Can't decide...

[Esabelle Ryngin]

Should I make a bard or a thief? Elan and Haley are both cool, but they're really not the reason I would pick either... I play a thief on a game called 'Maple story'. I think it got a few ads in last month's Game informer. anyway, she has some pretty cool potential skills. But on the other hand, I'd love to play a bard because I love to be creative in other ways than making a better trap for my hoard, etc. I have a campaiggn coming up soon, so I'd like to get the 4hr minimum decided after finding out what i'm going to have as in rules. any suggestions?

PS: I really don't like the stereotype roles, such as archer, magician or fighter. it's just me.

[Skyserpent]

Maple Story is a really bad parallell for standard Pen&Paper RPGs. Rogues are much better mechanically than Bards and I've heard a lot of people have fun with both. And so far, it's rare to see ANYONE who likes stereotyped roles. But sometimes they are fun. Anyway, I'd say Rogue but that's personal taste.

[TheOOB]

First of all, Maple Story is nothing like D&D, the less you try to make comparisons the better.

Second, thief is a job, not a class, I assume by thief you mean the rogue class.

Anyways, down to brass tacks.

Generally speaking, a rogue is usually more useful to a part then a bard. A rogue has the most skills, including trapfinding along with the open lock, search, and disable device skill which greatly helps the part in bypassing locked doors, traps, and other things that might impeed the parties progress. Bards have lots of different skills, spells, and abilities, but nothing that another class can't do better. Neither class has any advantage in creating traps over the other, though rogue with the disable device skill is much better at setting traps.

Rogues are also a heck of a lot easier to play, it takes a lot of time, effort, and skill to build a good bard while good rogues for the most part build themselves.

[Necomancer]

Is this your first game? If so I don't think either of those are good starting classes, but if you must choose between them choose rogue *but* be sure to take advice from the other gamers. Bards are a very bad choice for first timers.

[Lithgon the Crazy]

I personally like Bards due to their excellent supporting role for combat (Bardic Music, spells). I agree with Necomancer though if you are a first timer.

[cupkeyk]

Bards are powerful if you remember to use your downtime to earn money and steal (perform and sleight of hand) they go through wands and scrolls fast because of their lack of offensive spells. Invest in a wand of Cure Moderate Wounds and a few offensive wands and an offensive buff wand and a scroll each of everything. That will make you match the rogue. Sing and steal, always.

As PRC's go, Virtuoso(CAdv), Warchanter(CW), Lyric Thaumaturgist(CM) actually make you competent in buffing or blasting.

TWF rogues/skillmonkeys will be more useful in more situations but can be dull as you basically become a swiss knife. I like talking stuff.

[Matthew]

Second, thief is a job, not a class, I assume by thief you mean the rogue class.

True, unless Esabelle is playing an earier edition. Is there a Thief Prestige Class in 3.x? If not, there should be.

Be a bard, you are already playing a Thief.

[Hallavast]

Go with the Rogue. They do it from behind.

[AmoDman]

If you insist upon being a Bard, than be a Bard...as in the job, not the class. As has been said, both D&D classes (assuming you meant rogue for thief, which isn't necessarily always true) are completely unlike anything found in Maple Story, but the beauty of D&D is you can role-play anything you want. Bards just happen to be completey underpowered (debated...but true) compared to most classes, and might not give you as fun of a first experience. With a rogue, you can be a Bard all you want. Carry around a flute, harp, air guitar, or your instrument of choice, take ranks in it with your ungodly amount of skill points, and fight and adventure like a real boy. Hell, be a Bard and a Thief if you really can't decide. I hardly think that combination is revolutionary.

Ie. Enter the dashing and Charismatic (high Cha) Erullian Yelmington into the town tavern. With a song on his lips and song on his harp, he sweeps the barmaids, local women, and even men at large of their feet with his enchanting stories and songs. Children love him, men want to be him, a week after leaving town several valuables are found missing. No one accuses that wonderful Bard.