Strength: Put your highest roll in this. A bard, although she'll have many songspells, relies on her sword (or halberd, or mace) to get her through the dangers of Elthania. If you place a low roll here, you'll have a hard time hitting a rat, never mind the deadly creatures that await you later in life.

Aura: This is the stat that controls how much mana, or magical energy, you have. Put a high 80 or low 90 on it. Since you get an automatic +10, don't waste a high 90 - it can't get better than 100. Since stats rise slowly with age and you don't need tons of mana until you've got the spells to spend it on, don't panic if you end up with less than 100. Try not to chose a race that's got a penalty in aura development (I'm not even sure there is one.)

Discipline: This stat actually has very little to do with a bard (ask anyone!) but it controls development points in both the physical and mental realms. A higher number here means that you can afford to train in more skills.

Charisma: Since you're a performer, your natural magnetism affects your performance - in other words, it factors into how effective your spellsongs and lore singing is.

That leaves dexterity & reflex, intelligence & logic, wisdom and constitution. If you want to be quick (and harder to hit) concentrate on the first two. If you want to absorb what you learn faster and more efficently, work with the second pair. I've yet to meet a wise bard, and constitution, although important, can be a mid-level number. If you plan to use polearms or a weapon type other than one-handed edged, make sure you have a decent score in reflex, otherwise it will take a very long time to swing. All right. You've run through all the numbers and gotten a good set - my definition of that is at least one 90, one 80 and two or three over 60, but you'll find some folks who think that's ridiculously low - and put 'em in place. What do you do now, and how long will it take to get to the good stuff? Well, you train. Actually, you select a race first. I wouldn't recommend a halfling bard (awfully weak, if very cute) but I don't think any race is truly unworkable. Choose what you want. Okay, okay, put down your calculators. Giantkin, half-elves and elves will do best. Now, you train.

Your Weapon
The cheapest weapon skills for a bard are edged and polearms. Edged is the easiest and most common choice for all classes and allows you to use swords, daggers and funky things with pointy ends. Since a bard has to spend some time (development points) on magic and "utility skills" it's not usually possible to learn more than one weapon class at a time. Edged weapons are cheap and easy to use and have the added benefit of allowing you to use a shield. They require that you engage the opponent at melee range. Polearms do slightly more damage, but most of them require that you have both hands free (no shield, in other words.) However, when the Engagement System comes in, you'll be able to attack from the front (not melee) rank, a slightly safer position. If you train in polearms, the extra points add up, meaning you'll have to sacrifice some of the other skills. Always, ALWAYS train twice in your weapon of choice. That's your main offensive skill. While sitting around Town Square singing silly songs about the cleric who married a rolton to a wolverine is more fun than fighting, it's a fact that you'll be constantly faced with rabid sheep, angry rats and ugly looking kobolds. Be prepared, and be as good as you can. That means double-training.

Armor - this one's your decision. You can train a little bit (4 or 8 times) and wear relatively light armor, or you can continue training throughout your life and be able to handle sturdier protection. If you don't train in it and you wear anything heavier than light leather, it will take longer to swing your weapon. Recommended: single training. Note on armor: Bards should not wear helms or other headgear, since it's awfully hard to sing effectively when your mouth is stuck inside a tin pail. In other words, it makes it much more likely that your spellsongs will fail. Shield Use - this is NOT required to use a shield. Any shield will provide +20 to defense (and magical shields more!) However, training in shield use will increase the benefit of a shield. If you're an edged user, it's highly recommended. Not bad for those polearm users who find a weapon that can be wielded one handed, either. Recommended: Single train whenever possible if you use a shield.

Multi-Opponent Combat - this is very expensive for a bard. You might want to consider putting it off until you're older. If you're set on being a warrior-bard at the cost of spells, by all means, go ahead. Recommendation: Wait on it.

Physical Training - this increases hit points. Don't forget about it. When you're a little older and you're short on points, it's safe to skip every so often. Recommended: single train only, until you've reached the maximum.

Ambush - this allows you to leap out from hiding and attack. You'll need to train in it and in stalk and hide for many years before it's effective, but it can provide a certain edge. If that's your style, do it. If not, skip it.

Summary:Double train in edged or polearms (or ranged). Single train in: armor, combat manuevers, shield (if applicable) and physical training.

Mana Share: Wait on this a few levels. It's a very handy thing to have, since it allows you to share power with other people. ("Quick! Start singing Cay's Song!" "But I don't have enough mana!" ::zap:: "Oh. Now I do.") It's also fairly expensive. Save those extra mental points and pick up a rank every few levels, unless you're a truly selfish type.

Magic Item Use & Spell Aim: Don't bother. Okay, bother if you really want to. But most wands either contain sorcerer spells, and require knowledge of MORE sorcerer spells to cast well, or mage spells, which require spell aim to be of any use. Since you can only single train in spell aim (a mage's equivalent to your edged training) you'll never really be any good at it and it's not cheap. If you do decide to do it, for style, remember that the magic item skill "tops out" at around 130. I think it's 130, check the manual. Same deal with scroll reading.

Scroll use: This is not-too-expensive and kind of neat. I don't have it, since I use the more expensive polearm skill, but it's a nice option. Enough scroll skill lets you read (surprise!) scrolls and cast spells outside of your own list. You don't need to train every level, as it will "top out" like the Magic Item Use skill does. Once you can read every scroll in the land without a chance of failure, there's just no getting better.

Summary: Single train in spells. All others are a matter of taste.

First Aid: This is another handy skill. I train in it about every other level, which is less than some and more than others. It allows you to bandage up bleeding wounds and also to skin those valuable pelts for later sale to the Furrier. You can, however, skip it entirely. Up to you. Recommended: Train occasionally, until you have enough to stop that leaking head wound.

Perception: Don't leave home without it. In fact, you often can't GET home without it. Perception helps you find hidden trapdoors, openings, and creatures. It also protects you from pickpockets. I can't always afford to train in it, but I give it my best shot. Recommendation: Try to single train every level.

Lockpicking & disarming: Up to you. You'll never be as good as a professional, but it can be handy. I rely on the Unlock spell and some disarming training (Disarming isn't very reliable and it doesn't work on some traps), but I also have a lot more mana than your average 7th-14th level character, which is the earliest you'll have the Unlock spell. If you want to be able to open chests (an occupation which provides experience and tips) at the expense of first aid or another skill, go ahead. Since you have access to the enchantments on Minor Elemental that up your skill (3rd and 4th MinorE spells), you could be fairly good at it. Otherwise, make friends with a rogue and remember to tip well. Recommendation: Up to you.

Trading: This may be replaced. In the meantime, it gets you discounts at shops and some merchant events.

Picking Pockets: Er... no comment. But be careful not to get caught, since you won't be very good.

Summary:Recommended: Climbing, Swimming, First Aid, Perception. Don't try to do 'em all at once, you might strain something.