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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class The Bard (E6 Project v3, PEACH)



Gnorman
2016-03-27, 05:23 AM
The Bard (E6)

Designer's Notes:
I've given the Bard a lot more songs, and interesting things to do with their songs, and flexibility when selecting their songs. With spellcasting, maybe it's too much? Don't know. I have gutted the spell list, so maybe that suffices. Given that they get music and spellcasting, their actual class abilities are a little thinner than most classes.

The archetypes may seem a bit thin for the Bard, but that's because each one gets unique songs as well. The Dirgesinger is a summoner/debuffer, the Sublime Chord a blaster/controller, and the Warchanter is a face-smasher.

HD: d6
Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (all), Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Skill Points: 6 + Int per level (4x at 1st)



Level
BAB
Saves
Special
Songs Known
Spells Per Day





Fort
Ref
Will


0
1
2
3



1st
+0
+0
+2
+2
Archetype Power (Lesser), Spellcasting, Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Music
2
3
2
-
-



2nd
+1
+0
+3
+3
The Food of Love
3
4
3
-
-



3rd
+2
+1
+3
+3
Archetype Power (Moderate)
4
4
3
1
-



4th
+3
+1
+4
+4
Rhythmic Strikes
5
4
4
2
-



5th
+3
+1
+4
+4
A Charmed Life
6
4
4
3
-



6th
+4
+2
+5
+5
Archetype Power (Greater) Pinnacle of Melody
7
4
4
3
1




Proficiencies: The Bard is proficient with simple weapons, as well as the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. She is also proficient with light armor and shields. She does not suffer from arcane spell failure while wearing light armor.

Spellcasting: The Bard gains the ability to cast a limited number of arcane spells, drawn from the her own list. She may cast a number of spells per day as noted in the table below. She does not need to prepare these spells in advance, and is treated as if she knows all the spells on her list. Her spellcasting attribute is Charisma. She gains bonus spells for having a high Charisma, and must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the level of the spell in question to cast it. The DC of a Bard's spells are equal to 10 + 1/2 her level + Charisma modifier. All of her spells have verbal components (singing, reciting, or music).

Archetype Power: At 1st level, the Bard chooses an archetype from the following list. Once made, the choice is final. Each archetype offers the Bard a different set of abilities at levels 1, 3, and 6, as noted below.

Bardic Knowledge: As the base bard ability.

Bardic Music: The Bard may use her songs to produce magical effects much as the base bard can (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/bard.htm#bardicMusic). She may do so a number of times per day equal to her class level plus her Charisma bonus. Unlike the base bard, she has a greater selection of magical effects to choose from. She knows two songs at first level, and gains additional songs as given in her class table.

Activating a song typically requires a standard action, and uses up one daily use of her ability. Some songs require concentration. Some songs use up multiple daily uses of her bardic music at once. Unless otherwise noted, the effects of a bard song last for as long as the Bard sings, plus five rounds. Targets, whether opponents or allies, must be able to hear the Bard's performance in order to be affected - deafened creatures are immune. Bard songs are usually (but not always) mind-affecting abilities. The DC of bardic music, unless stated otherwise, is equal to 10 + 1/2 the Bard's level + the Bard's Charisma modifier.

The Food of Love: The Bard gains sonic resistance 5 and a +4 bonus on saves against effects that would deafen or silence her.

Rhythmic Strikes: While under the effects of her own bardic music, the Bard gains a bonus on weapon damage rolls equal to her Charisma bonus.

A Charmed Life: The Bard treats a roll of a natural one as if it was a natural twenty instead.

Pinnacle of Melody: The Bard may now sing two songs at one time, and concentrate on both as a single standard action. Doing so doubles the amount of daily uses of bardic music required for each song, however.


Archetypes:


Dirgesinger

Lesser Archetype Power: A dirgesinger gains Intimidate as a class skill, and may rebuke undead as a cleric of her class level. She may also affect undead with her bardic music. In addition, she adds the following spells to her list of spells known.

1: cause fear, summon monster I
2: scare, summon monster II, summon swarm
3: crushing despair, fear, summon monster III

Moderate Archetype Power: As a free action when casting a summon monster spell, a dirgesinger may sacrifice uses of her bardic music. For each use sacrificed in this way, the creature(s) summoned gain a +1 morale bonus to attack and weapon damage rolls for the duration of the spell, up to a maximum of +3.

Greater Archetype Power: All allies under the effect of a dirgesinger's bardic music deal an additional 1d6 negative energy damage with their weapon attacks. The dirgesinger may suppress this effect as a free action.


Sublime Chord

Lesser Archetype Power: A sublime chord may substitute her Perform skill whenever a Concentration check would be required to cast a spell or spell-like ability. She may also cast spells and activate magic items by command word or spell completion while using a bardic music ability. In addition, a sublime chord adds the following spells to her list of spells known

1: comprehend languages, identify
2: detect thoughts, invisibility, tongues
3: displacement, invisibility sphere, see invisibility

Moderate Archetype Power: As a free action while casting any spell, sublime chord may sacrifice uses of her bardic music. For each use sacrificed in this way, she gains a +1 bonus to her caster level with the spell, to a maximum of +3.

Greater Archetype Power: All allies under the effect of a sublime chord's bardic music gain a +1 bonus to their caster level.


Warchanter

Lesser Archetype Power: A warchanter gains proficiency with medium armor and all martial weapons, and rolls a d8 for her hit points instead of a d6. She does not suffer from arcane spell failure while wearing medium armor. In addition, a warchanter adds the following spells to her list of spells known.

1: alarm, grease
2: glitterdust, rage, pyrotechnics
3: haste, phantom steed, slow

Moderate Archetype Power: As a free action when casting any conjuration (healing) spell, a warchanter may sacrifice uses of her bardic music. For each use sacrificed in this way, the target of the spell gains a +2 bonus to their Strength and Constitution scores, to a maximum of +6, for the remainder of the encounter.

Greater Archetype Power: All allies under the effect of a warchanter's bardic music are immune to fear and charm effects.




Bard Songs:

Calming Song
Prerequisites: Perform 4 ranks
Target: One creature within 30'
Duration: Ongoing
Effect: The Bard makes a diplomacy check against the target's Will save. If the Bard succeeds, the creature is affected by a calm emotions spell. The effect lasts as long as the creature listens to the bard. This is a language-dependent ability.

Chord of Horror
Prerequisites: Perform 6 ranks, Dirgesinger archetype
Target: All opponents within 60'
Duration: Instant
Effect: Targets must make a Will save (DC = 10 + the Bard's ranks in perform) or take 1d6 Strength and 1d6 Dexterity damage. A successful save makes targets immune to this effect for 24 hours. This song uses up two daily uses of bardic music, and lasts only a single round.

Countersong
Prerequisites: Perform 4 ranks
Target: All allies within 30'
Duration: Ongoing
Effect: Each round that this song is active, the Bard makes a Perform check. If any ally is affected by any sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it may use the Bard's Perform check in place of its saving throw if, after the save is rolled, the Perform check would be higher. If an ally is already under the effects of a sonic 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.
Special: A Bard with the Sublime Chord archetype may use this ability against any mind-affecting magical attack.

Curse Song
Prerequisites: Perform 4 ranks
Target: All opponents within earshot
Duration: Ongoing
Effect: Targets take a -1 penalty to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and will saves.
Special: A Bard with the Dirgesinger archetype applies an additional -1 penalty with this song, and may sing it without using up a daily use of her bardic music.

Discord
Prerequisites: Perform 4 ranks
Target: All opponents within 30'
Duration: Ongoing, up to a maximum of one round per level
Effect: Targets take 1d6 sonic damage, plus an additional 1d6 sonic damage per two Bard levels, to a maximum of 3d6, per round. They must also make a Fortitude save each round or be deafened for one round. This song uses up two daily uses of bardic music. This is a sonic effect, and deals no damage in an area affected by a silence effect.

Fascinate
Prerequisites: Perform 4 ranks
Target: One creature within 90', plus one additional creature per three Bard levels
Duration: Concentration, up to one round per level
Effect: The Bard makes a single Perform check - the result of that check is the DC of the Will save targeted creatures must make. If they fail, they become fascinated. If any creature saves successfully, it is immune to the Bard's fascination attempts for 24 hours. This song is an enchantment (compulsion) ability.

Healing Hymn
Prerequisites: Perform 4 ranks
Target: All allies within 30'
Duration: Ongoing
Effect: Whenever a target casts a conjuration (healing) spell, she gains a +1 bonus on the roll for every rank in Perform the Bard has. This has no effect on spells cast from wands, scrolls, or other magic items.
Special: If the Bard plays this song for a full minute before the party rests for the night, everyone in the group recovers double the hit points they normally would for resting.

Hymn of Cosmic Fire
Prerequisites: Perform 6 ranks, Sublime Chord archetype
Targets: All creatures in one 20' radius within 100' of the Bard
Duration: Instantaneous
Effects: The Bard makes a Perform check. Targets are dealt an amount of fire damage equal to half the Bard's Perform check. They receive a Reflex save for half. This song uses up two daily uses of bardic music.

Inspire Competence
Prerequisites: Perform 6 ranks
Target: A single ally within 30'
Duration: Concentration, up to a maximum of two minutes
Effect: The target gains a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a single skill. The Bard and the ally must be able to see each other. Certain uses of it may be infeasible. The Bard may not use this ability on herself.

Inspire Courage
Prerequisites: Perform 4 ranks
Target: All allies within earshot
Duration: Ongoing
Effect: Targets gain a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saves against fear and charm effects while the Bard sings.
Special: A Bard with the Warchanter archetype confers an additional +1 bonus with this song, and may sing it without using up a daily use of her bardic music.

Ironskin Chant
Prerequisites: Perform 8 ranks
Target: All allies within earshot
Duration: Ongoing
Effect: Targets gain damage reduction 2/- while the Bard sings.

Legionnaire's Lament
Prerequisites: Perform 8 ranks, Warchanter archetype
Target: All allies within 60'
Duration: Ongoing
Effect: Determine the best base attack bonus among targets. All targets may use that base attack bonus in place of their own for as long as they stay within range.

Luck Song:
Prerequisites: Perform 6 ranks
Target: All allies within 60'.
Duration: Ongoing
Effect: Targets gain a +1 luck bonus to ability checks, skill checks, and saving throws.

Song of Awakening
Prerequisites: Perform 8 ranks, Dirgesinger archetype
Target: One corpse within 30', dead no longer than 1 hour
Duration: Ongoing, up to a maximum of one minute per level
Effect: The Bard makes a Perform check, with a DC equal to 10 + the target's HD. If she fails, nothing happens, but she may try again. If she is successful, the target type becomes undead, and is animated under the Bard's control. It retains all class features, as well as any supernatural or spell-like abilities it possessed in life. The Bard may only animate one corpse at a time, and may not animate any corpse with more HD than the Bard's class level. This effect ends immediately once the Bard stops performing.

Suggestion
Prerequisites: Perform 8 ranks, Fascinate
Target: One fascinated opponent
Effect: The Bard 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 use up a daily use of bardic music. A Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Bard’s level + the Bard’s Charisma modifier) negates the effect. This is an enchantment (compulsion), language dependent ability.

Timeless Melody
Prerequisites: Perform 8 ranks, Sublime Chord archetype
Target: One creature within 60'
Effect: The target must make a Will save or be frozen in time for as long as the bard sings, up to a maximum of one round per level. While frozen, the target can take no actions and is not aware of anything around it. Weapons cannot harm the target, spells cast against it automatically fail, and it does not fall, even if the ground beneath it disappears. After this effect ends, the target immediately returns to normal, believing that no time has passed.

War Chant
Prerequisites: Perform 6 ranks, Warchanter archetype
Targets: All allies within 60'
Effect: Targets gain fast healing 1.


Bard Spell List:

0: Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Magic, Flare, Ghost Sound, Light, Lullaby, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Resistance, Summon Instrument
1: Charm Person, Confusion (Lesser), Cure Light Wounds, Disguise Self, Expeditious Retreat, Hideous Laughter, Hypnotism, Remove Fear, Silent Image, Sleep, Ventriloquism
2: Blur, Calm Emotions, Cat's Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Daze Monster, Delay Poison,, Eagle's Splendor, Enthrall, Fox's Cunning, Heroism, Hold Person, Hypnotic Pattern, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Shatter, Silence, Sound Burst, Suggestion
3: Charm Monster, Confusion, Cure Serious Wounds, Deep Slumber, Dispel Magic, Glibness, Good Hope, Major Image, Remove Curse, Sculpt Sound

Changelog:
3/27/16: Class originally posted.

Gnorman
2016-03-27, 03:38 PM
Okay, this one's done now.