Okay, I just recalled something from an interesting conversation on another thread here, as I talked with one guy about Finnish mythology. http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz4tgv&page=2?The-Golarion-Gods-feel-a-bit-li mited-to-me#96
What I am getting at here is that I am pretty sure the Bard in 3.5e and Pathfinder isn't exactly like the historical interpretations of the class itself, which was sort of a mystical poet sort of person and not a rogue with arcane spells.
If any of you are familiar with the Kalevala or other Finnish mythology books, a figure named Väinämöinen was a pretty epic Bard/Druid (though he was also a demigod of sorts, but that's not the important part), and I'd love to see a version of the Bard similar to him or maybe some Celtic myth version.
The first move I would make would be maybe allowing to make a Bard with some forms of divine casting in his spell list (probably a few nature-related ones), as well as some interesting song-related spells. But should a Bard also have a domain or two? Any guys who've had this idea before me willing to share some thoughts?
EDIT: Actually, I think this build I have in mind could work as an interesting archetype.
It would be an excellent Alternate Class- and I too would so much to see this.
Vainamoinen is a Fighter/Bard for me. A Kalevala bard should know the Origin's Songs (pretty much similar to True Names) and be very good at healing through song and magic.
You'll probably be interested in:
Songhealer
Magician
Soundstriker
Geisha
Sandman
Masterpieces
and perhaps the Archivist
I looked them through before posting here, dude. They don't really fit the bill for the more mystical "Origin's Songs"-weaving Bard I see in the older myths if you ask me. Some traits that Wizards and the Animalspeaker Bard has sorta fit, but that's only a small part of it.
Just making sure.
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Bard's the wrong base class, IMO.
Or at least, completely redoing the spell list is a pain in the arse.
I'd start with Druid. Trade the ability to spontaneously cast SNA for the spell list that Evangelist Clerics can spontaneously convert.
Get rid of Wild Shape, and replace with Fascinate / Suggestion / Mass Suggestion from the Bard. Base the DC and rounds per day off of Wisdom.
Throw in this ability:
Your powers of compulsion can affect even bestial creatures. Whenever you cast a mind-affecting or language-dependent spell, it affects animals and magical beasts as if they were humanoids who understood your language.
And with mechanics that are already in the game, we have a poet druid :)
Who is weaker than the normal druid, due to getting rid of Wild Shape. That means it's balanced :D
Maybe restrict to domains only, so no animal companions.
Uhm. I could propose it in the Multiclass Archetypes thread.
I say go for it :)
I never understood the need for a separate name for such a concept.