1) Although blades have 1/2 the lore of normal bards, HD will still progress to 100% by the XP cap, and so he knows magical items on a need-to-know basis.
> Which is convienient, but not needed.
> If you have the glass of identification
> and a decent thief, this is no issue.
2) Blades actually have the highest spellcasting level, higher than single-class mages or sorcerers and twice as high as multi-class mages. This means that they have their "Dispel Magic" outranks anyone except for the Inquisitor's.
> True, but mostly that is not enough to
> dispel most annoying shields like Mantle,
> Spell Turning, etc.
> Besides, Dispel "dispel" all those protective spells of your party.
3) By being a level 23 spellcaster, Blades are the only ones who can put Tenser's Transformation into their Contingency which instantly heals them and turns them into a level 23 fighter with 2 attacks/round (because blades can dual-wield) whenever their HP drop below a certain level.
> No argument here.
> I am sure my level 19 fighter
> with +++++ in 2H Sword and a Full Plate Mail +2
> can easily take down the blade.
4) By being a level 23 spellcaster, Bards do twice as much damage as multi-class mages with mid-level offensive spells such as "Cone of Cold" and "Skull Trap."
> That is the only thing good about bards IMO.
> However, it can be easily countered
> by a real mage using wands.
5) Bards get 11 stoneskins for protection.
> Which you don't really need
> 'cause you stay at the back anyway.
6) Blades at level 23 have a base THACO of 9, which is virtually the same as a high-level cleric or a multi-class fighter.
> Which is still pretty high.
7) Blades can dual-wield.
> But you can't put +++ in 2W Style,
> so it is quite useless.
8) Blades can use just about every weapon. In fact, Haer Daelis, because he is a "tiefling," can also use the Dwarven Throwing Hammer normally restricted to dwarves.
> Which is exploiting a game bug.
9) Haer Daelis comes with a wisdom-draining sword which makes him as powerful as a mindflayer--when the wisdom of the target gets to zero, it dies.
> At the hands of a fighter, anything falls after two or three hits anyway.
10) Offensive spin gives blades increased movement as well as an extra attack--perfect when coming to the rescue of an injured fighter for some emergency backup.
> Which is still pretty limited.
11) Offensive spin also has a "Kai" effect for maximum damage, except it lasts more than twice as long as the Kensai's 'Kai' and it can be used for missile weapons as well as melee weapons.
> What is the use if you roll 6 on a 1D6 die?
> You can dish out the same damage
> if you have a longsword or katana.
12) Haer Daelis for some reason specializes in short swords, even though bards and blades are not supposed to specialize.
> Which is exploiting a game bug.
13) Defensive spin makes the blade unhittable, because it reduces AC by 10 at the drop of a hat. It lasts for 4 rounds, and can be cast one after another, during which time the blade can cast spells without being interrupted--especially if the blade is also stoneskinned, blurred, and/or mirror-imaged.
> This is nice, but he can't move!
14) Although the blade cannot move while in defensive spin, monsters tend to move up to you anyway, and this is the perfect time for the blade to cast "touch" spells such as "vampiric touch."
> Mostly, your blade is not at the front line,
> so monsters won't come to you.
15) With the ring of free action, a blade CAN move while in defensive spin.
> Which is exploiting a game bug.
> Bards aren't that great, are they?
