Bard Spells: Relative Bargains

[drsparnum]

Hi.
I pasted below a list of core spells that are either bard exclusive, or spells that bards get at a lower level than at least one dedicated spellcaster (cleric, druid, sorcerer, wizard). I just made a new bard, and I looked for these spells first when filling out my spelllist, and thought others may find the list useful as well.

Level Spell School
2 Blindness/deafness necromancy
4 Break Enchantment abjuration
3 Charm Monster enchantment
6 Charm Monster, mass enchantment
3 Confusion enchantment
1 Confusion (lesser) enchantment
3 Crushing Despair enchantment
4 CCW conjuration
5 CLW, mass conjuration
2 CMW conjuration
6 CMW, mass conjuration
3 CSW conjuration
3 Dispel Magic abjuration
5 Dispel Magic, greater abjuration
4 Dominate Person enchantment
3 Fear necromancy
3 Geas, lesser enchantment
1 Hideous Laughter enchantment
4 Hold Monster enchantment
2 Hold Person enchantment
6 Irresistable Dance enchantment
4 Legend Lore diviniation
2 Locate Object diviniation
1 Magic Mouth illusion
5 Mislead illusion
4 Modify Memory enchantment
1 Obscure Object abjuration
6 Project Image illusion
2 Rage enchantment
3 Remove Curse abjuration
3 Scrying diviniation
6 Scrying, greater diviniation
3 Sculpt Sound transmutation
5 Shadow Walk illusion
6 Shout, greater evocation
5 Song of Discord enchantment
2 Suggestion enchantment
5 Suggestion, mass enchantment
0 Summon Instrument
6 Sympathetic Vibration evocation
2 Tongues diviniation
1 Undetectable alignment abjuration
4 Zone of silence illusion

[Nebelwerfer41]

That is by spell level. Change spell level to character level and you may find it isn't that much of a deal.

[drsparnum]

That's a good point.

For example a bard gets confusion at L3, and a sorceror gets it at L4. But since bards get L3 spells at about the same character level as sorcerors get L4 spells...in a typical campaign both classes will access these spells at about the same time.

Still, at least you're not behind on that spell, like most bard spells.

[Quandary]

drsparnum wrote:

For example a bard gets confusion at L3, and a sorceror gets it at L4.

I would phrase that as the bard (can) get Confusion AS a L3 spell, AT (class level) L4.

I think it would be helpful to illustrate the point to re-do the list with Class Levels, since Bards still do get quite a number of spells at earlier Class Levels than Full Casters. The lower Spell Level (even if they gain it at the same/later Class Level vs. FulL Caster) still is useful for things like Metamagic Rods and other effects with a cap on Spell Level. (though it works against you if facing an enemy who can suppress spells below a certain spell level).

This is one of the things that can mess with newbies, and it really would have been nicer to rename Spell Levels something like ´Degrees´ or ´Spheres´, to avoid using the same term as class levels.

[Senevri]

Bards make better potions and wands :)
Also, some class abilities are keyed to "spells of level X or lower".
Perfect Spell also allows a 6th-level bard spell to be augmented by three levels, even if it's a 8th level spell in some else list.

See also: Summoner's spell list.

It's a limited, but not nonexistant benefit.