Bard (April Fools)

This is an April Fools article.
This article is a Blizzard April Fools joke. Its content is not part of official Warcraft lore, but represents one of Blizzard's jokes.

Classes:
Class races:	Ba	Dk	Dr	Hu	Ma	Pa	Pr	Ro	Sh	Wl	Wr
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Glyphs:	Ba	Dk	Dr	Hu	Ma	Pa	Pr	Ro	Sh	Wl	Wr
Talent builds:	Ba	Dk	Dr	Hu	Ma	Pa	Pr	Ro	Sh	Wl	Wr
Tactics:	Ba	Dk	Dr	Hu	Ma	Pa	Pr	Ro	Sh	Wl	Wr
Armor sets:	Ba	Dk	Dr	Hu	Ma	Pa	Pr	Ro	Sh	Wl	Wr
Starting a:	Ba	Dk	Dr	Hu	Ma	Pa	Pr	Ro	Sh	Wl	Wr
PvE guide:	Ba	Dk	Dr	Hu	Ma	Pa	Pr	Ro	Sh	Wl	Wr
PvP guide:	Ba	Dk	Dr	Hu	Ma	Pa	Pr	Ro	Sh	Wl	Wr

The Bard was revealed as the second World of Warcraft hero class on April 1st, 2008 — it was a Blizzard April Fools' Day hoax, and was never implemented as a real playable class.

According to the announcement, the Bard "can vanquish evil with the power of ROCK!" and wields a two-handed "axe" (that is, an electric guitar). Screenshots showed a new Fret Bar interface (resembling that of the Guitar Hero games) powering the Bard's "Groove" resource system. Blizzard even joked that the Wrath of the Lich King expansion would ship with a Frostmourne-themed "guitar-based keyboard peripheral" for playing the Bard class.

Overview

Announced as the second of the hero classes for the upcoming Wrath of the Lich King expansion, the Bard will allow players to enter combat using Guitar Hero-style interface with 2-handed axes as weapons of musical might. Utilizing a new resource system known as "groove", the player will be able to perform abilities and launch a Fret Bar in order to perform riffs with a guitar-based keyboard peripheral. Performing riffs will build "groove", allowing them to unleash more powerful abilities and effects. The Bard is able to front in a number of roles as varied as his musical repertoire, and excels both as a solo performer and as part of a solid group lineup.

Races

A complete list of playable races has yet to be confirmed, though it may be possible for all races to become a Bard, as it is possible for all races to rock out. To date, confirmed races are human, dwarf, orc, tauren, and blood elf.

Abilities

Metal

• I Am Murloc - A potent transformational ability.
• Tape Jam - An Indie debuff.
• Shoegazer - An Indie debuff.
• Epic Solo - Begins an epic solo that will enthrall up to ten enemy targets within a 20-yard radius, causing them to "rock out" and suffer 310 to 390 Rock Damage per second. The solo lasts 1 second for every 10 groove.
• Star Struck - A talent which likely increases the Bard's stage presence.
• Axe Specialization - Increases the Bard's proficiency with axes.

Punk Rock

• Nonconformity - Dispels fear, mind control, and similar effects.
• Mosh Pit - Removes all movement-impairing effects and increases movement speed by 50% for the bard's entire party. Lasts 10 seconds. Does not stack with other movement-speed-increasing effects.
• Shred - A punk rock talent.
• Rock 'N Roll Racing - A punk rock talent.

Lore

The deeds of every great hero inspire countless songs of triumph, virtue, and epic adventure. But although a hero’s glory endures in song, the creators of those songs are seldom remembered. After ages spent singing of the heroic exploits of others, the bards of Azeroth are finally stepping into the spotlight on their own terms, proving once and for all that while just about anyone can pick up a sword or cast a spell, only a true hero can vanquish evil with the power of ROCK!

The time has come for the bards to claim glory for themselves. No longer will they remain shrouded in obscurity while less-talented adventurers are hailed by the masses.

Notable Items

The Facemelter Binds when picked up Axe Two-Hand Speed 3.60 345 – 518 Rock Damage (119.9 damage per second) +51 Stamina +50 Spirit Chance on hit: Unleash a killer riff that blows your target's mind. Durability 120 / 120 Requires Level 70 "This one goes to eleven."

Notable Bards

Name	Role	Condition
File:IconSmall DeathKnight Small.gif "Rockin'" Arthas Menethil	Became the Lich King	Dead
Samuro	Member of the Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftains	Alive
Sig Nicious	Member of the Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftains	Alive
Bergrisst	Member of the Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftains	Alive
Mai'Kyl	Member of the Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftains	Alive
Chief Thunder-Skins	Member of the Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftains	Alive

Concept artwork

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See also

The other April Fool's Day pranks from 2008:

• Diablo Loot Piñata
• Tauren Marine
• World of Warcraft: The Molten Core

Trivia

The MMORPG Ragnarok Online has had a Bard class for several years, and it does indeed use guitars as acoustic weaponry. It does not, however, use a Guitar Hero-style interface.

External links

  World of Warcraft Community Site Bard Hero Class

  World of Warcraft Europe Bard Hero Class