Some fan-favorite characters from various franchises would be perfect for a D&D player to use as inspiration when creating their next bard.
Character creation is a beloved aspect of playing Dungeons and Dragons. Players can make their characters be anyone they want and do anything they wish to do. When the sky is the limit, however, sometimes making choices can become overwhelming. Gamers paralyze themselves by considering every option for each subclass, feat, background, and more.
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As a solution to the choice-paralysis of building a character from scratch, many D&D players choose to emulate an existing figure from somewhere else. This method gives them the opportunity to inhabit and play with their favorite characters while still enjoying all the customization that the TTRPG world has to offer. Some fan-favorite characters from various franchises would be perfect for a D&D player to use as inspiration when creating their next bard.
Though the eponymous protagonist of Steven Universe made use of many problem-solving methods, he relied on his emotional intelligence and musical capabilities the most. It was through his music that he helped Pearl and Greg reconcile and build a relationship on their shared love for Rose Quartz.
Steven Universe used poetic lyrics and the songwriting process to teach Peridot about the value of life on Earth. Even his struggles could make an interesting backstory for a D&D bard: a folk hero who gave up their childhood to end a great war.
Though most Dungeons and Dragons players choose to make their bards more on the chaotic side, there is an undeniable charisma to a cool, calm, and collected leader. Padme Amidala from Star Wars would be a refreshing inspiration for a bardic character in that her disposition deviates from the norm while her skillset remains solidly in line with the class.
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Padme could talk herself out of almost any situation, always backing her points up with eloquence and aplomb. While her dignified presence is not the typical idea behind the creation of a bard, playing such a character in D&D would be an interesting subversion of the usual tropes.
While almost any modern superhero would require a multiclass build to execute properly, there have always been bardic qualities to Spider-Man. Though his abilities are best replicated by other D&D classes, his unique voice would make excellent inspiration for any aspiring bard.
Quippy dialogue and witty one-liners are a classic part of Spider-Man's character and any interpretation of the web-slinging hero would be lacking without them. If any superhero could cast Vicious Mockery, it would be Spider-Man, and his attacks with it would be devastating.
A grifter is basically the modern interpretation of a bard, and there's no better grifter than Leverage's Sophie Devereaux. Her capacity to disguise herself as anyone and charm any mark fall right into the making of a high-quality bard. Parts of her story also apply well to bardic character creation: A performer who has been so many people she's not even certain who her real self is anymore.
Sophie's confidence and unflinching competency on the con hide her vulnerability and doubt in all other areas of life, which would create several openings for a Dungeon Master to take advantage of at the table.
As opposed to taking the route of "fresh and subversive," basing a bard off of the DC Comics hero Booster Gold would play directly into standard themes of the D&D class. He is boisterous, loud, and confident almost to the point of arrogance in front of a crowd.
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Booster Gold's primary objective is to gain fame and glory through his actions, and heroism just happened to be his best avenue to earn those things. He isn't in it for the good of the world or anything similar; he wants to be seen, known, and adored. That is completely applicable to the usual D&D bard.
The most iconic aspect of a bard is their knack for performance. While the rules for character creation don't necessarily require bards' artistic pursuits to be musical, most choose that route. Erika from Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper captures the essence of bardic music beautifully. It is the music that she chooses to make that progress her story.
Sharing a song fosters Erika's friendship with Princess Annelise. Her singing voice is the first thing about her that enamors King Dominick. Her character provides a model for a down-on-their-luck bard who uses their music as their escape, both figuratively and literally.
Though Merry and Pippin from The Lord of the Rings are two characters and not one, they are a package deal. It is impossible to consider one without the effects of the other. Their penchant for mischief at the beginning of the saga carries bardic energy, ready to disrupt the status quo for sheer entertainment value.
Merry and Pippin's courage and compassion persist throughout, however, and are also aspirational qualities for bards. Despite their silliness, Merry and Pippin know what's important, and they genuinely care about the goals that they're trying to accomplish, even when they don't completely understand them.
Fans of The Witcher series already know Jaskier, sometimes called Dandelion, as a bard. Interpreting his character into a bard in Dungeons and Dragons could still prove interesting, though.
Jaskier could model for a somewhat higher-level bard who already has some years of adventuring under his belt. Abandoned and betrayed by his previous adventuring party, he would start the adventure closed-off and cynical, not wanting to be burned again. This would provide an abundance of plot angles for the player and their Dungeon Master to work with.
Community's resident super-nerd, Abed Nadir, possesses incredible knowledge on a wide breadth of subjects, though some of it does have a specific focus. His ability to take in and remember facts matches the class feature Bardic Knowledge, which players can use to add a bonus to skill checks.
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Through Abed's expansive exposure to different media, he has gained the same hodgepodge of knowledge as a D&D bard would in their travels. They pick up bits of reconnaissance here and there through overheard conversation and local gossip, just as Abed does from TV episodes and movie dialogue.
Double Trouble, the shapeshifter from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, is the ultimate College of Whispers bard. Bards in the College of Whispers learn that they are spies in society. They use the world's welcoming spirit towards their profession to gather secrets that they can then use as leverage to get what they want.
Double Trouble never fully allies with one side of the war or the other, instead choosing to work with whichever team seems to be winning. Double Trouble uses their shapeshifting abilities to sneak around and rely on the trusting nature of others to exploit the situation for their personal gain.
Rebekah Krum is an avid fan of both video and tabletop games; she takes great interest in their history and cultural value as storytelling mediums. They enjoy a good story, regardless of the method by which it is told. She grew up in Northeastern Nevada before moving to Ashland, Oregon for college in 2014 and subsequently settling down just outside of Portland, Oregon in 2019. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Southern Oregon University.
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