Bards and Components [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bards and Components [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Xavim
11-04-03, 03:04 AM I know that all Bard spells have Verbal Components but what about the others? The book doesn't say that they don't use them, but it seems to go against the flavour of the class to make them require the material components and arcane gestures.

So do they need them or no?
Gingerbread Guy
11-04-03, 03:10 AM Hiho,

The somatic components make sense to me, most of the time. Usually its nothing more than a gesture of some kind - "throwing" a fireball, or pointing to the target of a magic missile. I played in a game where the DM made the bard play a musical instrument as his somatic component. He usually played the flute, using the music as the verbal component. So, things are mutable.

The material components don't really make sense to me, and I don't make my bards use them. Reciting a poem about leaping should be enough to jump.. eating a cricket just seems stupid.

~Ginger
Xavim
11-04-03, 03:14 AM But if it was merely pointing then armour shouldn't be an issue, but it is. Heh, I guess I answered my own question. I still don't like that material component aspect. I guess I could take escew Materials, but I don't know if that's core. And in my group they only play with core.
Slivvy Gaidin
11-04-03, 07:20 AM Eshew Materials is core in 3.5

Personally, I like my Bards to cast spells more as 'spell like abilities', in the sense that its not an actual arcane spell- its more of an expertise in skills (charm person wouldn't be a 'spell'- it would just be an supernatural instance where the bard acted PARTICULARY convincing)

I would leave the Verbal and Somatic components, and foci, (maybe a very precise and measured form of acting is needed), but I'd ditch material components.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Xavim 11-04-03, 03:04 AM	I know that all Bard spells have Verbal Components but what about the others? The book doesn't say that they don't use them, but it seems to go against the flavour of the class to make them require the material components and arcane gestures. So do they need them or no?
Gingerbread Guy 11-04-03, 03:10 AM	Hiho, The somatic components make sense to me, most of the time. Usually its nothing more than a gesture of some kind - "throwing" a fireball, or pointing to the target of a magic missile. I played in a game where the DM made the bard play a musical instrument as his somatic component. He usually played the flute, using the music as the verbal component. So, things are mutable. The material components don't really make sense to me, and I don't make my bards use them. Reciting a poem about leaping should be enough to jump.. eating a cricket just seems stupid. ~Ginger
Xavim 11-04-03, 03:14 AM	But if it was merely pointing then armour shouldn't be an issue, but it is. Heh, I guess I answered my own question. I still don't like that material component aspect. I guess I could take escew Materials, but I don't know if that's core. And in my group they only play with core.
Slivvy Gaidin 11-04-03, 07:20 AM	Eshew Materials is core in 3.5 Personally, I like my Bards to cast spells more as 'spell like abilities', in the sense that its not an actual arcane spell- its more of an expertise in skills (charm person wouldn't be a 'spell'- it would just be an supernatural instance where the bard acted PARTICULARY convincing) I would leave the Verbal and Somatic components, and foci, (maybe a very precise and measured form of acting is needed), but I'd ditch material components.