Figgin of Chaos
2009-06-26, 09:05 PM
Thunderchord
I'm gonna play the lightning, baby!
-Rylar Icaliporann
Not all bards are content with the tame sounds of an old lute and rambling tales of heroes long dead; some live in the moment, screaming their passionate anthems to the world. The bravest of these musicians seek out what shares their wild, roaring fury: Thunderstorms. The lucky ones are infused with electricity, amplifying the power of their music to match the tempests in their hearts. These legendary bards are called Thunderchords.
Requirements:
Alignment: Any Chaotic
Skills: Perform (Guitar) 13 Ranks, Perform (Sing) 13 Ranks
Bardic Music
Thunderchord
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Path, Body Breakdown
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|Hammerfall
4th|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4|
5th|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4|Rings of Fire
6th|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5|
7th|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5|Thunderstrike
8th|
+4|
+2|
+6|
+6|
9th|
+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|Stormsong Elemental
10th|
+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|Encore
11th|
+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|Opera of Tempests[/table]
Skills (4+Int Mod): Bluff (Cha), Craft (Guitar) (Int), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)
Hit Dice: d6
Path: The Thunderchord pursues music with his soul, not just his mind. This flavors the way his music is played and what feelings it inspires. Sometimes called "Path Songs", the songs which are accessible to the Thunderchord depend on alignment. There are two Paths: The Stairway to Heaven and the Highway to Hell.
{table=head]Path|Alignment|Songs
Stairway to Heaven|
Chaotic Good or Chaotic Neutral|
Inspire Courage, Inspire Competence, Inspire Greatness, Inspire Heroics
Highway to Hell|
Chaotic Evil or Chaotic Neutral|
Instill Fear, Encourage Failure, Dishearten, Drain Prowess[/table]
Bard & Thunderchord levels stack for getting songs from the current path & for determining uses per day. If the Thunderchord ever changes alignment, his path & songs change accordingly.
Body Breakdown (Su): Every additional round the Thunderchord spends using a song on his path, the bonus increases by 1 to a maximum increase equal to his class level. The Thunderchord may stop the increase at any time, or start un-intensifying the song on his action, since he can't stop Body Breakdown automatically. Instead, he must first decrease (by 1 per round) the song's bonus. The lightning-infused music courses through the Thunderchord, electrocuting him and fracturing his bones. At the end of every round playing the song, the Thunderchord takes damage as shown on the following table:
{table=head]Round (of Bardic Music)|
Damage|
Additional Bonus
1st|
0|0
2nd|
1d4|1
3rd|
1d6|2
4th|
1d8|3
5th|
1d10|4
6th|
2d6|5
7th|
3d6|6
8th|
4d6|7
9th|
5d6|8
10th|
6d6|9
11th|
6d8|10[/table]
The damage can't be reduced. At the cost of a use of Bardic Music, the Thunderchord may choose to start at a specific bonus if he succeeds a Perform check DC 28+the bonus. If he fails, he starts at 1 and takes 1d10 damage.
Lyrics: Over the roar of his instrumentals, the Thunderchord imbues his songs with powerful vocals, inspired by the Thunderchord's experiences. Any number of lyrics can be used per verse, but each lyric replaces a point of the Body Breakdown bonus. Lyrical effects remain as long as the Bardic Music they accompany, unless replaced by others.
The Thunderchord prepares a number of lyrics each day equal to his class level, and may choose to give up any number of levels of spells for that day in favor of an equal number of additional lyrics.
Bonuses and penalties from lyrics are Morale effects. These are but a handful of possible lyrics:
{table=head]Lyric|
Effect on allies (Stairway to Heaven)|Effect on enemies (Highway to Hell)
Love/Hate|
Bonus from Aid Another increases to 5|Gain no bonus to hit for flanking
Dance/Trip|
+2 to Ref Saves|-2 to Ref Saves
Live/Die|
+2 to Fort Saves|-2 to Fort Saves
Peace/War|
+2 to Will Saves|-2 to Will Saves
Defy/Surrender|
+1 to all Saves|-1 to all Saves
Magic|
+2 to Spell DCs|-2 to Spell DCs
Yes/No|
+2 to an Ability Score|-2 to an Ability Score
Tough/Weak (Element)*|
+5 resistance to a chosen element|Weakness of 5 to a chosen element
Storm (Element)*|
+3 weapon damage of a chosen element|Suffer 1d6 damage of a chosen element.
Iron/Rust|
+2 to AC|-2 to AC
Honor/Betrayal|
+4 to AC against attacks of opportunity|-4 to AC against attacks of opportunity
Win/Lose (Skill)|
+3 to a chosen skill|-3 to a chosen skill
Success/Fail|
+1 to all skills|-1 to all skills
Hope/Fear|
+4 to saves against fear|-4 to saves against fear
Blood|
Gain 1d6 temporary HP|Lose 1d6 HP
Speed/Sloth|
Increase movement rate by 10 ft.|Decrease movement rate by 10 ft.
Strength/Weakness|
+3 to Grapple checks|-3 to Grapple checks
Chaos|
Rolls of 11 on a d20 are automatic successes|Rolls of 13 on a d20 are automatic failures[/table]
*Represents an assortment of lyrics, each using a different element.
Hammerfall (Su): The 3rd level Thunderchord makes a Perform (Guitar) to play a power chord, and smash his guitar over his opponent’s head as a normal attack, with a bonus determined by the Perform check:
A result of 19 or lower grants a bonus of 1.
A result of 24 grants +2, increasing by 1 per 4 points higher, +3 at 28, +4 at 32, etc, with a maximum of +11 at 64.
It deals 1d10 damage + Strength + nd6 (n = current bonus from Body Breakdown) worth of additional damage. The damage is bludgeoning. This ends the current song, but the bard can equip a new guitar as a swift action.
Thunderstrike (Sp): The songs of a Thunderchord positively crackle with energy. By expending a use of Bardic Music when already using Body Breakdown, the 5th level Thunderchord can (once per day, twice per day at 10th level) call this energy into bolts of lightning. A number are called equal to the Thunderchord's class level, each of which can target only one 5ft square, and each deals as much damage as the Thunderchord has taken that battle (Reflex for half), half-electric, half-sonic.
Rings of Fire (Sp): The 7th level Thunderchord strums with the fury of a dragon, causing the sound-waves to ignite the air around them. The fire deals damage equal to that which the Thunderchord is taking from Body Breakdown, to everyone and everything along the edge of a circle around the Thunderchord, with a radius chosen by the Thunderchord and verified by a DC(intended radius) Perform (Guitar) check. Failed even results go that many feet too far, while failed odd results go that many feet too close.
Songstorm Elemental: When the 9th level Thunderchord plays the appropriate chords (by expending two bardic music uses) he creates a being of raw electricity and music, an Elder Storm Elemental (pg 49 MMIII), 1d2 Greater Storm Elementals, or 1d4+1 Huge Storm Elementals, which stays as if it had been summoned by a Summon Monster Spell. Though the Thunderchord may extend the effect by another use of Bardic Music & dismiss the summoning at any time, the Thunderchord can only use his music & can not use Songstorm Elemental again while the elemental/s are summoned.
Encore (Su): A soul which is this drenched in music can hear the applause of the afterlife when he dies. This means, to the Thunderchord, that the world is dying for more. Thus if he dies in battle, on he next turn he comes back as a glorious avatar, with 11 uses of Bardic Music, only able to use Music (including features of this class) and the max bonus he can get from Body Breakdown. This spectral self lives until the battle ends, at which point the spirit disappears in a flash of lightning.
Opera of Tempests: To complete his long way to the top, the Thunderchord must accomplish a number of extraordinary tasks: First he must assemble a Soul Guitar, with strings from the hearts of six increasingly powerful dragons, a legendary sword for a neck, and a body made of wood from a treant, willingly given. Second, he must arrange the vibrant emotions of his soul into an opera that will make the sky itself cry for more. Third, he must play the opera, calling down a thunderstorm. At the climax of the opera, the Thunderchord is simultaneously struck dead by a bolt of lightning and fused to his Soul Guitar. He rises to play an Encore that never truly stops until the Soul Guitar is destroyed, because it is the Thunderchord. The Thunderchord's stats are determined by six Perform (Guitar) checks (using the CHA score the Thunderchord had before the Opera), and rerolled in the same fashion each day.
I'm gonna play the lightning, baby!
-Rylar Icaliporann
Not all bards are content with the tame sounds of an old lute and rambling tales of heroes long dead; some live in the moment, screaming their passionate anthems to the world. The bravest of these musicians seek out what shares their wild, roaring fury: Thunderstorms. The lucky ones are infused with electricity, amplifying the power of their music to match the tempests in their hearts. These legendary bards are called Thunderchords.
Requirements:
Alignment: Any Chaotic
Skills: Perform (Guitar) 13 Ranks, Perform (Sing) 13 Ranks
Bardic Music
Thunderchord
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Path, Body Breakdown
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|Hammerfall
4th|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4|
5th|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4|Rings of Fire
6th|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5|
7th|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5|Thunderstrike
8th|
+4|
+2|
+6|
+6|
9th|
+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|Stormsong Elemental
10th|
+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|Encore
11th|
+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|Opera of Tempests[/table]
Skills (4+Int Mod): Bluff (Cha), Craft (Guitar) (Int), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)
Hit Dice: d6
Path: The Thunderchord pursues music with his soul, not just his mind. This flavors the way his music is played and what feelings it inspires. Sometimes called "Path Songs", the songs which are accessible to the Thunderchord depend on alignment. There are two Paths: The Stairway to Heaven and the Highway to Hell.
{table=head]Path|Alignment|Songs
Stairway to Heaven|
Chaotic Good or Chaotic Neutral|
Inspire Courage, Inspire Competence, Inspire Greatness, Inspire Heroics
Highway to Hell|
Chaotic Evil or Chaotic Neutral|
Instill Fear, Encourage Failure, Dishearten, Drain Prowess[/table]
Bard & Thunderchord levels stack for getting songs from the current path & for determining uses per day. If the Thunderchord ever changes alignment, his path & songs change accordingly.
Body Breakdown (Su): Every additional round the Thunderchord spends using a song on his path, the bonus increases by 1 to a maximum increase equal to his class level. The Thunderchord may stop the increase at any time, or start un-intensifying the song on his action, since he can't stop Body Breakdown automatically. Instead, he must first decrease (by 1 per round) the song's bonus. The lightning-infused music courses through the Thunderchord, electrocuting him and fracturing his bones. At the end of every round playing the song, the Thunderchord takes damage as shown on the following table:
{table=head]Round (of Bardic Music)|
Damage|
Additional Bonus
1st|
0|0
2nd|
1d4|1
3rd|
1d6|2
4th|
1d8|3
5th|
1d10|4
6th|
2d6|5
7th|
3d6|6
8th|
4d6|7
9th|
5d6|8
10th|
6d6|9
11th|
6d8|10[/table]
The damage can't be reduced. At the cost of a use of Bardic Music, the Thunderchord may choose to start at a specific bonus if he succeeds a Perform check DC 28+the bonus. If he fails, he starts at 1 and takes 1d10 damage.
Lyrics: Over the roar of his instrumentals, the Thunderchord imbues his songs with powerful vocals, inspired by the Thunderchord's experiences. Any number of lyrics can be used per verse, but each lyric replaces a point of the Body Breakdown bonus. Lyrical effects remain as long as the Bardic Music they accompany, unless replaced by others.
The Thunderchord prepares a number of lyrics each day equal to his class level, and may choose to give up any number of levels of spells for that day in favor of an equal number of additional lyrics.
Bonuses and penalties from lyrics are Morale effects. These are but a handful of possible lyrics:
{table=head]Lyric|
Effect on allies (Stairway to Heaven)|Effect on enemies (Highway to Hell)
Love/Hate|
Bonus from Aid Another increases to 5|Gain no bonus to hit for flanking
Dance/Trip|
+2 to Ref Saves|-2 to Ref Saves
Live/Die|
+2 to Fort Saves|-2 to Fort Saves
Peace/War|
+2 to Will Saves|-2 to Will Saves
Defy/Surrender|
+1 to all Saves|-1 to all Saves
Magic|
+2 to Spell DCs|-2 to Spell DCs
Yes/No|
+2 to an Ability Score|-2 to an Ability Score
Tough/Weak (Element)*|
+5 resistance to a chosen element|Weakness of 5 to a chosen element
Storm (Element)*|
+3 weapon damage of a chosen element|Suffer 1d6 damage of a chosen element.
Iron/Rust|
+2 to AC|-2 to AC
Honor/Betrayal|
+4 to AC against attacks of opportunity|-4 to AC against attacks of opportunity
Win/Lose (Skill)|
+3 to a chosen skill|-3 to a chosen skill
Success/Fail|
+1 to all skills|-1 to all skills
Hope/Fear|
+4 to saves against fear|-4 to saves against fear
Blood|
Gain 1d6 temporary HP|Lose 1d6 HP
Speed/Sloth|
Increase movement rate by 10 ft.|Decrease movement rate by 10 ft.
Strength/Weakness|
+3 to Grapple checks|-3 to Grapple checks
Chaos|
Rolls of 11 on a d20 are automatic successes|Rolls of 13 on a d20 are automatic failures[/table]
*Represents an assortment of lyrics, each using a different element.
Hammerfall (Su): The 3rd level Thunderchord makes a Perform (Guitar) to play a power chord, and smash his guitar over his opponent’s head as a normal attack, with a bonus determined by the Perform check:
A result of 19 or lower grants a bonus of 1.
A result of 24 grants +2, increasing by 1 per 4 points higher, +3 at 28, +4 at 32, etc, with a maximum of +11 at 64.
It deals 1d10 damage + Strength + nd6 (n = current bonus from Body Breakdown) worth of additional damage. The damage is bludgeoning. This ends the current song, but the bard can equip a new guitar as a swift action.
Thunderstrike (Sp): The songs of a Thunderchord positively crackle with energy. By expending a use of Bardic Music when already using Body Breakdown, the 5th level Thunderchord can (once per day, twice per day at 10th level) call this energy into bolts of lightning. A number are called equal to the Thunderchord's class level, each of which can target only one 5ft square, and each deals as much damage as the Thunderchord has taken that battle (Reflex for half), half-electric, half-sonic.
Rings of Fire (Sp): The 7th level Thunderchord strums with the fury of a dragon, causing the sound-waves to ignite the air around them. The fire deals damage equal to that which the Thunderchord is taking from Body Breakdown, to everyone and everything along the edge of a circle around the Thunderchord, with a radius chosen by the Thunderchord and verified by a DC(intended radius) Perform (Guitar) check. Failed even results go that many feet too far, while failed odd results go that many feet too close.
Songstorm Elemental: When the 9th level Thunderchord plays the appropriate chords (by expending two bardic music uses) he creates a being of raw electricity and music, an Elder Storm Elemental (pg 49 MMIII), 1d2 Greater Storm Elementals, or 1d4+1 Huge Storm Elementals, which stays as if it had been summoned by a Summon Monster Spell. Though the Thunderchord may extend the effect by another use of Bardic Music & dismiss the summoning at any time, the Thunderchord can only use his music & can not use Songstorm Elemental again while the elemental/s are summoned.
Encore (Su): A soul which is this drenched in music can hear the applause of the afterlife when he dies. This means, to the Thunderchord, that the world is dying for more. Thus if he dies in battle, on he next turn he comes back as a glorious avatar, with 11 uses of Bardic Music, only able to use Music (including features of this class) and the max bonus he can get from Body Breakdown. This spectral self lives until the battle ends, at which point the spirit disappears in a flash of lightning.
Opera of Tempests: To complete his long way to the top, the Thunderchord must accomplish a number of extraordinary tasks: First he must assemble a Soul Guitar, with strings from the hearts of six increasingly powerful dragons, a legendary sword for a neck, and a body made of wood from a treant, willingly given. Second, he must arrange the vibrant emotions of his soul into an opera that will make the sky itself cry for more. Third, he must play the opera, calling down a thunderstorm. At the climax of the opera, the Thunderchord is simultaneously struck dead by a bolt of lightning and fused to his Soul Guitar. He rises to play an Encore that never truly stops until the Soul Guitar is destroyed, because it is the Thunderchord. The Thunderchord's stats are determined by six Perform (Guitar) checks (using the CHA score the Thunderchord had before the Opera), and rerolled in the same fashion each day.