Bard


Above all, a bard is a performer. He may wander or stay in one place, but he always seeks to perform for someone, somewhere. Bards are more than just simple minstrels, though. They have a certain gift that allows them to weave supernatural effects into their performance, creating effects both splashy and discreet.

Abilities: Charisma is important for bardic abilities. They use the 3/4 table for base attack bonus, the low table for Fort saves, and the high table for Ref and Will saves.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d6

Skill Points: 6 + Int modifier

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: Bards are proficient with all simple weapons, plus any one of the following: rapier, sap, whip. They are proficient with light armor.

LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial
1+0+0+2+2Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Gift, Countersong, Bardic Performance
2+1+0+3+3-
3+2+1+3+3Bardic Special Ability
4+3+1+4+4-
5+3+1+4+4bonus feat
6+4+2+5+5-
7+5+2+5+5-
8+6/+1+2+6+6Bardic Special Ability improves
9+6/+1+3+6+6-
10+7/+2+3+7+7bonus feat
11+8/+3+3+7+7-
12+9/+4+4+8+8-
13+9/+4+4+8+8Bardic Special Ability improves
14+10/+5+4+9+9-
15+11/+6/+1+5+9+9bonus feat
16+12/+7/+2+5+10+10-
17+12/+7/+2+5+10+10-
18+13/+8/+3+6+11+11Bardic Special Ability improves
19+14/+9/+4+6+11+11-
20+15/+10/+5+6+12+12-

Bardic Knowledge: A bard picks up a great deal of stray knowledge while wandering the lands and learning stories from books and other bards. A bard may make a special bardic knowledge check with a bonus equal to his INT modifier plus his level to see whether or not he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. The check will not reveal an item's actual powers, but may give hints to its general function. The Take 10 and Take 20 rules may not be used with this check, as the knowledge is essentially random.

Bardic Gift: For any instance that would normally require a Perform skill check, the bard instead uses his Bardic Gift modifier. This is equal to his Cha modifier + his level + 3. For a bard, the Perform skill is similar to the Speak Language skill. It is used to designate what performance types and which Bardic Performance Abilities the bard is familiar with. Each rank purchased in that skill must have either a declared performance type (such as chanting, tap dancing, or lute) or a declared Bardic Performance Ability (see below). A bard also uses the Bardic Gift for Bardic Performance checks.

Countersong: A bard can interfere with spellcasting. By performing in some fashion that includes a sound component, such as singing or instrument playing, a bard can make spellcasting with verbal components more difficult. The Bardic Gift DC to inflict a -1 penalty to Spellcaster checks is 10. For every 5 by which the check exceeds the DC, an additional -1 penalty is assessed. Spellcasters within 30 feet of the bard can be affected as long as they can hear the performance. Alternatively, the bard can direct his performance up to 75 feet away in a 90 degree arc. Using this spell-like ability is a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

Bardic Performance: A bard has a number of performance points per day equal to his level + Cha modifier. These points can be used to power a performance with spell-like abilities. Each ability costs one point per use and is a move-equivalent action. A bard may take any other action except another Bardic Performance ability while using it that does not impede his performance. Any creature to be affected must be able to perceive the performance - an auditory-only performance cannot affect a deaf creature. Unless otherwise noted, all abilities remain active as long as the bard performs, for up to 1 minute per level.

A bard begins at 1st level knowing how to use one Bardic Performance Ability for free. For each rank he puts into the perform skill, he can learn a new one. This rank does not grant an extra performance style. The DM may require that a bard learn a new ability from another bard who already knows it. In this case, a total of at least 8 hours must be spent discussing the ability with the teaching bard, partaking in no other activity except overland movement or eating.

All abilities are automatically successful without any roll. However, a bard can try to increase the effect by rolling a Bardic Gift check. If the check result is 20 or higher, the ability functions normally and may be augmented. If the check result is 10-19, the ability fails and the performance point is wasted. For check results below 10, the performance point is still spent, but the bard has unwittingly caused some kind of negative effect appropriate to the ability being attempted. For example, a bard failing disastrously at Call of The Wild may instead summon something that cannot be controlled and immediately attacks him. A bard failing disastrously at Soothing Song may inflict damage upon himself. Regardless of how poorly the bard fails at the check, he can stop the performance immediately and begin a new one the next round, though the negative effect continues for the maximum possible duration. If a bard's Bardic Gift modifier is at least 10 + the increment of an ability, he may use the incremental effect once without rolling. Likewise, if the modifier is at least 10 + 2x the increment, he may use it twice without rolling, and so on.

For any ability that affects an unwilling target, the Will save DC is equal to the bard's Cha modifier + 1/2 bard level(round up) + 10, unless he rolled the check, in which case it is equal to the check result. Unless otherwise noted, a successful Will save negates the effect, and the bard may stop the ability and restart the next round to try affecting the same creature. The maximum range and area of effect is 30 feet from the bard. The bard can affect himself.

Bardic performance abilities have two criteria: increment and style. Increment refers to how much you must exceed 20 by on your Bardic Gift check to gain additional benefits. If the increment is 3, then you gain the additional benefit once for a result of 23, twice at 26, 3 times at 29, and so on. Style refers to what performance styles are allowed for invoking the ability. Anything not falling under what is listed may not be used to call up that ability. The types are Vocal (singing, chanting), Instrument (lute, harp), Audible (anything with a sound component), Any.

Bardic Performance Abilities are subject to distraction by spells, damage, or motion. Use the Concentration skill as normal, counting the number of increments added as spell level. Bardic abilities cannot be identified using Spellcraft, but they can be dispelled, with all bard levels counting as caster levels.

Special Ability: At 3rd level, a bard may choose one special ability from this list: Stage Fighting, Extraordinarily Charming, Theatrical Acrobatics.

Bonus Feats: A bard gains one bonus feat per 5 levels (5th, 10th, etc.). He may take any feat he qualifies for.

Bardic Special Abilities
Stage Fighting: Bards are masters at the art of delivering well-timed taunts and jibes along with the stroke of a weapon. A bard can use his quick wit to cause a creature to pause and consider his words, losing its Dex bonus to AC for the bard's first attack that round. It is a swift action to use this ability and the bard may not be performing any other vocal activity (such as singing for a Bardic Performance Ability). This has no effect on creatures with an Int score of 6 or less, or on creatures that do not understand the language used. The bard may draw the barbs out, using a move-equivalent action to taunt the creature instead of a swift action. This enables one other attacker to take advantage of the creature's lowered defenses for a single attack, instead of the bard. The other attacker must make his attack after the bard's initiative, but before the end of the round. Any given creature can be affected by this ability only once per combat. At 8th level and every 5 levels thereafter, one additional attack per round may be affected by this ability. If the bard uses a swift action, only his own attacks may be affected. If he uses a move-equivalent action, he may designate any attacks by any creatures that otherwise meet the criteria for this ability.
Extraordinarily Charming: A bard can affect one creature for 1 day per level, making them view him as a trusted ally, and if appropriate to the creature's race and sexual orientation, as a romantic interest. Only one person may be affected by this ability at any given time, and any creature subjected to it is entitled to a Will save to resist with a DC of 10 + Cha modifier + 1/2 bard levels (round up). The target will view the bard according to her own personality, but anything the bard suggests will be seen in the most favorable light. A target may not actively try to pervert his words, but can still misunderstand and carry out instructions poorly. When the effect ends, the target makes an additional Will save. Those that fail are not aware that their reactions were manipulated. Those that succeed understand exactly what happened to them. This effect may not be ended prematurely, but it can be dispelled, with all bard levels counting as caster levels. At 8th level and every 5 levels thereafter, the bard may have one additional person under his spell at any given time.
Theatrical Acrobatics: Jumping and tumbling are second nature to performers. When making Tumble checks to move through areas, a bard ignores the -10 penalty for accelerated tumbling. Additionally, when tumbling through areas with enemies, he may make attacks of opportunity against them as if they had entered his threat zone. He is still limited to the normal number of attacks of opportunity per round. Bards also gain a +4 bonus to Jump checks and ignore the first 10 feet of jumping when calculating how far they have moved. At 8th level and every 5 levels thereafter, the bard may ignore 5 additional feet when jumping, and tumble 5 feet farther than his speed would normally allow.

Bardic Performance Abilities
Allegro
Increment: 4
Style: Instrument
Grant one creature a +10 foot increase to its base speed. If the creature's normal unmodified base speed is doubled by this increase, it gains one additional partial action every turn. This happens again when the creature's speed is tripled, quadrupled, and so on. For each increment, either affect one additional creature or increase the base speed bonus by +10 feet.
Call of the Wild
Increment: 3
Style: Vocal
You can summon one or more creatures of type animal whose combined CR is no greater than 1. A new command can be given once per round, but the animal will understand only simple instructions. If no command is given, it will follow you around and defend you. For each increment, add 1 to the maximum total CR you can summon. When you stop performing or the duration ends, the animal disappears after acting.
Dissonance
Increment: 5
Style: Any
Cause one creature to behave erratically, changing its action every round randomly (d8): act normally, do nothing, attack the nearest creature (but never the victim's own familiar or animal companion), wander away, flee at top speed from you, attack you, rummage through his own belongings, sit down/stand up. This ability lasts as long as you continue performing, up to 1 round per level. For each increment, you can affect an additional creature.
Fortissimo
Increment: 2
Style: Audible
You inflict 1d4 points of sonic based damage upon a creature. For each increment, you can either increase the damage by +1d4 or affect one additional target.
Inspire Competence
Increment: 5
Style: Any
Grant a +2 competence bonus to any single skill for one person. Some applications of this ability may not be appropriate, such as chanting to assist Move Silently. For each increment, you can either increase the bonus by +2 or affect one additional creature. You can keep this ability active as long you continue performing, up to 2 minutes.
Inspire Fear
Increment: 4
Style: Any
Cause one creature to become frightened. A creature that succeeds at its Will save is instead shaken. For each increment, you can affect an additional creature.
Inspire Mirth
Increment: 3
Style: Any
Cause one creature to begin laughing or dancing for no reason. Laughter imposes a -1 circumstance penalty to all die rolls. Dancing uses a creature's move-equivalent action each round. For each increment, you can do any one of the following: increase the penalty for laughing by 1, affect one additional target, cause one target to also go prone, negate one target's shield bonus to AC, reduce one target's effective Dex score by 2 (you can do this multiple times to the same target).
Harmony
Increment: 4
Style: Any
One creature has its attitude automatically shifted to Friendly towards you. If a creature is already Friendly, this ability makes them Helpful. You cannot affect the same creature more than once at a time (a creature made Friendly by this ability cannot then be made Helpful by an additional application). When the effect ends, the creature is aware that its reactions were altered and remembers everything that happened. This ability lasts as long as you perform, plus 2 minutes, but no longer than 2 minutes plus 1 minute per level. For each increment, you can either affect an additional creature or extend the duration by 1 minute after your performance ends.
Legato
Increment: 4
Style: Any
Convince a creature that what you are saying is true, even when it is clearly false. By using this ability, the target creature will believe any one statement you speak, even if there is evidence to the contrary. For example, you could tell a guard that he’s already seen your papers when he knows he hasn’t, or that the warrant he’s holding doesn’t have your name on it. This ability actually changes what the creature thinks is true. Until it is presented with new evidence showing the suggestion to be false, it believes it to be true. Once this ability ends, the original evidence reveals the truth. If the guard who wants to see your papers has a ledger where he checks off when he’s seen them, he will know you lied as soon as he examines the ledger. Likewise, the next time that guard looks at the warrant after this ability ends, he will see that it clearly does have your name. For each increment, you can either add a second false statement or increase the duration once you stop playing by 1 minute.
March of the Warrior
Increment: 4
Style: Audible
Grant a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls to all allies. For each increment you can do any one of the following: increase any one bonus granted by this ability by +1, add a +1 morale bonus to Will saves, add +1 damage to each person's first attack each round, +1 temporary hit die for each person.
Modulation
Increment: 4
Style: Any
This ability causes one detrimental effect upon the recipient to be suppressed, regardless of the source of that effect. This ability also prevents the subject from being affected by the particular type of effect for its duration. Effects that can be suppressed include exhaustion, fatigue, frightened, morale penalty, shaken, panicked, paralyzed, dazed, stunned. Similar effects may be suppressed at the DM's discretion. If the effect has a duration, time spent under this ability counts against it. When your performance ends, any effect with remaining duration immediately re-affects the target with no additional saves allowed. For each increment, you can do one of the following: affect one additional creature, suppress one additional condition, negate one condition already being suppressed by this ability.
Lullaby
Increment: 3
Style: Audible
One creature falls into a magical, dreamless sleep. The slumbering creature cannot be awakened until you end your performance, unless it takes damage. Should the creature take even 1 point of damage, the effect ends immediately. This is a magic sleep effect. For each increment, you may affect one additional creature.
Ode to the Night
Increment: 4
Style: Audible
Improve the quality of rest for one creature. The creature is able to recover from wounds or fatigue and regain spell or performance points with one hour less rest time. A creature affected by this ability may instead rest in medium or heavy armor without penalty. Your performance must last at least 1 minute and no activity may be performed after it is completed other than resting. If the rest period is interrupted, normal rules apply, and the effect is not longer active. You can use this ability again in this case, but no further reduction in rest time occurs (the total reduction for the whole night's requirement is 1 hour). For each increment, you can either affect one additional creature or increase the time reduction by 1 additional half-hour. Regardless of how much time you are able to reduce the required rest period by, all creatures must rest at least one hour per day.
Siren Song
Increment: 5
Style: Vocal
Soothe one creature into a trancelike state. The creature cannot take any action other than to stare at you with a glazed look and follow you around like a lost puppy. Should the creature be attacked by anyone besides you, the creature is entitled to a new Will save with a +4 bonus. If you attack the creature, the effect immediately ends. While under this effect, a creature is not considered helpless, but it is flat-footed. For each increment, you may entrance one additional creature.
Soothing Song
Increment: 4
Style: Audible
You can heal 1d6 hit points of damage to one creature. For each increment, you can heal an additional 1d6 hit points. Your performance must continue for one minute to be effective.
Weave Illusion
Increment: 2
Style: Instrument
You can create an illusion that occupies no more than one 2 foot cube. The illusion can have any one component from this list: visual, auditory, thermal, olfactory, tactile, or taste. The illusion lasts for as long as you continue performing plus 1 minute, but no longer than a total of 1 minute plus 1 minute per level. The illusion can be set to perform a specific sequence of actions, which cannot be changed once begun. If you instead control it directly, the concentration required to maintain the illusion takes your standard action for each round. A creature interacting with the illusion may disbelieve it by making a Will save with any modifier the DM deems applicable. A creature that makes its Will save can grant a +4 circumstance bonus to other creatures' Will saves to disbelieve by using a move-equivalent action to explain its nature. Once an illusion is disbelieved, a creature knows what it is and can see through it, though the illusion itself remains for the duration of the ability. For each increment, you can either add another component or an additional 2 foot cube to your illusion.





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