Petra, i fully recommend the change
I am playing a template similar to yours with peacemaking instead of evaluating intelligence.
For me, the true fun began, when i left the path of the musically spell slinger and took the path of the true bard.
To run both songs most of the time his equipment (armor, spellbook & shield) is focused on MR (plus LRC, max. resists, LMC). Therefore plus reduced upkeep costs like Logrus stated, i havent missed MR (and SR) from focus so far.
It lacks the amounts of spell damage increase (and mana to spend) a descent "damage caster" should have and casting direct damage spells becoms unefficient.
But such a bard is not unarmed. Mindblast (where eval is not calculated in), EVs are still useful beside disco attack songs, (bonded) vollems (in a crystal) and fire horn. I like and use the fire horn alot. Its my "(small) area spell" for low tier mass destruction (champ spawns etc). This mass flame strike (target self) kills also his character copys at Medusa, Baracoon adds, Scalis eels etc. Being skilled in peacemaking adds to the fire horn damage.
(For the fire horn damage: Was the calculation changed?
Vex stated long ago, provocation was responsible for 5/7th of the damage done, disco and provo each account for 1/7th of the overall damage. The
calculator on Stratics shows different results. )
Some targets counter attack and interrupt your songs. In this case, i prefer the healing route by invigorate, (up to 13-22(?) HP (7-16 basic plus boni) each 4 seconds for party people in range) plus additional greater heals (which leads to looting rights in most of the cases.
When the fight bares tough-to-survives damage spikes like Boss area attack (e.x. Corgul, which is often followed by a second one, Rikktor etc.) preservance can be a life saver for all in range.
(btw. Defense Chance Increase of a max bards perseverance is indicated with 30)
Tamer should love you anyway.
The reduction of poisoning, bleed, mortal, curse effects Logrus decribed are also very welcome. I never use orange petals or cure(potions), the songs effect kicks in fast enough. On very rare occassions, an additional masscure is enough.
(When i play him solo, i love to provo, disco and peace fire horn blowing in the middle of a spawn running both peace songs in most of the cases)
And there is peacemaking itself. Peacing a hard hitter (even bosses) helps alot. May the mages para Slasher, you can peace him... Ressing in the heat of a (no area damage) fight? Area peace saves enough time for an invis of the ressed. Leading a group through through a dangerous area? Have them running with you and area peace on..