Now that Critical Role has returned from its detour into calamities to continue Campaign 3, fans of the Dungeons and Dragons show are excited to see their favorite heroes back in action. Of course, despite having extraordinary characters like Imogen and Ashton on the roster, some fans still miss the characters that got them into the show in the first place.
After all, the Vox Machina campaign introduced heroes like Grog, Keyleth, and Vex, who managed to excite fans for years. Yet the one that inspired many fans to roll characters of their own happened to be the Bard himself, Scanlan. With many fans now rolling Bards of their own, they’ve been creating some memes that really do showcase exactly what it’s like to play a Bard.
Required To Menace
It isn’t easy to be a Dungeon Master for a campaign that includes a Bard. After all, new DMs have to learn on the job, which isn’t always easy with a chaotic player who tends to want to run around cities and towns flirting with monsters, nobles, and anyone else they come across.
It can mean that DMs need to come up with a thousand NPCs just to keep the Bard entertained, while also accounting for whatever chaos the Bard causes along the way. In a sense, it’s even harder than managing a thieving Rogue or a hungry Barbarian, which is a testament to the sheer chaos Bards can cause.
Not So Subtle
Where most other classes offer the opportunity for stealth, Bards aren’t exactly made for sneaking around cities or forests. Though there are some great feats Bards can choose, none really account for making them particularly quiet. After all, their magic typically comes from playing instruments or screaming songs, and neither can be done very quietly.
While it can be frustrating for Rogues and Wizards who are trying to ensure stealth, it can lead to some pretty funny situations as the Bards break stealth. Besides, Bards can be exceptionally powerful in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, so it does make sense for the class to have some drawbacks.
Fun Failures
With many Bards relying on the Vicious Mockery spell to take on foes, they need to spit some sharp words to shock and hurt their opponents. Of course, it does mean that when the opponent succeeds in avoiding damage from the spell, it can be pretty funny when they ignore it.
Either the Bard’s jab wasn’t strong enough or the opponent simply doesn’t care enough. Either way, the DM can come up with hilarious situations to explain the failure. Of course, it’s understandable why fans can make so many memes about Dungeons and Dragons spells when failures can be this funny.
Flirty Bards
There’s a pretty common stereotype among Bards that says that any character rolled as a Bard will always be flirtatious with anyone around them. Be it a serving woman, a nobleman, or even a giant fire-breathing dragon, Bards will always find a way to turn around a situation with a sweet tongue and a charming smile.
It helps that most Bards are incredibly charismatic, owing to their status as performers, which certainly makes it easier for them to flirt with whoever their target is at any given moment. Of course, it can backfire, which is why it’s always funny to see a Bard set against a dragon.
Don’t Let Them Multiclass
There’s nothing more terrifying than coming across a necromantic Sorcerer. Well, that is until Bards manage to multiclass and pick up necromancy. When Bards are putting on a live-action display of the “Thriller” music video, it can be as terrifying as it is hilarious.
Yet for other members of the party, watching zombies put to work performing alongside their resident Bard can be incredibly shocking. While some may enjoy it, Lawful Good characters might want to put a stop to it, which certainly provides a good opportunity for conflict in the party.
Singing To Death
There’s nothing worse than having to watch the entire party go down while having nothing more than a flute and a dream. For Bards, being the last man standing in a combat situation often means desperately playing while internally screaming all the while.
Though it can earn the Bard some cheers if they manage to survive the fight or heal their party members, it most often just involves the ever-increasing panic of the poor Bard. Somehow, flutes aren’t the only thing a player needs when trying to stave off an Ancient Blue Dragon.
The Dice Always Help
While every player needs the dice on their side, it sometimes feels like Bards have all the luck. Though they may be unfortunate when the time to clash swords comes, when they’re trying to flirt with random innkeepers or guards, they do it better than anyone else.
The charisma of Bards is legendary, and for good reason! Somehow, they always find a way. Often, it’s to the chagrin of the DM and the laughter of their party members.
Somewhat Ridiculous
Though Bards certainly have some overpowered subclasses that help to make them incredibly useful in a fight, it’s hard to get past the sheer ridiculousness of their role in battle. Alongside agents of gods like Paladins and Clerics and studied Wizards and Monks and trained Fighters and Barbarians, they strap themselves in with a song and a thimbleful of hope.
The dichotomy is a major reason that many fans play Bards in the first place. After all, anyone interested in sharing jokes and having fun around the table would certainly find the concept compelling enough. Who doesn’t want to play a rockstar in a medieval world?
True Inspirations
With a special song or a word of advice, Bards have the ability to offer some major inspiration to their allies to help them survive any conflicts they might come across. Players then get an additional d6 to use after a d20 roll, then they can add the additional number to the original roll.
Some DMs let players use their Bardic Inspiration on themselves, which is incredibly funny to think about. After all, the Bards are so inspired by their own music that they get a second wind in battle, and it’s somewhat hilarious to consider. Still, Bards tend to be arrogant enough that it works pretty well.
Underrated Danger
Given that Bards rarely get the respect afforded to most other classes, they’re often relegated to support roles or mere roleplay tools. Yet they’re a versatile enough class that Bards can serve as major damage pieces, who can also double as healers when necessary.
A good Bard is a great piece for any party, as any Bard will be happy to explain. No matter how much they’re looked down on for their lutes and cutting words, they can manage pretty well on their own. In fact, they can prove to be integral to the success of the team.
