Bard

Bards combine magic, martial ability, and music in battle. Their wide array of knowledge and skill allows them to assist their allies even when not in combat, making them extremely versatile. Bards typically learn a good bit of arcane magic, though not as much as a dedicated wizard. Their bard songs can embolden their friends or enfeeble their foes. Because of this versatility, bards can fulfill most roles in a party, but they often lack the specialization needed to excel in any one of them. Bards are well-known for being both knowledgable and highly persuasive and may make a good candidate to speak on a party's behalf.

Classes

Troubadours, the default bard
Balladeers, psychic bards that use mentalist spells instead of wizard spells
Harpers, bards that have abandoned martial training in exchange for higher-level arcane magic
Minstrels, religious bards that use cleric spells instead of wizard spells
Skalds, barbaric bards with weaker magic but superior fighting prowess
Snake Charmers (Gorgons only), bards that tame giant snakes to assist them in battle

Recommended Prestige classes

Maestros of War
Ascendant Taari
Chosen Ones
Cyborgs
Living Legends
Vampire Lords