what the point of melee bard if fighter/barb/paladin doing it better ?
what the point of magic bard if sorc or wiz doing it better ?
if want charismatic melee paladin doing it better lol
if you rly want stay at bard multiclass it with paladin or warlock, both have melee option
i used my sorc with 16 dex and 18 dex with cat robe to open locks lol
... Because bards can be excellent casters, give buffs and do a few other things the aforementioned classes can not. Jack of all trades for a reason. Plus sticking to one's oath is problematic for some players and they do not necessarily want to play as an oathbreaker (leaving aside the question how a character who has broken his vow so easily has ever become a paladin at all )
As for lock picking and perception, classes with expertise (rogues and bards) simply rule. I can't imagine the first chapter without Astarion, for example.
