Bard

"A bard must know history so she does not repeat it. She tells the tales but is never part of them. She watches but remains above what she sees. She inspires passions in others and rules her own."

— from The Stolen Throne

Bards follow an Orlesian tradition, acting as assassins, spies, saboteurs and following other secretive pursuits in the constant and sometimes petty, struggles between nobles. Having taken the minstrel's art to new levels, bards are skilled performers and master manipulators; bards can inspire their allies or dishearten their foes through song and tale. Bard is a specialization of the rogue class.

Bards in Thedas

A bard is something of a curiosity even in the courts of Orlais, where intrigue is as common as silk. Musicians and troubadours, doubling as spies, exploit their access to powerful nobility to glean secrets for employers who are usually nameless even to the bard. The nobles welcome such entertainers with full knowledge that any could be a bard; the thrill of outwitting a spy is a notion the Orlesian aristocracy can hardly resist. Unfortunately, when they finally realize that a master bard has been among them, it is usually too late. Bards use music to soothe hearts and cloud minds; in combat, their abilities to inspire allies and distract foes are legendary. Beyond their music, they are masters of dirty fighting, stealth and larceny.

In other parts of the world, bards are less prominent but no less dangerous. Bards travel wherever secrets have value: in Ferelden, they once played fairs and graced the courts of banns and arls, listening for secrets that could be used to sway the fiercely independent nobility. Outside of Orlais, most traveling entertainers are now merely musicians, but that only makes the spies more difficult to detect.

Bard: The Class

Specialization benefits for Bard: +2 willpower, +1 cunning

Bard Specific Talents

Song of Valor

Required Level: 7
Cost: 0
Upkeep: 50
Fatigue: 5
Range: No
Cooldown (sec): 30
Area of Effect (ft): 10
Effect: Party gains stamina/mana regeneration equal to 0.5 + 0.01 * (the bard's cunning - 10)

The bard sings an ancient tale of valorous heroes, granting the party bonuses to mana or stamina regeneration at a rate affected by the bard’s cunning. The bard can only sing one song at a time.

Distraction

Required Level: 8
Cost: 40
Upkeep: 0
Fatigue: 0
Range: Yes
Cooldown (sec): 30
Area of Effect (ft): 0

The bard’s performance, replete with dizzying flourishes, is designed to distract and confuse. The target forgets who it was fighting and becomes disoriented unless it passes a mental resistance check.

Song of Courage

Required Level: 10
Cost: 0
Upkeep: 50
Fatigue: 5
Range: No
Cooldown (sec): 30
Area of Effect (ft): 10

The bard launches into an epic song of the party’s exploits, granting them bonuses to attack, damage, and critical chance. The size of the bonuses are affected by the bard’s cunning. The bard can only sing one song at a time.

Captivating Song

Required Level: 12
Cost: 0
Upkeep: 60
Fatigue: 5
Range: No
Cooldown (sec): 30
Area of Effect (ft): 4

The bard begins an entrancing song that stuns hostile targets nearby unless they pass a mental resistance check every few seconds. Continuing the song does not drain stamina, but the bard cannot move or take any other action while singing.

Unlocking

Leliana can teach you if your approval is at least 32. It can also be bought from Alimar in Dust Town within Orzammar.

Notable Bards

Reference

Dragon Age: Origins - PRIMA Official Strategy Guide