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Lem, our Iconic Bard and Halfling.
You’ve come a long way Bilbo!
Act I
We have also made starting and maintaining a bardic performance a bit easier. At 1st level, starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but this changes to a move action at 7th level and a swift action at 13th. maintaining a performance is a free action
Clap, clap, clap !
You had me at "Maintaining performance is a free action."
Now I can play a bard, for the first time in 35 years.
Of course, the music tallied in rounds/day rather than uses/day is beautiful, and the faster progression of inspirations. But it's all just gravy on the free action.
I must admit, though, I'm finding it awkward to picture Lem managing to play his flute and get off a pair of attacks with his shortsword or sling, all in the same round.
Maybe Lem is a girallon in disguise?
I won't knock it though - it's precisely what bards needed.
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Act II
spell progression has been enhanced ... Bardic Knowledge now grants a bonus to all Knowledge skills equal to 1/2 the bard's level (minimum +1) allows the bard to make any Knowledge skill check without having ranks in it. Well-versed grants a flat +4 bonus on saves against other bardic performances. Lore master is granted at 5th level and it allows the bard to take 10 on any Knowledge skill check, once per day he can take 20 on a Knowledge skill check. As he gains levels, this secondary ability multiple times per.
Bravo !!
One other class feature was added to the bard that allows him to really maximize his skill points. we introduced a new bard class feature called versatile performance. This ability is gained at 2nd level and it allows the bard to substitute his Perform bonus for the bonus of two other skills, depending on the type of Perform.
Encore !! Encore !!
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Act III
At higher levels the bard gains a few new performance types, allowing him to frighten or even kill his foes. The bard also gains a performance type that allows him to cast mass cure serous wounds. The bard gains the jack-of-all-trades ability at 10th level which allows him to try any skill untrained and at higher levels allows him to treat all skills like class skills and to take 10 on any skill check.
Magnifico Maestro Bulmahn, magnifico !!
Making the performance round based for how many you can use ... wow!
Not having to break the perform to cast a spell ... BRAVO!!
Very, very impressed :)
I like, can't wait to see the whole thing
I cannot possibly express my satisfaction for the whole 'Bardic Perform = round based'. I have always found strange (at best) that a Bard had the possibility to enter the first room of a dungeon, start his Inspire Courage, and go on for the entire day without limitations (of course, stealth was out of the way and the Bard should have taken Perform Oratory to speak with his comrades, but the thing WAS possible, by RAW...). Now it has more, more sense.
Plus, Perform is finally useful (not only role-wise), thanks to Versatile Performance. Way to go, Lem !!!
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Bard was one of the most awful examples of "simulationist" school of class design ("you have to talk while casting a spell, but you can't talk while singing, therefore no casting while performing, logical ?").
I sometimes wonder what exactly was the 3.0 team (well, Skip mostly) smoking while coming up with certain rules.
Glad to see PFRPG is cleaning up some of the legacy nonsense ! If PFRPG fixes the Paladin (check), Bard (check) and Monk (here's to hoping !) it will be all right with the world.
I'm of two minds on the Bard.
There is a lot of "good" in it, a lot. Maintaining performance is a free action, as the bard gets better it becomes "easier" (quicker) to start a performance, and more integrated - rather than exception based - Bardic Knowledge. And others.
But the change to rounds per day of performance has me worried.
At lower levels (~1-5) it is probably a boon rather than a hindrance. But in the mid levels and higher, when combats can take a dozen rounds fairly easily, I fear it will weaken the Bards' buffing usefulness.
That might be the balance the "good" changes need, but I'm afraid the Bard will fall flat in the higher levels.
Although, the rounds per day change does make Inspire Competence an ability worth using...
In my campaign of RotRL using PF Beta the only combat that got above 10 rounds in duration so far was
** spoiler omitted **
So I'm not that worried about durations here.
I don't know the encounter of which you speak (I'm not that familiar with that AP), but 18 rounds for 1 of an estimated 4 combats a day seems to support my concerns.
Excellent Jason... simply Excellent.
You've addressed ALL my concerns about bards. Great Job! :)
I'm curious if the performances lasts for "X rounds +5" ?
I am too, but I doubt it.
That would swing the Bard all the way to "broken" territory.
Inspire Courage 1 round, wait 5 rounds, repeat.
I am thinking each is 1 round, which is less however you can do x ability 1 round then do y ability 3 rounds then do x ability again now.
I like all the changes, but something is throwing me off.
The skills all seem off in a couple of instances. It's late, and I'm sure I am just missing something.
Acrobatics for example.
He's level 8, so he should have 8 ranks max from skill points. +3 because it's a class skill, +4 because it's a dex skill.
8 + 3 + 4 = 15
But it's listed as 17.
Stealth 19 I'm assuming is +4 from size, so that's right.
But again, perform (comedy) is 15 (not maxed out I'd guess), but perform (Wind Instruments) is 19. And I can't figure out where the 19 iscoming from.
Charisma = +5
Level = +8
Class Bonus = +3
I get 16, so I can't figure out where the extra +3 is coming from.
Someone please point out what obvious thing I'm missing. Thanks in advance.
...and this review was the final dealbreaker for me.
-Yes, I know the Bard's concept was changed and he's no longer meant to be the jack of all trades.
-Yes, I know this means the "swashbuckler Bard" concept is no longer viable under PF's vision.
-No, I don't care for "strategic use" nor "the way it's meant to be played".
-No, I'm not playing a "15 minutes adventuring day" Bard.
-No, I'm definitely -not- converting to PF.
-No, I don't care for stringent "party roles", if I did I'd be playing 4E (which is quite fun and good at what it does).
-Yes, I'm whining pointlessly about something I already knew would happen (so spare me the lip).
I'll stick to the Beta, thanks.
Acrobatics for example.
He's level 8, so he should have 8 ranks max from skill points. +3 because it's a class skill, +4 because it's a dex skill.
8 + 3 + 4 = 15
But it's listed as 17.
Maybe,halfling's racial trait.
But again, perform (comedy) is 15 (not maxed out I'd guess), but perform (Wind Instruments) is 19. And I can't figure out where the 19 iscoming from.
Charisma = +5
Level = +8
Class Bonus = +3I get 16, so I can't figure out where the extra +3 is coming from.
Masterwork instrument bonus?
...and this review was the final dealbreaker for me.
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what elements disappointed you ?
It appears Perception includes +2 racial bonus (no senses delineated, as mentioned at the banquet).
First small iconic - CMD = BAB + touch AC - size bonus to touch AC. Already confirmed by Bonus Bestiary.
HP did not use favored class: 55 = 8 + 4.5*7 + 16 (Con+2*8).
Skills either did not use favored class, or Bardic Knowledge does not grant bonus skill points anymore: 8 maxed skills: 6 bard + 1 Int = 7, leaving 1 more from favored class, or Bardic Knowledge. [Verified: Text lists Bardic Knowledge as just bonus and untrained checks, not mentioning bonus skill point.]
Perform (wind instruments) is 4 higher than ranks + mod + class. MW Flute could be +4 (instead of +2), or versatile performance may give a bonus. Possibly something else.
Likely Error: Short sword should do 1d4, not 1d4-1 damage (-1 str, +1 magic).
No detectable change to well-versed.
I hope thundering is better than it used to be.
Dirge of doom appears to still not have a save, good.
Inspire Competence now scales (listed at +3) [Verified by text as +1 for every 4 levels after 3rd].
Extra Performance feat - 6 rounds like Extra rage? That makes 4 + Cha @ 1st + 2/level after + 6 = 28
Text: "Regardless of the action needed to start a performance, maintaining a performance is a free action, meaning that the bard can keep up a performance and still cast spells, move, and make attacks." Bolded part is the change here (other than it applying to all performances). Maintaining most performances was already free. Still - I applaud the change! I wonder if the affects still "coast" - probably not, in fact I think I remember that from my Final-version game @ PaizoCon.
Soothing Performance is now Mass Cure Serious instead of Light, but takes 4 rounds of Performance (basically twice the cost of before - worth it!, but in 4 rounds instead of 1 minute.)
Jack-of-all-trades did get split: untrained use at 10th, class skill and take 10 at higher level.
Versatile Performance... Holy s*$* that's cool. Wow. Okay I'm done.
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-Yes, I know this means the "swashbuckler Bard" concept is no longer viable under PF's vision.
Sorry man this one I just do not get.
...and this review was the final dealbreaker for me. .what elements disappointed you ?
My question exactly. Bards have more "builds" than almost any other class. This one is small with an 8 str - not the swashbuckling style.
Make him Human, swap his Str and Dex and add on his inspire courage and his attacks would be +13/+8, with +7-9 to damage. And he can still do all the rest. That's about as good as the 10th level ranger in my group.
Sleep, must sleep.
I like this version of the bard a lot, and in my opinion it's even better than the Beta-bard. The round-based bardic performance is an excellent change as well as that maintaining it is a free action.
This ability is gained at 2nd level and it allows the bard to substitute his Perform bonus for the bonus of two other skills, depending on the type of Perform. For example, Lem has versatile performance for both comedy and wind instruments. This allows him to substitute his bonus in Perform (comedy) for his bonus Bluff and Intimidate. It also allows him to substitute his bonus in Perform (wind instruments) for his bonus in Diplomacy and Handle Animal. With this ability he can use these skills even if he would normally have to be trained. As he gains levels, Lem can add new types of Perform to his list, allowing him to make even more substitutions (such as Perform [dance] for Acrobatics and Fly).
This has to be one of my favorite changes. Finally you have a reason other than for roleplaying purposes to invest in more than one Perform sub-skill.
I have to say. I like most of the changes to the bard. There are exceptions however...
1. Rounds pre/day aspect of Bardic Performance seems... risky at higher levels. Or for groups not optimized to burn through an encounter in 3 rounds. Not really anything I have a genuine issue with until it becomes a problem.
2. Spells. I thought they got excessive in the nerfing of spells from 3.0 to 3.5 Needless to say that further nerfing has struck me as utterly needless. I can understand the desire to get rid of instant death spells but you seriously take out the juice of a spell the moment you allow a 2nd saving throw. That's the whole point of the saving throw in the first place, to determine if you're screwed or not, not to provide a cushion and take the oomph out of the risk. It makes me feel like I'm treating my players like six year olds who need to have their hands held to cross the street. Heaven forbid a spell might harm them and result in their doom during an adventuring day.
I was hoping I would be able to put away my 3.5 PHB upon acquiring the PRPG but I know that will not be the case. Hopefully the magic items haven't been castrated so that I might at least put away the 3.5 DMG upon getting the already huge book.
2. Spells. I thought they got excessive in the nerfing of spells from 3.0 to 3.5 Needless to say that further nerfing has struck me as utterly needless. I can understand the desire to get rid of instant death spells but you seriously take out the juice of a spell the moment you allow a 2nd saving throw. That's the whole point of the saving throw in the first place, to determine if you're screwed or not, not to provide a cushion and take the oomph out of the risk.
However, you should consider that charm/compulsion got a much needed boost with the changes to PF<alignment> and supposedly MCa<alignment>. This is something that the bard benefits a lot from.
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I'm actually not of the idea that rounds per day is a good thing. Especially for skills like inspire competence.
What did every skill in the world suddenly switch to being a 6 second duration so that all you do to inspire competence is use one round to grant a +2 even if it would take ten minutes, like climbing a wall, or 1 minute like picking a lock. But all the bard has to do is say "you can do it!" for six seconds. Or does bardic music get entirely sucked up in above examples?
I do love perfrom substitutions though, I think that is a wonderful idea, so long as the abilities able to be substituted are locked for each perform type and not, choose two. I'd hate if a player could substitute perform (oratory) for swim checks, luckily from the preview they seem locked in.
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Bard was one of the most awful examples of "simulationist" school of class design ("you have to talk while casting a spell, but you can't talk while singing, therefore no casting while performing, logical ?").
I sometimes wonder what exactly was the 3.0 team (well, Skip mostly) smoking while coming up with certain rules.
Glad to see PFRPG is cleaning up some of the legacy nonsense ! If PFRPG fixes the Paladin (check), Bard (check) and Monk (here's to hoping !) it will be all right with the world.
I cannot possibly express my satisfaction for the whole 'Bardic Perform = round based'. I have always found strange (at best) that a Bard had the possibility to enter the first room of a dungeon, start his Inspire Courage, and go on for the entire day without limitations (of course, stealth was out of the way and the Bard should have taken Perform Oratory to speak with his comrades, but the thing WAS possible, by RAW...). Now it has more, more sense.
Plus, Perform is finally useful (not only role-wise), thanks to Versatile Performance. Way to go, Lem !!!
I think it's hilarious that these guys posted one after the other because they answer each others own problems as to why the class was the way it was.
It was balanced because while you could sing all day, you couldn't do anything else, thus maybe always useful but not overpowered. And you weren't able to cast spells because you were able to keep bardic music up all day if you wanted.
Oh you two are just funny.
Anywho. I liked this, it may not seem it, but a bards bonus to attack and damage is a lot more significant than I think people realize sometimes, being able to maintain it while casting or attacking is a pretty big power boost and one I'm not that sure I like. all in all, while I love certain aspects of the new bard, I'm not as happy with others. At least there are no immediate changes that I know I'll have to make when the final rules come out like there were with the paladin.
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2. Spells. I thought they got excessive in the nerfing of spells from 3.0 to 3.5 Needless to say that further nerfing has struck me as utterly needless. I can understand the desire to get rid of instant death spells but you seriously take out the juice of a spell the moment you allow a 2nd saving throw. That's the whole point of the saving throw in the first place, to determine if you're screwed or not, not to provide a cushion and take the oomph out of the risk. It makes me feel like I'm treating my players like six year olds who need to have their hands held to cross the street. Heaven forbid a spell might harm them and result in their doom during an adventuring day.
Save-or-suck spells were overpowered, really. Compare Hideous Laughter to Hold Monster for example.
What did every skill in the world suddenly switch to being a 6 second duration so that all you do to inspire competence is use one round to grant a +2 even if it would take ten minutes, like climbing a wall, or 1 minute like picking a lock. But all the bard has to do is say "you can do it!" for six seconds. Or does bardic music get entirely sucked up in above examples?
While I can see your point, I can also see the counterpoint. It makes sense to me that the inspiration wouldn't necessarily run out as soon as the magic did; after all, in the real world, the inspiration you get from a rousing speech or a stirring performance doesn't end as soon as the performance does. Often, when you feel inspired by something, the inspiration lasts for a while after the source of the inspiration has ended.
It seems very possible to me that a Bard's ability to inspire isn't just magical, but also a gift with words that causes a rush of adrenaline or a surge of confidence within his companions that lasts longer than the magic itself.
You already could maintain bardic music while fighting, and with one feat you could also cast spells while singing (and substitute perfom for concentration checks).
I don't like the "rounds" rule, and I am torn on the perfom skill changes. I think I'd have preferred free ranks for perform as a class feature, or simply a new perform type every X levels (There's a feat already in 3.5 that gives you additional perform types).
Not too sure about the Point system for bardic music. If it's 1 Point/Round then the bard, particularly at mid-high levels where battles can last much longer, is going to run out of points pretty quickly. If it's 5 + 1 point per additional round, then they might as well jsut grant the bonuses permanately. Somthing like this can be very hit-and-miss unless done in a specific way, but I don't feel the change might have done that.
Which is a little ironic considering the opening paragrapth, when I read that I assumed longer song durations might have been a primary focus.
Also the ability to kill using bardic music has me worried that the capstone ability in the Beta might still be there.
though being able to maintain the performance more easily has me hooked. Though I think a free action might be too much, making it swift at least requires the bard to sacrific some form of action to maintain it.
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I'm actually not of the idea that rounds per day is a good thing. Especially for skills like inspire competence.
What did every skill in the world suddenly switch to being a 6 second duration so that all you do to inspire competence is use one round to grant a +2 even if it would take ten minutes, like climbing a wall, or 1 minute like picking a lock. But all the bard has to do is say "you can do it!" for six seconds. Or does bardic music get entirely sucked up in above examples?
Back in 2E, the idea of a Dwarven 'Chanter' was introduced as a Bard kit, and the role was supposedly to do work chants that would last for hours, helping troops march, miners work, crafters do their thing, etc. I do wonder how a Bard is supposed to be able to inspire competence in a skill roll that takes minutes, or hours, to complete.
I'm loving the Bard except and I'm okay with the bardic performance being rounds per day, but it doesn't seem to scale quickly enough with level.
In beta/3.x you used to effectively get, on average, 6 extra rounds of Inspire Courage each level, and after a certain level you had enough for all the combats you needed.
But now, with only 2 gained per level you're going to quickly find yourself not being able to keep up with the number of rounds you need.
So in our group the average fight lasts around 6-10 rounds which means a bard would have to be in the teens level-wise before being able to last the 4 combats we have in a suggested day.
This, however, would be an easy fix by simply making it 2 + CHA additional rounds a day much like the barbarian gets 2 + CON rage per day when they level.
I think the mechanic is sound, but it just doesn't level quickly enough. Otherwise the build looks great.
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Very interested to see this in action.
Now, Smite lasts for longer, Rage is more versatile (no more "well, i already raged today, so thats out), and Bardic Music can't be held for the entire adventure (I admit, that's what I usually do with my current bard.)
Not sure about the lingering effects of the musics, i.e. skill bonuses that add to skills with longer time frames, or what feats like extra music (probably extra rounds, like extra rage) and lingering song (persists after you stop, unlike normal?) will do.
Versatile Performance? Yes please, finally a reason to have more than one performance skill.
Lore Master and Bardic Knowledge? Yes, please. No more "noone has that knowledge skill, and Bardic won't identify that particular outsider's type/weakness/name" BS.
All in all, looks good, can't wait to play it. Oh yeah, and D8 HD? Potentially with a high-con, favored class bonus? Lets go swashbuckling Erroll Flynn bard!
-t
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Not too sure about the Point system for bardic music. If it's 1 Point/Round then the bard, particularly at mid-high levels where battles can last much longer, is going to run out of points pretty quickly. If it's 5 + 1 point per additional round, then they might as well jsut grant the bonuses permanately. Somthing like this can be very hit-and-miss unless done in a specific way, but I don't feel the change might have done that.
Which is a little ironic considering the opening paragrapth, when I read that I assumed longer song durations might have been a primary focus.
Also the ability to kill using bardic music has me worried that the capstone ability in the Beta might still be there.
though being able to maintain the performance more easily has me hooked. Though I think a free action might be too much, making it swift at least requires the bard to sacrific some form of action to maintain it.
Where are you getting points for bardic music in the preview, it quite openly states you gain a number of rounds per day equal to x. Now if you are just converting each round into one point thats one thing, but the way you wrote your statement, it seems you think that it might be something different which is clearly not the case.
Hmm. There were more changes from the Beta version in there than I expected. I like the Versatile Performer idea, although I wonder exactly how it's worded (e.g. if I use Perform: Dance instead of Acrobatics, do I get an armor check penalty?). The rounds of bardic music is interesting, too; I'll have to see how it plays in practice.
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I see a lot of good things in this revamped class. I like:
+ Clearly spelled out rules for bardic performance (actions required and what can be done). I must admit that I found them to be lacking such clarity in previous editions. This is the biggest plus for me.
+ Ramped up bardic music progression. +2 inspire courage at level 5 is good; although that's the same as Beta IIRC.
meh Lore master/Jack of all Trades -I'd need to see the progression of uses per day for these before I decide whether I decide whether I think it's good or too little too late. More uses than in Beta would be good.
meh Other bardic performance abilities -DoD etc. I'd have to see the progression, but waiting til level 8 to make enemies shaken sounds too long a wait IMO.
meh Total number of rounds vs number of performances/day. Makes the ability Charisma dependant for more performance time, but the added flexibility is nice.
? Substituting perform for other skills? Not sure if I like it. I'd have to see the complete list of substitutions, but I have this mental image of perform (saucy puppet show) replacing something totall inappropriate like climb.
As long as the substitutions make sense, I'm not against it (merely meh), but IMO the better way to stretch skill points would be to allow the bard to have perform as one skill and be able to select different styles as specialties, kinda like favoured enemy only with drums.
I don't really see anything I was dead set against, although I don't like it when my character's spells are nerfed (but can understand from game balance POV). All in all, much improved and I look forward to the final product.
Rounds per day versus Performances per day makes me a sad panda. You have just shortened the adventuring day and you have discouraged the use of anything but Inspire Courage as I will need to hoard my rounds per day to have any hope of maintaining it through 4 encounters.
All of the other changes are good but this one just cut the legs out from under my desire to play a Bard. Their only unique ability, their very defining characteristic, took a serious hit from the nerf bat. Under Beta rules I was excited to play a Bard in my next campaign, under the Final rules I'd rather play just about anything else.
Rounds per day versus Performances per day makes me a sad panda. You have just shortened the adventuring day and you have discouraged the use of anything but Inspire Courage as I will need to hoard my rounds per day to have any hope of maintaining it through 4 encounters.
All of the other changes are good but this one just cut the legs out from under my desire to play a Bard. Their only unique ability, their very defining characteristic, took a serious hit from the nerf bat. Under Beta rules I was excited to play a Bard in my next campaign, under the Final rules I'd rather play just about anything else.
Well, before jumping to conclusions, we have yet to see if (for example) a Bard who sings for 3 rounds gives an Inspire Courage for those 3 rounds only, or if the effect of the Inspire Courage lingers for more (perhaps 5 more rounds, like before ?).
Or if a Bard who sings for 1 round giving Inspire Competence gives the bonus effectively only for 1 round, or rather he has to sing - let's say, for 5 rounds, spending effectively 5 rounds per day from his allottment - and gives the bonus for, dunno, 1 hour.We only know how many rounds a Bard can use Bardic Perform per day (like Beta Ki Points or Beta Rage Points), not how long this rounds of Bardic Perform would influence the group.
Rounds per day versus Performances per day makes me a sad panda. You have just shortened the adventuring day and you have discouraged the use of anything but Inspire Courage as I will need to hoard my rounds per day to have any hope of maintaining it through 4 encounters.
All of the other changes are good but this one just cut the legs out from under my desire to play a Bard. Their only unique ability, their very defining characteristic, took a serious hit from the nerf bat. Under Beta rules I was excited to play a Bard in my next campaign, under the Final rules I'd rather play just about anything else.
I'm afraid I feel just about the same way. Now my bard won't be able to keep up performances all the way through the day. And it seems the proposed solution is actually worse than the original problem. I knew that by level 8 or so my worries about Bardic performances were over. I could keep the song going every combat and still have a few uses afterwards. Now it'll be mid-teens before I can keep up Bardic Music for the entire set of 4 fights (assuming we don't get pushed into a fifth one).
I concur. This is getting hit pretty bad with the nerf bat.
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Rounds per day versus Performances per day makes me a sad panda. You have just shortened the adventuring day and you have discouraged the use of anything but Inspire Courage as I will need to hoard my rounds per day to have any hope of maintaining it through 4 encounters.
All of the other changes are good but this one just cut the legs out from under my desire to play a Bard. Their only unique ability, their very defining characteristic, took a serious hit from the nerf bat. Under Beta rules I was excited to play a Bard in my next campaign, under the Final rules I'd rather play just about anything else.
not really sure where everyone is coming up with the idea that 4 encounters / day = long long fights.
perhaps its just my experience, but a typical combat encounter rarely lasts more than 3-5 rounds. For example, we just had the climax fight against the primary antagonist in Second Darkness, where we fought a rogue, fighter, and imp, then a boar, then some piercer type creatures with troglodytes, and finally another fighter with some demonic minions.
excluding the fighter running away and being chased for several rounds (the combatants were too far to be heard, so bardic music would not apply, anyways), the above 4 encounters took up about 20-22 rounds of time. Now, if Inspire Courage is the thing you want to do all the time, a high charisma, extra music, and other feats seems to be a reasonable expenditure.
-t
Rounds per day versus Performances per day makes me a sad panda. You have just shortened the adventuring day and you have discouraged the use of anything but Inspire Courage as I will need to hoard my rounds per day to have any hope of maintaining it through 4 encounters.
All of the other changes are good but this one just cut the legs out from under my desire to play a Bard. Their only unique ability, their very defining characteristic, took a serious hit from the nerf bat. Under Beta rules I was excited to play a Bard in my next campaign, under the Final rules I'd rather play just about anything else.
Well, before jumping to conclusions, we have yet to see if (for example) a Bard who sings for 3 rounds gives an Inspire Courage for those 3 rounds only, or if the effect of the Inspire Courage lingers for more (perhaps 5 more rounds, like before ?).
Or if a Bard who sings for 1 round giving Inspire Competence gives the bonus effectively only for 1 round, or rather he has to sing - let's say, for 5 rounds, spending effectively 5 rounds per day from his allottment - and gives the bonus for, dunno, 1 hour.We only know how many rounds a Bard can use Bardic Perform per day (like Beta Ki Points or Beta Rage Points), not how long this rounds of Bardic Perform would influence the group.
Then this should have really been included with the preview I think. Right now you have a lot of people worried about whether or not the entire concept of a minstrel pushing the troops forward for hours at a time works anymore. But it seems more likely that it is in fact what we think because otherwise each barbic ability would simply have a number of song points. It's not song points like rage points, but rather rage/round.
I honestly think that the designers only think combat lasts for a few rounds every time. We had two combats during last night's game and they lasted 9 rounds and 11 rounds which is about typical for us. With our bard having a +4 charisma it would be level 7 before she could even last the two fights we had. By that point under the old system she would only have used a small portion of her resources at level 7 for those two fights.
I find the new bard to be a little more interesting than ones before. I've always found the class to be an interesting one, but not enough that my players or myself would actually play one on a regular basis.
I like the change of bardic music to rounds per day instead of times per day:
I think overall, it works much better for the game. The way it seems to be set up, it once again eliminates a "have your cake and eat it too" situation. Instead of having bardic music become a blanket ability that reliably lasts for entire combats, the bard is encouraged to use his "inspiring abilities" at just the right moment… especially at the higher levels. That is far more interesting than having rules which say to the bard: "Alright, start your bardic performance ASAP in each combat." To me, that would seem to be a fairly boring approach.
To my eyes, it now appears to be a powerful resource the bard has that should be used with prudence.
I honestly think that the designers only think combat lasts for a few rounds every time. We had two combats during last night's game and they lasted 9 rounds and 11 rounds which is about typical for us. With our bard having a +4 charisma it would be level 7 before she could even last the two fights we had. By that point under the old system she would only have used a small portion of her resources at level 7 for those two fights.
How were your spellcasters doing after 20 rounds of continuous spellcasting?
What's that? They didn't cast a spell every round because they were saving some resources for later? If only the bard could do that, too...
;-) [Just playing devil's advocate.]