ally can pull out and use it themself.

I could totally go for a feat that lets alchemists administer liquids as a dart though. (Bomb would be mechanically fine, but I think darts make more sense)

Oh yeah, that is for sure, and he is doing this, but I'm talking more about an edge situation like "I didn't prepare enough Elixirs with Avanced Alchemy, my ally is dying and I still have some reagents here for a Quick Alchemy".

I'd be all for an option so that Alchemists can have ranged heals that are more action efficient, however... there may be a problem on that:

Let's compare two level 9 characters, an Chirurgeon Alchemist and a Cleric, the Alchemist has 20 Int and the Cleric has 20 Charisma just for Channel Life.

Let's say the Alchemist uses half of his reagents (14/2 = 7) to make Elixirs of Life. With the level 5 Chirugeon feature, they will have 21 Elixirs, with each one healing 7d6 health.

This is a total of 147d6 healing. Average 515 health.

Now the Cleric, he has 6 uses of Channel Life, and let's say he uses both of his 5th level slot to cast Heal as well (which he probably won't).

This is 9d8+5 per Heal, for a total of 72d8+40. Average 364 health.

If the Alchemist's healing is as action-efficient as as the Cleric's, let's say a feat lets you use 2 actions to shoot an elixir-filled dart at an ally up to 30ft away, then he will be... basically straight up better as a healer. And that is not even considering that an Alchemist can give elixirs to people in advance and a Cleric can't "pre-heal" someone.

I don't think Alchemist is an OP healer in their current state, but maybe that could make them be, I don't know. I'd still want a less silly way of giving someone an Elixir though, even if it is just flavor, and it is still melee and costs one action to do + one to move to the target. I can only think of feeding them in their...

You compared a spec'd Alchemist to an unspec'd Cleric. Additionally, you ignored the full healing of a 3 action heal. There is no maths anywhere where a fully spec'd Cleric doesn't grossly out heal anyone. Ever.

A less silly version would be to prepare those elixirs of life with advanced alchemy in the morning and give them out, so that your ally can pull out and use it themself.

I could totally go for a feat that lets alchemists administer liquids as a dart though. (Bomb would be mechanically fine, but I think darts make more sense)

Preparing in the morning and handing them out still has the action cost in combat to draw and drink. As far as healers go, Alchemist has the biggest action cost.

Darts are better thematically. Maybe... A DART BOMB!!!

/micdrop

It is my view you have hit on the problem with healing in 2ed. In the time it takes for an Alchemist to feed one potion to an ally, the bard can inspired courage the party, heal the ally and give them a 1 minute buff. The cleric, in that same amount of time, has healed the entire party to full.

Healing is not equitable in this version at all. By the changes they've made, I think this is intentional. If you want to heal, play a cleric.

I still highly advocate for a healing bomb for Alchs. #ThereISaidIt

Cleric - Bard - Sorcerers (and to a lesser extent Wizards) are a in need of help. I feel like the core problem is the below:

Clerics have been given the identify of pure healer and with the Channel nerf (of which I was initially a huge advocate of, but now having played with it a few times, not so much), they are lost. Domains should play a greater role for Clerics as they level and it may be worthwhile to seriously consider putting Heal/Harm on the Occult Spell list and giving Channels back to Clerics. Also, adding back the ability for them to sack a prepped spell for Heal/Harm would be helpful.

Sorcerers got inadvertently nerfed with 1.6 and it hurts. I thought 2ed would lean into bloodlines, but instead leaned into spells (which were weaker). Like Clerics, Sorcerers should have their bloodline play a much larger role as they level (NOTE: This means they don't need to spend a class feat for additional effects. It also means that there are more class feats that take specific bloodlines in new directions). The idea that spontaneous casting is no longer a Sorcerer/Bard thing means both classes need to pick up the slack being original elsewhere. For sorcerer I feel bloodlines is clearly the trick.

Bards are no longer about performance. In 1ed the first thing you did as a bard was select which performance you were going to focus in on. Now with the proficiency system, that's no longer a thing. Worse still 3 of our old abilities - Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Performance, and Versatile Performance are all pitted against one another. Instead of getting these all at first level and choosing how to advance them, they are not really fully available for all. You get to choose two now (if you're human) or wait until late game to pick another one up. I love how Inspire Heroics works and how it makes performance center stage. I really want to see bards go back to that.

Also, bard's heals are so much weaker than Clerics - even after the nerf. I get that we share a buff and bards have a chance to make that better. I posit that Soothe should work the same way as Inspire Courage(Heroics). Add an additional Somatic Casting or Verbal Casting action to do a performance check to have the healing and bonus affect additional targets. A medium DC performance check allows the ability to heal the bard too. A hard DC performance check allows the ability to affect the bard and 1 other ally within range. Finally an incredible DC allows it to affect the bard and 2 other allies within range. When cast in this fashion the spell heals a reduced amount that is equal to the your spellcasting ability modifier. When heightened this healing increases by 1d6 instead of the 2d6 granted to a single target.

Honestly, I like a lot about what we've seen in the playtest, but it just seems there are raw edges that a hurting fun factor. Bards not being focused around performance anymore is one of them. NOTE: I don't mean for us to go back to the 3.5 of required ranks in perform to use abilities. I just want performance to matter - like it does in Inspire Heroics. I also hope we get some combat class feats since things like Power Attack are no longer general feats. Getting Sound Striker-like feats would be cool too.

I think the concept of Performance as the bard's casting skill is really good. It would go a long way to returning performing to the center of the bard's core.

I like the idea, I'm not sure about the word "Tier" due to its usage elsewhere (like PFS). But I agree, Levels and spell levels have always been confusing to newbies. I think having a generic term like Tiers to identify this specifically is a really good idea.

Neume wrote:

There is no world where bards are better than clerics. Once again, clerics get the same amount of spells, shares our party buff bonus, BUT they can fight in melee (gets better armor and expert weapons). Bard's Soothe spell heals 1 person within 30 feat 1d6 + CHA. Your argument is highly flawed.

Every time I played a Cleric with a Bard, what I found was that my buffs were largely a waste of time because they didn't stack with the Bard ones, which was annoying as hell. But that's a general issue with the game. The Bard in question felt pretty effective, though.

Quote:

The fact of the better bard feats is a hoax at best. The bard lost the most abilities of any class in the transition from PF1 to PF2. We no longer get fascinate or suggestion (though we still have the spell), we now must choose between 3 of our once core abilities (Bardic Knowledge / Lore Master, Performances and Versatile Performance).

All we got in return was was, Restoration, Phantasmal Killer and Black Tentacles. Honestly, it wasn't a great trade off.

Clerics lost half of their spells per day in the conversion. They lost free access to second domain, free access to a second power in the domain they do get, most of their good buff spells, and had pretty much every spell that isn't Heal nerfed.

If you want to turn this into a competition of who lost the most in the conversion, just how severely Clerics were nerfed is going to beat Bards.

Of course, turning it into a competition is silly. One class having issues doesn't preclude another class also having issues. It's not a zero sum game, and I'd contend that neither class is where it should be and both need buffs rather than to be in a silly game of "you can't have anything nice because I don't have anything nice."

Everyone should have something that lets the class shine and feel awesome. That was Channel. Now it's... nothing, really. That's a problem.

Quote:

And let's not even get into feat options. Clerics have like 10-15

...

You seem to be replying to my post completely out of context. I was replying the other poster who made the statement that somehow bards are better than clerics. That statement - even after the nerf - is patently untrue. If given the option of the two, EVERYONE would take the cleric. The cleric has the spells, med armor, melee combat AND THE BEST HEAL in the game. Even if they cannot use it 5+ times a day like they used to.

That was my statement. I've played a lot of cleric. I like playing healers, I like bard more, but there is no world where somehow bard is better off that cleric.

That said, my feeling about all this has changed the more I think about it. I get that the devs wanted to create something that was that separate but equal, but this isn't working because equal isn't equitable when you compare Heal/Harm to other level 1 healing spells (specifically Soothe), you clearly see that Heal is heads and toes above it. But that is something for a separate thread, of which I am creating now.

Ediwir wrote:

Channel feats make Cleric healing superior regardless. All you need is to have it *comparable* rather than overwhelming. A specialist might punch to 150% of someone else's abilities and still be balanced, but there is no such thing as "300% of everyone's best with no effort" balanced.

...also, I was fairly sure nobody liked Clerics being healbots.

druids have a better spells, have better feats, the same goes for bards. the new alchemist has now even better class abilities that it did before. if their healing is comparable to a cleric there is zero reason to play a cleric. why would you play a cleric, when druids, bards et al can do what you, plus way more stuff. the druid spell list is incredible, bard spell list is darn good, and so are there buff feats.

There is no world where bards are better than clerics. Once again, clerics get the same amount of spells, shares our party buff bonus, BUT they can fight in melee (gets better armor and expert weapons). Bard's Soothe spell heals 1 person within 30 feat 1d6 + CHA. Your argument is highly flawed.

The fact of the better bard feats is a hoax at best. The bard lost the most abilities of any class in the transition from PF1 to PF2. We no longer get fascinate or suggestion (though we still have the spell), we now must choose between 3 of our once core abilities (Bardic Knowledge / Lore Master, Performances and Versatile Performance).

All we got in return was was, Restoration, Phantasmal Killer and Black Tentacles. Honestly, it wasn't a great trade off.

And let's not even get into feat options. Clerics have like 10-15 more feat options than bards.

I've played both classes in the playtest at level 1, 10 and 15 (and the bard from level 1-20) there is no way cleric is not far superior. You are imagining this.