Bard Class Concept 2025

[Ielenia]

Uh Hearthstone IS based on World of Warcraft,

Irrelevant, as it's a non-canon game where the developers are allowed to do anything and everything they want with the characters they pull from Warcraft, and are allowed to completely ignore lore.

Which is why we have: Jaina the lich, Uther the death knight, Ragnaros the lightlord, Vol'jin the priest, etc.

and a couple of the characters from Festival of Legends are in WoW.

And there is where the second half of my last sentence in my post applies: they are not even bards to begin with.

[Nightshade711]

They have the same issue that Monks have. I mean fucking old Chinese kung-fu movies?! That's the fantasy of the class? Ok... I mean sure, there are some people who like that but overall, people don't think that Monks are cool, and that's why Monk is the least played class in the game.

Funny enough, Monk isn’t the least played class anymore.
That title belongs to Evoker now by a long shot. Last I checked Evokers have half the numbers as Monk.

[Teriz]

Irrelevant, as it's a non-canon game where the developers are allowed to do anything and everything they want with the characters they pull from Warcraft, and are allowed to completely ignore lore.

Which is why we have: Jaina the lich, Uther the death knight, Ragnaros the lightlord, Vol'jin the priest, etc.

And there is where the second half of my last sentence in my post applies: they are not even bards to begin with.

What’s truly irrelevant is believing that Blizzard created all that bardic material in Hearthstone and (if desiring to make a Bard class) would do nothing with it because of some arbitrary rules that you made up.

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I actually really like the idea of an ETC heavy metal bard. Is that the only possibility for bards? No, but it's still cool and if this was the direction they decided to go, I'd be all for it.

While it isn’t the only possibility for a Bardic class in WoW, it’s the version that makes the most sense. Notice how no one has said this bardic concept doesn’t fit the game? There’s a lot of power in that, since in Amunrasonther‘a Bard concept, that was a common complaint.

[Eapoe]

The only real class concept for a Bard anymore is Scanlan from Vox Machina.

[Relapses]

I play Baldur's Gate 3 as a bard and I've talked dozens of people into killing themselves. There is nothing more badass than that.

If being a Bard meant you could roleplay as the average MMO-C class concept connoisseur, I think I'd take that option myself (in Minecraft, of course).

[Teriz]

Honestly I get the appeal, I've played bards in tabletop and CRPGs a lot. I don't get this version of bard though. Why heavy metal?

I would imagine that Blizzard would go this route to make Bards from the Horde and Worgen and Draenei make more sense. I mean the idea of a Orc fighting with a harp, or a troll or Tauren fighting with a flute really doesn’t make much sense. In the end, the more savage races really don’t work with the aesthetic of traditional bards.

[Ielenia]

What’s truly irrelevant is believing that Blizzard created all that bardic material in Hearthstone and (if desiring to make a Bard class) would do nothing with it because of some arbitrary rules that you made up.

No, you see, what you just said there is actually what happens. Blizzard did not create Hearthstone to be a "beta testing" for WoW features. Hearthstone and World of Warcraft development, design and ideas are completely independent from one-another. What Hearthstone developers create for Hearthstone has nothing to do with what might come up eventually in WoW, and what WoW developers create for WoW has nothing to do with what might come up eventually in Hearthstone.

In other words: what Hearthstone developers are doing in Hearthstone is completely irrelevant to World of Warcraft.

And also: what Blizzard did in Hearthstone with all those non-bards was not "for nothing": they did it for a new Hearthstone season, which was the point for them creating all that. You're acting as if the sole reason for Hearthstone's existence is to be a testbed for WoW ideas and anything added to it that isn't transferred To WoW is useless, which is just objectively wrong.

Which was the same argument you used for Gazlowe's new look in this season, and the "ascended" nerubians in the previous season: you refuse to believe that things are just what they are: they did it because they wanted to. You wrongly believe that everything Blizzard does has to have a secret, ulterior motive, that for some reason only you can see.

[Shinchi Migi]

If I were you guys I would scrap all concepts of Bard class. If Evoker Aug is any indication of a support class then Bard class would be royally F'ed over. It would a waste of resources to make another support class. Blizzard doesn't even give a damn about the one they do have right now.

[username993720]

While I enjoy the character of Lorewalker Cho, good luck building a class around him.

That's what Bards do. Tell stories. Not just play songs.

While it isn’t the only possibility for a Bardic class in WoW, it’s the version that makes the most sense. Notice how no one has said this bardic concept doesn’t fit the game? There’s a lot of power in that, since in Amunrasonther‘a Bard concept, that was a common complaint.

It doesn't fit the game. And, if i remember amunrasonthera's thread, his was very anime. Neither of those belong in the game. We shouldn't implement modern things in WoW, like Rock N' Roll, as it breaks immersion. At best, it's a neat little tribute.

I would imagine that Blizzard would go this route to make Bards from the Horde and Worgen and Draenei make more sense. I mean the idea of a Orc fighting with a harp, or a troll or Tauren fighting with a flute really doesn’t make much sense. In the end, the more savage races really don’t work with the aesthetic of traditional bards.

You forgot drums. And many tribal cultures had wind and string instruments.

[Teriz]

You're acting as if the sole reason for Hearthstone's existence is to be a testbed for WoW ideas and anything added to it that isn't transferred To WoW is useless, which is just objectively wrong.

Yeah, that's some nonsense completely cooked up in your head.

The relevant question here is simply this; Has Blizzard used material from Hearthstone in World of Warcraft?

If the answer is "yes", then we're done here. You can't say a source material is "irrelevant" to WoW when it has been used in WoW.

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If I were you guys I would scrap all concepts of Bard class. If Evoker Aug is any indication of a support class then Bard class would be royally F'ed over. It would a waste of resources to make another support class. Blizzard doesn't even give a damn about the one they do have right now.

Read my concept. The Bard presented here is not a support class and has zero support specs.

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That's what Bards do. Tell stories. Not just play songs.

Cool.

Now build a class mechanic around that; How would a Lorewalker beat Hogger in combat via storytelling?

The reason this Bard concept works is because the class mechanic around combining playing music and brutal combat simply works on a practical basis. In this case, the musical instrument used by a Bard doubles as a huge battle axe or a broad sword;



Quite frankly, it's genius in its simplicity.

It doesn't fit the game. And, if i remember amunrasonthera's thread, his was very anime. Neither of those belong in the game. We shouldn't implement modern things in WoW, like Rock N' Roll, as it breaks immersion. At best, it's a neat little tribute.

Except the version of Bard presented here is already in the game, and throughout the Warcraft franchise.

You forgot drums. And many tribal cultures had wind and string instruments.

Cool.

Once again, describe how this character beats Hogger with drums or a horn. I'm all ears.

[username993720]

Cool.

Now build a class mechanic around that; How would a Lorewalker beat Hogger in combat via storytelling?

Simple.
I took some inspiration from Deckard Caine in HotS:

Tales of Legend (Parley\Blind)
Channel for Y seconds, causing enemies in front of you to be charmed while channeling, and for Z seconds after.

Enemies can only be charmed once per cast, and the charm effect ends instantly if they take damage.

Winds of Change (New)
You foretell the coming of a storm which travels in the targeted direction, continually knocking away enemies that come into contact with it. Deals X damage to enemies hit.

The reason this Bard concept works is because the class mechanic around combining playing music and brutal combat simply works on a practical basis. In this case, the musical instrument used by a Bard doubles as a huge battle axe or a broad sword;

Working is one thing. Fitting is another. Do you think music should cause damage? Doesn't hitting with an instrument defeat the purpose of a Bard being a musical class?

Quite frankly, it's genius in its simplicity.

It's lame and lazy.

Except the version of Bard presented here is already in the game, and throughout the Warcraft franchise.

It is based on a tribute to a joke. Not really a bard by any means.

Cool.

Once again, describe how this character beats Hogger with drums or a horn. I'm all ears.

It's not supposed to.
I don't believe Bards should cause damage. Debuff, maybe. Crowd control, yes. Heal and support. I don't know about DPSing.

[TBM X]

This bard class concept looks great on paper. I would definitely love to play a class that kills enemies and heal allies with songs.

[Triceron]

I play Baldur's Gate 3 as a bard and I've talked dozens of people into killing themselves. There is nothing more badass than that.

Well, reading OP's concept also has that same effect

[Ielenia]

Yeah, that's some nonsense completely cooked up in your head.

No, that is stuff you have been writing for years. You treat Hearthstone not for what is is (i.e. a game that is independent from WoW and is free to do whatever they want) but for what you want it to be (a testbed for WoW ideas).

The relevant question here is simply this; Has Blizzard used material from Hearthstone in World of Warcraft?

That is not the relevant issue here. The core issue here is that you refuse to admit that Hearthstone developers are allowed to do what they want with the characters from Warcraft lore, since their game is not canon to the franchise's lore. Which is why I keep reminding you that stuff like: Jaina the lich, Uther the death knight, Vol'jin the priest, and Ragnaros the Lightlord are allowed to exist in Hearthstone, and you keep ignoring it, never having even acknowledged their existence.

You can't say a source material is "irrelevant" to WoW when it has been used in WoW.

I can and so can everyone when you treat it as a source of canon lore for WoW like you've been doing for years. "Does it exist in Hearthstone? If yes, then that is how it is/will be in WoW." <-- that is your reasoning.

[Teriz]

Simple.
I took some inspiration from Deckard Caine in HotS:

Tales of Legend (Parley\Blind)
Channel for Y seconds, causing enemies in front of you to be charmed while channeling, and for Z seconds after.

Enemies can only be charmed once per cast, and the charm effect ends instantly if they take damage.

Winds of Change (New)
You foretell the coming of a storm which travels in the targeted direction, continually knocking away enemies that come into contact with it. Deals X damage to enemies hit.

So are we just doing standard magic spells and calling them something different via the tooltip? How is that not lame and lazy?

Working is one thing. Fitting is another. Do you think music should cause damage? Doesn't hitting with an instrument defeat the purpose of a Bard being a musical class?

In my concept the Bard damages with both music and the instrument. I believe a Bard concept should be a bit beyond just a mage with some pretty wording around its spells.

It's lame and lazy.

That's quite a take considering that it's a mechanic that Blizzard created and its vastly superior to fan-made mechanics created for WoW Bards.

It is based on a tribute to a joke. Not really a bard by any means.

So was the Pandaren and the Brewmaster, and look how that turned out. This could potentially be going in a similar trajectory.

It's not supposed to.
I don't believe Bards should cause damage. Debuff, maybe. Crowd control, yes. Heal and support. I don't know about DPSing.

You really can't build a WoW class around not doing damage. Every WoW class has a DPS spec for a reason. Further with the way Augmentation is going, there's a good chance that support specs in WoW will soon be a thing of the past.

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This bard class concept looks great on paper. I would definitely love to play a class that kills enemies and heal allies with songs.

Thank you. It's quite interesting how the responses outside of the usual suspects have been quite positive to this concept.

[Soon-TM]

No thanks, I don't want another fail... Ahem Augvoker. And as far as traditional (i.e. non-support) roles go, there are much more grounded choices. Hell, even a tinker [insert appropriate meme here] makes more sense imo.

[Teriz]

No thanks, I don't want another fail... Ahem Augvoker. And as far as traditional (i.e. non-support) roles go, there are much more grounded choices. Hell, even a tinker [insert appropriate meme here] makes more sense imo.

Interesting take considering that there's no support specs in this concept.

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No, that is stuff you have been writing for years. You treat Hearthstone not for what is is (i.e. a game that is independent from WoW and is free to do whatever they want) but for what you want it to be (a testbed for WoW ideas).


That is not the relevant issue here. The core issue here is that you refuse to admit that Hearthstone developers are allowed to do what they want with the characters from Warcraft lore, since their game is not canon to the franchise's lore. Which is why I keep reminding you that stuff like: Jaina the lich, Uther the death knight, Vol'jin the priest, and Ragnaros the Lightlord are allowed to exist in Hearthstone, and you keep ignoring it, never having even acknowledged their existence.

Again, complete nonsense cooked up in your head. Me pointing out that Blizzard could use the Bardic concepts presented in Hearthstone for a potential class has nothing to do with the creative freedom of the Hearthstone team who could have created Festival of Legends with zero knowledge of the WoW team potentially creating a class out of it.

Also you bringing up Jaina the Lich or Uther the Death Knight is the very definition of irrelelvant, if not an outright Straw-man.

I can and so can everyone when you treat it as a source of canon lore for WoW like you've been doing for years. "Does it exist in Hearthstone? If yes, then that is how it is/will be in WoW." <-- that is your reasoning.

Uh, but this content is already IN WoW, so what are you even talking about? Hearthstone got this concept from WoW and Heroes of the Storm, not the other way around.

[Soon-TM]

Interesting take considering that there's no support specs in this concept.

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Again, complete nonsense cooked up in your head. Me pointing out that Blizzard could use the Bardic concepts presented in Hearthstone for a potential class has nothing to do with the creative freedom of the Hearthstone team who could have created Festival of Legends with zero knowledge of the WoW team potentially creating a class out of it.

Also you bringing up Jaina the Lich or Uther the Death Knight is the very definition of irrelelvant, if not an outright Straw-man.



Let's try this again; Has Blizzard pulled material from Hearthstone and put it into WoW? If the answer is yes, then material presented in Hearthstone can't be waved away as not being relevant to future WoW content, because we have evidence of Blizzard pulling from that source for said content.

Interesting take making a bard that isn't a support.

[Teriz]

Interesting take making a bard that isn't a support.

Not only is there no support spec for this Bard, but this Bard can also tank.

[LionSinMaikeru]

Meh. Too specific a class, wouldn't function at all.

I mean the same could have been said about Evoker or Demon Hunter and Blizzard made them work, kinda.

2: Your abilities really have no source. You're just playing music which somehow draws on a grab-bag of powers just, somehow. That might work for Hearthstone, but we're not talking about Hearthstone, we're talking about WoW where classes have pretty clearly defined power sources
c'

This is an incredibly silly point to make because MULTIPLE classes in WoW do pretty spectacular things without reason.

Because last I checked, Monks don't really have some big magical source for their power. They derive their power from within by harnessing the positive energy within themselves.

You want to tell me why that gels for you, but Bard's singing songs and making magical effects happen through positive energy doesn't?

Or maybe you want to explain how Rogues and Warriors have pretty magical feats without some big source of power backing them up.

I could go on, but seriously - it's not a good argument against the Bard class. WoW is a fantasy game and it is not outlandish for Bards to sing in order to channel their innate spiritual energy to empower their friends/themselves.