Casting first-level spells, bards can create magics (like Hideous Laughter) that wizards and clerics can cast only as second-level spells (See my first screed on the subject). So it seems reasonable to think of such bard spells as second level spells if you seek to compare caster classes. That means that bards can cast second-level spells at bard level 2 -- before wizards do!
Similarly, since Suggestion, Heroism, Rage, and Tongues are second-level bard spells but third level to wizards and clerics, one might think of second level-bard spells as third level when comparing classes. Looking at more potent spells, third-level bard spells (Charm Monster) are fourth level in comparison. Fourth-level bard spells are like fifth- and sixth-level spells, with Legend Lore being the sixth level spell. Fifth-level bard spells (Mass Suggestion) are like sixth, and sixth-level spells (Irresistible Dance) are like eighth-level spells.
So it is fair to say that bards get third-level spells at bard level 4, fourth-level spells at bard level 7, a sixth-level spell at bard level 10, and eighth-level spells at bard level 16 ... when comparing to other spell casters.
And don't forget bardic music! At bard level 1, Inspire Courage is like a first-level spell (in power). At bard level 6, Suggestion is like a second-level spell (it's not as good as the wizard third-level Suggestion spell since bards have to Fascinate first and even then cannot use it in combat). At level 9, Inspire Greatness is like a third-level spell. At level 12, Song of Freedom, comparable to Break Enchantment, a fifth-level spell. At level 15, Inspire Heroics is like a fourth-level spell. And at bard level 18, Mass Suggestion is like a fifth-level spell.
When you take into account all these equivalencies, so what? Let's compare tables showing spells cast per day. Let's assume Int/Chr at the following values: 16 at 1st, 17 at 4th, 18 at 8th, 20 at 10th, 21 at 12th, and 22 at 16th -- that assumes an item to add 2 at level 10 and later. First, a standard wizard's spells per day:
|
Wizard Spells per Day |
| Level |
0 |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
| 1st |
3 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 2nd |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 3rd |
4 |
3 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 4th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 5th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 6th |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 7th |
4 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 8th |
4 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 9th |
4 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 10th |
4 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 11th |
4 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 12th |
4 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 13th |
4 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
| 14th |
4 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
| 15th |
4 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
-- |
| 16th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
-- |
| 17th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 18th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
| 19th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
| 20th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
Next, the bard spell progression from the Players Handbook:
|
Bard Spells per Day |
| Level |
0 |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
| 1st |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 2nd |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 3rd |
3 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 4th |
3 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 5th |
3 |
4 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 6th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 7th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 8th |
3 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 9th |
3 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 10th |
3 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
| 11th |
3 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
| 12th |
3 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
| 13th |
3 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
| 14th |
4 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
-- |
| 15th |
4 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
-- |
| 16th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
| 17th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
| 18th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
| 19th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
| 20th |
4 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Finally, the bard table reconfigured to reflect the more accurate appraisal of bard spells -- as described above -- AND adding in Bardic Music as spell equivalents. To be fair, how often would one cast Legend Lore and Song of Freedom? I'll assume once per day each. I'll also assume that the major bardic music abilities (Inspire Courage, Suggestion, Inspire Heroics, etc) are used more or less equally. So that, for example, a level 6 bard's six daily uses of bardic music could be thought of as 3 first-level spells (Inspire Courage) and 3 second-level spells (Suggestion). Considering bardic music in this way for all 20 levels, and adding in bard spells at their "true" level, the bard table of spells per day might look something like this:
|
Reconsidered Bard Spells per Day |
| Level |
0 |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
| 1st |
2 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 2nd |
3 |
2 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 3rd |
3 |
3 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 4th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 5th |
3 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 6th |
3 |
3 |
7 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 7th |
3 |
4 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 8th |
3 |
4 |
8 |
4 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 9th |
3 |
3 |
8 |
7 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 10th |
3 |
4 |
8 |
7 |
3 |
-- |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 11th |
3 |
4 |
9 |
7 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 12th |
3 |
4 |
9 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 13th |
3 |
4 |
9 |
8 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 14th |
4 |
5 |
9 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 15th |
4 |
4 |
10 |
7 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| 16th |
4 |
4 |
10 |
10 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
-- |
1 |
-- |
| 17th |
4 |
4 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
4 |
5 |
-- |
2 |
-- |
| 18th |
4 |
4 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
6 |
-- |
3 |
-- |
| 19th |
4 |
4 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
6 |
-- |
4 |
-- |
| 20th |
4 |
4 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
6 |
-- |
5 |
-- |
Based on spell casting alone, the bard actually beats the wizard at levels 2, 4, 5 and 6. The bard is about equal at levels 3, 7, 8, 10, and 16. At higher levels, the bard beats the wizard on number of lower-level spell equivalents, but the wizard, with plenty of seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-level spells, comes out ahead. But even so, and especially at levels 10 and under, the bard equals or beats the wizard judged solely on a spell-vs-spell basis!
Now add in the rest: Bards have better attacks, better reflex saves, ability to cast spells in light armor, a much better weapon list, bardic lore, many more skill ranks, and a better hit die. Thrown into the mix, and it is clear that bards beat wizards easily through level 10 at the least. Does the bard equal the wizard at the highest levels, when wizards have everything they can Wish for? Eh. But even then, a bard with maxed out Use Magic Device can weild scrolls, wands, and staves with the best of them!
Next time -- The multiclassed bard.
