Then we agree, our melee skill falls between hybrids and wis
casters(remember int casters are even lower).

Of the casters only clerics wear plate, and I believe (again, I wish I had
my stats in front of me) that our class armor is better ac than theirs (even
after the improvments, theirs used to be awful ac). Also most clerics trade
off ac for wis, so their ac is much worse than ours. Still, we are not good
enough to tank anything beyond 30ish.

That being said, anyone who wants their bard to be melee character is going
to be disapointed. However, I think this thread began questioning the power
level of bards. I hate hearing people who don't think bards hold up their
end in a group. If anything I think we may be overpowered (though once I
have to start using the mana draining charm song, I may, heh, change my
tune). Bard has a reasonably high miminum compotency level, which may lead
to more badly played bard then some other classes, but a well played should
add to almost any group.