The Patch 8 update for Baldur's Gate 3 finally added bards, bringing one of the most popular Dungeons & Dragons classes to the game. Baldur's Gate 3 added bards and gnomes as part of its latest update, alongside a number of other fixes and updates. The addition of a new class and race is easily the most exciting part of the update, especially as the developers are close to adding all of the base content from the Player's Handbook, with only the paladin and monk classes, and the dragonborn and half-orc races remaining.
The bard is a great choice for a player character's class in Baldur's Gate 3. The bard's spells are tied to their Charisma stat, which also benefits their social skills. This means that the main character will not only be great when making dialogue checks but will also be a potent force on the battlefield. The fact that the class can play instruments in the overworld will also make the bard a popular character choice with D&D players. The bard class has access to lots of skills, outside of the battlefield so they're useful in many different situations.
The version of the bard in Baldur's Gate 3 is close to the one from D&D, but it's not an exact fit. This is partly due to the fact that Hit Dice spending hasn't been implemented into the game, though it may be added in a future update, in the same way that Patch 8 added Expertise to Baldur's Gate 3, and rogues now receive it at level 1. The bards are still a primary spellcaster class with buffing abilities, but they have received a few tweaks in Baldur's Gate 3.
Baldur's Gate 3 Bards Get Some Stronger Abilities
In D&D, the College of Valor bard has an ability called Combat Inspiration, which allows the inspiration dice they grant to other characters to be used for damage rolls. Combat Inspiration also has a secondary function, where the roll can be added to AC after an attack, to give players a chance of avoiding the hit. In Baldur's Gate 3, this secondary function of Combat Inspiration is a lot better, as it now adds 4 to the AC of the user, so the character is always guaranteed a decent boost to their AC compared to their D&D counterparts. The Cutting Words ability of the College of Lore bards is stronger in Baldur's Gate 3, as it grants a 1d6 penalty to an enemy's attack rolls, ability checks, and damage rolls, while the D&D version doesn't affect damage, and it only works on one check.
Baldur's Gate 3's Song Of Rest Is Totally Different
In D&D, Song of Rest is a level 2 bard ability that can only be used while the party is taking a short rest. If a party member chooses to spend one of their Hit Dice while taking a short rest, then Song of Rest provides an additional 1d6 worth of healing. In Baldur's Gate 3, Song of Rest is now an ability that can be used once per long rest and it works in a similar manner to a spell. When a bard uses Song of Rest in Baldur's Gate 3, they provide their allies with the benefits of a D&D short rest without them actually taking one.