
Dragonchess Player |

Generally speaking, the marshall path is usually a good fit for a bard. Depending on the character, Dual Path in archmage, champion, or trickster for some specific path abilities may be worthwhile.

Wycen |
The marshal path has useful abilities for a bard both in and out of combat. Want to stir up an angry mob? Go marshal. Or, want to make that militia unit you just formed fight better, go marshal.
But there are useful abilities in every path. Even paths you would automatically consider off limits like hierophant.
The trickster path also has useful bard abilities. Any trickster can take No One of Consequence, which makes you like a dusty stranger in a Western who just arrived, fixed the problem, (or started it) and then left town and nobody remembers you.