PDA

View Full Version : Bard Redux



Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-12, 12:16 AM
Bard
Alignment: Any.
Skills: As standard bard.
Hit Die: d6.
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+0|+0|+2|+2|Bardic performance, bardic knowledge
2nd|+1|+0|+3|+3|~
3rd|+2|+1|+3|+3|~
4th|+3|+1|+4|+4|~
5th|+3|+1|+4|+4|Bonus feat
6th|+4|+2|+5|+5|~
7th|+5|+2|+5|+5|~
8th|+6/+1|+2|+6|+6|~
9th|+6/+1|+3|+6|+6|~
10th|+7/+2|+3|+7|+7|Bonus feat
11th|+8/+3|+3|+7|+7|~
12th|+8/+3|+4|+8|+8|~
13th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+8|~
14th|+10/+5|+4|+9|+9|~
15th|+11/+6/+1|+5|+9|+9|Bonus feat
16th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|~
17th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|~
18th|+13/+8/+3|+6|+11|+11|~
19th|+14/+9/+4|+6|+11|+11|~
20th|+15/+10/+5|+6|+12|+12|Bonus feat[/table]

Class Features
Bardic Performance: The bard can make a number of performances equal to her bard level per day.

Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action unless otherwise specified. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using bardic music that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell campletion (such as scrolls), spell trigger (such as wands), or command word. If a bard's primary Perform skill is sound-based, a deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use bardic performance. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his daily limit.

At 1st level, a bard learns 3 performances, and she learns an additional performance every level thereafter. Performances are selected from this list.
{table="head"]Performance|Prerequisites
Countersong|Perform 3 ranks
Fascinate|Perform 3 ranks
Inspire Courgae|Perform 3 ranks
Inspire Fear|Perform 3 ranks
Mimicking Song|Perform 3 ranks
Draining Performance|Bard 2, Perform 5 ranks
Refreshing Performance|Bard 2, Perform 5 ranks
Double Time|Bard 3, Perform 6 ranks
Renew Energy|Bard 3, Perform 6 ranks
Counterperformance|Bard 4, Perform 7 ranks
Emerging Talent|Bard 4, Perform 7 ranks
Song of Learning|Bard 4, see text
Dance of Battle|Bard 5, Perform 8 ranks
Involving Storyteller|Bard 5, Perform 8 ranks
Encourage Failure|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Dread|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Hope|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Toughness|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Sound of Silence|Bard 6, Perform (sound-based) 9 ranks
Suggestion|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Warning Shout|Bard 6, Perform (sound-based) 9 ranks
Distracting Performance|Bard 7, Perform 10 ranks
Inspire Resilience|Bard 7, Perform 10 ranks
Inflame the Righteous|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks
Persuasive Song|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks
Singing Shout|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks
Dishearten|Bard 9, Perform 12 ranks
Inspire Recklessness|Bard 9, Perform 12 ranks
Convert the Unfaithful|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks
Sustaining Song|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks
~|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks
~|Bard 11, Perform 14 ranks
~|Bard 11, Perform 14 ranks
Dirge of Binding|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
Inspire Awe|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
Jarring Song|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
~|Bard 13, Perform 16 ranks
~|Bard 13, Perform 16 ranks
Song of Fury|Bard 14, Perform 17 ranks
~|Bard 14, Perform 17 ranks
Discourage Legion|Bard 15, Perform 18 ranks
Inspire Legion|Bard 15, Perform 18 ranks
Mindbending Melody|Bard 16, Perform 19 ranks
~|Bard 16, Perform 19 ranks
Revealing Meldoy|Bard 17, Perform 20 ranks
~|Bard 17, Perform 20 ranks
Drain Prowess|Bard 18, Perform 21 ranks
~|Bard 18, Perform 21 ranks
~|Bard 19, Perform 22 ranks
~|Bard 19, Perform 22 ranks
~|Bard 20, Perform 23 ranks
~|Bard 20, Perform 23 ranks[/table]
Countersong (Su): A bard with at least 3 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can counter magical effects that depend on sound or vision (but not spells that simply have verbal components). Each round of the countersong, he makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic, pattern, or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic, pattern, or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Countersong has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. The bard may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds.
Fascinate (Su): A bard with at least 3 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and able to pay attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability. To use the ability, a bard makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the song, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (up to a maximum of 1 round per bard level). While fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the bard to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result.

Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Courage (Su): A bard with at least 3 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear or see the bard perform. The effect lasts for as long as the ally perceives the bard performing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Fear (Su): A bard with at least 3 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can inspire fear in his enemies, opening them to fear and weakening their combat abilities. To be affected, an enemy must be able to hear or see the bard perform. The effect lasts for as long as the enemy perceives the bard performing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected enemy receives a -1 morale penalty on saving throws against fear effects and a -1 morale penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this penalty increases by 1 (-2 at 8th, -3 at 14th, and -4 at 20th). Inspire fear is a mind-affecting, fear ability.
Mimicking Song (Sp): A bard with at least 3 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can imitate the natural sounds of the environment around him, granting all allies (including himself) within 30 feet a +2 bonus on Move Silently checks. This bonus increases by 2 for every five bard levels you have (to a maximum of +10 at 20th level). Ths effect lasts as long as the bard performs.
Draining Performance (Su): A bard of 2nd level or higher with at least 5 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can drain one of an enemy's abilities. The target must be within 30 feet of the bard, and must be able to see and hear the bard. The bard selects one ability he has seen the target use, which must be an ability usable a only certain number of times per day. The bard then attempts a Perform check opposed by the target's Will save. If the Perform check is successful, the target loses 1d4 daily uses of the selected ability. Spell slots cannot be lost as a result of this ability. This is a mind-affecting ability.

At 4th level, and every 4th level thereafter, a bard who knows this performance drains an additional daily use when successfully using this ability.
Refreshing Performance (Su): A bard of 2nd level or higher with at least 5 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can refresh one of an ally's abilities. The target must be within 30 feet of the bard, and must be able to see and hear the bard. The bard selects one ability he has seen the target use, which must be an ability usable a only certain number of times per day. The bard then attempts a Perform check opposed by the target's Will save, which the target may elect to fail as normal. If the Perform check is successful, the target regains a daily use of the selected ability. Expended spell slots cannot be regained in this manner. This is a mind-affecting ability.

At 4th level, and every 4th level thereafter, a bard who knows this performance grants an additional daily use when successfully using this ability.
Counterperformance (Su:) A bard of 4th level or higher with at least 7 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can negate the effect of another bard's performance. The opposing bard must be within 60 feet, and the bards must be able to see and hear each other. In order to suppress his opponent's performance, the bard must succeed on an opposed Perform check (use whichever Perform skill each has the most ranks in) in the round he activates this performance, and maintain concentration on this performance on subsequent rounds.
Emerging Talent (Ex): A bard of 4th level or higher with at least 7 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can take an hour performing to grant himself and his allies a +1 bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks for the next 24 hours. Additionally, the bard may make a Perform check as part of this performance; at the end of it, he receives 2 times the amount normally indicated. This performance can only be used once per day, and only when in an established community.

At 8th level, the bonus increases to +2, and the money received is 4 times normal. At 12th level, the bonus increases to +4, and the money received is 8 times normal. At 16th level, the bonus increases to +8, and the money received is 16 times normal. At 20th level, the bonus increases to +16, and the money received is 32 times normal.
Song of Learning (Ex): A bard of 4th level or higher with at least 7 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance learns one spell which is not normally on the bard spell list. The maximum level spell a bard can learn is one less than his highest spell level. The bard needs 7 ranks in perform to learn a 1st level spell, plus an additional three ranks per additional spell level (thus to learn a 2nd level spell, he would need 10 ranks in Perform). To learn a spell from the Cleric list, he needs a number of Knowledge (Religion) ranks equal to the required number of Perform ranks. To learn a Druid spell, he needs an equal number of Knowledge (Nature). To learn a Sorcerer/Wizard spell, he needs an equal number of ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).
Dance of Battle (Ex): A bard of 5th level or higher with at least 8 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can lead his allies in a wheeling, changing dance that helps them avoid blows and keeps them from leaving themselves vulnerable. The bard's allies (including himself) within 30 feet who can see and hear him gain a +1 dodge bonus to their AC, and can't be denied their Dex bonus to AC by any means short of total immobilization while this effect continues. The dodge bonus granted by this performance increases by 1 at 10th level, and again every 5 levels thereafter. This is a sonic, pattern effect.
Involving Storyteller (Su): A bard of 5th level or higher with at least 8 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can weave an illusionary vision for a person he has fascinated, making them oblivious to the world about them. The bard can show the person anything which he has seen, or can vividly imagine. To the subject, it will seem as though they are actually experiencing it. The bard can choose to make the person feel as though they are a neutral observer, or an active participant of the story which is unfolding. During this time, the target automatically fails any sensory checks (Listen, Spot, and Search) and is completely oblivous to anything that goes on around him, up to and including shoving and/or shaking him. This affect can be negated by a Will save against a DC equal to the bard's Perform check. Any attack which causes damage, even nonlethal damage, will instantly break the effect, and the target must make a Will save (DC 15) or be stunned for one round as his surroundings abruptly snap back to reality. Using this ability does not break the bard’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect. Successfully saving against this effect does not break the fascinate effect. Since the subjects of this ability are still fascinated, the bard can use his suggestion ability on the targets of this effect without ending this effect.

When the bard is able to fascinate multiple targets, he may affect all his fascinated targets with one use of this ability, although all of them will have exactly the same view in the vision. At level 15, his control improves, and each person can have a different view of the same vision.
Encourage Failure (Su): A bard of 6th level or higher with at least 9 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can cause an enemy to fail at a task. The enemy must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the enemy. If the target fails a Will save (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Charisma modifier), he takes a -2 penalty on all rolls for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Dread (Su): A bard of 6th level or higher with at least 9 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can inspire hopelessness in enemies within 30 feet. This ability imposes a -4 penalty on Will saves on all enemies within 30 feet who can see and hear the bard. This ability requires a full-round action to active and requires concentration each round to continue the effect. The effect lasts for as long as the bard performs and for three rounds thereafter. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Hope (Su): A bard of 6th level or higher with at least 9 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can inspire spiritual resilience in allies within 30 feet. This ability gives the bard and all allies who can see and hear his performance a +4 competence bonus on Will saves. This ability requires a full-round action to active and requires concentration each round to continue the effect. The effect lasts for as long as the bard performs and for three rounds thereafter. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Toughness (Su): A bard of 6th level or higher with at least 9 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can impart a certain resilience to his allies (including himself). Allies who can hear and see the bard receive +2 temporary hit points per class level of the bard producing this effect. At 9th level and above, affected allies also gain the benefits of the Diehard feat. This ability lasts for as long as the bard performs and for 5 rounds thereafter.
Suggestion (Sp): A bard of 6th level or higher with at least 9 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can make a suggestion (as the spell) to a creature that he has already fascinated. Using this ability does not break the bard’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect. Making a suggestion doesn’t count against a bard’s daily limit on bardic music performances. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language dependent ability.
Inspire Resilience (Su): A bard of 7th level or higher with at least 10 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can to inspire resolution and endurance in an ally, granting a +4 competence bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves, as well as DR 5/-. The ally must be within 30 ft and able to see and hear the bard, and the bard must be able to see the ally. This effect lasts as long as the bard performs, and for 1 minute thereafter. After this effect ends, the ally is fatigued. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Inflame the Righteous (Su): A bard of 8th level or higher with at least 11 ranks in a Perform skill and 5 ranks in Knowledge (religion) who learns this performance can invoke the power of a deity and wreath himself and any of his allies within 30 feet in divine flame. Each target of this ability is affected as if by a fire shield spell, using the bard’s class level as the caster level. However, the flame produced by this effect is purely divine and not subject to a creature’s resistance or immunity to fire. This ability requires a full-round action to activate and concentration each round to continue the effect. This effect lasts as long as the bard performs and for 3 rounds thereafter.
Persuasive Song (Ex):A bard of 8th level or higher with at least 11 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can sway the attitude of his audience. Treat this as a Diplomacy check, but replace the Diplomacy check with a Perform check. All targets must be within 30 feet of the bard, be able to see and hear him clearly, and be willingly paying attention to his actions. This ability requires at least 10 rounds of consecutive concentration to take effect, and it can affect a particular creature only once per day. Creatures with a relationship of Personal Foe or Nemesis with regards to the bard cannot be influenced with this ability.
Singing Shout (Su):A bard of 8th level or higher with at least 11 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can let out a singing shout as a standard action. All allies (including herself) within 60 feet of the bard at the time of the shout gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength for a number of rounds equal to ½ the bard’s class level.
Dishearten (Su): A bard of 9th level or higher with at least 12 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can dishearten a single enemy within 30 feet, causing the enemy to cower against even the weakest foe. For every three bard levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can affect one additional creature with this ability. To dishearten, a bard must perform and the enemy must hear or see the bard perform for 1 full round. The enemy can attempt a Will save (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Charisma modifier); if he fails, he takes a -4 penalty on saving throws and AC. This effect lasts as long as the enemy hears or sees the bard perform and for 5 rounds thereafter. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Recklessness (Su): A bard of 9th level of higher with at least 12 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can inspire a dangerous but effective ferocity in an ally within 60 feet (or himself). This effect lasts for as long as the bard performs and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally (or the bard himself) gains the ability to decrease his Armor Class by up to her base attack bonus and add that number to her melee attack rolls as a morale bonus.

On her action, the affected character must choose to subtract a number from her Armor Class and add this number to her melee attack rolls (this number can be 0). The penalty to Armor Class and the bonus to attack rolls apply until the character’s next action. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Convert the Unfaithful (Su): A bard of 10th level or higher with at least 13 ranks in a Perform skill and 5 ranks in Knowledge (religion) who learns this performance can attempt to convert a single enemy within 30 feet. As a full-round action, the bard makes an impassioned performance specifically targeting a particular enemy, who must attempt a Will save (DC 10 + ½ bard’s class level + bard’s Charisma modifier). If he succeeds, he is shaken for 1 round. If he fails, he converts. Creatures with alignment subtypes cannot be affected by this ability.

A converted creature reacts to the bard as if the bard had cast charm monster on him and temporarily assumes the bard’s alignment and acts accordingly. This may mean that some of the creature’s abilities and spells may be temporarily unavailable to it.

When this ability’s duration (as that of charm monster) has elapsed, the affected creature then has a choice. It can continue to act according to its new alignment, or it can shift back. If it chooses to permanently change its alignment, it acts as if a cleric of the appropriate alignment had cast atonement on it. If the creature chooses to go back to its original alignment, it must make another saving throw (with the same DC as before). If it fails, its alignment changes back, but it needs an atonement spell to regain any abilities it lost as a result of the temporary alignment change. If it succeeds, it changes its alignment back and regains any lost abilities without the need for atonement. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Sustaining Song (Su): A bard of 10th level or higher with at least 13 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can sustain his dying allies, assisting their recovery. Each round that the song continues, all allies within 30 feet of him automatically become stable (if dying) or regain 1 wound point (if stable and between -1 and -9 wound points). A sustaining song has no effect on enemies or allies with 0 or more wound points. A bard can keep up his sustaining song for 5 minutes. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Dirge of Binding (Sp): A bard of 12th level or higher with at least 15 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can paralyze an opponent. The bard must be able to see the target, and the target must be able to see or hear the bard. If the opponent fails a Will save (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Charisma modifier), he is paralyzed. This effect lasts as long as the target can see or hear the bard.
Inspire Awe (Su): A bard of 12th level or higher with at least 15 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can inspire terror in his foes. To be affected, a foe must be within 60 feet of the bard and able to see and hear him. Foes get a Will save (DC 10 + ½ bard’s class level + bard’s Charisma modifier) to resist the effect. The severity of the effect depends on the difference between the foe’s Hit Dice and the bard’s level, as shown on this table.
{table="head"]HD Difference|Effect
10 or more|Foe is paralyzed
1 to 9|Foe is panicked
0 to -5| Foe is frightened
-6 or less|Foe is shaken[/table]
This effect lasts for as long as the foes can hear and see the bard and for 1 round thereafter. This is a mind-affecting, fear ability.
Jarring Song (Su): A bard of 12th level or higher with at least 15 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can inhibit spellcasting. Any enemy within 30 feet of the bard who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability during a jarring song must make a Concentration check with a DC equal to the bard’s Perform check to avoid losing the spell. A bard can keep up his jarring song for 10 rounds.
Song of Fury (Su): A bard of 14th level or higher with at least 17 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can turn his allies into furious berserkers. Each ally within 30 feet who can see and hear the bard can choose to enter a rage on her turn. This functions identically to a barbarian’s rage, except that it ends automatically if the bard stops performing. If the ally already already has the ability to rage, she can choose to apply the full effect of her own rage, without spending one of her daily uses of rage. A bard can’t use a song of fury on himself. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Discourage Legion (Su): A bard of 15th level or higher with at least 18 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can sow discord among his enemies and make them fight poorly. To be affected, an enemy must be within 60 feet of the bard and must be able to see and hear the bard. Only enemies who meet these requirements at the beginning of this ability are affected, and enemies who leave the area lose the effects of this ability and do not regain them if they reenter the area later. The effects lasts as long as the affected characters can hear and see the bard and stay within range.

When the bard activates this ability, determine the worstst base attack bonus among all the affected characters. All affected characters use this base attack bonus for the duration of the effect, and they take a -2 penalty on damage rolls as well. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Legion (Su): A bard of 15th level or higher with at least 18 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can unite his allies and make them fight better together. To be affected, an ally must be within 60 feet of the bard and must be able to see and hear the bard. Only allies who meet these requirements at the beginning of this ability are affected, and allies who leave the area lose the effects of this ability and do not regain them if they reenter the area later. The effects lasts as long as the affected characters can hear and see the bard and stay within range.

When the bard activates this ability, determine the best base attack bonus among all the affected characters. All affected characters use this base attack bonus for the duration of the effect, and they gain a +2 competence bonus on damage rolls as well. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Mindbending Melody (Sp): A bard of 16th level or higher with at least 19 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can dominate a humanoid that he has already fascinated. This ability functions like the dominate person spell with a caster level equal to the bard’s class level. The target can make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ bard’s class level + bard’s Charisma modifier) to negate the effect. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent, enchantment (compulsion) ability.
Revealing Melody (Su): A bard of 17th level or higher with at least 20 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can reveal all things as they really are. All allies with 30 feet who can see and hear the bard’s performance are affected as if by a true seeing spell with a caster level equal to the bard’s class level. The effect lasts as long as the bard performs.
Drain Prowess (Su): A bard of 18th level or higher with at least 21 ranks in a Perform who learns this performance can drain the capabilities of up to four enemies within 30 feet, weakening them. For every 3 levels a bard attains beyond 18th, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability. To be affected the enemies must be able to hear or see the bard’s performance. A creature that fails its Will save (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Charisma modifier) gains 2 negative levels. These negative levels remain as long as the affected creature can hear or see the bard. They never result in a permanent level loss.Bardic Knowledge: As the standard bard.
Spells: Charisma determines the bard's bonus spells per day and the save DCs of those spells. Intelligence grants the bard bonus spells known. Bards cast spells from their own spell list. Use the spell tables found in the PHB to determine the base number of spells a bard knows and can cast per day.
Bonus Feat: Every 5th level, a bard can take a metaperformance feat or a feat related to bardic music. A list of these feats is forthcoming.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-29, 05:33 PM
Bump, need more mid-level performance abilities.

Zeta Kai
2007-03-29, 05:40 PM
Could you please explain WHY you are remaking the bard? I'm not necessarily saying it shouldn't be done, but you should state why you disalike the current mechanics. Fighter? Join the club. Paladin? By all means. But whats wrong with the bard?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-29, 05:44 PM
I think it needs a bit of a boost to allow it to work as part of a four-member party, and I also think it should have more options for customizability.

Haruspex
2007-03-29, 06:08 PM
At 1st level the bard knows 3 performances and learns 1 more every level thereafter.

So assuming max ranks the bard can pick up countersong, fascinate, and inspire courage at 1st level, followed by inspire fear at level 2.

At level 3? There are no more performances that the bard can learn until level 6. Was this intentional, or are you going to fill in the gap later?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-29, 06:12 PM
I'm going to fill in the gap later, yes. That is, provided I can think up nifty abilities to fill the gap.

Maerok
2007-03-29, 09:01 PM
-Song of Violence: Incite a mob of CR up to HD - 2 (DMG 2).
-Ballad of Devils: Otto's irresistible dance and Tasha's hideous laughter
-Heavy Iron Style: Randomly makes listener's rage as a Xth-level barbarian.
-Exit Stage Left/Right (Exeunt): Dimension door for a bardic music use as a move action, allowing for other actions that round.
-Dance of the Immobile: Animate object.
-Bass Chord: Earthquake and shatter.
-C-Sharp: Create a blade of sound that penetrates DR for 1d6 rounds (Kung Fu Hustle style, with the musicians).
-Trippy: Mirage arcane (or hallucinatory terrain) and 1d4 major images.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-29, 09:08 PM
Those sound more like spells than performance abilities, and they're a bit high level than what I need.

I currently have no performances that for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 13th, 18th, 19th, and 20th levels, and I could use more performances for every level.

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-03-29, 10:57 PM
Involving Storyteller
Once a Bard has Facinated someone, he may weave an illusionary vision for them, making them oblivious to the world about them. The Bard may show the person anything which he has seen, or can vividly imagine. To the subject, it will seem as though they are actually experiencing it. The bard can choose to make the person feel as though they are a neutral observer, or an active participant of the story which is unfolding. During this time, the target automatically fails any sensory checks (listen, spot, and search) and is completely oblivous to anything that goes on around him, up to and including shoving and/or shaking him. Any attack which causes damage, even subdual, will instantly break the effect, and the target must make a Will save, DC 15, or be mentally stunned for one round as his surroundings abruptly snap back to reality.

When the bard is able to facinate multiple targets, he may affect all his facinated targets with one use of this ability, although all of them will have exactly the same view in the vision. At level 15, his control improves, and each person can have a different view of the same vision, however doing so increases the DC of the Perform check by 2 per additional view.

This can be used to relay messages or tell very vivid tales... and can also be used to trap listeners's minds in a net of woven music whilest a compatriat literally robs them blind.

magic8BALL
2007-03-29, 11:21 PM
Here's an idea... but first the storey behind the idea:

There is a relatively new gamer in our group. He likes to play bards. His first bard was pretty cool, but he didn't role play it very well, and all our PC's didn't really like his PC... ok... His next bard got cleaver: "why spend hard earned gold on an instrument when I have a spell to summon one..?"... well becouse instead of getting an instrument out you could be playing it... but thats ok... the third bard was rather poorly built. The concept was "why spend ranks on perform when I dont have an instument..?" You see the problem?

My point (at long last!) is that is a bit rought to have all your class abilities (bar spellcasting) skill dependent.

A solution: bards have 8 + Int mod skill points per level (x4 at 1st), but a least two of these skill points MUST be spent on Perform (any one, taken individually)

Tack that on the end of the skills section on this redux and I'm sold!

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-29, 11:21 PM
@ Shneekey: That's nifty.

Level and Perform ranks required?

@ Magic8ball: That seems to me to be more of a player problem than a class problem.

Fax Celestis
2007-03-29, 11:27 PM
A few ideas:

Resonating Tone: spend a performance to make construct susceptible to criticals and sneak attacks for the duration.

Arcane Loresong: spend X performances to regain a spent spellslot of X level. Alternatively, spend X performances to grant a party member a spent spellslot of X/2 level. Max X is 1/3 Class Level.

Song of Wind and Fury: Grant all allies within radius +X (morale) to Str, Dex, and Con (including self) for X rounds. X is equal to number of performances spent. Max X is 1/2 Class Level.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-29, 11:35 PM
More great ideas from one of the Playground's finest homebrewers! Excellent!

Merlin the Tuna
2007-03-29, 11:37 PM
I currently have no performances that for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 13th, 18th, 19th, and 20th levels, and I could use more performances for every level.Problem: If you get into "At 3rd level, the bard can ____" and "At 4th level, the bard can ____", you don't really have any customization, you just have a crapton of abilities. Take a page from the Warlock on this one -- make a few breakpoints, and force actual decision making.

I don't see a need for a bard to know 22 different magical songs, anyway. It's not like he spends the entire night inspiring courage when he goes to the inn.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-29, 11:47 PM
Ah, yes... I need to adjust the wording on those. Basically, at every level, a bard can learn a new performance, so I need to have options to pick from, ne?

Edit: There. Wording adjusted.

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-03-30, 03:29 AM
Hmmm... I was thinking requiring Perform at 8 ranks... which means 5th level, which isn't too bad. As far as the DC check, I was actually thinking it was a Perform check to do it rather than a saving throw. Basically, they're already facinated, so they're already open to suggestion, this just gives 'em a nudge further in that direction. I was thinking something like 10 + the Will save of the opponent (including any modifiers since this is an Enchantment/Charm effect). +2 DC per additional target. +2 DC for each additional viewpoint.

By the way, I noticed you removed the Suggestion ability. Why? It was pretty much the one thing I agreed completely about the Core Bard. I highly suggest it gets put back. Perhaps even give a bonus to the DC of the Suggestion if he's using this little skill first...

Kioran
2007-03-30, 03:53 AM
The one thing I don´t get about this is the "Redux" aspect. Because, apparently, "Redux" means "stack tons of swag upon it". I dunno, okay, I was taught Latin(which I expects isn´t quite as common stateside as it is in Germany), and I also read the spells list(which almost all of you have done).

Reduction is just that - taking parts away, either for the sake of simplification or to weaken. So a "Redux"-class would have, first and foremost, a lighter and more transparent portfolio of class features, not umptillion tons of new Stuff. The name is quite far off in that case......

I would also devote some timeto the skills. I´d like to think that they are not dead yet, swept aside by a swill of Spells and Features making them obsolete. Besides, I´m never a fan of simply increasing Power.

Zeta Kai
2007-03-30, 10:40 AM
Uh, Kioran, the author is using "Redux" in the sense of "Re-doing, to make over again." It has nothing to do with reduction.

Personally, I like this idea. It makes the bard's abilities more specific. The different performances will have to be carefully balanced to work properly though. Good luck, LIO.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-30, 12:11 PM
Funny you should mention Latin. I study it as well. Unless I miss my guess, redux, reductis (3rd declension) is derived from reduco, reducere, reduxi, reductus - to lead back. :smallbiggrin:

But anyway, Zeta Kai has it right. I'm using it to mean "a remaking" rather than a "reduction".

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-01, 12:06 AM
Added new performances

Eighth_Seraph
2007-04-01, 12:33 PM
Classes to play:
Iames' Reduxed monk (Campaign starts tomorrow)
Fax's How-It-Should-Be paladin
Iames' Reduxed bardSeriously, let me get one done before you move on. However, if anyone manages to balance the druid, I may have to change my priorities a bit. Looking very good so far, Iames; the bard is finally looking like the incredibly variable class it is; though I am very frightened by the lack if a specified spell list. Any player with a spell compendium and Complete Arcane is going to have a field day with that.

Fax Celestis
2007-04-01, 12:45 PM
It may be a broad spell list, but it only goes up to sixes and gets them much later than other classes do.

henebry
2007-04-01, 10:43 PM
You don't seem to have a separate tables for spells known and spells per day. Does that mean that the same table is used for both, but a different ability adj is applied (Int for spells known, Cha for spells per day)?

Worth noting that having a single table for both makes your Bard class different from any of the Core classes in the SRD (or any other splatbook I've read) The same can be said for granting extra spells known (as well as extra spells per day) for a good ability adj. Not sure this is a big deal, but always worth noting when a homebrew violates one of the apparently fundamental design principles of the system.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-02, 09:51 AM
You don't seem to have a separate tables for spells known and spells per day. Does that mean that the same table is used for both, but a different ability adj is applied (Int for spells known, Cha for spells per day)?

Worth noting that having a single table for both makes your Bard class different from any of the Core classes in the SRD (or any other splatbook I've read) The same can be said for granting extra spells known (as well as extra spells per day) for a good ability adj. Not sure this is a big deal, but always worth noting when a homebrew violates one of the apparently fundamental design principles of the system.

I knew I was forgetting something... I'll get to work on a Spells Known table...

Edit: On second thought, just use the PHB tables for that.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-04, 01:35 PM
Some feats that go with the bard...

Combine Performances [Metaperformance]
You can blend multiple performances together.
Prerequisites: Perform 13 ranks, 4 or more bardic performances.
Benefit: You can combine two or more kinds of bardic performance and provide the effects of all of them. You choose 2 or more performances and activate all of them using a single standard action. If any or all of them require concentration, you must maintain concentration on them by spending one standard action a round. The normal stacking rules for bonus types apply to performances combined using this feat. Using this feat requires the expenditure of a number of daily uses of your bardic performance ability equal to the number of performances you are combining.
Normal: You can only activate one bardic performance at a time.
Special: A bard may select this feat as one of his bonus feats.

Trapfinding [General]
You have studied the art of trapmaking and know how to find and disarm them.
Prerequisites: Craft (trapsmith) 4 ranks, Disable Device 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Search 4 ranks
Benefit: You can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

You can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

If you beat a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.
Normal: Only rogues can find traps with Search DCs over 20, and only rogues can use the Disable Device skill to disable magic traps.

Virtuoso Performance [Metaperformance]
Your ability to perform is so practiced that you can perform other tasks without breaking off your performance.
Prerequisites: Perform 10 ranks, 3 or more bardic performances
Benefit: Your bardic performances no longer restrict your spellcasting or magic item activation. Applying this feat requires the expenditure of an additional daily use of your bardic performance ability.
Normal: You cannot cast spells or activate magic items while maintaining a bardic performance.
Special: A bard may select this feat as one of his bonus feats.

Eighth_Seraph
2007-04-04, 04:35 PM
The Metaperformances are exactly what the bard needs to be competent, nicely done. We need to playtest the eight base classes against each when you're done with them, perhaps having round robin-style tournament like on the gaming boards. Just a thought.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-15, 07:31 PM
Bump. I need at least 2 performances for each bard level.

{table="head"]Performance|Prerequisites
Countersong|Perform 3 ranks
Fascinate|Perform 3 ranks
Inspire Courgae|Perform 3 ranks
Inspire Fear|Perform 3 ranks
Mimicking Song|Perform 3 ranks
Draining Performance|Bard 2, Perform 5 ranks
Refreshing Performance|Bard 2, Perform 5 ranks
~|Bard 3, Perform 6 ranks
~|Bard 3, Perform 6 ranks
~|Bard 4, Perform 7 ranks
~|Bard 4, Perform 7 ranks
Song of Learning|Bard 4, see text
Involving Storyteller|Bard 5, Perform 8 ranks
~|Bard 5, Perform 8 ranks
Encourage Failure|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Dread|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Hope|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Toughness|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Suggestion|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Resilience|Bard 7, Perform 10 ranks
~|Bard 7, Perform 10 ranks
Inflame the Righteous|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks
Persuasive Song|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks
Singing Shout|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks
Dishearten|Bard 9, Perform 12 ranks
Inspire Recklessness|Bard 9, Perform 12 ranks
Convert the Unfaithful|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks
Sustaining Song|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks
~|Bard 11, Perform 14 ranks
~|Bard 11, Perform 14 ranks
Dirge of Binding|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
Inspire Awe|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
Jarring Song|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
~|Bard 13, Perform 16 ranks
~|Bard 13, Perform 16 ranks
Song of Fury|Bard 14, Perform 17 ranks
~|Bard 14, Perform 17 ranks
Discourage Legion|Bard 15, Perform 18 ranks
Inspire Legion|Bard 15, Perform 18 ranks
Mindbending Melody|Bard 16, Perform 19 ranks
~|Bard 16, Perform 19 ranks
Revealing Meldoy|Bard 17, Perform 20 ranks
~|Bard 17, Perform 20 ranks
Drain Prowess|Bard 18, Perform 21 ranks
~|Bard 18, Perform 21 ranks
~|Bard 19, Perform 22 ranks
~|Bard 19, Perform 22 ranks
~|Bard 20, Perform 23 ranks
~|Bard 20, Perform 23 ranks[/table]

Zagreen
2007-04-15, 10:07 PM
Getting access to every spell and learning a new performance every level might be a little bit too much IMHO, but I like the structure of the class. Most of the additional songs in new supplements always cost feats the bard can't afford or else require certain races in order to take substitution levels.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-15, 10:16 PM
Here's the rub: he gains access to every spell - of 6th level or lower, and he does so much, much more slowly than the other casting classes.

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-04-16, 06:21 PM
Involving Storyteller (Su): A bard of 5th level or higher with at least 8 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can weave an illusionary vision for a person he has fascinated, making them oblivious to the world about them. The bard can show the person anything which he has seen, or can vividly imagine. To the subject, it will seem as though they are actually experiencing it. The bard can choose to make the person feel as though they are a neutral observer, or an active participant of the story which is unfolding. During this time, the target automatically fails any sensory checks (Listen, Spot, and Search) and is completely oblivous to anything that goes on around him, up to and including shoving and/or shaking him. Any attack which causes damage, even nonlethal damage, will instantly break the effect, and the target must make a Will save (DC 15) or be stunned for one round as his surroundings abruptly snap back to reality. Using this ability does not break the bard’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect. Making a suggestion doesn’t count against a bard’s daily limit on bardic music performances. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier) negates the effect.

When the bard is able to fascinate multiple targets, he may affect all his fascinated targets with one use of this ability, although all of them will have exactly the same view in the vision. At level 15, his control improves, and each person can have a different view of the same vision.
Bolded part is the part I question about. This seems copied/pasted from the suggestion section, and doesn't seem to fit. Although you might want to add that since the target is still facinated, a suggestion can still be planted while this effect is going on.

I'd suggest requiring a Performance Check DC each affected person's will save rather than allowing a Will Save, just because it's more in line with the Facinate ability, which this is built on, and seems more fitting to me.

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-04-16, 06:23 PM
Here's the rub: he gains access to every spell - of 6th level or lower, and he does so much, much more slowly than the other casting classes.

Yea, but then you'll be having Bards who chunk around Fireballs, and can cast Heal and Raise Dead. My suggestion is to keep the Bard's spell list from the PhB.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-16, 07:51 PM
Bolded part is the part I question about. This seems copied/pasted from the suggestion section, and doesn't seem to fit. Although you might want to add that since the target is still facinated, a suggestion can still be planted while this effect is going on.

I'd suggest requiring a Performance Check DC each affected person's will save rather than allowing a Will Save, just because it's more in line with the Facinate ability, which this is built on, and seems more fitting to me.

Fixed.


Yea, but then you'll be having Bards who chunk around Fireballs, and can cast Heal and Raise Dead. My suggestion is to keep the Bard's spell list from the PhB.

Yes; it was my feeling that this enhanced the "jack-of-all-trades" aspect of the class.

Perhaps a feat that allows them to learn spells from other class lists?

Or, I like this even better, they give up their performance slot for a level in order to learn a spell not found on the bard list?

Song of Learning: A bard who has 3 or more ranks in a Perform Skill can learn one spell from another class list of up to the highest spell level he can cast at the level when he takes this performance.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-18, 06:41 PM
Veni, vidi, offensi. What do people think? I can't make this work if people don't PEACH it.

Zagreen
2007-04-18, 10:14 PM
The problem with saying "they can learn any spell from any list" isn't just that they throw around Fireball and Heal (which isn't likely to be all that unbalancing, really) but they can also cast anything from any little specialty list, which can include some goofy stuff. I mean... bards casting paladin only spells seems kind of odd.

The "song of learning" idea isn't that bad. Maybe there should be different specific performances for different classes though, based on how "different" a list is. Like require 3 perform ranks to take a spell from the sor/wiz list, 8 ranks to learn a spell from the ranger list, 13 ranks to learn a spell from the cleric list, something like that.

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-04-18, 10:20 PM
The problem with saying "they can learn any spell from any list" isn't just that they throw around Fireball and Heal (which isn't likely to be all that unbalancing, really) but they can also cast anything from any little specialty list, which can include some goofy stuff. I mean... bards casting paladin only spells seems kind of odd.

The "song of learning" idea isn't that bad. Maybe there should be different specific performances for different classes though, based on how "different" a list is. Like require 3 perform ranks to take a spell from the sor/wiz list, 8 ranks to learn a spell from the ranger list, 13 ranks to learn a spell from the cleric list, something like that.

Or perhaps x ranks in Knowledge (religion) to take Cleric spells, Knowledge (Nature) to take Druid spells, Knowledge (arcana) to take wiz/sorc spells, PLUS that many ranks in Perform.

Also limit to one level lower than the highest level spell the bard can currently cast, and jack up the needed ranks so that if one maxes out ranks, they can just qualify for the next spell level's spells as they gain a spell level, letting them do it.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-18, 10:27 PM
I'm not quite sure what you're getting at in that last bit, Shneekey...

But basically, you guys are saying it should look like this:

Song of Learning: A bard who has 5 or more ranks in a Perform skill and 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature), or Knowledge (religion) can learn one spell from the wizard/sorcerer spell list (if he has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana)), the druid spell list (if he has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nature)), or the cleric spell list (if he has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion)) of up to the second highest spell level he can cast at the level when he takes this performance. Unlike other performances, a bard can take this performance multiple times; each time it allows him to learn an additional spell.

Right?

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-04-18, 11:00 PM
I'm not quite sure what you're getting at in that last bit, Shneekey...

But basically, you guys are saying it should look like this:

Song of Learning: A bard who has 5 or more ranks in a Perform skill and 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature), or Knowledge (religion) can learn one spell from the wizard/sorcerer spell list (if he has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana)), the druid spell list (if he has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nature)), or the cleric spell list (if he has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion)) of up to the second highest spell level he can cast at the level when he takes this performance. Unlike other performances, a bard can take this performance multiple times; each time it allows him to learn an additional spell.

Right?


Allow me to simplify:

Song of Learning: A bard who has at least 7 ranks in Perform can learn this song to learn one song which is not normally on the Bard's song list. The maximum level spell a Bard can learn is one less than his highest spell level. The bard needs 7 ranks in perform to learn a 1st level spell, plus an additional three ranks per additional spell level (thus to learn a 2nd level spell, he would need 10 ranks in Perform). To learn a spell from the Cleric list, he needs a number of Knowledge (Religion) ranks equal to the required number of Perform ranks. To learn a Druid spell, he needs an equal number of Knowledge (Nature). To learn a Sorcerer/Wizard spell, he needs an equal number of ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).

Reasons for the skill rank numbers:

Minimum level to cast a 2nd level spell is 4th level. A 4th level Bard can have up to 7 ranks in Perform. So, a Bard, who keeps his Perform maxed (no reason why he shouldn't), will qualify right as he hits the proper level. Likewise, every 3 additional levels, he gets a new spell level, so it goes up by 3 ranks. Requiring high levels of the Knowledge skills will help keep abusing this to a minimumm and provide opportunity for the Bard to be the 'I know what this is' machine that he is truely capable of being (being one of TWO classes which has ALL knowledge skills as class skills, and having enough skill points to be able to do something with them).

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-18, 11:32 PM
Thanks, that makes much more sense now.

Eighth_Seraph
2007-04-20, 10:17 PM
While I definitely like the idea of ranks in knowledge skills to qualify for spell lists, I honestly don't think that they should have to be maxxed for the effective level you want them to gain that spell level for. In other words, the required ranks in knowledge skills should be lower than the required Perform ranks, since keeping three knowledge skills (maybe four or even five depending on the campaign) maxed out will put a major cramp in the bard's UMD, Disable Device, Move Silently and Hide style. On the other hand, this forces careful character building and a thought out strategy, which is also a good thing.

Coherent version: Make the ranks in Knowledge (arcana/religion/nature) lower than that for Perform, maybe three quarters or even half, so that a bard can feasibly gain greater access to more spell lists.

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-04-20, 10:26 PM
While I definitely like the idea of ranks in knowledge skills to qualify for spell lists, I honestly don't think that they should have to be maxxed for the effective level you want them to gain that spell level for. In other words, the required ranks in knowledge skills should be lower than the required Perform ranks, since keeping three knowledge skills (maybe four or even five depending on the campaign) maxed out will put a major cramp in the bard's UMD, Disable Device, Move Silently and Hide style. On the other hand, this forces careful character building and a thought out strategy, which is also a good thing.

Coherent version: Make the ranks in Knowledge (arcana/religion/nature) lower than that for Perform, maybe three quarters or even half, so that a bard can feasibly gain greater access to more spell lists.

That depends on what sort of other spells you want. Keep in mind, a lot of the higher level Bard spells, ARE other people's much higher level spells. Irresistable Dance, for instance, is an 8th level Wiz/Sorc spell... but only a 6th level Bard spell.

I saw this as 'We don't have a party cleric, therefore the Bard needs to do the majority of the healing' situation. That bard then keeps Perform and Knowledge (religion) maxed, and grabs a few additional healing spells (like Restoration) from the Cleric list. Alternately, I could easily see a party having a GOOD tank, skillmonky, medicbox, and batman. So what is useful for a 5th party member? How about someone who knows everything about everything? He's got perform, a crapton of Knowledge skills all across the board, and has Bardic Lore as well. So he could see anything and go "Hey, I know what that is... that's a <whatever> which has <it's weakness>". He probably has enough ranks in Hide and Move Silently to at least not make himself a clutz (no more than four or five ranks at like 10th level or so), and maybe a couple of ranks tossed into spot/search/listen just for another person who has at least a chance to detect something, then the rest of his skill points are sunk into Knowledges, Diplomacy, and Perform. Maybe Bluff if he has a high Int.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-22, 09:27 PM
Ok, here are some ideas that I have...

Drain Ability (Su): A bard of 2nd level or higher with at least 5 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can drain one of an enemy's abilities. The target must be within 30 feet of the bard, and must be able to see and hear the bard. The bard selects one ability he has seen the target use, which must be an ability usable a only certain number of times per day. The bard then attempts a Perform check opposed by the target's Will save. If the Perform check is successful, the target loses a daily use of the selected ability. Spell slots cannot be lost as a result of this ability. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Beginning at 4th level, a bard who knows this performance can spend multiple daily performances in order to drain multiple daily uses from an enemy on a 1-for-1 basis.
Refresh Ability (Su): A bard of 2nd level or higher with at least 5 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can refresh one of an ally's abilities. The target must be within 30 feet of the bard, and must be able to see and hear the bard. The bard selects one ability he has seen the target use, which must be an ability usable a only certain number of times per day. The bard then attempts a Perform check opposed by the target's Will save, which the target may elect to fail as normal. If the Perform check is successful, the target regains a daily use of the selected ability. Expended spell slots cannot be regained in this manner. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Beginning at 4th level, a bard who knows this performance can spend multiple daily performances in order to grant multiple daily uses to an ally on a 1-for-1 basis.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-23, 10:54 PM
So what does everybody think? Too powerful for their level? Not powerful enough? Just right?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-24, 11:17 AM
Some changes...

Drain Ability (Su): A bard of 2nd level or higher with at least 5 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can drain one of an enemy's abilities. The target must be within 30 feet of the bard, and must be able to see and hear the bard. The bard selects one ability he has seen the target use, which must be an ability usable a only certain number of times per day. The bard then attempts a Perform check opposed by the target's Will save. If the Perform check is successful, the target loses 1d4 daily uses of the selected ability. Spell slots cannot be lost as a result of this ability. This is a mind-affecting ability.

At 4th level, and every 4th level thereafter, a bard who knows this performance drains an additional daily use when successfully using this ability.


Refresh Ability (Su): A bard of 2nd level or higher with at least 5 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can refresh one of an ally's abilities. The target must be within 30 feet of the bard, and must be able to see and hear the bard. The bard selects one ability he has seen the target use, which must be an ability usable a only certain number of times per day. The bard then attempts a Perform check opposed by the target's Will save, which the target may elect to fail as normal. If the Perform check is successful, the target regains a daily use of the selected ability. Expended spell slots cannot be regained in this manner. This is a mind-affecting ability.

At 4th level, and every 4th level thereafter, a bard who knows this performance grants an additional daily use when successfully using this ability.

Telonius
2007-04-24, 11:35 AM
Ideas for some of the Performances.
Bard 2: Local Talent. A Bard who spends one hour using the "Local Talent" performance grants himself and his allies a +1 bonus on diplomacy and gather information checks on any person who heard the performance. This effect is usable 1/day, and lasts 24 hours after the performance.
Bard 5: Emerging Talent. A Bard who spends one hour using the "Emerging Talent" performance grants himself and his allies a +2 bonus on diplomacy and gather information checks on any person who heard the performance. This effect is usable 1/day, and lasts 24 hours after the performance. Additionally, the Bard can make 4 times as much money as normal from the relevant Perform check.
Bard 11: Star Performer. A Bard who spends one hour using the "Star Performer" performance grants himself and his allies a +4 bonus on diplomacy and gather information checks on any person who heard the performance. This effect is usable 1/day, and lasts 24 hours after the performance. Additionally, the Bard can make 8 times as much money as normal from the relevant Perform check.
Bard 16: Superstar. A Bard who spends one hour using the "Superstar" performance grants himself and his allies a +6 bonus on diplomacy and gather information checks on any person who heard the performance. This effect is usable 1/day, and lasts 24 hours after the performance. Additionally, the Bard can make 16 times as much money as normal from the relevant Perform check.
Bard 20: Music of the Gods. A Bard who spends one hour using the "Music of the Gods" performance grants himself and his allies a +10 bonus on diplomacy and gather information checks on any person who heard the performance. This effect is usable 1/day, and lasts 24 hours after the performance. Additionally, the Bard can make 32 times as much money as normal from the relevant Perform check.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-24, 11:41 AM
Well, bards can make a number of performances per day equal to their bard level, so the 1/day thing will have to be altered, most likely to "this performance cannot be used more than once per day".

Other than that, I like them, although I think I may cut the time down from an hour.

Telonius
2007-04-24, 11:48 AM
Just edited it to increase the amount of money. 32 times 3d6 is only about 332 gp per performance, so that's probably not too terribly unbalancing. (For some reason I thought the gp totals were a lot more than they were for Perform checks).

ocato
2007-04-24, 11:58 AM
I can't help but notice that quite a few of these abilities are already bard feats, so you're pretty much giving away feats to bards for free. I'm not against it, I'm just noticing that a regular bard can have some of these abilities.

Versatile Performer [General] (Complete Adventurer)
Prerequisite : Perform: 5 ranks
Effect : Pick a number of Perform categories equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). When making checks, treat all categories as if they had as many ranks as your highest-ranked category.
You gain a +2 bonus to check when using more than one of these Performance categories together.

Song of the Heart feat (Eberron Campaign Setting, pg. 60). Prereq: Bardic music class feature, inspire competence ability, Perform 6 ranks; Benefit: When you use inspire courage, inspire competence, inspire greatness, or inspire heroics, any bonus granted by your music increases by +1.

Lyric Spell (Complete Adventurer)
Prerequisite: Bardic music, Perform 9 ranks, ability to spontaneously cast 2nd-level arcane spells.
Benefit: You can expend daily uses of your bardic music to cast any arcane spell that you know and can cast spontaneously. You must still use an action to cast the spell (following the normal rules for casting time), but using the Lyric Spell feat counts as part of the spellcasting action. Casting a spell requires one use of your bardic music ability, plus one additional use per level of the spell. For example, casting a 3rd-level spell requires four daily uses of your bardic music ability.
Special: Any spell that you cast using the Lyric Spell feat gains your instrument as an additional arcane focus, if you use one.

Haunting Melody (Ebberon, I think)
Prerequisite: Bardic music, Perform 9 ranks.
Benefit: When you sing or use some other Perform skill, you can inspire fear in enemies within 30 feet of you. Any opponent in range must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your bard level + your Cha modifier) or become shaken for a number of rounds equal to your ranks in the Perform skill. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Special: Using this ability counts as one of your daily uses of bardic music

Those are just some of them. It's an interesting idea (I find myself feat-starved when making a bard)

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-24, 12:08 PM
Haunting Melody is the only one that I can think of that I might've duplicated; it was unintentional. Most of the others are abilities ripped from existing bardic PrCs.

ocato
2007-04-24, 12:26 PM
Wasn't one of them allowing you to use multiple performances together? Anyway, I wasn't going ZOMG you guys suck you ripped stuff off, That wasn't what I meant.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-24, 12:45 PM
That's an ability of a couple bardic PrCs that I made into a feat.

Amphimir Míriel
2007-04-24, 03:55 PM
Iames, I want to thank you in the name of all underappreciated bards all over the world

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-24, 04:05 PM
Thank me when this is finished.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-26, 08:24 PM
Veni, vidi, offensi.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-05-02, 07:03 PM
Offensi iterum.

Valairn
2007-05-04, 10:06 AM
I disagree completely with making the bard dump a song in order to learn any spell. I think it makes perfect sense a bard would learn "weird" spells. Bards hang around adventurer's they are performers, the drift and sort and gathers all kinds of useless knowledge to themselves.

It makes 100% sense they would know off the wall spells.

EDIT:

On another note, one should never design a class around avoiding certain spell-casting cheese. That's what removing a spell from a campaign is for. This is a general idea, not relating to any previous comment.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-05-04, 10:02 PM
But they aren't "dumping" a song at all - they're choosing to learn a spell instead of a song.
<hr>
Just got my hands on a copy of Complete Scoundrel, saw the bardic music feats, and promptly decided to rip them off.

Double Time (Su): A bard of 3rd level or higher with at least 6 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can spend 1 minute performing to prevent himself and all his allies within 60 feet who can see and hear him from taking nonlethal damage from hustling for 1 hour. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Renew Energy (Su): A bard of 3rd level or higher with at least 6 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can spend a move action and a daily performance to remove fatigue or mental fatigue from up to 1 ally within 30 feet per level, including himself. If he spends 3 daily performances, he can remove exhaustion or mental exhaustion instead.
Sound of Silence (Su): A bard of 6th level or higher with at least 9 ranks in a sound-based Perform skill who learns this performance can deafen an opponent within 30 feet who can hear the bard for X+1 rounds, where X is the number of daily performances the bard spent using this ability. This is a mind-affecting, sonic effect that can be negated by a successful Will save against the bard's Performance check.
Warning Shout (Ex): A bard of 6th level or higher with at least 9 ranks in a sound-based Perform skill who learns this performance can, as an immediate action, spend a daily performance and grant an ally (other than himself) within 30 feet a +5 morale bonus on her next Reflex save. If the bard spends 2 daily performances, the ally also gains evasion, as the rogue class ability. This is a mind-affecting, sonic ability. The ally must be able to hear the bard.
Distracting Performance (Ex): A bard of 7th level or higher with at least 10 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can, as an immediate action, use his performance to distract an opponent within 30 feet who can see or hear him. He makes a feint, substituting his Perform skill for Bluff. If the target's Sense Motive check fails, he becomes flat-footed against the ally of your choice until attacked or just before your next action.

Alternately, a bard can use this ability to force a spellcaster in the process of casting a spell to make a Concentration check against his Perform check, or lose his concentration on the spell. This is a mind-affecting ability.

{table="head"]Performance|Prerequisites
Countersong|Perform 3 ranks
Fascinate|Perform 3 ranks
Inspire Courgae|Perform 3 ranks
Inspire Fear|Perform 3 ranks
Mimicking Song|Perform 3 ranks
Draining Performance|Bard 2, Perform 5 ranks
Refreshing Performance|Bard 2, Perform 5 ranks
Double Time|Bard 3, Perform 6 ranks
Renew Energy|Bard 3, Perform 6 ranks
~|Bard 4, Perform 7 ranks
~|Bard 4, Perform 7 ranks
Song of Learning|Bard 4, see text
Involving Storyteller|Bard 5, Perform 8 ranks
~|Bard 5, Perform 8 ranks
Encourage Failure|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Dread|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Hope|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Toughness|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Sound of Silence|Bard 6, Perform (sound-based) 9 ranks
Suggestion|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Warning Shout|Bard 6, Perform (sound-based) 9 ranks
Distracting Performance|Bard 7, Perform 10 ranks
Inspire Resilience|Bard 7, Perform 10 ranks
Inflame the Righteous|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks
Persuasive Song|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks
Singing Shout|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks
Dishearten|Bard 9, Perform 12 ranks
Inspire Recklessness|Bard 9, Perform 12 ranks
Convert the Unfaithful|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks
Sustaining Song|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks
~|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks
~|Bard 11, Perform 14 ranks
~|Bard 11, Perform 14 ranks
Dirge of Binding|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
Inspire Awe|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
Jarring Song|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
~|Bard 13, Perform 16 ranks
~|Bard 13, Perform 16 ranks
Song of Fury|Bard 14, Perform 17 ranks
~|Bard 14, Perform 17 ranks
Discourage Legion|Bard 15, Perform 18 ranks
Inspire Legion|Bard 15, Perform 18 ranks
Mindbending Melody|Bard 16, Perform 19 ranks
~|Bard 16, Perform 19 ranks
Revealing Meldoy|Bard 17, Perform 20 ranks
~|Bard 17, Perform 20 ranks
Drain Prowess|Bard 18, Perform 21 ranks
~|Bard 18, Perform 21 ranks
~|Bard 19, Perform 22 ranks
~|Bard 19, Perform 22 ranks
~|Bard 20, Perform 23 ranks
~|Bard 20, Perform 23 ranks[/table]

Lord Iames Osari
2007-05-06, 07:09 PM
Veni, vidi, offensi.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2007-05-06, 08:23 PM
For level 20, you could have something that's like wail of the banshee. Called something like "Major 7th", which is the most 'off' sounding key. Unless you play another note with it, it sounds horrible. horrible enough to kill?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-05-09, 08:07 AM
I like the idea of giving them a save-or-die performance, but I'm not sure it should have to wait until 20th.

ShneekeyTheLost
2007-05-09, 10:08 AM
I like the idea of giving them a save-or-die performance, but I'm not sure it should have to wait until 20th.

Considering most casters have to wait until like 5th or 6th spell level, it's not unreasonable that a Bard, who doesn't primarily focus on death effects, be restricted to at least 15th if not 20th level for a death effect.

Actually, I had an idea about one called 'Harmonic Resonance', which is basically a Save or Die for Constructs. If they fail their Fort save, the construct is shattered, otherwise they take (bard level)d6 Sonic damage. This can also be used to shatter unattended objects of Large size or smaller, or create Large size holes in larger unattended objects. Use of this song is a full-round action which provokes an attack of opportunity. It has a range of 30' when used against a Construct, or Touch for shattering unattended objects.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-05-13, 05:51 PM
Hmmm... I disagree with the Touch range thing... what would you say the level for that one should be?

Anyway, here are some performances I thought up, and a formal writeup of Telonius's contributions (with some changes).

Dance of Battle (Ex): A bard of 5th level or higher with at least 8 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can lead his allies in a wheeling, changing dance that helps them avoid blows and keeps them from leaving themselves vulnerable. The bard's allies (including himself) within 30 feet who can see and hear him gain a +1 dodge bonus to their AC, and can't be denied their Dex bonus to AC by any means short of total immobilization while this effect continues. The dodge bonus granted by this performance increases by 1 at 10th level, and again every 5 levels thereafter. This is a sonic, pattern effect.
Counterperformance (Su:) A bard of 4th level or higher with at least 7 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can negate the effect of another bard's performance. The opposing bard must be within 60 feet, and the bards must be able to see and hear each other. In order to suppress his opponent's performance, the bard must succeed on an opposed Perform check (use whichever Perform skill each has the most ranks in) in the round he activates this performance, and maintain concentration on this performance on subsequent rounds.

And this one is based on Telonius's:

Emerging Talent (Ex): A bard of 4th level or higher with at least 7 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can take an hour performing to grant himself and his allies a +1 bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks for the next 24 hours. Additionally, the bard may make a Perform check as part of this performance; at the end of it, he receives 2 times the amount normally indicated. This performance can only be used once per day, and only when in an established community.

At 8th level, the bonus increases to +2, and the money received is 4 times normal. At 12th level, the bonus increases to +4, and the money received is 8 times normal. At 16th level, the bonus increases to +8, and the money received is 16 times normal. At 20th level, the bonus increases to +16, and the money received is 32 times normal.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-05-15, 12:50 AM
{table="head"]Performance|Prerequisites
Countersong|Perform 3 ranks
Fascinate|Perform 3 ranks
Inspire Courgae|Perform 3 ranks
Inspire Fear|Perform 3 ranks
Mimicking Song|Perform 3 ranks
Draining Performance|Bard 2, Perform 5 ranks
Refreshing Performance|Bard 2, Perform 5 ranks
Double Time|Bard 3, Perform 6 ranks
Renew Energy|Bard 3, Perform 6 ranks
Counterperformance|Bard 4, Perform 7 ranks
Emerging Talent|Bard 4, Perform 7 ranks
Song of Learning|Bard 4, see text
Dance of Battle|Bard 5, Perform 8 ranks
Involving Storyteller|Bard 5, Perform 8 ranks
Encourage Failure|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Dread|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Hope|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Inspire Toughness|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Sound of Silence|Bard 6, Perform (sound-based) 9 ranks
Suggestion|Bard 6, Perform 9 ranks
Warning Shout|Bard 6, Perform (sound-based) 9 ranks
Distracting Performance|Bard 7, Perform 10 ranks
Inspire Resilience|Bard 7, Perform 10 ranks
Inflame the Righteous|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks
Persuasive Song|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks
Singing Shout|Bard 8, Perform 11 ranks
Dishearten|Bard 9, Perform 12 ranks
Inspire Recklessness|Bard 9, Perform 12 ranks
Convert the Unfaithful|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks
Sustaining Song|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks
~|Bard 10, Perform 13 ranks
~|Bard 11, Perform 14 ranks
~|Bard 11, Perform 14 ranks
Dirge of Binding|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
Inspire Awe|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
Jarring Song|Bard 12, Perform 15 ranks
~|Bard 13, Perform 16 ranks
~|Bard 13, Perform 16 ranks
Song of Fury|Bard 14, Perform 17 ranks
~|Bard 14, Perform 17 ranks
Discourage Legion|Bard 15, Perform 18 ranks
Inspire Legion|Bard 15, Perform 18 ranks
Mindbending Melody|Bard 16, Perform 19 ranks
~|Bard 16, Perform 19 ranks
Revealing Meldoy|Bard 17, Perform 20 ranks
~|Bard 17, Perform 20 ranks
Drain Prowess|Bard 18, Perform 21 ranks
~|Bard 18, Perform 21 ranks
~|Bard 19, Perform 22 ranks
~|Bard 19, Perform 22 ranks
~|Bard 20, Perform 23 ranks
~|Bard 20, Perform 23 ranks[/table]

Ok, so we've got a suggestion for a general save-or-die effect for 20th or thereabouts; Shneekey suggested Harmonic Resonance for an anti-construct save-or-die - I need a level recommendation on that; I'm thinking 10th, but it's your idea, so I want a double-check there.

I came up with one, I'm thinking for 10th-13th level range: Incite Mob. :smallbiggrin:

Lord Iames Osari
2007-05-24, 01:40 PM
*mutters to himself and bumps thread in the futile hope of garnering some responses*

Poppatomus
2007-05-24, 02:25 PM
Gonna leave numbers I am not sure of as variables to be filled in by experts.


*mutters to himself and bumps thread in the futile hope of garnering some responses*

20th level: Swan Song:

A bard at this level is capable of producing an elegy of such profound sorrow and sadness that those that overhear or oversee the performance are drained of their very life force.

this performance can be used normally to force a will save against death for any creature of X hit dice. On a successful resist the creature is still considered to be saddened for d6 rounds and can take only one standard action.

If this performance is taken within 10 rounds of the death of a creature or character of siginificant importance to the character the range of the effect is doubled and the creatures hit dice are added to difficulty of the save. The immidiate, proximate cause of the death has the duration of the sadness effect doubled.

Additionally, every round that the character is saddened they must make another will save. Failing that will save causes the character to become suicidal, immediatly attempting to destroy themsleves by whatever means are available to the character, including purposefully failing a future save that will result in their death. (they can still only take standard actions however) This effect only applies if they fail their will save by a greater margin then the number of HD of the creature being lamented. Any creature with greater then 18 HD that becomes suicidal may choose to take no action rather than activly seeking their destruction, but they are considered helpless.

This haunting emotion of the performance however, is not entirely within the bards control, any creature other than the bard exposed to the performance must make the check.

Bard 11: Herald's Flattery

By this point the bard has become so practiced in the art of performance and exgeration that they can make even the most boastful claim or vicious lie seem true in the eyes of others.

The bard may make a performance checks against a number of HD of creatures equal to bard level times two, with no single creature being more than 5HD above the bard herself. Any selected creature that fails this save is subject to the effect of Herald's flattery as described below.

The creature the bard extols as part of this performance is highlighted for one attribute, attack power, quick reflexes, incredible will, etc... for every round that the bard continues this performance that creature gains an effective bonus of +1 to that characteristic, up to a maximum of +5 for an ability score or +10 for a skill, attack bonus, or save (with skills accruing at +2 per round), or its equivalent, against any creature that failed its save.

This bonus stacks with any other bonus the player may have. These abilities must involve a roll, but the player can take 10 on that roll. The player also must not have already used this ability infront of the characters being targeted. Any creature that has seen the flattered character use the ability being extolled in the past gains +10 (+20 if it has been less than one weak)on its roll to resist the effects. Additionally, if the character being flattered uses the enhanced ability while the bard is still singing it can not be further increased.

The effect lasts against the target even after the bard's performance is complete, until such point that the character benefitting from the spell fails a check. Once the character takes an action involving the enhanced ability that does not succeed the effect is instantly lost. Additionally, the opponent gains a +1 morale bonus against the target of flattery and the target of flattery takes a -1 morale bonus for one minute. This ability can be used before the character being flattered appears, and the enhancement remains in effect for an unlimited duration until the flattered character fails a check.

(sorry don't have time to make it more clear. The idea is that I can enhance rolls, saves or abilities, but only against certain targets, by effectivly convincing that target the person being flattered actually is taht good. So a knight might send out his herald to sing a 5 round song and gain +5 to strength, +5 to reflex saves, or +10 to Ride before a jousting match against an opponent he has never faced. However, once the guy fails a ride check, or a str based check, or a reflex save to not fall off the horse, depending on which the bard chose, he loses the bonus and the opponent, realizes the guy is all hat and no cattle, gets a bonus reflecting his confidence that the guy really isn't as good as everyone claims he is.)

Lord Iames Osari
2007-05-24, 02:40 PM
For the Swan Song ability - which I really like the concept of - I'm not sure if "saddened" is supposed to be a game condition or not; if it is, I haven't seen it before, so you'll need to define it.

I like the other one too.

Poppatomus
2007-05-24, 02:49 PM
Bard 18: Greatest Story ever told

The bard is capable of a performance so breathtaking that the God's themselves take notice, providing a number of advantages. The bard must make a successful performance check against DC X three rounds in a row. If successful roll a D6 on the following chart for the effect. Unless otherwise noted the bard must use the ability within three rounds of completing the performance

1 - Divine blessing - as righteous might
2 - divine approval - + 5 on one roll
3 - Encore - The bard is forced to continue the performance for 3 more rounds, reroll at the end of those rounds
4 -Favorite performer - gains the effect of Foresight as the 9th level spell for the remainder of the day
5 -thunderous applause - Release a cone of negative or positive energy, selected at random, doing 10d6 damage to any creature in it's path. This damage is half as sonic half as divine (which is uneffected by damage reduciton)
6 - Groupie - a random intelligent outsider or oursiders appear (of power level equivalent to summon monster 9,) and are favorably disposed to the bard for three rounds, accepting reasonable requests. The alignment of the creature has no connection to the alignment of the bard and when the three rounds are up the creature will behave as a normal creature of it's type. The bard may dismiss these creatures as a full round action on the third round, if he makes another successful perform check.

Poppatomus
2007-05-24, 02:51 PM
For the Swan Song ability - which I really like the concept of - I'm not sure if "saddened" is supposed to be a game condition or not; if it is, I haven't seen it before, so you'll need to define it.

I like the other one too.

yea, by saddened I meant restricted to standard actions as well as the chance to go suicidal. I think there is a game state that reduces you to that condition, but I forget what it is. As edited by me it may be too powerful, but I like what you're doing here, and I am mostly trying to contribute ideas that might be helpful/refinable by more experienced players.


EDIT: oh, glad you liked them. Hope they are useful in some way.

Poppatomus
2007-05-24, 03:38 PM
Going for a simpler one:

Level 10: Unique Snowflake

A Bard at this level is capable of a performance so majestic that intelligent enemies begin to value his existance more than they should, or at least more than they did. A successful perform check causes a creature to seek to avoid your death for a number of rounds equal to the amount by which they failed the save. They may still try to capture, detain, or rob from you, but they can not bring themselves to do anything that would lead to your death or cause an injury grevious enough to prevent you from performing again in the future.

This effect is strong enough that the character will take any reasonable steps to prevent their allies from killing you, in addition to taking no direct action that would harm you. While effected anyone attempting a diplomacy or bluff check against the effected creature for the purpose of saving your life, or allowing you to perform again/enhance your capabilities, gains a +10 to their roll. (reduced to +5 if the roll involves other considerations, like not killing your allies as well, and +1 for a bluff/diplomacy roll not related to life or death.)


A DM should note that the no killing effect is limited in duration, but the performance itself is by no means mundane or uncompelling. Literaly playing for their life a successful check by the bard means they've given one of the best performances of an already distingushed career. A character that witnesses this performance that cares about or appreciates such art may be effected well after the performance is concluded, even if they are not compelled by game mechanics not to kill the character. This can also backfire, leading, for example, a rogue that intended only to rob a character to kidnap them instead. Another possible negative effect might be an evil noble ordering the bard executed after the effect wears off, perhaps because he can't bear that someone so talented exists outside his control or because he wishes to be the only creature ever to have seen such a great performance. These RP effects should be more profound for the target than others, as the performance is targeted directly at its intended recipient.



Examples of the Bluff/diplo bonus:

+10 - "I think these wounds may be the death of me, please give me a sip from that potion you are carrying before I collapse"

+10 - "But that lute is my favorite, specially crafted for my hand, and if you take it I am not sure I will ever be able to play so well as I do now ever again.

+10 - "He'll surely die if you leave him in prison, release him into my custody and my doctors will be able to treat that disease he's contracted.

+5 - "I don't think I could bring myself to dance another step if you hurt my husband. My heart would be too broken."

+5 - "Your allies are going to kill us if you bring us back to the camp, you must let us go."

+1 - "I'll gladly perform for you again if you let me and my party loose of these ropes."

Lord Iames Osari
2007-06-14, 07:22 PM
Incite Mob (Su): A bard of 10th level or higher with at least 13 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can incite a crowd of people to form a mob (stats in DMGII and Cityscape) by making a DC 25 Perform check. Only one mob can be formed at a time, so if a crowd is too large to be a single mob, a bard who wants to incite the entire crowd must use this ability multiple times.

The mobs created by this ability are under the bard's control and can obey simple directions. The mobs created by this ability last for a number of hours equal to the bard's class level. This ability is a language-dependent, mind-affecting effect.

mauslin
2007-06-15, 02:45 PM
Hmm, here's a random suggestion.

A song that mimics the incantrix's cooperative metamagic ability. A song that allows one to bestow a metamagic feat on a spell cast by a willing allied spellcaster.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-06-18, 04:12 PM
Swan Song (Su): A bard of 20th level or higher with at least 23 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance is capable of producing an elegy of such profound sorrow and sadness that those that overhear or oversee the performance are drained of their very life force. Enemies who can see or hear the bard must make Will saves against the bard's Perform check or die. On a successful save, they receive negative levels equal to half their HD. This is a death, mind-affecting effect.

Boosting Flattery (Su): A bard of 11th level or higher with at least 14 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can provide his allies with a substantial boost by extolling and exaggerating their abilities. An ally within 60 feet (including himself) who can hear or see the bard receives a +1 morale bonus to the ability score of the bard's choice. For every round that the bard continues this performance, the bonus increases by 1, to a maximum of half the bard's class level (round down). The bonus lasts until the affected ally fails a check or attack roll based on the affected ability score.

At 16th level, a bard who knows this performance can target multiple allies with this ability, up to 1 for every 3 bard levels he possesses. This ability is a mind-affecting effect.

Eleven
2007-06-18, 09:12 PM
If you were to go to dicefreaks (which everyone should do), and go to the Gods and Cosmic Entitities board, searched up a god called Syeret the Light Bringer, you might find some inspiration there.

hope it helps

TwistedCable
2007-06-19, 07:23 AM
Maddening Tune
level 11, full action for confusion spell? (might already be covered - could have missed it)

anyway, great homebrew.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-06-24, 02:42 PM
Veni, vidi, offensi.

Poppatomus
2007-06-24, 03:00 PM
Trying to make this less ridiculously complex then my last few attempts to be helpful. Sorry if this is a repeat of something.

Song of Solitude (Ex)
Bard 14-20

The Haunting Melodies of the bards performances can be fascinating, but they can also be repulsive. By producing a clangorous, discordant sound the bard can force all living creatures within 60 ft capable of hearing or seeing her performance to flee as though frightened. Resisting this effect requires a will save with a DC equal to the Bard's perform check and still leaves creatures within range shaken, even if the save is made. The effect lingers beyond the range of the performance, and any creature within 240 ft of the effect must make the same save in order to approach the bard's location on any given round.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-06-24, 03:06 PM
Hmm. That's quite powerful, but also quite similar to this:


Inspire Awe (Su): A bard of 12th level or higher with at least 15 ranks in a Perform skill who learns this performance can inspire terror in his foes. To be affected, a foe must be within 60 feet of the bard and able to see and hear him. Foes get a Will save (DC 10 + ½ bard’s class level + bard’s Charisma modifier) to resist the effect. The severity of the effect depends on the difference between the foe’s Hit Dice and the bard’s level, as shown on this table.
{table="head"]HD Difference|Effect
10 or more|Foe is paralyzed
1 to 9|Foe is panicked
0 to -5| Foe is frightened
-6 or less|Foe is shaken[/table]
This effect lasts for as long as the foes can hear and see the bard and for 1 round thereafter. This is a mind-affecting, fear ability.

Perhaps you could refocus yours a bit?

Oh, and what did you think of my simplified versions of Swan Song and Herald's Flattery?

Poppatomus
2007-06-24, 03:13 PM
I thought they were excellent, each getting at the core of what I was trying to put forward without the unworkable mechanics. Far superior to my own extended ramblings.


That ability you cite is very similar. Before trying to distill my suggestion, the idea I was originally going for wasn't so much a combat advantage, as is that one, but a means by which the Bard could allow himself to go unmolested, something more akin to timestop then to a fear bomb. I just got bogged down in the mechanics. Do you think that core idea is worth refining, or better to go back to the drawing board?

EDIT: Sort of like anti-fascinate. You are so disinterested that you barely acknowledge the presence of the bard, or gradually wonder off from where he is.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-06-24, 03:17 PM
So, in other words, something kind of like invisibility?

Poppatomus
2007-06-24, 03:25 PM
So, in other words, something kind of like invisibility?

sort of. But that's the problem I ran into, how do you sing about how unseen you are? ("hide hide hide from the angry half orc" ::elan::)

how about something like

Song of Solitude (Ex)

The Bard so submerges themselves in their performance that they almost cease to be when it finishes. For the next two rounds the bard makes a perform check against DC X + (2 times the total HD of the targets to be effected). On the third round, the bard makes a final perform check as the performance concludes, and all targeted creatures must make a will save against the DC of that check. The bard dissapears from the mind's eye of all targeted creatures that fail this final save.

Relative to the targets that fail the save, the Bard is treated as though invisible, but the total effect is more profound, with the targets refusing to even recognize the existence of the Bard. They will not seek to uncover the bard's presence, nor can the bard be the target of their spells or abilities. The Bard may take any action that would be valid during a time stop without fear of detection. The effect lasts for one hour per bard level.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-06-24, 04:06 PM
My point about it being like invisibility was more that making a performance to do this when there's a spell that does it perfectly well seems redundant, especially when that spell is already on the bard's class list. Besides which, performing in order to divert attention away from oneself seems a bit backwards.