Reminds me of a group that asked me to join once. I was wandering around
the frigid north, new to the area, sort of bored, why not, eh? There was
one fellow who knew what bards could do, he was the one I think who pressed
for my services (I could tell by the ooos and ahhs from the others when my
turbo drum overcharge kicked in). After a few battles, he took me aside and
told me he should maybe "explain" to me how bards worked, "The bard buffs
are worthless." ???

He just wanted two songs, and only two: accelerado and hymn of restoration,
"the only worthwhile bard songs." What I did? I laughed in his face.

Then I explained to him how MAGES should work: Stated I actually hated
waiting around for five minutes as he recharged after every skirmish with a
gnoll pup, so he shouldn't do anything at all--nada / zilch / stand there
stiff / do nothing--except in dire emergencies! Told him a mage
should--never--cast spells (except for a pet), until that rare time the
battle is turning for the worse. This will keep us alive, I explained, so
he will have full mana available if we get jumped or overwhelmed. First,
we'll move from monster to monster quicker for better experience, second, we
avoid sitting around in dangerous areas, third, when things go bad he'll
have maximum firepower. That shut him up.

Like he's about to follow us around doing absolutely nothing during most
battles, even if it insured the survival of the group! Needless to say, the
"buff" songs continued! And the Hymn was played at the proper time! And
I'm sure he cast his spells at the proper time, actually, for I only
pretended to know how to do his job, but in retrospect it does make a lot of
sense.

Keep this in mind: it's your character, not the leader's. Personally, if I
find myself in a group with a bad "general," I either disobey (and see how
he reacts) and/or leave. You can be arrogant, see, because you are a BARD,
special, who needs the rest of them, eh? Any other group would happily grab
me up! Ever hear a bard shout to "join a group" more than Once? Hah!
Never believe anybody knows more about being a bard than you do, because
they may have played a bard but not--Your--bard! And you're in demand,
don't take no nonsense, you can be choosey! Any group that can't use a bard
has never been with a bard.

Roop

And besides, you're really singing the songs about the glory of your group,
who wants to sing songs of glory to a bunch of nimrods? Flit around 'til
you find real heroes like a real bard.

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel P. Sniderman <slide@...>
To: eqbards@onelist.com <eqbards@onelist.com>
Date: Sunday, May 02, 1999 6:45 PM
Subject: [eqbards] Re: Level 9

>From: "Daniel P. Sniderman" <slide@...>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Morgan Allison <morgan@...>
>To: <eqbards@onelist.com>
>Sent: Sunday, May 02, 1999 12:04 PM
>Subject: [eqbards] Re: Level 9
>
>
>> From: "Morgan Allison" <morgan@...>
>>
>> Your concerns really struck a nerve with me and I'd like to share some of
>my
>> observations about life as a bard. As mentioned in previous reply, we
>> bards are actually very good soloists. When things get hairy, we have

the

>> accellerando - a near full-proff excape route. In the situation you
>> described, if I was getting hit hard and hit a lot, I'd hit accellerando
>at
>
>I lasted about 15 seconds. I tried my damndest to get accell - but kept on
>getting stunned...
>While I was stunned the two cents and the legionaire were hitting me..
>
>
>> about 3 bars of health. This is because you slow down below 2 bars and
>you
>> may need that extra bar to get some distance between you and the orcs.
>> Always have accellerando hot-keyed.
>>
>
>Stupid me - didn't know you can hot-key a spell...
>
>> Second, lament is a great spell but it can, as you have learned, fail.
>> However, the lower the level of creature is compared to you, the more
>likely
>> it is to succeed. Never use it on a white or higher con. It will fail
>way
>> too often. But, if they all con green or a low blue, you could solo a
>camp
>> and clean it out.
>>
>
>I didn't realize they "fixed" that spell. When I first got it - it wasn't
>working. Was soloing an orc camp in Lesser Feydark - (with a bunch of high
>level guys - no prob that time) - and it didn't work. I recall comments on
>this list about it. If there were comments that it was fixed - I must have
>missed it.
>
>> Third, our greatest power is in grouping, but grouping is risky. It is a
>> high-trust situation. Be very careful who you group with and guage how
>well
>> you can trust them. I might group with a group like you had described,
>but
>> I would not trust them to save my butt if I got in trouble and at the
>first
>> sign of trouble, I'd run. Only when they have shown that they can be
>> counted on to keep me alive when the going got rough would I let myself
>get
>> low in health. I die more frequently in a group then solo because I am
>> still too trusting and eager to jump into danger to save someone whose
>> stupidity got them into trouble... usually failing and dieing along side
>of
>> them.
>
>Well the biggest thing I learned - not to listen to non-bards about what
>song to use. The leader of the group (who seemed to know what he was
>doing) - asked me to turn on the dischord song before starting to fight. I
>should have trusted my own instincts than listen to someone else... I
>usually start with a buff song - and switch when I feel it's appropriate.
>>
>> Be up front with them about this though. Make sure they understand that
>> since you don't know them well, and your life is dear to you, you will do
>> what you have to to protect it until some trust and teamwork has
>developed.
>>
>
>I appreciate the advice. Live and learn (or in this case - Die and Learn!)
>Getting Stunned is clearly the biggest problem we face in combat!
>
>Slyde
>
>
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