Please change Parry AC as follows

[AstralUniverse]

A pure dex bard is not an optimal build by any means and I think that's the only character this ASF penalty would apply to. Why not just give them this? Are the buckler industry's lobbyists so strong they're pushing this legislation through?

A pure dex bard can run around a battlefield, screwing up the enemy team pretty bad. Taunting them all, being as annoying as possible, curse song, mord scrolls (easy with +15 lore vs scrolls from bard) etc. At least mediocre ac (which it already isnt mediocre, and is actually pretty high) OR a symbolic 5% ASF keeps it under control a bit as it offers a weakness.

[Gouge Away]

I don't really agree, that's more an annoyance than a weakness and it's on a character who may strengthen a party but can't do much on their own (which seems to be something devs encourage.) They're still going to get 19 out of 20 spells off if even they don't swap shields and a bard barely has 20 spells to cast to begin with. Just seems like "let them have it" territory to me, it's such a niche build that only ROGUE and maybe one other person are gonna play anyway. I can't even believe I myself care enough to post about it TBH.

[R0GUE]

I don't really agree, that's more an annoyance than a weakness and it's on a character who may strengthen a party but can't do much on their own (which seems to be something devs encourage.) They're still going to get 19 out of 20 spells off if even they don't swap shields and a bard barely has 20 spells to cast to begin with. Just seems like "let them have it" territory to me, it's such a niche build that only ROGUE and maybe one other person are gonna play anyway. I can't even believe I myself care enough to post about it TBH.

Thanks for the support... I think?