Shattered Kingdoms

In my opinion, the concentration for singing and dancing on bards needs to be reduced drastically. As it stands, with a half-elf with 4 int mods, and an intelligence score near max (18ish or so), i can't engage in battle while singing and dancing with more than 2 NPCs at a time. Depending on the song, I can't even do it with more than 1 NPC at a time. Songs of silence and sleep, while powerful, require an absolute absurd amount of concentration.

Even maxed, singing and dancing with multiple opponents is ridiculous.

On another note, the songs of dancing should be tweaked slightly. As it stands, it's useless as you'll rarely land it on anyone with even a sliver of willpower. Seriously it takes like 5-10 + lines before it affects them and by then you're pretty much dead or tucking tail and run.

Also, why don't bards have shield block? They're incredibly frail and need a bit more survivability imo. Even with nice defensive buffs (armor, shield, prayer) etc they're still really fragile. You almost -have- to be mood defensive and dancing if you want to survive an encounter with melee. I don't think shield block would be too overpowering seeing as well, they're not front row fighters. Just my 2 cp.

Concentration for some of the songs could be looked at and tweaked down a little, yes.

18 int is not really that impressive, though, so I wouldn't use that as a meter stick with which to measure the concentration costs of songs. I mean, that's dorf max int, and I really don't think anyone is surprised to find that that gives you a hard time doing multiple things at once. What I find a little more concerning is that even up around max sprite int (some of the highest in the game) the same problem still exists.

As to shield block, it might be nice to give a little extra survivability, but I don't think this is the way to do it. Instead, what should be done is that the defensive bonuses of dancing should be increased. Given that being in the dancing position removes your ability to do basic things like dirt kick, trip, or move, what you get out of it should be commensurate to that loss. Currently, it isn't. It's a nice defensive bonus, but it's not really a *fair* defensive bonus, as it stands right now.

You can't expect to play a successful bard without max int and cha. Those affect concentration and effect of your song GREATLY. I found concentration on a max int half-elf to not be a problem when I played Gasbah.

I would give them shield block though, just because it makes it so hard to level a bard solo in high levels. Perhaps give shield block to them at around expert/master?

I am not on the mud right so I can't check the help files but I think your DEX has an effect on how much concentration you require for dancing. More dex means less concentration.

P.S. I dont think CHA has any effect on concentration.

Bards are so OP in group PvP that it should require high concentration to sing and dance to their most powerful songs.

There should be an area in-game where your character can go an participate in some quests to get some trinkets to increase the amount of available concentration you have, like, a Ring of Alacrity or something.

It could be part of Tlaxcala, maybe some kind of summer camp for kids to work on their concentration.

Technically wearing INT mods increases your concentration because it offsets the conc drop when in melee.

The OP could be wearing 4 +1 INT mods, which isn't that great. Wear better ones. Try near the Rainbow Tower.

That made no sense and was wrong.

No it doesn't, it only offsets affects which decrease intelligence - something the conc. drop in melee doesn't. It can be used to offset taunt, feeblemind and (to some degree) charm.

EDIT: Highfive, Turon!