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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class The Bard, v2 (Spell-less and Fixed-List Caster Project Versions)



Grod_The_Giant
2015-01-11, 09:33 PM
The Bard occupies an awkward slot on Tier 3-- it can make a marvelously powerful, well-rounded character, doing so requires far too much optimization skill and book diving to be practical for many tables. And their music was... kind of underwhelming, with a bare handful of useful options, all of whom required work to find and use. I tried to fix them before, pumping up their music and class features but wound up going too far in the other direction. So here I am, trying again. This time, I'm splitting the music-magic and the spell-magic into two different subclasses: the music-powered Troubadour and the spell-slinging Cantor.


The Bard

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills: The Bard’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.



Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special


1st
+0
+0
+2
+2
Bardic College, Bardic Lore


2nd
+1
+0
+3
+3
Bardic Knack


3rd
+2
+1
+3
+3
Mystic Instrument


4th
+3
+1
+4
+4
Bardic Flourish


5th
+3
+1
+4
+4
Heart of the Music


6th
+4
+2
+5
+5
Mystic Instrument (Masterwork)


7th
+5
+2
+5
+5
The Beat Goes On


8th
+6/+1
+2
+6
+6



9th
+6/+1
+3
+6
+6
Mystic Instrument (Enchanted)


10th
+7/+2
+3
+7
+7



11th
+8/+3
+3
+7
+7



12th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+8



13th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+8
You’ve Heard of Me


14th
+10/+5
+4
+9
+9



15th
+11/+6/+1
+5
+9
+9



16th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+10



17th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+10
Soul of the Music


18th
+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+11



19th
+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+11
Armor of Song*


20th
+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+12
Perfect Performance*


*Note: Troubadours receive these abilities one level earlier than normal.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Bards are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Bardic College: At first level, a Bard picks one of two paths: Troubadour or Cantor, and gains all the benefits of the appropriate path. He may not change this choice at a later date.

Bardic Lore (Ex): A bard may make a special bardic knowledge check with a bonus equal to his bard level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the bard has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)

A successful bardic knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. A bard may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.

Bardic Knack (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, when making a skill check, a Bard may use either his normal number of ranks in a skill or one-half his Bard level, whichever is greater. However, this ability does not allow him to use trained-only skills if he is not already trained in them.

Mystic Instrument (Su): A true Bard is never without his instrument. Beginning at 3rd level, a Bard may create a single musical instrument as a swift action. The instrument is permanent as long as it remains in the Bard’s possession— once separated, it crumbles into dust after a day. Otherwise, this ability functions as the summon instrument spell.

A Mystic instrument has one additional property: regardless of the type of instrument, or how many hands are normally needed to control it, the Bard may play without penalty for up to one minute while using one or both hands for other tasks such as wielding a weapon, holding a shield, or casting a spell. The exact thematic of how this works are up to the player, although common versions include either the instrument or the weapons being animated by the Bard's magic.

At 6th level, a Bard creates a Masterwork instrument when using this ability.

At 9th level, and instrument created by this ability grants the user a competence bonus to the relevant Perform check equal to the Bard’s level.

Bardic Flourish (Sp): Beginning at 4th level, a Bard may use the spell prestidigitation at will.

Heart of the Music (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, a Bard gains a bonus to saves against sonic and language-dependent effects equal to his Charisma modifier.

The Beat Goes On (Su): Beginning at 7th level, a Bard may instantly dispel a silence effect as a free action, as long as its caster level is not greater than his Bard level plus his Charisma modifier. To do so, he must expend either a daily Bardic Music use (if a Troubadour) or a spell slot of at least second level (if a Cantor)

You’ve Heard of Me (Ex): Beginning at 13th level, a Bard is so famous that everyone has heard of him. When meeting an NPC for the first time, their demeanor towards him is one step more extreme than it otherwise would be— indifferent characters are friendly, friendly characters are helpful, and unfriendly characters are hostile. This ability cannot make a target fanatical, nor will it cause characters to mindlessly attack you. In addition, he gains a bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks equal to one-half his Bard level.

Soul of the Music (Ex): At 17th level, a Bard becomes immune to sonic and language-dependent effects.

Armor of Song (Su): Beginning at 18th level (if a Troubadour) or 19th level (if a Cantor), a Bard may roll a Perform check in place of a saving throw once per round.

Perfect Performance (Ex): Beginning at 19th level (if a Troubadour) or 20th level (if a Cantor), a Bard may make all Perform checks as though he had rolled a 20.

The Troubadour: Master of Music



Level
Special
Compositions Known


1st
Bardic Music (Lied)
0*


2nd

1*


3rd

2*


4th

3*


5th

3*


6th
Bardic Music (Sonata)
4*


7th

5*


8th
Improvisation (1/day)
6*


9th

6*


10th
Dual Song
7*


11th
Bardic Music (Concerto)
8*


12th
Improvisation (2/day)
9*


13th

9*


14th

10*


15th
Triad Song
11*


16th
Bardic Music (Symphony), Improvisation (3/day)
12*


17th
Soul of the Music
12*


18th

13*


19th

14*


20th
Eternal Song, Improvisation (4/day)
15*


*All Bards know the Inspire Courage Composition in addition to the number here.

Bardic Music (Su): A Bard is a performer like no other, capable of producing magical effects through the power of his performance. While many Bards sing or play an instrument to produce these effects— hence the name "Bardic Music"— any performance governed by the Perform skill may be used. To be affected by Bardic Music, targets must be able to either hear the Bard if his performance is auditory, or see him if his performance is visual.

Individual Bardic Music effects are known as Compositions. Each Composition has two elements: a Chord and a Refrain. The Chord takes effect instantly, and requires no further attention. The Refrain requires the Bard to concentrate on the Composition, continuing to perform. You must activate a Composition's Chord before you can concentrate on the Refrain.

Playing a Composition's Chord is a swift action. Make a Perform check; the result determines the chord's strength, as shown on the table below. The effects of a Chord last for a number of rounds equal to its strength. The saving throw against a Chord, if relevant, is equal to 10 + the Chord's strength + your Charisma modifier.



Check Result
Chord Strength


15 or below
1


16-25
2


26-30
3


31-35
4


36 or higher
5



Alternately, you may play both Chord and Refrain as a standard action. The strength of the Composition improves to be equal to your Charisma modifier, and any save DCs improve to 10+1/2 your Bard level + your Charisma modifier. The Chord works once, as normal; the effects of the Refrain (if any) remain in effect as long as you continue to perform, taking a standard action each round to do so. You may concentrate on a Refrain for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier.

All Bards begin play with knowledge of the Inspire Courage Composition. Bards learn one additional Composition at every even-numbered level. Compositions are grouped into different grades. At first level, a Bard may only learn Lieder. At 6th level, he may learn Sonatas. At 11th level, he may learn Concertos, and he may learn Symphonies at 16th level.

A Bard may use his Bardic Music a number of times per day equal to his Bard level plus his Charisma modifier. Each time he plays a Chord, he expends one or more such uses, depending on the level of the Chord in question.



Composition Level
Bardic Music Uses


Lied
1


Sonata
2


Concerto
3


Symphony
4



Improvisation (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, once per day a Bard may play a single Composition he does not otherwise know. The new composition may be of any level up to one less than his normal maximum, so an 8th level Bard could improvise a Lied, while a 16th level Bard could improvise a Lied or Sonata. Doing so requires him to expend twice as many Bardic Music uses as normal for a Composition of that level. Once he ceases to concentrate on the Refrain, his knowledge of the Composition is lost. At 12th level, and each subsequent 4th level, he may use this ability one additional time per day.

Dual Song (Su): Beginning at 10th level, a Bard may mix two Compositions— he may have two Chords active at the same time, and he may concentrate on two Refrains simultaneously.

Triad Song (Su): Beginning at 15th level, a Bard may mix three Compositions— he may have three Chords active at the same time, and he may concentrate on three Refrains simultaneously.

Eternal Song (Ex): A 20th level Bard may have any number of Chords active at the same time, and may concentrate on all Refrains simultaneously.


The Cantor: Master of Magic



Level
Special
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th


1st

4








2nd

6
1







3rd
Variation
6
2







4th

6
4
1






5th

6
6
2






6th
Variation
6
6
4






7th

6
6
4
1





8th

6
6
4
2





9th
Variation
6
6
6
4





10th

6
6
6
4
1




11th

6
6
6
6
2




12th
Variation
6
6
6
6
4




13th

6
6
6
6
4
1



14th

8
6
6
6
4
2



15th
Variation
8
8
6
6
4
4



16th

8
8
8
6
6
4
1


17th

8
8
8
8
6
6
2


18th
Variation
8
8
8
8
8
6
4


19th
Armor of Song
8
8
8
8
8
8
6


20th
Perfect Performance
8
8
8
8
8
8
8



Spells: A Bard casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the Bard spell list below. When he gains access to a new level of spells, he automatically knows all the spells for that level on the Bard's spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. Essentially, his spell list is the same as his spells known list. He also has the option of adding to his existing spell list through his Variation class feature (see below) as he increases in level.

To cast a Bard spell, a Bard must have an Charisma score of 10 + the spell's level (Cha 10 for 0-level spells, Cha 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Bard's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the Bard's Cha modifier. Like other spellcasters, a Bard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. The base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, he receives bonus spells for a high Charisma score (PH 8).

A Bard need not prepare spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level.

A Bard can cast Bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a Bard wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass Bard still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Variation: At 3rd level, and every subsequent third level, a Bard learns one spell from the original Bard spell list. The new spell must be of a level he can currently cast.

Grod_The_Giant
2015-01-11, 09:35 PM
Compositions

Lieder

Fascinate


Chord: All enemies must make a Will save or be fascinated for a number of rounds equal to the chord’s strength. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Refrain: Enemies must make a new save each round; if they fail their save while fascinated, they become entranced-- a condition identical to being fascinated, except that the condition is only broken by aggressive actions taken directly against the creature, not simply obvious threats.


Healing Hymn


Chord: All allies gain a number of hit points equal to the chord’s strength times your Charisma modifier. If this would heal them above their normal maximum hit points, they gain the difference as temporary hit points, which last for a number of rounds equal to the chord’s strength.

Refrain: Allies gain fast healing equal to one-half your Charisma modifier. In addition, any effects used by allies which restore hit points restore extra hit points equal to 1/2 your ranks in Perform. If you have ranks in multiple Perform skills, only consider the one in which you have the most ranks.


Hymn of Fortification


Chord: One chosen ally gains the benefit of a protection from [alignment] spell with a descriptor matching your own alignment. However, the deflection bonus to AC and resistance bonus to saves are equal to the chord’s strength.

Refrain: All allies gain the benefits of a protection from [alignment] spell with a descriptor matching your own alignment. However, the deflection bonus to AC and resistance bonus to saves are equal to your Charisma modifier. In addition, no summoned creatures or outsiders with an opposed alignment may approach within 10 feet of you, as though you were under the effects of a magic circle against [alignment] spell.


Inspire Arcana


Chord: You may activate this chord as an immediate action when an ally casts a spell. The ally gains a morale bonus to caster level and spell save DC equal to ½ the chord’s strength, rounded up.

Refrain: Any ally casting a spell gains a morale bonus to caster level and spell save DC equal to ½ your Charisma modifier, rounded up.


Inspire Awe


Chord: All enemies must make a Will save or be shaken for a number of rounds equal to the chord’s strength. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Refrain: Enemies must make a new save each round; if they fail their save while shaken, they become frightened. If they fail their save while frightened, they take 1d4 damage.


Inspire Competence


Chord: Allies gain a morale bonus equal to the chord's strength to skill checks and ability checks for a number of rounds equal to the chord's strength. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Refrain: Allies may take 10 on skill checks even when threatened or rushed, and may make trained-only checks untrained.


Inspire Courage


Chord: Allies gain a morale bonus equal to the chord's strength to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against charm and fear effects for a number of rounds equal to the chord's strength. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Refrain: Allies gain immunity to charm and fear effects. If they fail a save against a mind-affecting effect, they may retry it one round later. This bonus may only be used once against a given effect.


Mimicking Song


Chord: You may activate this chord as an immediate action when an allied bard uses a chord. Boost the strength of his chord by ½ the strength of this one (rounded up).

Refrain: Allied bards gain a morale bonus to their Charisma score equal to your Charisma modifier. The bonus only applies when the allied bard is using Bardic Music abilities.


Soothing Voice


Chord: All enemies must make a Will save or be affected as though by a calm emotions spell.

Allies affected by fear effects may immediately make a new save against the effect, with a morale bonus equal to the chord’s strength.

Refrain: Enemies must make a new save each round; if they fail, they become fascinated. Allies gain immunity to fear effects. Any ongoing fear effect instantly ends, and no more can be used while the Refrain is in effect.


Spellbreaker Song


Chord: You may activate this chord as an immediate action when an enemy attempts to cast a spell. Make a Perform check, with a bonus equal to the Chord's strength, opposed by the enemy's Concentration check. If your roll is higher, the enemy fails to cast their spell, and the spell is lost.

Refrain: Any time an enemy spellcaster attempts to cast a spell, he must make a Concentration check opposed by your Perform check, as described above.



Sonatas

Command


Chord: One enemy must make a Will save or be affected as though by a command spell.

Refrain: Each round, you may use command, as the spell, on an enemy of your choice. Enemies take a penalty on saves against these commands equal to the number of commands they have been affected by during this refrain.


Dragonfire Inspiration


Chord: When you learn this Composition, pick one of the following energy types— acid, cold, electricity, or fire.

Allies’ weapon attacks deal extra damage of the chosen energy type— 1d6 points for every point of the chord’s strength. Spells cast by allies with a matching descriptor gain a morale bonus to caster level equal to the chord’s strength.

Refrain: Allies gain resistance to the chosen energy type equal to 5*your Charisma modifier


Inspire Greatness


Chord: One ally gains a number of bonus hit die equal to the chord's strength for a number of rounds equal to the chord's strength. Each temporary hit die grants 1d10+Con mod temporary hit points, and a +1 bonus to their base attack bonus and skill ranks, and a +1 bonus to all base saves for every 2 hit dice granted. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependant.

Refrain: Allies gain 1 temporary bonus feat for every three hit dice granted. They must qualify for these bonus feats, although they may apply the normal bonuses of Inspire Greatness when qualifying.


Phantasmal Song


Chord: You produce a major image, as the spell. The illusion lasts without concentration for a number of rounds equal to the chord's strength.

Refrain: The major image's is not counted until the end of the Refrain. In addition, once during the refrain, pick one enemy. They are affected as though by a phantasmal killer spell.


Suggestion


Chord: One enemy must make a Will save or be affected as though by a suggestion spell.

Refrain: Each round, you may use suggestion, as the spell, on an enemy of your choice. Enemies already affected by one of your suggestions are instead charmed, as the charm monster spell, if they fail their save.


Sustaining Song


Chord:All allies gain fast healing equal to the Chord's strength.

Refrain: All allies gain regeneration equal to your Charisma modifier instead of fast healing.



Concertos

Song of Freedom


Chord: A number of allies equal to the chord's strength are affected as though by a break enchantment spell, with a caster level equal to your bard level.

Refrain: All allies who can hear you can act as though under the effects of a freedom of movement spell.


Inspire Heroics


Chord: One ally gains a morale bonus equal to the chord's strength to attack rolls, damage rolls, skill checks, ability checks, saving throws, and armor class, as well as temporary hit points equal to the chord's strength times your Charisma modifier.

Refrain: All allies gain the benefits of this Composition.


Jarring Song


Chord: Any enemy attempting to cast or concentrate on a spell must make a Concentration check, opposed by your own Perform check. If he fails, he fails to cast his spell.

Refrain: Any enemy spell with verbal components or the [sonic] description instantly fails.


Song of Timelessness


Chord: A number of enemies equal to the chord's strength must make Will saves or be affected as though by a slow spell for a number of rounds equal to the chord's strength.

Refrain: Slowed enemies are instead frozen in time— they cannot take actions, but they cannot be affected by any force. Weapons cannot reach it, spells that target it automatically fail, and if the ground it is standing on is somehow taken away, it would not even begin to fall. When you cease concentrating on the Refrain, the creature is unaware that time has passed.


Song of Fury


Chord: Any ally who chooses may enter a rage, as though they were a barbarian with a level equal to twice the chord's strength, for a number of rounds equal to the chord's strength. If they already were capable of raging, they may rage as though they had a number of additional levels of the class granting rage equal to the chord's strength.

Refrain: When making a full attack, raging allies may make one additional attack at their highest base attack bonus. In addition, a number of times during their rage equal to your Charisma modifier, raging allies may move up to their speed as a swift action.


Frightening Tune


Chord: Enemies must make a Will saves or be frightened. This is a fear effect.

Refrain: Beginning on the second round you concentrate on the refrain, enemies must make a new Will save each round. If they succeed, they are immune to further effects of this composition. If they fail, they are affected as though by the Chord. If they were already frightened when they fail the save, they are instead panicked for a number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier, and shaken for an equal number of hours thereafter. This is a fear effect.



Symphonies

Mindbending Melody


Chord: All enemies must make a Will saves or become confused for a number of rounds equal to the chord's strength.

Refrain: Enemies must make a new save each round. If they fail a save while already confused, they are permanently confused, as though affected by an insanity spell. Any effect which cures insanity can cure this effect.


Revealing Melody


Chord: All glamours within 100 feet are instantly dispelled, as though affected by a successful greater dispel magic spell.

Refrain: You and all allies are affected as though by a true seeing spell.


Song of Cosmic Fire


Chord: All enemies in a 20ft burst within 100 feet take damage equal to twice the result of your Performance check. This damage is half fire and half pure cosmic energy. Additionally, targets must make a Fortitude save or be stunned for a number of rounds equal to the chord's power.

Refrain: Each round you concentrate on the Refrain, you may use the effects of the Chord again without expending additional uses of Bardic music.


Charming Melody


Chord: All enemies must make Will saves with a DC equal to 10+ the chord’s strength + Charisma modifier or be affected by a charm monster spell.. Creatures of different types get a +4 bonus to their save.

Refrain: Enemies must make a new save each round, with a +1 bonus for each round the performance has gone on. If they fail 3 saves, they are affected as though by a dominate monster spell.


Deadly Performance


Chord: All enemies must make Will saves or take a number of negative levels equal to the chord's strength.

Refrain: Each round you concentrate on the Refrain, you may use the effects of the Chord again without expending additional uses of Bardic music.




Bard Spell List


0-Level Bard Spells (Cantrips)

Amplify (SpC): Lowers Listen DC by 20.
Dancing Lights: Creates torches or other lights.
Detect Magic: Detects spells and magic items within 60 ft.
Ghost Sound: Figment sounds.
Light: Object shines like a torch.
Message: Whispered conversation at distance.
Prestidigitation: Performs minor tricks.
Read Magic: Read scrolls and spellbooks.
Summon Instrument: Summons one instrument of the caster’s choice.
Ghostharp (SC): Object records, plays a song at your command.
Minor Disguise (SC): Makes slight changes to your appearance.


1st-Level Bard Spells

Charm Person: Makes one person your friend.
Comprehend Languages: You understand all spoken and written languages.
Confusion, Lesser: One creature is confused for 1 round.
Disguise Self: Changes your appearance.
Grease: Makes 10-ft. square or one object slippery.
Hideous Laughter: Subject loses actions for 1 round/ level.
Hypnotism: Fascinates 2d4 HD of creatures.
Improvisation (SpC): You gain a pool of luck bonus points equal to twice your caster level and can spend them to improve attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks.
Silent Image: Creates minor illusion of your design.
Sleep: Puts 4 HD of creatures into magical slumber.
Undetectable Alignment: Conceals alignment for 24 hours.
Ventriloquism: Throws voice for 1 min./level.


2nd-Level Bard Spells

Battle Hymn (SpC): Allies can reroll one Will save/round.
Detect Thoughts: Allows “listening” to surface thoughts.
Enthrall: Captivates all within 100 ft. + 10 ft./level.
Glitterdust: Blinds creatures, outlines invisible creatures.
Heroism: Gives +2 on attack rolls, saves, skill checks.
Invisibility: Subject is invisible for 1 min./level or until it attacks.
Minor Image: As silent image, plus some sound.
Pyrotechnics: Turns fire into blinding light or choking smoke.
Rage: Gives +2 to Str and Con, +1 on Will saves, -2 to AC.
Reflective Disguise (SpC): Viewers see you as their own species and gender.
Silence: Negates sound in 20-ft. radius.
Suggestion: Compels subject to follow stated course of action.
Tongues: Speak any language.
Wave of Grief (SpC): Cone imposes –3 penalty on attacks, checks, and saves.


3rd-Level Bard Spells

Charm Monster: Makes monster believe it is your ally.
Confusion: Subjects behave oddly for 1 round/level.
Creaking Cacophony (SpC): Sound distracts and makes foes vulnerable to sonic damage.
Crushing Despair: Subjects take -2 on attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and checks.
Dirge of Discord (SpC): All within 20 ft. take –4 on attack rolls and Dexterity, and reduce speed by 50%.
Glibness: You gain +30 bonus on Bluff checks, and your lies can escape magical discernment.
Good Hope: Subjects gain +2 on attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and checks.
Haste: One creature/level moves faster, +1 on attack rolls, AC, and Reflex saves.
Haunting Tune (SpC): 1 subject/level becomes shaken.
Love’s Lament (SpC): Cone deals 1d6 Wisdom damage and causes nausea.
Major Image: As silent image, plus sound, smell and thermal effects.
Sculpt Sound: Creates new sounds or changes existing ones.
Slow: One subject/level takes only one action/round, -1 to AC, reflex saves, and attack rolls.


4th-Level Bard Spells

Celebration (SpC): Intoxicate subjects.
Dominate Person: Controls humanoid telepathically.
Freedom of Movement: Subject moves normally despite impediments.
Fugue(F) (SpC): Your Perform check creates variety of effects.
Hallucinatory Terrain: Makes one type of terrain appear like another (field into forest, or the like).
Hold Monster: As hold person, but any creature.
Invisibility, Greater: As invisibility, but subject can attack and stay invisible.
Legend Lore(MF): Lets you learn tales about a person, place, or thing.
Locate Creature: Indicates direction to familiar creature.
Modify Memory: Changes 5 minutes of subject’s memories.
Voice of the Dragon (SpC): +10 on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks; can use one suggestion.
Zone of Silence: Keeps eavesdroppers from overhearing conversations.


5th-Level Bard Spells

Body Harmonic(F) (SpC): Piercing tone deals 1d10 damage to one ability/round.
Dream: Sends message to anyone sleeping.
Heroism, Greater: Gives +4 bonus on attack rolls, saves, skill checks; immunity to fear; temporary hp.
Mirage Arcana: As hallucinatory terrain, plus structures.
Mislead: Turns you invisible and creates illusory double.
Nightmare: Sends vision dealing 1d10 damage, fatigue.
Persistent Image: As major image, but no concentration required.
Reflective Disguise, Mass (SpC): Viewers see subjects as their own species and gender.
Seeming: Changes appearance of one person per two levels.
Shadow Walk: Step into shadow to travel rapidly.
Song of Discord: Forces targets to attack each other.
Suggestion, Mass: As suggestion, plus one subject/level.
Wail of Doom (SpC): Deal 1d4 damage/level in 30-ft. cone, plus subjects panicked or shaken.


6th-Level Bard Spells

Charm Monster, Mass: As charm monster, but all within 30 ft.
Dirge (SpC): Enemies take 2 points of Str and Dex damage/round
Find the Path: Shows most direct way to a location.
Heroes’ Feast: Food for one creature/level cures and grants combat bonuses.
Irresistible Dance: Forces subject to dance.
Permanent Image: Includes sight, sound, and smell.
Programmed Image(M): As major image, plus triggered by event.
Project Image: Illusory double can talk and cast spells.
Revenance (SpC): Restores dead creature to life for 1 minute/level.
Sympathetic Vibration: Deals 2d10 damage/round to freestanding structure.
Veil: Changes appearance of group of creatures.



note: as yet, no changes from the last version. Look for more Compositions soon, though.

Eldan
2015-01-12, 04:20 AM
The plural of "Lied" is "Lieder". More once I actually read it carefully, but it seems interesting.

Eno Remnant
2015-01-12, 06:03 PM
Your Troubadour's table and text both say different things when it comes to what level you gain the next level of Bardic Music.

Apart from that, this looks interesting. I may playtest the Troubadour in the future. If I do, I'll let you know how it goes.

Eldan
2015-01-13, 08:00 AM
Okay.

I was going to say that the middle levels seem a bit empty on the table, but with songs and spells, that shouldn't be a problem.

I'm not sure how comfortable I am with self-summoned, self-playing instruments at level 3 already, which I usually see as still a bit more mundane in power level, but balance shouldn't be a concern.


On to compositions:
Fascinate at level 1 is still very strong, it basically allows to bypass small armies, if one is clever about it.
Protection from alignment is a spell I likewise never liked (total immunity to mind affecting for cheap), but that's not your fault.
Inspire arcana: with the right spell, very strong. But again, more the fault of those spells.
Inspire awe: potentially frightening and panicking large amounts of enemies is quite good. Perhaps that should be drawn out a bit, with higher level effects becoming available later.
Inspire greatness: perhaps limit the kind of bonus feats that can be granted? Otherwise, someone will come up with munchkinish uses for it, such as taking extra spell for situational magic at the right time, or getting access to item crafting feats, etc. I'd say Fighter Bonus feats and a short list of selected others.
Song of Timelessness: it seems weird to me to put Slow that much higher than panic, really. It's a bit weak, in comparison.

Grod_The_Giant
2015-01-13, 10:14 AM
I'm not sure how comfortable I am with self-summoned, self-playing instruments at level 3 already, which I usually see as still a bit more mundane in power level, but balance shouldn't be a concern.
I borrowed it from an old bard fix (I want to say NeoSeraphi?), which introduced something similar and explained it as a way to let characters use skills other than Perform (Sing) and still fight while performing.


Fascinate at level 1 is still very strong, it basically allows to bypass small armies, if one is clever about it.
On the other hand, everyone gets a save, and just one person succeeding can quickly shake his friends free.


Protection from alignment is a spell I likewise never liked (total immunity to mind affecting for cheap), but that's not your fault.
Yeah. It probably belongs at a higher level, but with the spell in play at first...


Inspire awe: potentially frightening and panicking large amounts of enemies is quite good. Perhaps that should be drawn out a bit, with higher level effects becoming available later.
Three turns is a long time in combat; three turns of doing nothing but concentrating on the Refrain is an eternity. I guess I could make it auto-scale, but I'd prefer not to... what about capping it at Frightened?


Inspire greatness: perhaps limit the kind of bonus feats that can be granted? Otherwise, someone will come up with munchkinish uses for it, such as taking extra spell for situational magic at the right time, or getting access to item crafting feats, etc. I'd say Fighter Bonus feats and a short list of selected others.
Hmm. I wouldn't think crafting feats would work, since you can't sustain the song for long enough to craft anything, but


Song of Timelessness: it seems weird to me to put Slow that much higher than panic, really. It's a bit weak, in comparison.
On the other hand, dat refrain...

Eldan
2015-01-13, 10:31 AM
Capping at frightened would be nice, I think. THree rounds is long in combat, but if one can set it up and do it out of combat, say, standing on the walls of a city as enemies approach...

nonsi
2015-01-13, 05:11 PM
I'm curious...

Why the spell-song split?
And what does the asterisk neer the number of compositions known stand for?

Grod_The_Giant
2015-01-13, 05:56 PM
Capping at frightened would be nice, I think. THree rounds is long in combat, but if one can set it up and do it out of combat, say, standing on the walls of a city as enemies approach...
Done.


I'm curious...

Why the spell-song split?
And what does the asterisk neer the number of compositions known stand for?
I started out wanting to make music a bigger part of the bard's schtick. I was never especially happy with the way they so often wound up as cut-rate sorcerers. So I came up with the improved Compositions based on invocations. And when I added that to spells, the class became way too strong. So rather than try to dilute one side back down, I figured it'd be easier to split them up.

The asterisk is to indicate that all bards know Inspire Courage. I'll add the footnote back in.

Baphomet
2015-01-14, 01:55 AM
I'm still wrapping my head around this, but that Spellbreaker Song scares me. If the bard pumps their cha mod up to +10, it basically becomes "spend one bardic music to turn all primary spellcasters you don't like into squishy commoners for 10 rounds. No save."

While I can appreciate the intent, there's gotta be some better way to scale that. 10-20% spell failure might make no difference at all in a battle. 50-60% spell failure might let some mid-level chumps crush Xykon.

Eldan
2015-01-14, 03:20 AM
I'm still wrapping my head around this, but that Spellbreaker Song scares me. If the bard pumps their cha mod up to +10, it basically becomes "spend one bardic music to turn all primary spellcasters you don't like into squishy commoners for 10 rounds. No save."

While I can appreciate the intent, there's gotta be some better way to scale that. 10-20% spell failure might make no difference at all in a battle. 50-60% spell failure might let some mid-level chumps crush Xykon.

That is true. Grod, have you considered alternate mechanics? As written, it should probably be much higher level. Suggestion for lower levels:

Any of:
-Verbal component spells only
-Language-dependent spells only
-Concentration check (against performance check, maybe?) instead of flat miss chance
-Cap on the miss chance at 50%
-Will save instead of miss chance

Grod_The_Giant
2015-01-14, 10:49 AM
Good point. How about a Will save, with a -4 penalty if the spell has a verbal component? (To make it usable against high-Will casters, like feeblemind does) Actually, I like Concentration-vs-Perform better.