Just recently bought the Shadow of Nerekhall and started using the Bard Class.

A question comes up with in the group oh how the abilities are used.

Does the Bard class skills effect only hero's who are not the Bard? Or does the Bard get effected by the skill as well?

Example. The Dissonance card states If a Hero starts his turn within 3 spaces of you. He gains one movement point.

Would the Bard also gain a movement point?

On the Song of Mending one skill on it states At the end of your turn "each other" hero within 3 spaces of you recovers 1 stamina.

Would only other heros recover stamina and not the bard?

The Each other I think makes it clear it would be other heros but the other Bard Skills do not say "each other hero" So this make me think the Bard would also gain from his skills?

If it says "a hero within 3 spaces of you" then you are included. You are, after all, a hero, and you are within 3 spaces of yourself. If it says "each other" then it is making a special effort to exclude yourself, so it's everyone but you.

If it says "a hero within 3 spaces of you" then you are included. You are, after all, a hero, and you are within 3 spaces of yourself. If it says "each other" then it is making a special effort to exclude yourself, so it's everyone but you.

Precisely. A space is not adjacent to itself (because adjacent means 1 away) it is "zero spaces away" from itself. "Within 3 spaces" means every space 3, 2, 1, and 0 spaces away, and that includes your own space. "other" means specifically NOT you.

Thanks for the clarification. Still fairly new to the game and just like to make sure its being played right.

No problem, enjoy the game and come back if you have any more questions.

I do wish for clarification on the dual strike card for the Skirmisher class?

Exhaust this card when you perform an attack, before dice are rolled. If you have 2 Melee weapons with 1 hand icon each equipped, add 1 to the results. You may use the abilities on both weapons during the attack

Does this mean a surge is added but can be used with the weapon I chose not to attack with?

For example if I were to perform an attack with jagged hand axe, exhaust the dual strike card. I could apply the surge to my other equipped weapon the rusted handaxe?

You can exhaust the card to gain the extra surge, then use any surges you have, on the abilites of each and either weapon in your hands.

For example, if you exhaust the skill card and then rolled 2 surges on your attack, you could use the surge ability of the jagged hand axe and the rusted handaxe and recover 1 fatigue, since you would have 3 surges to spend.

Yes. Dual Strike gives you access to the surge abilities of BOTH equipped melee weapons, and adds a surge to the results. It is important to note that it ONLY adds surge abilities of the other weapon- not dice, and not text unrelated to surges (like reach or an "automatic" pierce.) For the bleeding dagger, you still need to be bleeding to get the surge:+4♡.

Since it's a topic about bard skills I'll place my question here. Does bard songs, that activates at the end of the turn (like song of mending) works if bard used a stand up action this turn? I'm just a bit confused, cause if it works, that means that even if OL defeat all heroes, bard can resurrect all of them with just one stand up action (if they're close enough).

The Dual strike works as I thought its just nice to know that others see it the same and help clarify. Thanks

Since it's a topic about bard skills I'll place my question here. Does bard songs, that activates at the end of the turn (like song of mending) works if bard used a stand up action this turn? I'm just a bit confused, cause if it works, that means that even if OL defeat all heroes, bard can resurrect all of them with just one stand up action (if they're close enough).

Yes. It has been established that even though your turn "immediately ends" when you stand up, abilities that trigger at the "end of your turn" still trigger. However, it is important to remember 2 things:

1) The bard cannot move his tokens on the turn he stands up. The abilities that activate at the end of his turn can only be the ones that his song tokens were already on before he was knocked out.

2) Even if this happens, the Bard (and the other heroes affected) don't get to roll power dice. They will all stand up 1 damage from death, and exhausted in terms of fatigue. It's basically inviting the OL to draw 4 more cards (though in certain situations, getting actions completed is more important.)

Since it's a topic about bard skills I'll place my question here. Does bard songs, that activates at the end of the turn (like song of mending) works if bard used a stand up action this turn? I'm just a bit confused, cause if it works, that means that even if OL defeat all heroes, bard can resurrect all of them with just one stand up action (if they're close enough).

Yes. It has been established that even though your turn "immediately ends" when you stand up, abilities that trigger at the "end of your turn" still trigger. However, it is important to remember 2 things:

1) The bard cannot move his tokens on the turn he stands up. The abilities that activate at the end of his turn can only be the ones that his song tokens were already on before he was knocked out.

2) Even if this happens, the Bard (and the other heroes affected) don't get to roll power dice. They will all stand up 1 damage from death, and exhausted in terms of fatigue. It's basically inviting the OL to draw 4 more cards (though in certain situations, getting actions completed is more important.)

Here's my own question about bard skills: When does one pay the fatigue cost for them?

Our current OL argues that it's when the power activates (IE, song of mending activates at the end of the turn.) I argued it's when you place the token on the approrpiate card.

Letanir-

Yes, all heroes within 3 spaces of the bard gain the ability to re-roll a die once per round. Multiple heroes may make use of the card during the same round.

Alarmed-

In the quest book it describes that the song abilities on the skill cards trigger if (and only if) the corresponding token is present on the card- those song abilities are passive as long as the bard is standing, and cost nothing. The active ability of the Bard's skill cards is the text at the top of each one, "Use this card during your turn to place a song token on this card." This is what costs the fatigue cost at the bottom of the card, moving the tokens from card to card. It describes in the rules when the tokens stay put (when the bard is knocked out, between encounters) and when they are cleared (between quests.) The "use" term implies that the card is not exhausted when you put a token on it- that is, you can put both tokens onto one card during the same turn, if you pay the cost twice.

Note that for "Cacophony," the active part of the text should read "Exhaust this card during your turn and choose one of your class cards..."

As this seems to be a thread about rule questions concerning the bard and his skills I have one of my own.

Do you keep the tokens on your cards when starting the second encounter or do they get removed?

As this seems to be a thread about rule questions concerning the bard and his skills I have one of my own.

Do you keep the tokens on your cards when starting the second encounter or do they get removed?

The Nerekhall rules state that once an encounter is over, the song tokens on the Bard are returned to the supply.

CONCENTRATION: Exhaust this card when a hero within 3 spaces of you recovers 1 or more HP. That hero recovers 2 additional HP.

What happens when 2 or more heroes recovers 1 or more HP at the same time and Bard activates concentration:

a) all heroes that recovered 1 or more HP recovers 2 additional HP

b) one hero recovers 2 addition HP (Bard will make a choice which hero is it).

I expect b) but just want to confirm it.

CONCENTRATION: Exhaust this card when a hero within 3 spaces of you recovers 1 or more HP. That hero recovers 2 additional HP.

What happens when 2 or more heroes recovers 1 or more HP at the same time and Bard activates concentration:

a) all heroes that recovered 1 or more HP recovers 2 additional HP

b) one hero recovers 2 addition HP (Bard will make a choice which hero is it).

I expect b) but just want to confirm it.

It's b.

I am considering using Avric and Bard, so that every surge could heal two heart. Wondering, anyone has better suggestion on which hero is better with bard and what are the first three or four class cards you will go for first.

I think everything depends whether you want to be a "Healer" or "Supporter".

Think about your team - would they need a lot of healing or is it not necessary and you can focus on supporting them with auras like re-rolls, +1 movement, discarding conditions, +1 Damage when attacking, +1 damage to monsters when being activated... If heroes will need a lot of healing then other skills might be considered.

Once you will pick your path It is easier to select the skills.

I am considering using Avric and Bard, so that every surge could heal two heart. Wondering, anyone has better suggestion on which hero is better with bard and what are the first three or four class cards you will go for first.

Avric is a good choice, because his hero ability is also an area effect, so it's as if the bard had one more skill passively on. The Bard is a class that mainly does area healing, but as you've noticed, also has skills that make any healing you receive better. Many of the healer archetype healers have some form of healing built into their hero abilities or heroic feats, and "Understudy" could make all of them better. Remember though, that if you're going that route, you're committing to leave your melody token on one card most of the time- that's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you purchase concentration as well.

Myszaq is right, though, you can play the bard a number of different ways, and each will lend itself to different skill cards. When trying to maximize healing (purely damage recovery) I find that song of mending (default) and understudy, concentration, and cacophony work very well together. I've also seen bards use dissonance and aria of war to great effect, but with a different focus in mind. Peaceful rest can also be helpful if your heroes are going to be resting- that depends a lot on who else is in your party. There's no single right way to go with the Bard, or any class, really. It's how you want to play it.

Mok as a bard seems a good choice. He synergizes nicely with the class skills.

I as the OL have to concentrate fire on one hero, otherwise they will all area-heal the damage I dealt. He is a pain ...

Mok as a bard seems a good choice. He synergizes nicely with the class skills.

I as the OL have to concentrate fire on one hero, otherwise they will all area-heal the damage I dealt. He is a pain ...

Right, but Mok is only great as the Bard because he can heal himself when he heals others- he doesn't actually enhance the Bard's effectiveness as a party healer at all (unless you count getting him back fatigue to fuel more healing.) Avric, on the other hand, provides a healing bonus to everyone within 3 spaces, including the hero himself, which actually lends itself more to the Bard's MO of area healing.

I am considering a party of Syndrael as knight mainly as a pure tank, Tinashi as shadow walker to help increasing the demage and also for search and fast move, Ravaella as conjurer for range, corner attack. I guess my bard will be more on healing with some attack support in some of the encounter.

I am considering a party of Syndrael as knight mainly as a pure tank, Tinashi as shadow walker to help increasing the demage and also for search and fast move, Ravaella as conjurer for range, corner attack. I guess my bard will be more on healing with some attack support in some of the encounter.

My last opponents (during a Nerekhall campaign) were very similar:

Syndrael the Knight

Tinashi the Shadow Walker (she was ranged, as she spent most of the game with the Bow of Bone and then the Bow of the Eclipse)

Dezra the Necromancer

Mok the Bard

They were very annoying effective as a team.