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View Full Version : Pathfinder Conjure Spirit Band (Bard Spell, PEACH)



inuyasha
2016-01-30, 06:13 PM
I got a very random idea for a spell, and I want to know if this is balanced at all. I'm fairly new to Pathfinder, but I've been playing 3.X for a long time now. I've also NEVER played a bard, so I have little experience in what their spellcasting is like.

Conjure Spirit Band
School: Conjuration; Level: bard 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S, M (a tiny golden fiddle)
Range: see text
Effect: see text
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: no; Spell Resistance: no

By casting this spell, four humanoid creatures appear somewhere within 2 squares of the bard in any horizontal direction, each one wearing chain shirt and wielding weapons chosen from the following list, these weapons also correspond to an instrument the figure seems to possess:
One has drums, and two very oversized drumsticks that act as masterwork short swords
One has a fiddle/violin, and a masterwork rapier as the bow
One has a very large upright bass cello with a masterwork longsword as the bow
One has a guitar or similar instrument, and may wield it as a masterwork battleaxe

These four humanoid creatures can either use the aid another action to enhance the caster's perform checks, or they may fight in combat, their stats and abilities dependent on the bards alignment:

Evil bards summon spirits with horrendously ugly appearances. These can look undead and rotting, or like brass skinned demons.

Good bards summon spirits with beautiful faces and voices. These can have either shining emerald skin or be glowing yellow with an internal holy light.

Neutral bards may choose to pick one of the above options, but all four members of the summoned band must be of the same type.

Regardless of appearance, the spirits have the following statistics:
They have hit points equal to half the bard's level+the bard's charisma modifier
They have an armor class equal to 10+the bard's charisma modifier
The spirits do not receive a saving throw against any effect, instantly taking full damage from spells and area effects. They are however, completely immune to poison, disease, and mind influencing effects. These spirits are affected by anything as though they were outsiders with the proper subtype according to their alignment (good or evil)
These spirits may aid another for either the bard's perform checks, or to aid the bard (or his allies) in combat, with a bonus equal to 1d20+half the bard's level+the bard's charisma modifier

The caster may only have one instance of this spell in effect at one time

Ethereal Gears
2016-01-31, 10:38 AM
A small nitpick, but surely the drumsticks should mimic some kind of bludgeoning weapon, rather than short swords. That one just sticks out to me like a sore thumb.

Otherwise, I don't really understand what stats the conjured band has? Aasimar and Tieflings lack racial HD, so they need class levels or something to function. I think this could potentially be balanced or unbalanced, depending on what stats you give the band. I would personally extend the duration to 1 minute/level and give the band rather modest attributes. In fact, it might be easier to just have them be a conjuration effect, rather than actual creatures. They could have HP equal to 1/2 the bard's own maximum hit points, AC equal to 10 + his Cha mod, and take automatic damage (no save) from area effects. Then they could simply be able to either aid another on Perform checks, or aid another in combat, and then you could just come up with what bonus they use to do this (d20 + 1/2 bard's level + his Cha mod, maybe?)

If you wanna go through with it and make these band members actual creatures, you'll need to figure out a reasonable number of HD for them to have, and either make these humanoid racial HD or come up with a class (Expert) to grant them levels in. Then you would need to figure out how to allocate their ability score increases, skill ranks and feats from their HD/levels.

These are just my initial thoughts. I'll post more if I think of anything. I apologize if there's something I've misunderstood about the spell's function and purpose, in which case this may be less than helpful.

Cheers,
- Gears

inuyasha
2016-01-31, 01:11 PM
-snip-

Alright, some actual commentary!

1. About the drumsticks, yeah that wasn't the best decision on my part, how about two masterwork clubs?

2. I'm taking your idea for stats, thanks for that.

The idea behind this came to me right after I watched the video for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by Primus, and I thought of the idea of summoning a band from hell to aid your performance. And with that, I figured, why not have a heavenly host option for good bards too.