Bard¶
A Bard makes information and company into force. A weapon keeps the tempo, LORESING turns strange objects into knowledge, and held songs reshape a group as long as the singer can sustain them.
| Calling feature | Bard |
|---|---|
| Aptitudes | Presence, Finesse |
| Casting aptitude | Presence |
| Magic | all foundations, Bard's Wheel |
| Guild | none currently |
| Natural strengths | performance, item lore, perception, weapons, sustained support |
Building the character¶
Presence powers the voice and the Bard's magical reserve. Finesse supports weapons and fine item work. Attunement helps magical contests, while Vigor and Grace keep a performer standing when the room stops listening politely.
A new Bard should choose a weapon plan and keep it functional, then add:
- Channeling and Bard's Wheel for the songs actually intended;
- Awareness and item disciplines for discovery and found magic;
- Conditioning, Armor Training, and either Shield Training or Evasion for the chosen kit;
- Trading, lockwork, or another social/utility specialty only as the character's concept requires.
Use TRAIN for the calling's own current prices. “Competent at many things” is an opportunity to choose, not a requirement to buy everything.
LORESING¶
LORESING <item> is the Bard's protected appraisal art. With the object in hand, the song can reveal worth, weight, materials, enchantment, ownership marks, and authored history that ordinary examination cannot reach.
It is useful to hunters, crafters, collectors, and the whole group. It also gives the Bard a social role that remains relevant when no combat spell is being cast.
Held songs¶
Bard's Wheel contains both instant workings and sustained spellsongs. A held song remains active while the Bard pays its renewal cost. Group songs re-cover nearby grouped companions on renewal, so late arrivals can join the harmony.
INCANT <catalogue code>
SPELLS
STOP <catalogue code>
Stun, silence, leaving the necessary conditions, or running out of mana can end a song. Holding every known song at once is rarely wise: renewal is a continuing budget, not a one-time buff fee.
Lesser Vein adds shared wards and practical elemental utilities. SPELLS separately prints each working's code, rank requirement, and mana price; the suffix encodes none of those values.
Fighting rhythm¶
The Bard is strongest when the weapon, song, and group solve different parts of the fight. Use READY while reading a new opponent, move to PRESS when support is stable, and do not let a long renewal bill leave no mana for an emergency.
Solo play is viable, but the calling's ceiling is social: one maintained song can improve several companions while the Bard still attacks, appraises, and reacts.
Common mistakes¶
- Starting too many songs without adding their renewal costs together.
- Neglecting the weapon because the calling has a dedicated circle.
- Buying every utility discipline instead of choosing a recognizable specialty.
- Treating Presence as permission to ignore defensive attributes and training.
- Reading a catalogue suffix as a spell's depth or price.