I think not having aura of life, aura of purity, and aura of vitality on the bard spell list really doesn't make sense. I understand these auras exist in the theme of divine magic, hence their restriction largely to cleric, druid, and paladin (although The Undying and Battle Smith also get access to some). However, bards have access to some pretty strong healing spells and these spells tie in with traditions of magic focused on the healing power of song/music/words.
The aura spells specifically feel like a no-brainer for the bard spell list. They are concentration spells that buff allies within 30ft radius of the caster. It immediately matches the flavour of a Bard maintaining a song or chant in combat to empower allies close enough to hear them. The auras are fun support spells that fit the bard's class role and the class fantasy. It feels weird that the Battle Smith got access spells before the bard.
I realise that you can go Lore and take them with Additional Magical Secrets and Magical Secrets, but it sucks to have them restricted to one subclass AND to have to burn those feats on spells that should probably just be on the spell list.
Am I entirely wrong here? Am I misunderstanding what the bard is meant to be?
It appears these powers are gifted from the Paladin's divine power, and so they are not magic that comes from "the weave" or whatever the call the magical source that is just power from the environment like The Force.
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Yeah, you're pretty much wrong. At least when you say that you need to play lore bard to get access to those spells since all bards get Magical Secrets. ;)
Jokes aside, there is nothing inherently that says "bards must have access to aura spells", especially considering what those spells actually do. Bards are mostly about buffing people's performance, two of the auras or more focused on healing and the last is about resisting charmed and similar conditions which the bard have various other ways of dealing with. If you want to go for a healing bard, that's what short rests and song of rest are for.
There is nothing really that says that these spells belong on the bard spell list and there is nothing about the spells themselves that tie into the bard theme of magic through music. Bards also don't have Bless, which is a similar buff spell.
Yeah I agree that they are divine magic by their original design and this makes sense. Maybe with the Battle Smith Artificer picking up aura of purity and aura of vitality, it may mean that arcane-based casters like a future Bard subclass may gain access in future (without relying on Magical Secrets).
The problem is that the Bard has changed quite a bit in 5e. Aura's have always been more of a paladin thing to begin with. While Bards have been more the reach other performances. But bards have mostly left behind the idea of continually musical created effects that existed in older editions for more just Another wizard knock off with a musical gimmick and a little bit of rogue tossed in for good measure sadly. 5e bards play very little like their older counterparts where they didn't feel like they were doing much but could turn the entire tides of battles depending on the specialized musical powers they have. Now they have a few verbal or performance based specialty spells or features tacked on to a bit of a hybrid caster spell list thanks to the less defined split between Arcane and Divine magic that exists in 5e as a whole.
!! I'm glad it's not just me. I think the "where are the aoe buffs that emanate from the Bard?" is the core question I'm asking, and the Aura spells feel like the most obvious answer to that for me.
Bonton, the bard's jeaolusy dosen't have frontiers......... huh ?? xD
Anyway, I looked more intensely this problem andf I found pretty interesting your demand. Since they focus in "charming" and "enchanting" anything they see, seems preety hilarious why they cannot be rewarded with any Aura.
I think not having aura of life, aura of purity, and aura of vitality on the bard spell list really doesn't make sense. I understand these auras exist in the theme of divine magic, hence their restriction largely to cleric, druid, and paladin (although The Undying and Battle Smith also get access to some). However, bards have access to some pretty strong healing spells and these spells tie in with traditions of magic focused on the healing power of song/music/words.
The aura spells specifically feel like a no-brainer for the bard spell list. They are concentration spells that buff allies within 30ft radius of the caster. It immediately matches the flavour of a Bard maintaining a song or chant in combat to empower allies close enough to hear them. The auras are fun support spells that fit the bard's class role and the class fantasy. It feels weird that the Battle Smith got access spells before the bard.
I realise that you can go Lore and take them with Additional Magical Secrets and Magical Secrets, but it sucks to have them restricted to one subclass AND to have to burn those feats on spells that should probably just be on the spell list.
Am I entirely wrong here? Am I misunderstanding what the bard is meant to be?
It appears these powers are gifted from the Paladin's divine power, and so they are not magic that comes from "the weave" or whatever the call the magical source that is just power from the environment like The Force.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Yeah, you're pretty much wrong. At least when you say that you need to play lore bard to get access to those spells since all bards get Magical Secrets. ;)
Jokes aside, there is nothing inherently that says "bards must have access to aura spells", especially considering what those spells actually do. Bards are mostly about buffing people's performance, two of the auras or more focused on healing and the last is about resisting charmed and similar conditions which the bard have various other ways of dealing with. If you want to go for a healing bard, that's what short rests and song of rest are for.
There is nothing really that says that these spells belong on the bard spell list and there is nothing about the spells themselves that tie into the bard theme of magic through music. Bards also don't have Bless, which is a similar buff spell.
True, any Bard could pick them up by level 14. However, as most campaigns don't make it to 14, it'd be a rare occurrence.
Yeah I agree that they are divine magic by their original design and this makes sense. Maybe with the Battle Smith Artificer picking up aura of purity and aura of vitality, it may mean that arcane-based casters like a future Bard subclass may gain access in future (without relying on Magical Secrets).
The problem is that the Bard has changed quite a bit in 5e. Aura's have always been more of a paladin thing to begin with. While Bards have been more the reach other performances. But bards have mostly left behind the idea of continually musical created effects that existed in older editions for more just Another wizard knock off with a musical gimmick and a little bit of rogue tossed in for good measure sadly. 5e bards play very little like their older counterparts where they didn't feel like they were doing much but could turn the entire tides of battles depending on the specialized musical powers they have. Now they have a few verbal or performance based specialty spells or features tacked on to a bit of a hybrid caster spell list thanks to the less defined split between Arcane and Divine magic that exists in 5e as a whole.
It seems I had this exact same feeling back in 2017: https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/5e-bard-doesnt-feel-bard-y.809275/
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
!! I'm glad it's not just me. I think the "where are the aoe buffs that emanate from the Bard?" is the core question I'm asking, and the Aura spells feel like the most obvious answer to that for me.
Bonton, the bard's jeaolusy dosen't have frontiers......... huh ?? xD
Anyway, I looked more intensely this problem andf I found pretty interesting your demand. Since they focus in "charming" and "enchanting" anything they see, seems preety hilarious why they cannot be rewarded with any Aura.
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk