On Wed, 4 Aug 1999 RON_TALBOT@... wrote:

>
> 1. Since Verant rants about how this game is designed for parting
> they need to improve the desirability of haveing a bard in a party.
> Now that I have learned about the enchanter speed spell line I now
> understand why it is sometimes very difficult to find a party that
> wants a bard when you go to a new zone where your not known. I
> personally felt that the attack speed buff we provided from anthem,
> celerity etc should be one of our main attractions. Since the
> enchanter buffs are better this is no longer the case. (

I dunno why that'd be. The quickness and alacrity spells are
faster than Anthem, true, but they don't have any stat buffs
associated with them. Do not underestimate the importance of
str/dex buffs. At low levels it's not very apparent, but when
you have a +18 str buff and are past level 20, the effect is
obvious - you will be hitting for max or near max damage more
frequently.

Quickness is also short duration, good for one battle. I
seriously doubt any enchanter is going to be casting it on 3
or 4 tanks every fight since it costs 80 mana (one of their
most expensive spells to that point).

> SO... replace one the of late teens/early twenties songs with a toned
> downed version of the 32 level mana song. Maybe half as effective as
> the 32 level song. This would definitely solve the, what good are
> bards for, problem between about 15th and 32 level.

Bear in mind that at higher levels, it takes longer to
regenerate mana and hp because you simply have more of them.
Clarity helps offset this and puts you back at the lower level
meditation/heal times. Verant may consider it unbalancing to
provide mana regeneration at an earlier level.

--
John H. Kim
kim@...