I don't want the AC so that I can tank... I want the AC so that I can
survive when more than one mob suddenly pops up at your door. (A lot of my
hunting is done in the traditional 6 man group, not multi-group raids, so
enchanters aren't always a luxury).

My cleric suffers the same burden, but to a lesser degree -- unless the
puller is almost dead, I can wait a few moments before throwing that heal
that's going to attract attention to me, allowing tanks to taunt, casters to
root, or enchanters to mez. No effectiveness is lost.

With my bard, if I don't recognize the new comers quick enough to stop my
songs, I'm the new meal. I have to stop my group songs, reducing my
effectiveness until things are under control. Even with the new "evade"
type song, someone else has to have pissed the mobs off for them to get off
me -- it's a hate lowering tool, not a mem blur. Once the new comers
arrive, I'm basically going one on one (or more) with the new mobs while I
get them under control (with Pixie Strike or Bravura's) if I'm the crowd
controller, or waiting until the crowd is controlled so that I can go back
to doing my job if I'm not the controller.

And, quite frankly, Summon Food and Summon Water are only necessary for a
lazy bard. I can say that because I was one. In my earlier levels, I
didn't have inventory space to allow 4-5 different food types, but after 45
(the level these effects begin to work), I can afford that space easily. I
don't have to sell every rusty and bronze long sword I find for money. When
the Forage cap was raised to 55 (from 40 -- I am a Half Elf), I began
hitting that Forage key religiously everytime I switched to my downtime
hotpad between fights (it's now #1 on my downtime hotpad). I supply myself
with far more food than I personally consume, and I pretty much break even
on foraged water (some nights I'll end with 1-2 more than I started, some
nights 1-2 less). In fact, the only time I use the Summon Water on my boots
is when someone else in my party needs it, and there aren't any druids,
rangers, clerics, or magicians in the group.

Raiel Kendan
51 Minstrel
Karana