Bards as prepared casters

[magicplane]

I know this is a pretty drastic change, but I think it makes a lot of sense. Wizards (Arcane), Clerics (Divine) and Druids (Primal) are all prepared casters. Sorcerer, whose casting list is based on blood line is prepared. This makes bard stand out as unusual. Furthermore Bard and Sorcerer are both CHA casters so if you want to be an occult caster you much be spontaneous and CHA based.

They seem to be moving slightly in this direction with the esoteric scholar feat, but from a game design point of view I think this would put the 4 types of casting on equal footing.

[kaid]

I think we will likely see a full prepared occult caster as one of the next likely classes after the core book. The bard is in a pretty good spot in that if you want some of the prepared feel you can get it but overall bards tend to be less studious and work well with the more limited spell list spontaneous casting option.

[magicplane]

kaid wrote:

I think we will likely see a full prepared occult caster as one of the next likely classes after the core book. The bard is in a pretty good spot in that if you want some of the prepared feel you can get it but overall bards tend to be less studious and work well with the more limited spell list spontaneous casting option.

I am unconvinced we will get a prepared occult caster later. The way this system is designed we don't really need to. For instance, my favorite PF1 class is oracle. Those will now just be divine sorcerer bloodlines with different spell lists and powers. By making the bard a prepared caster, they can open up feats later to have the bard class play the role of a psychic or other occult classes.

As far as bards being less studious, I am not sure if I agree. Bards go around the world collecting knowledge, and have historically had access to all knowledge skills. A less studious class to me would be the druid, and they are prepared casters.

[kaid]

I would be shocked if we don't get witch in the next batch of classes. A prepared occult caster using her familiar as a spell book.