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.
bards excelents casters, my fire sorc just loled hard who can do like 300 damage to single target with scaled ray to level 6 with full stack of heat and light dmg ring, can do dual haste and his lighting aoe can kill whole palace stell watch in act 3 in one turn
my life cleric or light cleric who can cast blade ward and bless on whole team with single bonus action also laugh hard about support role of bard
my ancient paladin with anti magic aura and smites also laugh hard about support role and nuker to bard xD
my sorc with cat robe and 18 dex can pick any lock and same sorc with high charisma qnd friend cantrip have always like 30 check in talking
my bear barb or fighter laugh how bard is bad in melee
