Dude, let's just say that you've embarrassed yourself pretty badly with the "advice" given here and also previously on topic of wiz8 (it was you who once said psionic is the best class in the game, wasn't it
) and I know very well that going into posting exchange with you will not be nearly as entertaining as arguing about the nitty gritty of classes with DraQ and other individuals who actually, obviously played the game a lot and with whom I used to postwall and let's leave it at that. Unless we get an independent panel of experts to clear up which is better: melee bard or ranger with 80 int, 60 str and lvl up points put into realms as soon as they appear
Discuss!
One of us has tested both options, and it isn't you.
Have you ever even occupied the first box? Just because something is unconventional doesn't make it wrong.
My Ranger doesn't need as much STR because it's hitting debuffed mobs, which means it's also hitting and penetrating more often which is more skill-ups. The higher the INT the higher Alch goes up meaning more cash*, better items (including Viper Arrows which are +3 and Poison which makes the mob -2/-2 AB/AC). I also train him on +4 Precision Arrows. With debuffs and a good tank in front box you've got more time per fight to get skills. With skills you can switch to high damage items (or Special Arrows) for spiking hard foes.
Scouting and Mythology get points until Alch shows up at which time pts go there and to the schools. Both Alch and Ranged Combat hit 75 very fast which frees up pts to backfill other skills as necessary. High Scout and Myth early means better items earlier, more times for skill to trigger to skill it up, and better ID of mobs, which is better debuffs, which is more hits and penetrates, which is more points.
* - Bard going all-in on Communication multiplies the income generated by fast Alch leveling, and that cash also goes to early spellbooks at Umpani which means better Magic, and training, for team.
As for melee Bard, SPD isn't the controlling attribute for anything it cares about, but SEN *is* and they both add the same amount of intitiative, so I want to max SEN, which unlocks Eagle Eye, so ranged is best fit, especially since DEX is controlling attribute for Music while STR isn't. I'm not dumping STR, it's what I use for Stamina, but SEN and DEX are higher priorities along with decent INT.
Psi is a blast to play (as of course is Alch or Mage) and all-Magic party has been shown to get there fine too. That should be uncontroversial. I just like the Piety Bishop, Fighter (or Rogue) tank, Ranger utility, Omni Gadge, Ranged Bard line-up with a wild card slot to do what you want with**. Rogue should have at least 60 STR though or it won't spike well (that is a mistake I made). Modern Weapons has same controlling attributes as Dagger but doesn't combo well with Poison/Thieves Daggers. Artifacts do.
** - basically designing to maximize efficency of my time/minimize grinding
I can explain what I'm doing, can you? Not embarassed in the least. Played the game a lot myself and tried different stuff. Others have honed the traditional approaches.