The Vagabond
2015-05-16, 06:41 PM
Basically, I'm thinking of having an all-bard gestalt Pathfinder with 3.5 materials game, however, I have... A ton of house rules. A metric ton. Some to provide greater variance for bards, some to bolster Sorcerer and such, ect, some to prevent folks being overpowered, some to prevent people from being underpowered, ect. As such, I'd like to point out this new "Variant System" to all of you, and would like you guys to point out any incredibly unbalanced parts- The biggest thing is probably Fili and Songwriter Guild Pure Bard types (See Secondary Bard Options).
Bardic Gestalt variant.
Every level, you Gestalt with either Bard, Skald, or certain prestige classes [See Prestige Class Options] but do not gain saves, skill points, hit dice, or base attack bonus of the Bard class, unless you are a Pure Bard [See Below] or take the line of feats.
Skill Points
If you have 2+Int skill points, increase that to 4+Int skill points. Everyone gains one versatile performance at level 2 unless they are Pure Bards, where they gain them as a regular Bard. Everyone gains one extra skill point to put into the Perform skill of their choice.
Alternate Ability Score Base
A non-pure bards class abilities can be keyed off of any of the following ability scores, granting a minor bonus of some sort:
Intelligence (Gain one extra versatile performance at level 14)
Wisdom (Use your wisdom modifier in place of one social skill)
Charisma (Gain a Leidier of your choice)
Pure Bards do not receive the bonus listed above.
Variant Performance Skills
One does not have to be stuck with the standard array of Perform skills
Act (Wis)
Comedy (Con)
Dance (Str)
Keyboard instruments (Dex)
Oratory (Int)
Percussion instruments (Con)
String instruments (Dex)
Wind instruments (Int)
Sing (Wis)
Nine Level Casters and Lesser Gestalt:
Nine Level Casters are fairly uncommon, and more difficult for those of Bardic blood, bordering on impossible. To do so is to unwind your very souls magic to comprehend the complexities of the magic that is possible- As a resault, all 9 level casters must use the Words of Power variant for your Bard Spells. Bonus Spells from Favored Class Bonuses are, however, not Words of Power spells- They are regular bard spells learnt from training. Another note is that they gain bard spells as a bard from the third edition (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/bard.htm). This includes cantrips not being at-will. Finally, they treat themselves as a bard of half their level for four bardic performances of their choice, one at level 1-5, one at level 6-10, one at level 11-15, one at level 16-20.
Archetypes:
Archaeologists are rarer, and have a prerequisite ability score- Cha 16. An archeologist must Trap Sense, Rouge Talents, Evasion, and/or Advanced Rouge Talents for three Bardic Musics of their choice from the archetype bard list (Up to 13). They gain acess to these at the level they are gained.
All Archetypes and Alternate Class Features have their Racial limits removed.
The following Third Party archetypes are approved:
Bardic Weapon (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/4-winds-fantasy-gaming---bard-archetypes/bardic-weapon)
Moso
Weird Singer
Prestige Classes you may Gestalt with [And Alterations]:
Shadowdancer [Also advances bardic music, loses spellcasting at level 4 and 9]
Pathfinder Chronicler [Always advances Bardic Music]
Note: The following is 3.5 Material. Note changes to Bardic Music- These now work off of rounds/level method.
Warchanter [Advances Bardcasting at full progression](Pg 87 Complete Warrior)
Virtuoso [Full Bardcasting progression](Complete Adventurer pg 89)
Dirgesinger[Full Bardcasting progression] (Libris Mortis pg 43)
Sublime Chord [May only use Words of Power]
Seeker of the Song [Full spellcasting advancement] (Complete Arcane pg 56)
Character Creation House Rules:
Will saves are now based off of Charisma OR wisdom. If you have spellcasting that is based upon Charisma, you must use Wisdom as your will save. If you have spellcasting based off of Wisdom, you must use Charisma for your will save.
Everyone gains the original combat expertise and power attack as a combat option. Things that have Power Attack as a prerequisite do not have it anymore- Not so with Combat Expertise, which instead has multiple feats to replace it.
A new feat type: feats are feats that can be used in place of Combat Expertise for feat prerequisites.
Gain a bonus feat at level 1, 3, 6, and every 3 levels thereafter from the following list:
Feats with Improved Combat Manuver as a prerequisite.
Weapon Focus
Improved and Greater X feats.
Armor Proficiency
Cleave
Any Metamagic Feat
Weapon Finesse [Altered]
[Training] feats, such as Combat Expertise.
Point Blank Shot
Deadly shot
Weapon Proficiency
The Eldritch Heritage (Maestro) line
Martial Training I
1/2 of Martial Training II-VI
Dodge
Toughness
Mobility
Experimental Spellcaster
1/2 a [Bard] feat.
Gain a free rank per level in either Profession (Any), Craft (Any), or Knowledge (Local, Engineering, Geography, or History). Use it to fluff out your character.
New Skill:
ATTUNEMENT (Cha): 9 level Prepared Casters must have an Attunement equal to their class level to prepare spells as a caster of their level (So a level 9 wizard with 8 ranks in Attunement would prepare spells as a 8th level caster). Anyone of bardic blood may make an DC [10 + 2 X Spell Level] attunement check to draw upon ambient energy in the environment, increasing the caster level of any Bard spells by one for every five you beat the DC by. To do so is a Swift Action.
There are now two versions of Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Magic arms and Armor, and Craft Arms and Armor- The difference is that the Non-magical ones are mundane- If you craft it, explain why the bonuses it gives are mundane. Use Profession (Blacksmith) or Craft (Arms)(Armor) in place of spellcraft for these rolls. The cost is increased by 5%. Their effects are Extraordinary.
Spell Like abilities count as spells for the purpose of meeting prerequisites for prestige classes.
[B]Class Specific House Rules
Bard favored class bonuses have their racial limits removed.
Clerics gain their choice of variant channeling for free (Or Rebuke/Command undead). When a cleric channels energy, they choose to either channel healing or their variant. If they use their variant, they do not heal and/or harm.
1/rage and 1/day rage powers become 1/1d4 rounds.
Sorcerers, Oracles, and all spontaneous, non prepared 9 level casters are treated a level higher for spells per day and spells known. (Archivists and Fili are exempt from this rule)
Sorcerers gain their bloodline spells two levels earlier.
New Class Variants.
Oracles can choose to forgo a Curse if they so desire. An oracle can also forgo Revelations for two domains of their choice.
A Witch may choose to become a Divine caster, basing their spells and Hexes off of Wisdom instead of Intelligence. If they have a penalty to Intelligence, apply that penalty to their Wisdom score for all things requiring Wisdom.
A Metamagic Arcanist gains a bonus metamagic feat every even level- However, they may only a prepare a number of different spells equal to their modifier on Attunement rolls. They lose one spell known prepared after level one, but can prepare three spells with metamagic applied to them in that slot.
Combat House-Rules
When you crit, you may make a skill check, ability check, or combat maneuver in place of dealing extra damage.
Flanking is a status effect- Meaning that you are considered flanked by everyone if you are flanked, period.
If a gun has a higher enhancement modifier than your strength modifier, take a -4 penalty to attack rolls, and never target touch AC.
Dazing spell grants a second save to the affected- They must fail both in order to be Dazed.
Failing a skill check by 5 or less will have something interesting happen instead of merely failing.
Everyone gains a pool of action points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/actionPoints.htm) up to their Wisdom or Charisma modifier (Whichever is not used for Will), plus one per four character levels (Cha mod +1/4 level). You may trade two action points for a Hero Point- This is counted as one . Do not count nine level spellcasting purposes for your effective character level. Wordcasters are not counted as spellcasters for the purpose of Action Points.
Action Points are gained upon rolling a natural one or twenty on any d20 roll and permitting something bad to happen to your character (State upon discovery of roll), good roleplaying, and/or playing out your drawbacks. You begin play with either one hero point or two action points, unless you
New Bard Alternate Class Features:
Fluid Magic: Fluid magic is a less common variant of Bardic Magic- Fluid Magic bards use the Spell Point (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/spellPoints.htm) system for their bard spells, trading away lasting power for fluidity in their casting of spells. This alters Spells per Day.
Inspire Choreography: Inspire Choreography functions as Inspire Courage, except that, instead of granting your allies a circumstance bonus to attack and damage, you grant them the ability to use any teamwork feats you possess. Gain a bonus teamwork feat at level one. This replaces Inspire Courage.
Inspire Feats: Inspire Feats functions like Inspire Courage, except that instead of granting a circumstance bonus to attack and damage, you grant your allies the ability to use one feat you posses. At level 5, and every six levels thereafter, pick another feat you possess, granting your allies the ability to use that feat during your Inspire Feats performance. Any limited use abilities uses are split between those who are under the effect of the feats.
Learnt Music: Most people don’t like having the same music as everyone else is born with- As such, they tend to either learn or create new Bardic songs to sing. The rules for Learnt Music are listed below. You may replace any bardic music with a Lieder, any bardic music gained after level 5 with a Sonata, any bardic music learnt after level 10 with a Concerto, and any Bardic Music gained after level 15 with a Symphony
Channel Bardic: If you may Channel Energy, you may expend Bard spells to add 1d6 per spell level to the amount of damage healed or dealt. This replaces Versatile Performance.
Bardic Study: Gain the ability to spellstrike with Bard Spells by reducing your magus spells per day by one of each mangus level. This replaces Versatile Performance.
Pure Bard Options
Songwriter Guild Bard:
A bard of the Guild is an uncommon sort of bard, trained in the Bardic Arts, they have mastered how to wield music and song in one whole form, and, also, the art of countering harmonies. They are oftentimes called “Uncreative bastards” by some of the pickier singers, but the music they write are sung the world around. A large quantity of Learnt Music was first created by Songwriter bards.
[Link to the Songwriter Guild Bard] (http://www.finalfantasyd20.com/ffd20/bard.html)
Changes to the above:
Songs are replaced by standard Bardic Spellcasting. They still gain MP as listed on the table 3-4. Guild bards may either use MP to cast spells they have prepared, or to boost caster level on spells they cast, up to a quarter of their modifier on Perform (Sing) checks.
You do not gain Additional Song class feature. Instead, you gain a Learnt Music at level 5, 10, 15, and 20. These do not count to your Learnt song limit.
Bardic Born:
Oftentimes born across the sea of worlds, their bardic potential being hidden for ages without their knowledge- When they arrive in Weit Weg, they oftentimes learn their training in the Bardic arts grant them a massive advantage in how they cast spells and their ability to know spells and songs, in addition to granting them easier methods to learn pre-exsisting bardic performances.
Prepared Casting: Gain a second pool of spells, as a Magus of your level, with spells drawn from the Bard Spell list. You may, at the start of each morning, prepare spells as a cleric does.
Double Archetype: You are considered to have two copies of each class feature, excluding Bardic Music Rounds per Day.
Prepared Music: You can have up to twice as many Learnt music of each type as a regular Bard.
The Fili
In the world, there is Song. However, from Song, we wove into it greater meaning, with the words we spoke. From this, we derived the spells we cast to this day. However, the art of the song has not been forgotten- For there was a great many more to discern and draw upon, beyond the few the ancients learnt long ago. So the Fili learnt and trained, drawing new melodies from their very souls. Crafted and woven, the harmonies they created began to flow into the world anew- Some say even the Gods are drawn upon the harmonies they created. We know that, from their magic, new magic was created- The spells almost all classes draw upon today.
In this day and age, the Fili are more casual, and more accepting- It was said that the Fili of old could draw upon the might of the Gods. But, today, they draw upon the words in their own soul- And how varied their words tend to be.
Fili wordcasting: A Fili bard is far more potent in their spellcasting than most bards, but do not gain access to as wide an array of spells as a Bard would. A Fili Bard does not draw upon the Bard Spell List, but rather, draws from the entire word of power spell list. A Fili Bard gains access to all words of power at the lowest spell level they become available. A Fili Bard ignores all target word restrictions.
A Fili Bard gains the Spells Known and Spells per day as a Sorcerer of the same level.
This alters spellcasting.
Base Attack Bonus: a Fili has a poor base attack bonus, rather than a medium base attack bonus.
Bardic Creation: Having created a large quantity of the Bard spells most people cast, most learn to create Bard spells of some sort, or to re-create prexsisting spells for their own use. At level one, and every four levels thereafter, a bard a spell from the Bard spell list- It must be one a Bard of her level would be able to cast.
This replaces Armor Proficiency.
Spell Creation: Fili Bards begin to gain a greater grasp of spells, and may now begin to create or re-create or create new spells of their own- At level 3, and every two levels thereafter, add any spell to your spells known. Your Fili level must be equal to the level that the class you obtain the spell from can cast the spell at (So a Fili can, for example, take Strong Jaw (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/strong-jaw) as a level 4 spell from the Druid list at level 7, or at level 3 from the ranger’s list at level 13).
Note: Thanks to Grod_The_Giant for his excelent bard conversion- Wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but what I got was worth the time.
Bardic Music Options:
Bardic Music Variant: Learnt Music.
A note: A thanks to Grod_The_Giant, who created most of the Music you now see there, and the ruleset for Learnt Music. Primarily so you don’t have to read the rest of his page, I’ve linked the information on Bardic Performance here, with some minor alterations. Not much, but it'll save time having to look on the classes page.
Music, not born, but forged. This type of bardic music is very different in shape and form than the regular form- it’s easier to maintain than regular Bardic Music, requiring that you spend only one round of Bardic Music, and concentrate to maintain your song.
Individual Learnt 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.
They are significantly rarer to find, simply due to costing a fair amount than usual- One isn’t born with a learnt song, but rather, has to learn it; One learns a song by either discovering it in a musicians box, from the song creator, or creating it themselves from scratch. To learn a Composition from another Bard takes five days, and a bard of equal or greater level than the minimum needed to learn it. It also costs 50 × your level gold pieces. To learn it from a page, takes twice the time, and increases the cost to 100 x your level gold pieces. To teach yourself, takes 15 days, and costs 150 x your level in gold. This replaces one Bardic Music of your choice.
Playing a Composition's Chord is a swift action. Make a Perform check, discounting any magical bonuses; 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.
[TR]
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.
Compositions are grouped into different grades- He may only learn one Composition of each type. At first level, a Bard may replace one bardic music with a Lieder, except for Inspire Courage. He may only replace Inspire Courage (Or it’s variants) with the Inspire Courage Leider, Inspire Awe Leider, and the Inspire Arcana leider, Dragonfire Inspiration. At 6th level, he may replace any bardic music learnt after level 6 with a Sonata. At 11th level, he may replace any bardic music learnt after level 11 with a a Concerto, and he may replace any bardic music learnt after level 16 with a Symphony.
Learnt Music, though easier to maintain, also has a habit of requiring more initial investment: Each time he plays a Chord, he expends one or more rounds of Bardic Music, depending on the level of the Cpmposition in question.
Composition Level
Bardic Performance Rounds
Lied
2
Sonata
4
Concerto
6
Symphony
8
Complete list of Compositions:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18644091&postcount=2
Homebrew Feats:
Weapon Finesse [Altered]:
Gain Dex to Damage and Attack rolls. Any penalty you take to strength applies to your HP, AC, Attack, and Damage.
Shield Bearer:
Whenever you hold a shield, gain Strength to Reflex and AC. You may redirect Hit Point damage to your shield, which bypasses it’s hardness. All shields you hold gain bonus HP equal to half your characters level times your strength modifier. Attacks that miss your AC by 15 or more permit a free action attack against your assailant.
Combat Expertise [Altered] [Training] [Combat]:
Prerequisite: Int 13
Gain the ability to make Called Shots. (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateCombat/variants/calledShots.html) Add your Intelligence modifier to your Called Shot attack roll. Gain access to Improved Called Shot as a Improved Combat Maneuver feat.
Combat Training [Training] [Combat]:
Prerequisite: Wis 13
Gain the ability to convert AC from Armor into DR/Bludgeoning and piercing, up to your character level or half your AC bonus from all your armor.
Eclectic Training [Training] [Combat]:
Prerequisite: +1 BaB
Gain a bonus feat from the Generic Class (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm) feat list (Decrease skill prerequisites by three). You may now select those as your every three level bonus feat.
Quick to Heal [Training] [Combat]:
Prerequisite: Cha 13
Gain a pool of Reserve Point (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/reservePoints.htm)s, and gain access to the Reserve Point system.
Unyielding Armor Expertise [Training][Combat]
Prerequisite: Con 13
Gain access to the Damage Conversion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/damageConversion.htm) subsystem. Natural Armor doesn’t reduce Nonleathal armor.
Bardic Will :
Gain a Good will save.
[B]Bardic Reflexes :
Gain a good Reflex save.
[B]Song Training :
Gain a Learnt performance without spending a Bardic Performance known.
[B]Bardic Fortitude :
Gain a poor fortitude save.
[B]Bardic skill :
Prerequisite: Bardic Will, Reflex, or Fortitude.
Change your skill points per level to 6+Int
[B]Bardic Battle :
Prerequisite: Bardic Skill, and Bardic Will, Bardic Reflex, or Bardic Fortitude
BaB changes to 3/4 Base attack bonus.
[B]Spell Sunderer:
Prerequisite: Improved Sunder
You may now sunder spells at-will, as with the Spell Sunder rage power. The rage power instead grants this feat and a +4 bonus to spell sunder attempts.
Guarded Wizardry:
Use your caster level in place of your base attack bonus for Combat Maneuver Defense for the sake of the Sunder maneuver. For an attempt to sunder a spell, you add your spellcasting mod to your CMD.
Multitalented:
You now gain another favored class- Most use this to gain Bard as a favored class. In addition, gain a +2 bonus to the skill of your choice.
Bardic Gestalt variant.
Every level, you Gestalt with either Bard, Skald, or certain prestige classes [See Prestige Class Options] but do not gain saves, skill points, hit dice, or base attack bonus of the Bard class, unless you are a Pure Bard [See Below] or take the line of feats.
Skill Points
If you have 2+Int skill points, increase that to 4+Int skill points. Everyone gains one versatile performance at level 2 unless they are Pure Bards, where they gain them as a regular Bard. Everyone gains one extra skill point to put into the Perform skill of their choice.
Alternate Ability Score Base
A non-pure bards class abilities can be keyed off of any of the following ability scores, granting a minor bonus of some sort:
Intelligence (Gain one extra versatile performance at level 14)
Wisdom (Use your wisdom modifier in place of one social skill)
Charisma (Gain a Leidier of your choice)
Pure Bards do not receive the bonus listed above.
Variant Performance Skills
One does not have to be stuck with the standard array of Perform skills
Act (Wis)
Comedy (Con)
Dance (Str)
Keyboard instruments (Dex)
Oratory (Int)
Percussion instruments (Con)
String instruments (Dex)
Wind instruments (Int)
Sing (Wis)
Nine Level Casters and Lesser Gestalt:
Nine Level Casters are fairly uncommon, and more difficult for those of Bardic blood, bordering on impossible. To do so is to unwind your very souls magic to comprehend the complexities of the magic that is possible- As a resault, all 9 level casters must use the Words of Power variant for your Bard Spells. Bonus Spells from Favored Class Bonuses are, however, not Words of Power spells- They are regular bard spells learnt from training. Another note is that they gain bard spells as a bard from the third edition (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/bard.htm). This includes cantrips not being at-will. Finally, they treat themselves as a bard of half their level for four bardic performances of their choice, one at level 1-5, one at level 6-10, one at level 11-15, one at level 16-20.
Archetypes:
Archaeologists are rarer, and have a prerequisite ability score- Cha 16. An archeologist must Trap Sense, Rouge Talents, Evasion, and/or Advanced Rouge Talents for three Bardic Musics of their choice from the archetype bard list (Up to 13). They gain acess to these at the level they are gained.
All Archetypes and Alternate Class Features have their Racial limits removed.
The following Third Party archetypes are approved:
Bardic Weapon (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/4-winds-fantasy-gaming---bard-archetypes/bardic-weapon)
Moso
Weird Singer
Prestige Classes you may Gestalt with [And Alterations]:
Shadowdancer [Also advances bardic music, loses spellcasting at level 4 and 9]
Pathfinder Chronicler [Always advances Bardic Music]
Note: The following is 3.5 Material. Note changes to Bardic Music- These now work off of rounds/level method.
Warchanter [Advances Bardcasting at full progression](Pg 87 Complete Warrior)
Virtuoso [Full Bardcasting progression](Complete Adventurer pg 89)
Dirgesinger[Full Bardcasting progression] (Libris Mortis pg 43)
Sublime Chord [May only use Words of Power]
Seeker of the Song [Full spellcasting advancement] (Complete Arcane pg 56)
Character Creation House Rules:
Will saves are now based off of Charisma OR wisdom. If you have spellcasting that is based upon Charisma, you must use Wisdom as your will save. If you have spellcasting based off of Wisdom, you must use Charisma for your will save.
Everyone gains the original combat expertise and power attack as a combat option. Things that have Power Attack as a prerequisite do not have it anymore- Not so with Combat Expertise, which instead has multiple feats to replace it.
A new feat type: feats are feats that can be used in place of Combat Expertise for feat prerequisites.
Gain a bonus feat at level 1, 3, 6, and every 3 levels thereafter from the following list:
Feats with Improved Combat Manuver as a prerequisite.
Weapon Focus
Improved and Greater X feats.
Armor Proficiency
Cleave
Any Metamagic Feat
Weapon Finesse [Altered]
[Training] feats, such as Combat Expertise.
Point Blank Shot
Deadly shot
Weapon Proficiency
The Eldritch Heritage (Maestro) line
Martial Training I
1/2 of Martial Training II-VI
Dodge
Toughness
Mobility
Experimental Spellcaster
1/2 a [Bard] feat.
Gain a free rank per level in either Profession (Any), Craft (Any), or Knowledge (Local, Engineering, Geography, or History). Use it to fluff out your character.
New Skill:
ATTUNEMENT (Cha): 9 level Prepared Casters must have an Attunement equal to their class level to prepare spells as a caster of their level (So a level 9 wizard with 8 ranks in Attunement would prepare spells as a 8th level caster). Anyone of bardic blood may make an DC [10 + 2 X Spell Level] attunement check to draw upon ambient energy in the environment, increasing the caster level of any Bard spells by one for every five you beat the DC by. To do so is a Swift Action.
There are now two versions of Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Magic arms and Armor, and Craft Arms and Armor- The difference is that the Non-magical ones are mundane- If you craft it, explain why the bonuses it gives are mundane. Use Profession (Blacksmith) or Craft (Arms)(Armor) in place of spellcraft for these rolls. The cost is increased by 5%. Their effects are Extraordinary.
Spell Like abilities count as spells for the purpose of meeting prerequisites for prestige classes.
[B]Class Specific House Rules
Bard favored class bonuses have their racial limits removed.
Clerics gain their choice of variant channeling for free (Or Rebuke/Command undead). When a cleric channels energy, they choose to either channel healing or their variant. If they use their variant, they do not heal and/or harm.
1/rage and 1/day rage powers become 1/1d4 rounds.
Sorcerers, Oracles, and all spontaneous, non prepared 9 level casters are treated a level higher for spells per day and spells known. (Archivists and Fili are exempt from this rule)
Sorcerers gain their bloodline spells two levels earlier.
New Class Variants.
Oracles can choose to forgo a Curse if they so desire. An oracle can also forgo Revelations for two domains of their choice.
A Witch may choose to become a Divine caster, basing their spells and Hexes off of Wisdom instead of Intelligence. If they have a penalty to Intelligence, apply that penalty to their Wisdom score for all things requiring Wisdom.
A Metamagic Arcanist gains a bonus metamagic feat every even level- However, they may only a prepare a number of different spells equal to their modifier on Attunement rolls. They lose one spell known prepared after level one, but can prepare three spells with metamagic applied to them in that slot.
Combat House-Rules
When you crit, you may make a skill check, ability check, or combat maneuver in place of dealing extra damage.
Flanking is a status effect- Meaning that you are considered flanked by everyone if you are flanked, period.
If a gun has a higher enhancement modifier than your strength modifier, take a -4 penalty to attack rolls, and never target touch AC.
Dazing spell grants a second save to the affected- They must fail both in order to be Dazed.
Failing a skill check by 5 or less will have something interesting happen instead of merely failing.
Everyone gains a pool of action points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/actionPoints.htm) up to their Wisdom or Charisma modifier (Whichever is not used for Will), plus one per four character levels (Cha mod +1/4 level). You may trade two action points for a Hero Point- This is counted as one . Do not count nine level spellcasting purposes for your effective character level. Wordcasters are not counted as spellcasters for the purpose of Action Points.
Action Points are gained upon rolling a natural one or twenty on any d20 roll and permitting something bad to happen to your character (State upon discovery of roll), good roleplaying, and/or playing out your drawbacks. You begin play with either one hero point or two action points, unless you
New Bard Alternate Class Features:
Fluid Magic: Fluid magic is a less common variant of Bardic Magic- Fluid Magic bards use the Spell Point (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/spellPoints.htm) system for their bard spells, trading away lasting power for fluidity in their casting of spells. This alters Spells per Day.
Inspire Choreography: Inspire Choreography functions as Inspire Courage, except that, instead of granting your allies a circumstance bonus to attack and damage, you grant them the ability to use any teamwork feats you possess. Gain a bonus teamwork feat at level one. This replaces Inspire Courage.
Inspire Feats: Inspire Feats functions like Inspire Courage, except that instead of granting a circumstance bonus to attack and damage, you grant your allies the ability to use one feat you posses. At level 5, and every six levels thereafter, pick another feat you possess, granting your allies the ability to use that feat during your Inspire Feats performance. Any limited use abilities uses are split between those who are under the effect of the feats.
Learnt Music: Most people don’t like having the same music as everyone else is born with- As such, they tend to either learn or create new Bardic songs to sing. The rules for Learnt Music are listed below. You may replace any bardic music with a Lieder, any bardic music gained after level 5 with a Sonata, any bardic music learnt after level 10 with a Concerto, and any Bardic Music gained after level 15 with a Symphony
Channel Bardic: If you may Channel Energy, you may expend Bard spells to add 1d6 per spell level to the amount of damage healed or dealt. This replaces Versatile Performance.
Bardic Study: Gain the ability to spellstrike with Bard Spells by reducing your magus spells per day by one of each mangus level. This replaces Versatile Performance.
Pure Bard Options
Songwriter Guild Bard:
A bard of the Guild is an uncommon sort of bard, trained in the Bardic Arts, they have mastered how to wield music and song in one whole form, and, also, the art of countering harmonies. They are oftentimes called “Uncreative bastards” by some of the pickier singers, but the music they write are sung the world around. A large quantity of Learnt Music was first created by Songwriter bards.
[Link to the Songwriter Guild Bard] (http://www.finalfantasyd20.com/ffd20/bard.html)
Changes to the above:
Songs are replaced by standard Bardic Spellcasting. They still gain MP as listed on the table 3-4. Guild bards may either use MP to cast spells they have prepared, or to boost caster level on spells they cast, up to a quarter of their modifier on Perform (Sing) checks.
You do not gain Additional Song class feature. Instead, you gain a Learnt Music at level 5, 10, 15, and 20. These do not count to your Learnt song limit.
Bardic Born:
Oftentimes born across the sea of worlds, their bardic potential being hidden for ages without their knowledge- When they arrive in Weit Weg, they oftentimes learn their training in the Bardic arts grant them a massive advantage in how they cast spells and their ability to know spells and songs, in addition to granting them easier methods to learn pre-exsisting bardic performances.
Prepared Casting: Gain a second pool of spells, as a Magus of your level, with spells drawn from the Bard Spell list. You may, at the start of each morning, prepare spells as a cleric does.
Double Archetype: You are considered to have two copies of each class feature, excluding Bardic Music Rounds per Day.
Prepared Music: You can have up to twice as many Learnt music of each type as a regular Bard.
The Fili
In the world, there is Song. However, from Song, we wove into it greater meaning, with the words we spoke. From this, we derived the spells we cast to this day. However, the art of the song has not been forgotten- For there was a great many more to discern and draw upon, beyond the few the ancients learnt long ago. So the Fili learnt and trained, drawing new melodies from their very souls. Crafted and woven, the harmonies they created began to flow into the world anew- Some say even the Gods are drawn upon the harmonies they created. We know that, from their magic, new magic was created- The spells almost all classes draw upon today.
In this day and age, the Fili are more casual, and more accepting- It was said that the Fili of old could draw upon the might of the Gods. But, today, they draw upon the words in their own soul- And how varied their words tend to be.
Fili wordcasting: A Fili bard is far more potent in their spellcasting than most bards, but do not gain access to as wide an array of spells as a Bard would. A Fili Bard does not draw upon the Bard Spell List, but rather, draws from the entire word of power spell list. A Fili Bard gains access to all words of power at the lowest spell level they become available. A Fili Bard ignores all target word restrictions.
A Fili Bard gains the Spells Known and Spells per day as a Sorcerer of the same level.
This alters spellcasting.
Base Attack Bonus: a Fili has a poor base attack bonus, rather than a medium base attack bonus.
Bardic Creation: Having created a large quantity of the Bard spells most people cast, most learn to create Bard spells of some sort, or to re-create prexsisting spells for their own use. At level one, and every four levels thereafter, a bard a spell from the Bard spell list- It must be one a Bard of her level would be able to cast.
This replaces Armor Proficiency.
Spell Creation: Fili Bards begin to gain a greater grasp of spells, and may now begin to create or re-create or create new spells of their own- At level 3, and every two levels thereafter, add any spell to your spells known. Your Fili level must be equal to the level that the class you obtain the spell from can cast the spell at (So a Fili can, for example, take Strong Jaw (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/strong-jaw) as a level 4 spell from the Druid list at level 7, or at level 3 from the ranger’s list at level 13).
Note: Thanks to Grod_The_Giant for his excelent bard conversion- Wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but what I got was worth the time.
Bardic Music Options:
Bardic Music Variant: Learnt Music.
A note: A thanks to Grod_The_Giant, who created most of the Music you now see there, and the ruleset for Learnt Music. Primarily so you don’t have to read the rest of his page, I’ve linked the information on Bardic Performance here, with some minor alterations. Not much, but it'll save time having to look on the classes page.
Music, not born, but forged. This type of bardic music is very different in shape and form than the regular form- it’s easier to maintain than regular Bardic Music, requiring that you spend only one round of Bardic Music, and concentrate to maintain your song.
Individual Learnt 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.
They are significantly rarer to find, simply due to costing a fair amount than usual- One isn’t born with a learnt song, but rather, has to learn it; One learns a song by either discovering it in a musicians box, from the song creator, or creating it themselves from scratch. To learn a Composition from another Bard takes five days, and a bard of equal or greater level than the minimum needed to learn it. It also costs 50 × your level gold pieces. To learn it from a page, takes twice the time, and increases the cost to 100 x your level gold pieces. To teach yourself, takes 15 days, and costs 150 x your level in gold. This replaces one Bardic Music of your choice.
Playing a Composition's Chord is a swift action. Make a Perform check, discounting any magical bonuses; 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.
[TR]
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.
Compositions are grouped into different grades- He may only learn one Composition of each type. At first level, a Bard may replace one bardic music with a Lieder, except for Inspire Courage. He may only replace Inspire Courage (Or it’s variants) with the Inspire Courage Leider, Inspire Awe Leider, and the Inspire Arcana leider, Dragonfire Inspiration. At 6th level, he may replace any bardic music learnt after level 6 with a Sonata. At 11th level, he may replace any bardic music learnt after level 11 with a a Concerto, and he may replace any bardic music learnt after level 16 with a Symphony.
Learnt Music, though easier to maintain, also has a habit of requiring more initial investment: Each time he plays a Chord, he expends one or more rounds of Bardic Music, depending on the level of the Cpmposition in question.
Composition Level
Bardic Performance Rounds
Lied
2
Sonata
4
Concerto
6
Symphony
8
Complete list of Compositions:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18644091&postcount=2
Homebrew Feats:
Weapon Finesse [Altered]:
Gain Dex to Damage and Attack rolls. Any penalty you take to strength applies to your HP, AC, Attack, and Damage.
Shield Bearer:
Whenever you hold a shield, gain Strength to Reflex and AC. You may redirect Hit Point damage to your shield, which bypasses it’s hardness. All shields you hold gain bonus HP equal to half your characters level times your strength modifier. Attacks that miss your AC by 15 or more permit a free action attack against your assailant.
Combat Expertise [Altered] [Training] [Combat]:
Prerequisite: Int 13
Gain the ability to make Called Shots. (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateCombat/variants/calledShots.html) Add your Intelligence modifier to your Called Shot attack roll. Gain access to Improved Called Shot as a Improved Combat Maneuver feat.
Combat Training [Training] [Combat]:
Prerequisite: Wis 13
Gain the ability to convert AC from Armor into DR/Bludgeoning and piercing, up to your character level or half your AC bonus from all your armor.
Eclectic Training [Training] [Combat]:
Prerequisite: +1 BaB
Gain a bonus feat from the Generic Class (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm) feat list (Decrease skill prerequisites by three). You may now select those as your every three level bonus feat.
Quick to Heal [Training] [Combat]:
Prerequisite: Cha 13
Gain a pool of Reserve Point (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/reservePoints.htm)s, and gain access to the Reserve Point system.
Unyielding Armor Expertise [Training][Combat]
Prerequisite: Con 13
Gain access to the Damage Conversion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/damageConversion.htm) subsystem. Natural Armor doesn’t reduce Nonleathal armor.
Bardic Will :
Gain a Good will save.
[B]Bardic Reflexes :
Gain a good Reflex save.
[B]Song Training :
Gain a Learnt performance without spending a Bardic Performance known.
[B]Bardic Fortitude :
Gain a poor fortitude save.
[B]Bardic skill :
Prerequisite: Bardic Will, Reflex, or Fortitude.
Change your skill points per level to 6+Int
[B]Bardic Battle :
Prerequisite: Bardic Skill, and Bardic Will, Bardic Reflex, or Bardic Fortitude
BaB changes to 3/4 Base attack bonus.
[B]Spell Sunderer:
Prerequisite: Improved Sunder
You may now sunder spells at-will, as with the Spell Sunder rage power. The rage power instead grants this feat and a +4 bonus to spell sunder attempts.
Guarded Wizardry:
Use your caster level in place of your base attack bonus for Combat Maneuver Defense for the sake of the Sunder maneuver. For an attempt to sunder a spell, you add your spellcasting mod to your CMD.
Multitalented:
You now gain another favored class- Most use this to gain Bard as a favored class. In addition, gain a +2 bonus to the skill of your choice.