PDA

View Full Version : Bard Bands? [D&D 3.5, Bard-related]



strawberryman
2010-05-18, 10:31 PM
Well, obviously.

Anyhow, I was wondering if there are any more, well... fitting rules for group performances aside from aid another. The maximum number of 2 people, as well as the measly +2 bonus, don't really click with me as to how a musical group (or, rock band :smallwink:) works.

So, anyone have any knowledge on this, or am I going to need to make up some rules? :smalltongue:

holywhippet
2010-05-18, 10:53 PM
What exactly are you trying to make the group accomplish? A high perform check? Keep in mind a real band is only as good as it's worst performer - even if the singer and guitarists are fine it will sound bad if the drummer is out of tempo or just doing whatever.

In general you'd not expect a band to be made up of bards - most of them would be just minstrels with no magical skills.

In game terms I'd just provide a small bonus or penalty based on the skill level of the other performers.

strawberryman
2010-05-18, 10:55 PM
Synergistic abilities. And yes, they will all be bards. :smalltongue: Using bardic music in tandem, that kind of thing.

holywhippet
2010-05-18, 11:23 PM
I'd be hard pressed to say you can use bardic music in that fashion. For one thing, not all bard songs involve a perform check - just a minimum level of perform ranks. For another, I just don't know if you can add an assist bonus for perform checks made for using bardic music. It would be like giving an assist to a wizard casting fabricate - the magic is coming from them, you really shouldn't be able to enhance it.

pasko77
2010-05-19, 02:28 AM
That's a nice idea :)
Maybe you can house-rule that bard songs somewhat enhance by synergy.
Let's say, bonus given is the highest bonus given by single elements + half of the other bonuses.
Example: 2 level 8 bards give +3. 3 level 1 bards give +2. One level 8 plus 2 level 1 singing together give +3 and so on.

Altair_the_Vexed
2010-05-19, 05:11 AM
To be generous, cause it's a bit of specialist application, I'd rule that you can get multiple differing effects (up to whatever your bards can normally achieve) , but everyone's performance check also acts to give an aid another bonus.

So if you had a group of four 3rd level bards, you could do Inspire Competence, Inspire Courage, Fascinate and Countersong, all with +2 per supporting performer.

Heliomance
2010-05-19, 05:43 AM
No, no, no. With four bards, you do Inspire Courage, Dragonsfire Inspiration (Sonic), Dragonsfire Inspiration (Acid), and Dragonsfire Inspiration (Electricity).

Draz74
2010-05-19, 12:14 PM
No, no, no. With four bards, you do Inspire Courage, Dragonsfire Inspiration (Sonic), Dragonsfire Inspiration (Acid), and Dragonsfire Inspiration (Electricity).

Or, for a little less crazy, do Inspire Courage, Dragonfire Inspiration (any), Inspire Greatness, and some special song granted by a PrC or feat (e.g. Snowflake Wardance?).

The Glyphstone
2010-05-19, 12:39 PM
No, no, no. With four bards, you do Inspire Courage, Dragonsfire Inspiration (Sonic), Dragonsfire Inspiration (Acid), and Dragonsfire Inspiration (Electricity).

Darn, you beat me to it. Make them all Bardadins with Snowflake Wardance, while we're at it, and create a new definiton for 'heavy metal'.

Once we get into PrC levels, Warchanter can supply Inspire Recklesness or Inspire Legion, and they'll all dip Seeker of the Song after level 10 for Twin Song.

Ranos
2010-05-19, 12:46 PM
No, no, no. With four bards, you do Inspire Courage, Dragonsfire Inspiration (Sonic), Dragonsfire Inspiration (Acid), and Dragonsfire Inspiration (Electricity).
Holy ****. This would make a party of bards the deadliest and awesomest party ever. Now we just need them to summon captain planet.

Lev
2010-05-19, 01:18 PM
I made a homebrew class (unposted) a while ago called rhythmist, basically a bard variant kind of like how Wiz uses Int for spells and sorc uses Cha, Rhythmist uses Int and Wis for skills and abilities yet has no spells. Has elements of mind reading and sonic effects, but they don't require spells or anything so its perfect if your DM hates magic or psionics and sets up lots of anti-whatever fields.
Also, the main idea was that if a bard was already in the party, you could play a Rhythmist and boost his perform skill quite effectively (+10-15 when maximized).
Rhythmists are more like watchmakers, perfect time keepers than actual bards, but they tap into the universal pulse and do stuff just by keeping time, pretty cool stuff.

WoodenSword
2010-05-19, 01:20 PM
My DM once had a night of no encounters, but we Slam-Danced to a group of Bards, who played metal. We all leveled up, but couldn't hear a darn thing the next meeting

Darcy
2010-05-19, 01:34 PM
They would also need a Barbarian roadie, a Cleric manager and a Wizard accountant.

The Glyphstone
2010-05-19, 02:48 PM
They would also need a Barbarian roadie, a Cleric manager and a Wizard accountant.

Don't forget the Artificer techie who keeps their equipment in good shape.