So far there is absolutely no indication that this affects, or will affect
the vast majority of songs.

It's for a DD/AOE song with 400+ damage. While, at that level, a bard
can deliver far more than that over time without mana loss, sometimes
you need that damage in one blast. For that reason alone, it sounds like
a good addition to the bard abilities.

To suddenly require mana for all, or even a large number number of songs
means a completely different class. On the character creation screen, int
would have to show green, as it would effect mana (hehe, or maybe that's
why charisma is important for bards........) With a limit on the length of
time
a song could be sung, the effects would have to be increased (like the new
song). All in all, it would amount to scrapping the class and starting
over, not
something I can see verant doing at this juncture.

Brad has already expressed reluctance to make big changes now that release
has come, as too many people are affected (witness the final anti-camping
decision).

At this moment, this affects very few bards. If events should prove that
Verant
is moving to more large scale changes of the bard, rather than putting in
features
that were probably intended from the outset, there will be plenty of time to
organize a large scale /feedback campaign about the changes.

In the meantime, I'd love to see a lower level version of this replace 14
:).
Sometimes a fight stays even down to the end, or worse, a run of hits by
the mob makes it dicey. One light nuke would be nice at that point to
regain the upper hand, and win.

Tindayen, Journeyman Bard of Povar