Hot take: Bards in Shadowdark should be non-magical.

I've never really vibed with the idea of Bards as spellcasters because it just seems odd. Aside from a handful of characters directly inspired by the D&D class (Scanlan Shorthalt), the concept seems fairly absent in a lot of fantasy, to the point where even earlier Elder Scrolls games (up to and including Oblivion) had Bards as a "martial" class.

With all that in mind, why couldn't the Bard be a non-magical utility class? They get to pick like, one or two weapons to be proficient with, can play a multitude of instruments, have some sort of bonuses in social encounters, and maybe a feature that allows them to try and distract enemies with their masterful taunts or obnoxious performances?

If anyone wants to share their thoughts on this concept, or if they just want to tell me why my opinion is wrong or something, please leave a comment. :)