Sylphas2007-02-04 09:54:18
That's really not going to happen. Therefore, suggestions (that won't be taken):
1) Bard songs work like paladin auras in WoW/Diablo. You can only play one at a time, but there is no defense against them. They are then balanced around that.
2) Remove truehearing. Rework the bard skillsets with this in mind.
3) Make deafness nothing but a defense against sound attacks. Rework the bard skillsets with this in mind.
4) Split offensive and defensive bardic effects, such that deafness only functions against offensive songs. Rename and reflavor deafness so that it makes sense, probably going the magical vibration route instead of actual soundwaves. Rework the bard skillsets with this in mind, if it is deemed that having unhindered access to all positive songs is too powerful.
As you can see, every option I can think of involves reworking the bardic skillsets. If deafness is going to affect our attacks, and it's supposed to be an affliction, things are going to remain convoluted and generally icky. My favorite option out of all of these, by far, is number four. It involves the least work and retains the general feel we have for bards. It removes them from using physical soundwaves to affect things, but in my opinion it's pretty damn hard to say we're magically affecting you with physical sound, then say that normal physical deafness will stop it. We're either magic or we're not, stop trying to walk the razor edge between realism and fantasy, because in this case, it doesn't work.
1) Bard songs work like paladin auras in WoW/Diablo. You can only play one at a time, but there is no defense against them. They are then balanced around that.
2) Remove truehearing. Rework the bard skillsets with this in mind.
3) Make deafness nothing but a defense against sound attacks. Rework the bard skillsets with this in mind.
4) Split offensive and defensive bardic effects, such that deafness only functions against offensive songs. Rename and reflavor deafness so that it makes sense, probably going the magical vibration route instead of actual soundwaves. Rework the bard skillsets with this in mind, if it is deemed that having unhindered access to all positive songs is too powerful.
As you can see, every option I can think of involves reworking the bardic skillsets. If deafness is going to affect our attacks, and it's supposed to be an affliction, things are going to remain convoluted and generally icky. My favorite option out of all of these, by far, is number four. It involves the least work and retains the general feel we have for bards. It removes them from using physical soundwaves to affect things, but in my opinion it's pretty damn hard to say we're magically affecting you with physical sound, then say that normal physical deafness will stop it. We're either magic or we're not, stop trying to walk the razor edge between realism and fantasy, because in this case, it doesn't work.
