Bard and how to fix it.

[Syll]

I've played BRD in melee range before when we were doing runs with 3-4 ranged and it feels much less restricting than the bow wizard that we have now.
It's the usual bard playstyle just packed into a smaller space, but it doesn't break the bard skill flow unlike the cast-bars do.

I do agree that if SE would implement melee restrictions that it should be as someone else mentioned earlier.
Rather have bard do less dmg the further away they are than no dmg at all if out of melee.

As for what SE's problem is with the old bard, I can only assume here, but my bet is they'r having a hard time balancing mechanics around a class that can keep moving without loosing their rotation without nerfing the class into the ground.

I was suggesting that it get the +30% damage while in melee range, and lose it out of melee range;

to Sucht: As Snowaeth says, its SE's attempt at balancing mechanics around a mobile, ranged class. Given the choice I would rather lose the ranged component, than the mobile one.

Of course something that did neither would be better still; but being mobile and ranged is what most detractors level at bard for why they must be penalized.