I would check out the abilities of Bards in other games. usually the name and description says it all, though sometimes it's just a song name. Then again, if you know the context of how their used, all the more better.
Offensively speaking, Bards have been an AoEish type class in such a regard, used to disorient and demoralize enemies. So more or less stat changes, but to an AoE effect. There's of course damaging spells, but it would be harder to convey. But you have to remember that Bardsong is like magic and magic can do /anything/. You may not be able to damage directly with bardsong, but you can torture an enemy with an ear-piercing song or noise, deafening them. If it's...say an Aria of Darkness or something, Blindness can work. You can calm/mesmerize...even charm enemies with song. OR be blunt and just the music surrounding them can cause them immense pain, as if a thousand widows sing a Dirge for their lost love,as though your lips are the ones directing and singing for them. Such strong sorrow can overload and cause physical pain to an enemy, making him writhe in pain and anguish, begging for the songs to stop.
On the other side, helping those around you is all about morality. Singing jaunts and epic verses get your groups morale high, and the bardsong can amplify that not only mentally but physically. A certain song could not only make their weapons swing more swift, but their feet may be just as swift as their blades, allowing them to travel fast.
I think the best part of playing a bard is the creativity that the RPer can actually put into it. Bardsong is so open-ended, YOU can create the song, the lyrics (if you so choose), the beat, rythm and most importantly, the effect such a song can have by those who hear it--or even those who are meant to hear it.
I would recommend Youtubing and Wiki-ing Bard abilities for Everquest 1/2, Vanguaard and whatever else game you can find. The full descriptions can show you an example of the effects along with name use, while Youtube can get you familiar with visuals and sounds if not more.
I also recommend finding a pocket music dictionary that has all musical terms defined. I have one from high school (and it's sorta old) that I wouldn't mind sending to you but...it would take forever and you'd probably find a free one online or a website with a lot of the terms defined.
Terms usually have Latin or Italian origins, though it certainly does not exclude any other Euro areas.
Also consider having a musical instrument. Your bard's voice can be the source of power, while the instrument can amplify it, and if you have many instruments that you carry (mandolin on the back, flute around the neck, hand drum on the belt) you can experiment with what effects they have on a song, or what power they draw out the best. Or perhaps if they even work at all with certain songs. Everquest 1 had many weapon varieties and you had to actually make macros in order to quickly switch between them in order to use them effectively, but I think they phased that out mostly.
Also, EQ1 also had Bards do fantastic things, like levitate (useful for traversing fast around big cliffs and hills--or finding ways to get stuck in the guild hall chandelier >.>). A downside was that a song lasted 4-10 seconds, and you either had to manually cycle through up to four songs continuously (until macros and /autoplay came about)
There's so much potential! The choice is ultimately yours to make, but I guarantee you can find something that can fit any character's archetype.
Oh yeah, there's the whole lore thing...Ehh, current Bards have offensive and defensive songs, so I would imagine you still get quite the freedom.
As far as instruments go...the relic weapon has a harp on it, if that's any indicator that perhaps an instrument can amplify the Bardsong, but it could very well be a decoration.
Unfortunately, SE declined the idea of making instruments I do believe, and the Bard in An End of an Era doesn't really sing, just raises her hand, sooo...
There's not much support for the actual Bard (as it's meant to be) in game, but...I guess that's where RP comes in. Just make it fair-- if an opposing character breaks an instrument, make it harder for your own to make song. Likewise, if she just sings, then find an eqivilant weakness that balances your character, and/or don't have really powerful spells.
Charming/Mezzing effects or anything paralytic seems like a touchy subject to RPers, and it seems no matter what OOC tensions rise between combatants. there's no doubt about it, so give heads up and agree on things in a OOC /tell to agree on how to fight in a fair way. But in all honestly, everyone's OP, especially magic types, and the more magic and creative you get the harder it is to balance things. I know that's not your main intention, but it's a heads up and a warning for just in case.
Offensively speaking, Bards have been an AoEish type class in such a regard, used to disorient and demoralize enemies. So more or less stat changes, but to an AoE effect. There's of course damaging spells, but it would be harder to convey. But you have to remember that Bardsong is like magic and magic can do /anything/. You may not be able to damage directly with bardsong, but you can torture an enemy with an ear-piercing song or noise, deafening them. If it's...say an Aria of Darkness or something, Blindness can work. You can calm/mesmerize...even charm enemies with song. OR be blunt and just the music surrounding them can cause them immense pain, as if a thousand widows sing a Dirge for their lost love,as though your lips are the ones directing and singing for them. Such strong sorrow can overload and cause physical pain to an enemy, making him writhe in pain and anguish, begging for the songs to stop.
On the other side, helping those around you is all about morality. Singing jaunts and epic verses get your groups morale high, and the bardsong can amplify that not only mentally but physically. A certain song could not only make their weapons swing more swift, but their feet may be just as swift as their blades, allowing them to travel fast.
I think the best part of playing a bard is the creativity that the RPer can actually put into it. Bardsong is so open-ended, YOU can create the song, the lyrics (if you so choose), the beat, rythm and most importantly, the effect such a song can have by those who hear it--or even those who are meant to hear it.
I would recommend Youtubing and Wiki-ing Bard abilities for Everquest 1/2, Vanguaard and whatever else game you can find. The full descriptions can show you an example of the effects along with name use, while Youtube can get you familiar with visuals and sounds if not more.
I also recommend finding a pocket music dictionary that has all musical terms defined. I have one from high school (and it's sorta old) that I wouldn't mind sending to you but...it would take forever and you'd probably find a free one online or a website with a lot of the terms defined.
Terms usually have Latin or Italian origins, though it certainly does not exclude any other Euro areas.
Also consider having a musical instrument. Your bard's voice can be the source of power, while the instrument can amplify it, and if you have many instruments that you carry (mandolin on the back, flute around the neck, hand drum on the belt) you can experiment with what effects they have on a song, or what power they draw out the best. Or perhaps if they even work at all with certain songs. Everquest 1 had many weapon varieties and you had to actually make macros in order to quickly switch between them in order to use them effectively, but I think they phased that out mostly.
Also, EQ1 also had Bards do fantastic things, like levitate (useful for traversing fast around big cliffs and hills--or finding ways to get stuck in the guild hall chandelier >.>). A downside was that a song lasted 4-10 seconds, and you either had to manually cycle through up to four songs continuously (until macros and /autoplay came about)
There's so much potential! The choice is ultimately yours to make, but I guarantee you can find something that can fit any character's archetype.
Oh yeah, there's the whole lore thing...Ehh, current Bards have offensive and defensive songs, so I would imagine you still get quite the freedom.
As far as instruments go...the relic weapon has a harp on it, if that's any indicator that perhaps an instrument can amplify the Bardsong, but it could very well be a decoration.
Unfortunately, SE declined the idea of making instruments I do believe, and the Bard in An End of an Era doesn't really sing, just raises her hand, sooo...
There's not much support for the actual Bard (as it's meant to be) in game, but...I guess that's where RP comes in. Just make it fair-- if an opposing character breaks an instrument, make it harder for your own to make song. Likewise, if she just sings, then find an eqivilant weakness that balances your character, and/or don't have really powerful spells.
Charming/Mezzing effects or anything paralytic seems like a touchy subject to RPers, and it seems no matter what OOC tensions rise between combatants. there's no doubt about it, so give heads up and agree on things in a OOC /tell to agree on how to fight in a fair way. But in all honestly, everyone's OP, especially magic types, and the more magic and creative you get the harder it is to balance things. I know that's not your main intention, but it's a heads up and a warning for just in case.
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