Shattered Kingdoms

Both Algon and I have played bards before. He had a half-elven one, and he experimented around the songs, I don't know if he did testing with persuade. When I played my elven one I mastered persuade, and in my humble opinion, mastered persuade rocks. It doesn't even break the law.

But there are some limitations so it's not as easy as some put it. For one, there is that 'lag' involved regardless if bard succeeds or not. However, we know that when someone's taking an action, they cannot perform another. So a persuade bard has to be lightning fast.

I'm not a fan of Algon or nothing, but I've PvP'd with him, and I'm aware of his speed and knowledge for years, only recently other players started to recognize him. Personally, for a bard knowing game mechanics really well, coupled with how many characters out there who don't train charisma, I believe persuade's more powerful, but each to their own.

It all depends on personal tastes. It's just like the voodoo cannon build or tank build for shamans, malediction art build or combat oriented build for hellions.

Shows the depth and value of your experience. Thank you, I needed a good laugh.

I am going to leave this thread with one important note for all of the newbies out there, with all of this bard debate:

Persuade, scrolls, disguise.

Persuade is one of the games few abilities which lets you completely destroy groups. It also provides permanent spells for you and any of your friends that will never, ever drop and are cast by NPCs that are near grandmaster. Bless, armor, airy water, magical vestment, enlarge if it's your thing, invis, fly, loads of npc spells, etc. etc. All of these spells permanently cast on you and your friends for no cost. It may seem like a minor edge, but I would consider it to be quite an important one.

Scrolls is one of the games few abilities which lets you completely set yourself up defensively and also have an incredible capacity with the right preparation to kill someone (or a group leader) in only a couple of overpowered-scroll-recites. Scrolls are very overpowered as far as balance goes right now.

Disguise is one of the top five skills in the game and gives you the ability to completely destroy enemy groups solo.

Three words, people.

Disguised ethereal persuasion.

Shows yours, juggernaut. I just did an extensive testing to confirm my experiences and I was right. Within proper usage persuasion does not break the law.

I don't know what you were smoking when you played your bards, but hey I'm glad it gave you a laugh at least. You like to laugh at the expense of others, only this time, it was your own.

I see you're still copying my flames, juggernaut. Ten marks for trying, and thanks for the imitation. Now all you have to do is be correct. You can't act superior if you're wrong.

Most likely the reason why you didn't get outlawed for using persuade is because noone reported you. Persuading someone is a reportable crime. Big D said so much. Unless something has changed recently. I have been put in jail for persuading in public. So Minette, I don't know what you are talking about but yes it is a reportable crime. Also, to Gilgon's theory that you don't need Cha for a Bard, how do you expect to persaude someone when you don't have any cha? Persuade is a cha based skill. Although, i do agree with you about scrolls. If a bard has the right scrolls they are devastating in combat. You just have to get someone to scribe them for you. Although, if you are facing a bunch of spellcasters songs of silence is much better. In fact if you are facing a warlock, if you don't use songs of silence at least after your 50%chance(i haven't tested it to see but that is about the level) of persuading them to magma spray themself, you will die to it.

My god, I can't believe how stupid you are. You tried it either in a non law area, or with no-one around to report you (NPC). You should become a professional tester! I still enjoy a good laugh (at your expense, as p-wn pointed out for me).

P.S. And at p-wn's expense, of course, rushing to judge me wrong, falling to mistakes himself. Thank you, too.

No [REDACTED]. I've provided logs of people dying/fleeing/getting gimped with a single, ethereal bard and a few well-placed persuades.

Poor Algon and his party were a victim of such a trick, and while none of them died, they all had to take off because of it.

This is a nasty trick that'll almost always work, unless the other group KNOWS what you're up to, and can dispel you quick enough to gank you...

..which is something that almost never happens.

Even persuading a willing PC for training purposes is seen as an attack in law areas, if you're seen doing it.

I know this firsthand.

Closky's bard once came up to a group of Imperials in Exile and just walks in on me ethereal, persuaded me to quaff a flask of word, and left my group (including hybrid/casters) in the front row just waiting to get owned. It just shows the immense power of bards.