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DiscipleofBob
2007-07-16, 03:30 PM
Hi, I'm new to the boards, and I just wanted to see if I could get some feedback with the campaign setting I'm working on, so I decided to post one of the classes I made and see what anyone thought of it.

The setting is a futuristic, western-esque type of place reminiscent of Trigun or Firefly. There is no magic whatsoever, but magic's role is basically replaced by advanced technology. As such I had to revamp some of the base classes, and this is one of them. Basically a magic-less bard who has some other stuff to make him more of a fighter/rogue type, including some class features from the Dervish class.


Bard
Characteristics: The bard takes his skills at the instrument and applies them to her life, being a charismatic adventurer who relies on her wit, charm, and skills to get by in life. Using grace and finesse in combat to casually defeat her enemies, manipulating the subtle effects of music to bolster herself and her allies as well as conjure up different emotions and impede her enemies. A bard moves with the beat of her music, every step carefully played out in advance. Bards know when to stay and know when to flee, but overall seek to make something of a drama out of life, seeking adventure not for money or profit, but because of the great stories it would make in the future.
Adventuring: A bard can usually make a decent living off of their performances alone, so money usually isn’t the primary factor in deciding to adventure. Bards are free spirits who love to see new sights and hear new tales, using them as inspiration for their next big performance. Inspired by tales of heroes and outlaws and legendary exploits, bards will sometimes seek to emulate these legendary tales to become heroes of their own.
Role: In a full adventuring party, a bard’s songs provide a major benefit to her allies. However, a bard also has the ability to fight in melee combat using grace and agility. She can’t really handle the job of full-time warrior however, lacking the ability to absorb large amounts of damage. Bards also have plenty of skill points and usually have the charisma to function out of combat in many situations. The bard functions as the ultimate jack of all trades.
Origin: Bards hail from all over the world with very few exceptions. They can function equally well on both sides of the law or even straddling the line in between. Venom has a large entertainment industry and thus has a lot of bards originate from there, usually as self-made rock stars, lounge singers, or even exotic dancers. Bards from Erfinden constantly strive to compose and create new works, using the latest modern techniques, and staying on the cutting edge of trends and fashion. In the Tradelands, corporations will train bards to use their diplomatic skills to sell their products and services and provide business negotiations. Bards of Belleterre provide the supply of entertainment in such demand around the country, and even the Republic needs bards to help with propaganda and boost troop morale. Most pirate ships require a bard in order to keep troops happy.
Other Classes: As part of their professions, bards have to be likable to everyone. Martial classes like barbarians, bodyguards, fighters, and gunslingers won’t likely earn a bard’s liking right away, what their brutish nature and uncultured lives. Daredevils are seen as performers in their own rights, and usually have good stories to tell. Inventors, medics, and scientists make great conversationalists and let bards add more skills to their repertoire. Rogues and bards see themselves as kindred spirits, and espers are a story in themselves.
Abilities: Charisma is a bard’s most important stat, as it’s the deciding factor for most of its class features. Dexterity is also important so a bard can be more proficient in combat, and intelligence adds to a bard’s skill.

Hit Dice: d8
Skill Points: 6+Int

Class Features:
Bardic Music: Once per day per level, a bard can use his performance to produce 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 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.
Countersong: A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to counter some effects that depend on sound (but not sonic-based attacks). Each round of the countersong, she makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a language-dependent attack (such as a sound burst or a command effect) may use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Countersong has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. The bard may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds.
Fascinate: A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and able to pay attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability (two at 4th level, three at 7th level, and so on).
To use this ability, a bard makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the song, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (up to a maximum of 1 round per bard level). While fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen or Spot checks. Any potential threat, such as an ally of the bard approaching the fascinated creature, requires the bard to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Courage: A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Competence: A bard of 3rd level or higher with 6 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally succeed at the task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally. Depending on the task that the ally has at hand, the bard may use his bardic music to lift the ally’s spirits, to help him or her focus mentally, or in some other way. The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he or she continues to hear the bard’s music. The DM may rule that certain uses of this ability are infeasible – chanting to make a rogue move more quietly, for example, is self-defeating. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. A bard can’t inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence is a mind-affecting ability.
Suggestion: A bard of 6th level or higher with 9 or more ranks in a Perform skill can make a suggestion to a creature that he has already fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not break the bard’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against a bard’s daily limit on bardic music performances, A Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Charisma modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is a mind-affecting, language-dependent ability.
Inspire Greatness: A bard of 9th level or higher with 12 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting him or her extra fighting capability. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally with a single use of this ability (two at 12th level, three at 15th, four at 18th). To inspire greatness, a bard must sing and an ally must hear him sing. The effect lasts as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of other effects such as sleep. Inspire Greatness is a mind-affecting ability.
Song of Freedom: A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to create a break enchantment effect. Using this ability rquires 1 minute of concentration and music, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A bard can’t use song of freedom on himself.
Inspire Heroics: A bard of 15th level or higher with 18 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, allowing that creature to fight bravely even against overwhelming odds. For every three bard levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, a bard must sing and an ally must hear the bard sing for a full round. A creature so inspired gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The effect lasts for as long as the ally heard the bard sing and for up to 5 rounds thereafter. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability.
Mass Suggestion: This ability functions suggestion, above, except that a bard of 18th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in the skill can make the suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated (see above). Mass suggestion is a mind-affecting, language-dependent ability.
Bardic Knowledge: A bard picks up a lot of stray knowledge while wandering the land and learning stories from other bards. He 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. The DM can determine the Difficulty Class of the check by referring to the table above.
Bardic Knack: When making a skill check, a bard may use ½ their bard level (rounded up) in place of the number of ranks they have in the skill (even if the number is 0). For example, a 5th level bard would have the equivalent of 3 ranks in Appraise, Balance, Bluff, and so on (but only for the purpose of making skill checks). A bard can’t take 10 on checks when he uses bardic knack (to take 10 you have to use your actual ranks). If the skill doesn’t allow untrained checks, he must have at least 1 actual rank to attempt the check.
Uncanny Dodge: At 5th level, a bard can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to her AC if immobilized. If a bard already has uncanny dodge from a different class, the character automatically gains the improved uncanny dodge stack, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level to flank the character.
Dervish Dance: At 7th level, a bard can become a whirling dancer of death a certain number of times per day. While in this dervish dance, she can take a full attack action (for melee attacks only) and still move up to her full speed. However, the dervish must move a minimum 5 feet between each attack when using this ability, and she cannot return to a square she just exited (though she may return to that square later during her full attack). The bard is subject to attacks of opportunity while dancing, but may tumble normally as part of her move. A bard prevented from completing her move is also prevented from finisher her full attack. If a bard wields a slashing weapon while in a dervish dance, she gains a bonus on her attack and damage rolls. This bonus is +1 at 7th level, and it increases by an extra +1 at every odd-numbered level thereafter. A bard may sing while she dances or use the Combat Expertise feat while in a dance. A bard can only perform a dervish dance once per encounter. A dervish dance lasts 1 round for every 2 ranks of Perform (dance) that the character has. At the end of a dervish dance, the character becomes fatigued for the duration of the encounter.
Dance of Death: At 10th level, a bard gains the benefit of the Cleave feat while performing a dervish dance, even if she does not meet the prerequisites for the feat. She does not have to move 5 feet before making the extra attack granted by this ability.
Evasion: At 13th level and higher, a bard can avoid unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she can instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the bard is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless bard does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Tireless Dance: When a dervish reaches 17th level, the character no longer becomes fatigued for the duration of the encounter at the end of the dervish dance.
A Thousand Cuts: At 19th level, once per day she may double the number of melee attacks she makes while performing a full attack action (whether in a dervish dance or not). If a bard uses this ability in conjunction with her dervish dance, she can make up to two attacks between moves. The bard also gains the benefit of the Great Cleave feat with slashing weapons while performing a thousand cuts, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. She does not have to move 5 feet before making any extra attacks granted by this ability. A bard using this ability can receive an extra attack from the haste effect, but the bonuses provided by the effect do not stack with the bonuses provided by this effect.


Bard
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2| Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge, Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Courage +1

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

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Inspite Competence

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Uncanny Dodge

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Suggestion

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Dervish Dance 1/Day

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+6|Inspire Courage +2

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+6|Oms[ote Greatness

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+7|Dance of Death, Dervish Dance 2/Day

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

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Song of Freedom

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Evasion, Dervish Dance 3/Day

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+9|Inspire Courage +3

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|Inspire Heroics

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Dervish Dance 4/Day

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Tireless Dance

18th|
+13/+8/+5|
+6|
+11|
+11|Mass Suggestion

19th|
+14/+9/+6|
+6|
+11|
+11|A Thousand Cuts, Dervish Dance 5/Day

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Inspire Courage +4[/table]

Draz74
2007-07-16, 03:38 PM
Very setting-specific, but otherwise cool. No limit on Dervish Dances per day? (Just 1/encounter?)

DiscipleofBob
2007-07-16, 04:02 PM
Very setting-specific, but otherwise cool. No limit on Dervish Dances per day? (Just 1/encounter?)

Thanks, and I just edited that in when I put in the table.