Elan usefulness? [maybe spoilers]

[Klev]

You know I can't quite understand Elan. This is an epic battle, full of allies fighting for the lives. I mean this is what Bards live for! The chance to inspire armies!

And still he decide to go and fight the hobglobins using his Dashing Swordsman abilities. I think if Elan went with his "fight, fight, fight the Hobglobins" he would be a lot more usefull. What you guys think ?

[MReav]

I think he's either used up his Bardic abilities already, he's incapable of using them while Hobgoblins are trying to attack, or after his Inspiring Speech in 421, they've imposed a moratorium on his inspirational speeches.

[BobTheDog]

He's waiting for the climatic event, when his Dashing Swordsman skills will save the day.

"It doesn't matter if you win or lose, as long as you look really cool doing it!" (Cap. Scoundrél)

[Abacab]

He is running out of puns, so he may start singing bardic songs. I guess he would be more useful, considering he has more levels in bard than dashing swordsman.

(But, I have a theory that the note Haley sent him was full of puns for him to use while fighting.)

[Ariko]

heh..I knew sooner or later someone was going to say what Abacab just said.. *awaits nonsense posts condemning Hinjo yet again*

[Abacab]

heh..I knew sooner or later someone was going to say what Abacab just said.. *awaits nonsense posts condemning Hinjo yet again*

I'm not the only one with that theory, then.

Do you want me to blame Hinjo? I could, but I think stopping Elan was the right thing for him to do, because Elan can get distracted easily. It's so easy to die in a war, one second you're reading a note from a girlfriend, the next, "cck!" a hobgoblin chops your head off!

[Silverhawk1o1]

C'mon , think about it, if Elan is sitting there holding a lute and singing he will be completely defenseless, he'd get slaughtered!

[ocato]

Do not get me started on how poorly Elan represents the bard class.

I love him to death but "I've used up all my useful bard spells" after untying a rope and sneaking around a little sorta... makes bards look stupid and useless.

I love Elan but... come on man.

[Da Beast]

He kind of needs his lute to play bardic music.

[oball]

He could use his kazoo (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0198.html).

Or become a human beatbox.

[Whamme]

He could use his kazoo (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0198.html).

Or become a human beatbox.

I think _avoiding_ becoming a human beatbox is the point of the exercise. :smallredface:

[MobiusKlein]

Simpler:
On screen action is driven by plot & jokes. In this case, singing the tunes would waste precious pixels.

[warmachine]

Gotta admit, Bards are social creatures and have handy spells besides illusions. Elan is pointlessly not playing to his strengths or his class concept.

He can even jam with an accordian player. If he can make a lute work with an accordian, he's a brilliant artiste. If his pre-battle speech was a lute performance, he'd have rocked!

Elan starts becoming dangerous after he takes a prestige class. Me thinks Rich Burlew doesn't like Bards.

[theinsulabot]

it could just be that DS is still new for elan and it hasn't lost its thrill yet, so he is using the battle as a chance to work out the details and get used to it. i mean, with the exception of the nail fight its the first time he has went into battle with his rapier acting as something other then a fashion accessory

[Fawkes]

Elan starts becoming dangerous after he takes a prestige class. Me thinks Rich Burlew doesn't like Bards.

Someone who doesn't like bards? Madness!

[PlasticSoldier]

Someone who doesn't like bards? Madness!

SOmeone who double posts? MADNESS!

[The Viking]

This! Is! OOTS!

[Cade Shadow]

This! Is! OOTS!

Dude, you killed it. That post just completely ruined the reference to it. completely. Way to go. good job. You killed an otherwise perfectly good joke. This is Dead.

[The Extinguisher]

Dead?
This Is Alive!

And now it's back. I'm very sorry.

As for Elan not being a very useful bard. Well no duh. The whole point of him is that he's less than useful. Sure, he could help hasten the army, then become invisible while creating a perfect copy of himself to distract the hobgoblins on the gate and bring in a shout to get others by surprise, as well as dishing out many other useful bard spells, but then again he could also he midly competent while shouting out horrible puns and singing songs.
Which is funnier?

Rich doesn't hate bards. He's using Elan as a stereotype. Just like Miko is a stereotype of paladins, but he doesn't hate paladins.

It's very hard to play are use impaired bard. Believe me, I've tried. They are just too useful. But it's funnier when they are not.

Jokes > Rules, Conventions and all that other stuff.

[Professor Tanhauser]

Dude! You put the name "Elan" right next to the word "Usefulness"! My god, man, don't you realize that doing that could stress the fabric of reality until it shatters????

Chill out on putting words that diametrcially opposed next to each other, unless you want nazis riding dinosaurs thru main street, USA.

[jindra34]

Dude! You put the name "Elan" right next to the word "Usefulness"! My god, man, don't you realize that doing that could stress the fabric of reality until it shatters????

Chill out on putting words that diametrcially opposed next to each other, unless you want nazis riding dinosaurs thru main street, USA.

Aw... if that happened the world would be so...... much more fun... and might have mechs ta boot...