How important is melodic casting to bards?

[Masakan]

Can it be ignored or is it basically a class feature?

[legomaster00156]

I'd never even heard of it before now. Looking at the feat, it's a nice little perk, but I see no reason for it to be necessary.

[Masakan]

I'd never even heard of it before now. Looking at the feat, it's a nice little perk, but I see no reason for it to be necessary.

How have you not heard of it? It's basically a requirement for Lyric Thaumaturge.

[Kelb_Panthera]

It's kinda "meh." It's nice if you have room for it but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

[legomaster00156]

How have you not heard of it? It's basically a requirement for Lyric Thaumaturge.
Easy. I've never heard of Lyric Thaumaturge, either. I'm not very knowledgeable regarding much of 3.5 splat.

[gorfnab]

Without Melodic Casting Bards can't cast spells or active magic items while using Bardic Music. I use it for almost all my Bard builds because I like being able to buff and cast simultaneously in combat. Also it saves on skill points that would have normally gone into Concentration.



Bardic Music
Once per day per bard level, a bard can use his song or poetics to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). While these abilities fall under the category of bardic music and the descriptions discuss singing or playing instruments, they can all be activated by reciting poetry, chanting, singing lyrical songs, singing melodies, whistling, playing an instrument, or playing an instrument in combination with some spoken performance. Each ability requires both a minimum bard level and a minimum number of ranks in the Perform skill to qualify; if a bard does not have the required number of ranks in at least one Perform skill, he does not gain the bardic music ability until he acquires the needed ranks.

Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action. 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 completion (such as scrolls), or activate magic items by magic word (such as wands). Just as for casting a spell with a verbal component, a deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use bardic music. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his daily limit.




Melodic Casting
( Complete Mage, p. 44)

[General]

You can weave your music and magic together into a single perfect voice.

Prerequisite
Perform 4 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks, bardic music class feature,

Benefit
Whenever a Concentration check would be required to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability (such as when you cast defensively or are distracted or injured while casting), you can make a Perform check instead. In addition, you can cast spells and activate magic items by command word or spell completion while using a bardic music ability. Bardic music abilities that require concentration still take a standard action to perform.

Normal
A bard can't cast spells or activate magic items by command word or spell completion while using bardic music.

[Flickerdart]

All the combat-useful songs last for 5 rounds after you stop singing, generally plenty of time to murder whatever you were fighting (and if it isn't, Lingering Song is superior). Melodic Casting does nothing unless you're one of those bards who just sings a single Inspire Courage all day to conserve uses...in which case you're better off with Extra Music.