Bardic Instruments

[Theoclymenus]

Hi guys, I used to play a lot of NWN online roleplaying and will at some point in the future be getting online with NWN2 (I just want to wait until my uni exams are over for this year). I thought I would ask a couple of questions to help me get the idea for my character in my head.
I want to play a bard (No not a munchkin build one, that would be boring) and in looking through the lore I can't find any information on favoured instruments. My guy would fit a wind instrument best, possibly an ocarina (if Dasaria even has them, of course) because it would match his drifting, whimsical personality. So my main question is, what instruments are used by bards in Dasaria?

Also, as a side question, are there too many bards? I can come up with something different if EVERYONE plays bards...
Thanks in advance...

[Elvith]

No! Make bards, bards and more bards!

The Cearean players society is always looking for them.

[Alterity]

As a roleplaying community, and with only medium magic, alot of people find alot of trouble playing a bard. So many don't bother, I can think of only about a half a dozen bards, so they are quite uncommon. The Cearian players Society is obviously looking for more members, as its hard to do plays with few people.

As to instruments, the only ones I've seen are flute (Which can pass for an ocarina), lute, and drums, as well as the natural whistle. Just remeber though, that you can't use a weapon, even a one handed one, while using instruments. Although, you can use the DMFI tool in the Optional Overrides to give yourself any of the instruments, and then use any weapon, although it doesn't use the instrument when you use your song (Useful if you want to use the flute with a sword in your other hand for example).

[Wired]

Check out the Carpenter's Hall. We've a number of unique Bard instruments available in game at various levels, but if you believe there's a gap, help us fill it! Just be sure and check our item power guidelines in the same forum.

[ErictheRed]

I have a few level 16 characters, one who is a Bard, and I can't remember finding any bardic instruments that actually do anything. Sure you can equip them and RP with them, but I don't think I've ever found one that has any special or magical powers.

[Greyshore]

It's been a while since I properly adventured with my bard but I know I came across an OC's Drum of Haunting and a summon creature flute before.

But you are right, we are lacking in that department. Can I get one with Isaac's Greater Missile Storm?

[Wired]

I know I recently created two new lutes and a belt for bards and that there's a flute with a unique special power already in game. But again, no reason there can't be others, rip away with some ideas!

The one drawback to using an instrument in combat to jazz your bardsong though is that you need to wield the instrument to take advantage of it.

[Theoclymenus]

Thanks for the responses guys but I think I might not have phrased my question perfectly.
I didn't mean physical items that my bard could wield, I meant with the lore of the PW, which instruments are available?
For example, my bard can't use an electric guitar (I presume and hope) because it doesn't fit in with the lore and setting.
Considering my bard is probably going to duel-wield, holding an instrument is pretty out of the question.

[Wired]

Lute, drum, flute.

[superpoweredchimp]

Also, we're getting The Bard's Tool, right? I want instruments that can actually play music. :3

[Wired]

We're going to ease third party changes in. On day one our plan is to support our existing stuff through the new infrastructure as well as our new Dasaria race/class custom content.

[Peregrinus]

Side Question: will UI mods still work when the new patch comes out? As it stands I use a UI mod to allow me to put up most of my combat spells with and without my various metamagic feats onto one larger hotbar. I can't stand the quickcast menu (button to small for quick click and choose, plus I have to toggle metamagics), and the default UI, even with all the extra bars on, is nowhere near enough spots for a sorcerer (or any combat oriented spont-caster) to function.

[Wired]

The short answer is I think no; though you should check the bioware boards if there's still something that can be done GUI-wise. AFAIK they're all overrides though and will be ignored when playing a PW that doesn't support them for all its users.

The basic trade-off of being able to prevent users from utilizing customizations we do not distribute is users not being able to utilize customizations we do not distribute. It's an either/or switch.

You can post a link to whatever it is over in the Third Party Content thread if you'd like it to be considered for inclusion though.

[Peregrinus]

What if I've directly edited the hotbar.xml file in the my docs\nwn2\ui\default folder rather than using anything in the override folder? Would that make a difference?

[Alterity]

Maybe have this override, and in the DMFI tool have something like the bump toggle, so that you can say whether or not you want the GUI overrides toggled or not.