I remember that thread!

Lago

> -----Original Message-----
> From: James Schuldes [SMTP:jgs@...]
> Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2000 2:38 PM
> To: 'eqbards@egroups.com'
> Subject: [eqbards] going thru the archives....
>
> I have like 1600+ items in my bard email folder and keep going there
> thinking that I will delete them. But each time I find some 'gem' and
> decide to just keep them for a while longer. Here is a clip that might
> amuse some of you:
>
> (begin paste - names removed to protect the guilty)
>
> > Sent: Thursday, June 24, 1999 12:55 PM
> > Subject: [eqbards] high level bard suggestion
>
>
> > Can't stop thinking about weak bards at high levels, haunted with the
> > premonition of myself sitting in the entrance of some dungeon,
> periodically
> > calling out I need to join a group, no answer, finally logging out after
> a
> > long night without having done a thing. Had an idea, though, tell me
> what
> > you think.
>
> I think you'll find that at higher levels, the players DO appreciate a
> bard,
> and actively seek them out, if there's not a regular one in their cadre.
>
> By that point, the newbie curse of the bard has worn off, there's no
> confusion in the upper level players mind about what a bard can do.
>
> And, by default, if you've taken a bard to the 40's and beyond, you have
> "proven" yourself to be skilled in bardic ways and a good social animal as
> well.
>
> Not to mention that not only do you have an active support role, you have
> an
> active combat role as well, and neither requires you to sit on your duff
> for
> 10 minutes after each fight, staring at a spell book. And, when you're
> along, of course, you minimize that for others as well.
>
> As far as boosting bardic power, it's already done. At 45th level, (or
> pretty much any level after you get Hymn, for that matter) you DO see the
> health bar move at an appreciable rate, as well as the mana bar, when a
> bard
> is along. A single bard in a group of 6 can flat outheal a cleric over
> time, doing around 1200 hp per minute per person in the party. The
> offensive
> powers of a bard are subtle, but still very potent. DDD was added to give
> them a bit more rapid firepower in limited situations, for there are times
> when nuking is handy.
>
> Anyone who thinks a high level bard is weak has a serious perception or
> education problem. There's been an ongoing debate internally for months
> now
> about bards being, if anything, too powerful, and nobody internal, even
> the
> staunchest bard advocates, have ever claimed they were weak, not since
> phase
> 2 (before that point, many classes, including the bard, were in a much
> more
> unfinished state).
>
> Personally, I think one of the defining moments for a bard is when they
> find
> themselves no longer memorizing Bellow, even when solo. I won't expound
> on
> that, when that time comes, you will know.
>
> So, fear not, unless you've done something of a personal nature to make
> others hesitant to group with you, you'll not lack appreciation for what
> you
> bring to the table.
>
> (end paste)
>
> Make of this what you will. Personally, I think that the first poster
> turned
> out to be a bit more correct in his predictions than the guy who answered
> him. And the scary thing is that the guy who answered him has since shed
> his "guise of the deceiver" and is now a VI employee. I really like the
> part about bards being able to heal more than clerics <snicker>. It just
> does not work that way in how this game gets played. To be fair - he may
> not
> have had much experience beyond level 45 at that point and with only "old
> world" zones - certainly does not seem to consider the current use of a
> main
> tank and complete heal that most everyone uses in combat.
>
> Sylly
>
> p.s. 1500 of the 1659 items are from June, July, August & September of '99
> -
> the "good ole days."
>
>
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