louis Morin's page

All the variants of paizo try to mimic the 4e more hp at first level feel, but that remove the spirit of the first level.

I play tested a "more hp" at first level game and it did not feel right, players where too relax...

But i agree with comments on race hp vs class hp. I currently play a game where the hobbit druid have more hp than the human and the dwarf cleric (way more). The +2 constitution to dwarf may help, but doesnt prevent absurdities.

I created a "rank" system going from 1 to 7, where 1 is 1d4, 5 is 1d12, 6 is 2d6 and 7 is 3d4. Races give rank, from 1 (hobbit, elf), to 3 (dwarf), with human in the middle. Then, each class gives a rank from 0 (wizard) to 3 (barbarian).

So for instance, a hobbit mage would have... 1 + 0 rank = 1 = 1d4
A human druid would have 2 for hman +1 for druid for 1d8.

The problem with my system is the balance between race is broken (between classes its ok as i keep aprox. the same ratio between classes as in the basic rules). I had to give a extra edge to the hobbit (a extra point to AC). But its still more realist for me.

This system doesnt give more hp at first level (wich is the objective of paizo), but i dont want more hp, i want more impact from the race to the hp, although a extra rank can be given at first level.

Interesting thread,

I would like to have find it before i post on another thread :

http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizoPublishing/pathfinder/pathfinderR PG/feedback/alpha3/racesClasses/firstThoughtsBard

I suggest in my thread a few improvement for the bard, but i agree that a core ability that would make the bard feel special is good, but this is not the purpose of the bardic performance ? No other class have this. Maybe we could give a few more usages out of this other than the usual +1/+1 usage or fascination. The inspire courage is great, make me think of the local rock band that can boost a audiance. Inspire competence always was a little silly (i replace by a dragon magazine variant that boost caster level of other casters). Why not more complete list of choice that would represent a few bards (the leader, the charmer, the buffer/group inspiration, the story or knowledge seeker that follow the heroes). Maybe a usage of bardic music to boost diplomacy check ? I mean, this is the unique ability, so if you want to give the bard a unique role other than being a jack of all trade, why not focus on this and give more options (as you can have the "ranger archer" or "ranger warrior with two weapons" style).

and i maintain my idea to buff a little bit the bard with a evasion or trap sense class ability.

So here are a few bards....

Orpheus, that have gone to hades to bring back is lover only with his voice, charming the cerebus and the demons that kept her alive....

Puck, the little "entertainer" of Oberon. Machiavelous, full of trick to fool other arounds. More the "magic" type.

Somebody quoted Cyrano de Bergerac. More a "fighter/bard", but still a bard. His "cadet de gascogne" inspired by his passion and his poetry been a weapon he master as much as his sword in combat to demoralise his enemies.

For fan of the French caracter Asterix, the bard Assurancetourix, the annoying bard nobody likes, but that his own adventure as his voice is a powerful curse breaker in another country (it tend to rain when he sing...)

Shereazade, surviving a thousand and one night with her only ability to charm a prince with her stories. Manipulating him so he always wanted to have more

And that 300 caracter that survive sounded to me like a warrior/bard...

And so on... Bard are iconic caracters. Not as present as fighters, but at least as present as any other class in litterature.

The bard is one of my favorite class and i like it as a "jack-of-all-trade" useful in most situation. He does have some specialities in social skills and yes, he is a buffer. But even as a jack of all trade class, he is still a little bit below and would need a few improvements to balance to other class. The above idea from Hydro to give the bard a little something of other classes (a fighter feat for instance) are good. Why not make a "fast learner" thing where bard can mimic a class ability at half level (bard 4 can sneak as a bard 2), only one at the time and as long as he have a companion with this ability aventuring with him.

Ok, thats a untested rapid idea given here.

I dont like from what was given to the bard at high level in the alpha release (a power work kill... ok). Either a few extra abilities (as below), little extra buffing or a special cool ability making him the "second best" in something as above would be enough as the spells still continue to improve.

What i find would be nice for a bard is to have this "intuitive" adventurer style added. I never understood why the barbarian had "trap sense" and not the bard not for instance. I understand giving trapfinding would be too much stealing the rogue domain, but when there is no rogue, a bard with relfexes and trap sense should do the job. Evasion would also be a logic addition. Bards are , after all, in the rogue family, curions by nature, trying to avoid danger while looking for new story and knowledge... why no evasion or trap sense ?