The Bard
The Bard is one of the two unfinished classes in Hellfire, the other being the Barbarian. She could only be played after editing the Command.txt file in the Hellfire folder. She uses the Rogue's graphic, but could dual-wield weapons in lieu of a shield.
Characteristics
Bards possess balanced attributes, so they excel at nothing. Possessing medium amounts of the three core attributes of Dexterity, Strength and Magic, while enough to make them able to at least make use of everything in the game, for the purposes of specialization, makes them weak at all of them. High dexterity, while helpful when using bows, works better when the bard makes use of at least one sword.
Bards have the ability to wield two one-handed weapons. This combination of two one-handed swords is not as powerful as it seems. It can be as damaging as a Great Axe at best. But there are benefits to this style for her. To name one, there is the potential for an additional two magical modifications on the second weapon, which allows for deadly combos. Equipping a Civerb's Cudgel along with a good sword (preferably of Speed or Haste) will make the Bard a very powerful Melee character since the +200% damage bonus on Civerb's Cudgel applies to the whole damage and not just weapon damage. On the other hand, a Bard could sacrifice stopping power for a good weapon with life steal, and it would be near impossible to end her reign, unless stunlock is involved.
Another benefit is that when a Bard dual wields, she possesses the same ability to attack enemies adjacent to her target that the Monk has with his staff. This, when combined with potent equipment, allows the Bard to carve a path of destruction with relative ease, much in the same way that the Barbarian would with his trusty axe.
A fatal flaw in this character's design was that she had the melee attack speed of the Rogue. Rogues were never intended to be melee attacks, so they were given a slower melee attack speed than the warrior. The only saving grace of the bard's melee ability is her high dexterity; having a higher degree of dexterity, as well as being able to equip a second weapon for extra to-hit makes the bard more suited for Civerb's Cudgel than the Warrior or Barbarian, who firstly, needed to get the extra To-Hit from jewelry when wielding it, and secondly, had to make the hits count, as they swung at their normal attacking speed, robbing them of being able to stunlock some monsters. By hitting the enemy more frequently, she has the potential to stun lock her enemy.
Because her magical ability was only second to the sorcerer, a Bard could effectively use the attacking magical spells of Chain Lightning and Fireball, and some may even find worth in choosing to invoke the protection of Mana Shield. This helped to made the Bard effective in combat, both as a spellcaster, and as a melee hero who could quickly restore damage taken with her equipment and the art of healing.
However, the saying 'jack of all trades, masters of none' certainly applies to a Bard: a Warrior, Monk, or Barbarian will always outdamage her in melee combat, the Rogue bests her in ranged combat, and the Sorcerer is more powerful in spell combat. Their strength lies in their ability to adapt: if a Bard cannot adapt, death and/or failure is more likely.
Skills
Bards have one of the most useful skills in Diablo I. Bards can identify magical items without using scrolls of identify. This skill stopped the drudgery of going back to town, to get Cain to identify it, and selling magical items of little value. Compared to other classes' skills which seemed to actually hurt the hero rather than help them, identify is very beneficial.
Strategy and Tips
- The Bard's damaging skills increase when she uses a sword. Try to find a good sword as soon as possible.
- Be aware that different attack speed increasing suffixes, Life Steal, and Mana Steal do not stack. Only the most powerful of the combinations apply.
- Make good use of her class skill whenever possible. It essentially makes Scrolls of Identify redundant for the Bard, saving time and gold: all other processes of identification, be it from Cain, or buying a scroll from Adria, cost 100 in gold. If playing in Single Player, it can also be helpful to determine what magical items to sell, thanks to the save/load game functions.
History
Seekers of the Light once were common enough in Khanduras, but as the times changed, signs of this ancient organization have long since faded. Their legacy remains as many innkeepers remember the days that a Seeker entertained in the common room. Posing as common female bards, they would regale over countless adventures of the most daring kind, of great battles between darkness and light, and of magic, mystery, and intrigue. But one always knew that the bard was no ordinary bard when one saw the muscles toned from years of training, and the weathered hands from countless swordfights.
Searching for the Light, the Seekers always fought on the side of justice, swearing to end evil once and for all. Their purpose is to find darkness and destroy it, and once this was been done, they shared their tales to all that would listen. The woman warriors attracted many followers, and many was the father that wept as his daughter went to become a Seeker, for he knew that he would most likely never see her again. In recent days the Seekers of the Light have fallen into decline as King Leoric grew mad and many Warriors left to wage war in the North. Those that remain still travel the lands, telling tales, and serving the Light. They come to Tristram hoping to rid the world of evil once and for all.
Years of intense training make the Seekers exceptional at swordplay, as they are capable of wielding two weapons at a time. Yet unlike others, they prefer a balance of all skills, rather than concentrating on simply one trait, allowing them to conjure powerful magics as well. With the knowledge of the ages stored in their minds from hearing the endless tales of other Seekers, young bards learn to immediately identify any item that they find, no matter how obscure or foreign.
Character Attributes
Base Attributes:
- Strength: 20
- Magic: 20
- Dexterity: 25
- Vitality: 20
- Life: 45
- Mana: 35
Maximum attributes:
- Strength: 120
- Magic: 120
- Dexterity: 120
- Vitality: 100
- Life: 221
- Mana: 231
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