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bardic lore
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:49 am
by hollyfant
The bard got a nice facelift for NWN2. I'm really enjoying mine, but I did run into a few problems.
- Is there any way to end an inspiration, without starting to sing?
- Is there any way to perform, without starting or ending an inspiration?
- Just what is an inspiration?
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:58 am
by Mulu
1. Resting, even when you can't rest, should end an inspiration.
2. What do you mean by perform? You can certainly make the dice roll using Heed's PC Tools.
3. It's effectively an aura of awesomness.
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:32 am
by hollyfant
- But that will make you rest when you can rest.
- I ment the emote and the sound effect. I did notice some emoting stuff in the PCtools menus, so I'll have to experiment with that.
- Awsomsauce!
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:01 am
by Demson
I've been considering how to play out an inspiration. A bard song is obvious, but an inspiration works differently.
What I'm trying to do is to develop some sort of style of jokes and jests and such that would lift everyone's spirit (even if the players don't find it entertaining, the characters do
). Also lot's of non-verbal action.
Your presence is supposed to be inspiring.
It's pretty difficult though.
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:05 am
by Veilan
Rousing shield-banging works well too.
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:10 am
by Demson
Except I carry no shield.
I suppose I can throw my hat up in the air though.
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:27 am
by Veilan
Well maybe you're not a half-orc fighter/bard/RDD either.
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:50 am
by Demson
Veilan wrote:Well maybe you're not a half-orc fighter/bard/RDD either.
Yeah, I'm gimped. =/
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:17 pm
by Brokenbone
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/Classes/bard. ... irecourage (and the other inspirations listed elsewhere on page)
SRD talks about using "music and poetics", apparently constantly, and allies within earshot, often you'll see conditions re: ally must hear the bard singing. Apparently silence spells would effectively "cut off" a bard.
I guess focus on audible stuff, as opposed to "smiles a big courageous smile, gives a courage inspiring wink to the tank"? Get a tambourine? Hit *chants a martial sounding thingy* now and again? Cover armor in jingley little bells and shake that ass? I am sure the results will be funny if nothing else.
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:26 pm
by Rusty
Reconciling NWN2 bard music and inspiration, and D&D bard music/poetics is something no-one's had time to look at, afaik. If there are volunteers...
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:44 pm
by Demson
I checked the NWN2 manual. Inspirations are indeed described as songs.
... Any word on the implementation of voicechat, Rusty?
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:11 pm
by hollyfant
All bardic magic relies on sound in some form, it's the class' main weakness. Inspirations should be no different. But is seems unlikely that an effect that can be maintained all day long would rely on singing / drumming or somesuch: bards would be dropping left and right from fatigue!
I suggest that us bards agree to do some sort of emoting - dependant on the type of bard we play - and switch inspirations off when no longer appropriate.
Either that, or bang that tambourine all day...
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:38 pm
by Mulu
Personally, I just hum a bit.
I would think that any joke/story/song/musical performance could have a lasting, lingering effect on the group. The idea of *continuous* audible output would certainly have some negative impacts while exploring, and reminds me too much of Sir Robin's minstrels. Heck, as a Skald my PC doesn't typically sing. At best he chants.
The inspiration ability is not tied to perform skill like bard songs, interestingly. Perhaps it is best seen as an aura. I do try to turn it off when in town, if only to get rid of the visual effect.
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:44 pm
by Dorn
Warcrys and battlechants would be appropriate for dwarven/barbarian bards perhaps? Speak of ancestors and kin etc?
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:57 pm
by Brokenbone
Mulu wrote:<Snip>
The inspiration ability is not tied to perform skill like bard songs, interestingly. Perhaps it is best seen as an aura. I do try to turn it off when in town, if only to get rid of the visual effect.
SRD includes Perform rank prerequisites for any of the inspirations... NWN2 doesn't. I doubt you'd see many bard PCs skimping on perform though, since it is important to keep up for other reasons.
I am not sure where about half the NWN2 inspirations come from though. NWN2 is missing a couple listed in the SRD (heroics, greatness), but has a few that I can't trace back to PnP... but I haven't looked very hard. Suffice it to say some aren't in the SRD, or in Song & Silence, but they're probably tied to some sourcebook out there, someplace.