Kyle wrote:

>
> From: "Kyle" <ksibbald@...>
>
> Bards can indeed wear plate. I've been told that you need a minimum
> strength of 80 to do so effectively. I don't know if this allows for the
> carrying of any loot since the best thing I have so far is snakeskin.
>

To wear full plate, and to have enough encumbrance value left over to be
able to carry anything worthwhile, you need a strength in the
neighbourhood of 120.

I know, scary isn't it? Considering that pretty much all bards start
with a strength under 100 to start, this seems like a mean trick played
by Verant. Add to that the fact that the easiest platemail to get is
bronze plate, which is even heavier, wearing plate seems like a pipe
dream for bards.

It is possible though, with the use of strength enhancing items.

My bard has a strength of 97 after all my magic items are taken into
account, and I wear several pieces of bronze plate comfortably. Could I
wear a whole suit? No way. Can I wear enough to get a very good armour
class and to look pretty cool at the same time? Yes. :)

> I don't know exactly what the effect dexterity has on hitting notes but it
> seems to have a good effect on hitting creatures. I myself dumped all I
> could in dexterity.
>

Dexterity does seem to have an effect on what you hit while you fight.
The more important application for a bard, though, is that it reduces
the number of "missed notes" you suffer.

Jyzan