Well, first of all it works right from the start, and is quite dependable (at least assuming you have a high Cha and have maxed-out your perform skill). You can fascinate monsters, humanoids, demons, whatever. Spiders in Delko Grove got you webbed? No problem... fascinate till all your party breaks free. Two giant crayfish coming for you? Fascinate one while the rest of your party ganks the other. Bandit leader corners your squishy mage? Fascinate him while you take down the rest of the band. There are so many times where you can get blind-sided in ToEE with your party in a shambles and flatfooted, and fascinate is like hitting the reset button. It allows you to simplify the tactical equation so you can get control. AND it just keeps getting harder and harder to resist each time your bard levels up.

True! I just love it more and more, especially now, when fascinate can be used on multiple targets (up to 4 or 5, great disabling move), also makes them helpless (prone to sneak attacks). Generally I tend to open fight with fascinate and/or Inspire courage. Maxing Perform skill on bard is a must, and so is increasing charisma (higher spell's DC, more spells, easier UMD checks and talking), especially if one is designed to be a party caster/leader (well, that's obvious).

Generally I find bard very enjoyable character (much better than in old, vanilla game), with only a few downsides - lacking higher level spells, only two songs being really useful (Inspire courage and Inspire heroics, first one being universal party/dmg buff; I was trying to use Song of freedom in Vodyanoi fights to negate their confusion ability, but it wasn't effective) and so-so fighting potential (but not that bad tank, actually).

this is how you bard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx8hrhBZJ98

i feel the bonus to attack rolls ans saving throws