Shattered Kingdoms

Since bards use their ME as primarily their main source, should they not get meditation as well?

Yes or no?

Meditation, yes. Trance, no.

Oh absolutely. But I can think of no reason why a bard should have fast healing AND endurance but not meditation.

I would actually argue that they should get trance instead of meditation. The main argument against bards getting mana regen is that their songs are so friggin' powerful (I say songs, but I really just mean sleep and silence) that to give them meditation would make them overpowered. I kind of agree. Trance, however, doesn't really affect their PvP abilities. I mean, it shortens the time between songs instead of lessening the actual mana drain of singing, and I really doubt that less resting time would break the game. It would, however, take the bite out of mana regen while training, which is one of the big things bards whine about.

I say trance but no meditation.

They have sleep.

I've always felt trance is a second tier meditation. Like the healing/cause spells, you start with light and go from there. Sure meditation works without resting/sleeping unlike trance, but how would you explain them learning the deeper form of mana regen? Even the helpfile for trance states it is a deeper form of meditation.

I think meditation would break bards.

I agree with prince - trance or nothing. The meditation help file also clearly states mage or cleric, but if we're not going to follow help files at all, then we can go down this line of conversation.

It's very easily rationalized that due to a bard's focus being constantly on body control - lungs, legs, memory, etc in their songs that they can't use meditation while so overwhelmed with tasks. However, slow them down, let them rest, and then they'll utilize that unused focus to be able to go into a trance.

I don't like the idea of how enduring songs would be with meditation, but I think that regeneration while resting/sleeping adds the benefit for leveling and general use, but not potential unbalancing. I voted yes, but on this contingent...not for meditation itself.

You also have the option of spending points on mana now that it affects regeneration.

Agree with the Prince of Pemotes and Jerin.

As a bard player, I'm for anything and everything that empowers bards.

That out of the way, bards don't need meditation. If bards would get meditation, the mana cost of the songs would have to be increased (or make it so that meditation doesn't work while singing), so that their mana actually goes down while singing those basic songs.

Trance makes more sense mechanics-wise, but right now I feel like bards are balanced very carefully between adventurer, combat, and magic skills. It would make me a sad panda if that balance was tipped.