rferries
2017-08-15, 03:07 AM
All due credit to NothingAbnormal's fae bard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21992711&postcount=21)prestige class.
The revised paladin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?533184-Revised-Paladin) represents Will and Fortitude, the revised ranger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?533378-Revised-Ranger) represents Fortitude and Reflexes, and finally this revised bard represents Reflexes and Will.
Full BAB (can make many dazzling rapier flourishes)! d8 HD!
Bardic Knowledge - bits of lore you've picked up through Gather Information on every possible subject
Bardic Performance-deliberately includes nonverbal Perform skills, limits are per ENCOUNTER rather than per day, and they're all supernatural abilities
Individual performances have been edited slightly. I'm considering going back to the Neverwinter Nights (DnD 3.0?) version where Perform ranks gave scaling bonuses to virtually all character stats, plus the Curse Song feat option...
Bard
http://i.imgur.com/gWniU23.jpg?1
"Music is the language of the soul, of the heart...and of the fey."
Alignment
Any chaotic.
Hit Die
d8.
Class Skills
The bard’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (8 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int modifier.
Table: The Bard
Level
Base
Attack Bonus
Fort
Save
Ref
Save
Will
Save
Special
Spells per Day
Spells Known
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
1st
+1
+0
+2
+2
Bardic Knowledge, Fey Court, Fey Empathy, Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Courage +1
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
4
—
—
—
—
—
—
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+3
Unearthly grace
3
—
—
—
—
—
5
21
—
—
—
—
—
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+3
Inspire Competence
3
1
—
—
—
—
—
6
3
—
—
—
—
—
4th
+4
+1
+4
+4
Resist Nature's Lure
3
2
—
—
—
—
6
3
21
—
—
—
—
5th
+5
+1
+4
+4
Fey Armour
3
3
1
—
—
—
—
6
4
3
—
—
—
—
6th
+6/+1
+2
+5
+5
Fey Charisma +2, Suggestion
3
3
2
—
—
—
—
6
4
3
—
—
—
—
7th
+7/+2
+2
+5
+5
Bonus Feat, Evasion
3
3
2
—
—
—
6
4
4
21
—
—
—
8th
+8/+3
+2
+6
+6
Inspire Courage +2
3
3
3
1
—
—
—
6
4
4
3
—
—
—
9th
+9/+4
+3
+6
+6
Inspire Greatness
3
3
3
2
—
—
—
6
4
4
3
—
—
—
10th
+10/+5
+3
+7
+7
Slippery Mind
3
3
3
2
—
—
6
4
4
4
21
—
—
11th
+11/+6/+1
+3
+7
+7
Courtly Armour
3
3
3
3
1
—
—
6
4
4
4
3
—
—
12th
+12/+7/+2
+4
+8
+8
Fey Charisma +4, Performance of Freedom
3
3
3
3
2
—
—
6
4
4
4
3
—
—
13th
+13/+8/+3
+4
+8
+8
Orphean Performance
3
3
3
3
2
—
6
4
4
4
4
21
—
14th
+14/+9/+4
+4
+9
+9
Inspire Courage +3
4
3
3
3
3
1
—
6
4
4
4
4
3
—
15th
+15/+10/+5
+5
+9
+9
Inspire Heroics
4
4
3
3
3
2
—
6
4
4
4
4
3
—
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+5
+10
+10
Fey Charisma +6
4
4
4
3
3
2
6
5
4
4
4
4
21
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+10
Improved Evasion
4
4
4
4
3
3
1
6
5
5
4
4
4
3
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+11
Mass Suggestion
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
6
5
5
5
4
4
3
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+11
Inspired
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
6
5
5
5
5
4
4
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+12
Fey Coronation, Inspire Courage +4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
6
5
5
5
5
5
4
1. Provided the bard has a high enough Charisma score to have a bonus spell of this level.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the bard.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus all light, one-handed, and ranged martial weapons and whips. Bards are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). A bard can cast bard spells while wearing light armor or using a shield (except a tower shield) without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armor or using a tower shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass bard still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Spells
A bard casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the bard spell list, the 3.5 ranger spell list, the sorcerer/wizard spell list (enchantment and illusion schools only), and the Animal, Chaos, Charm, Liberation, Luck, Madness, Nobility, Plant, Travel, and Trickery domains. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. Every bard spell has either a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music) or a somatic component (dancing, pantomiming, etc). To learn or cast a spell, a bard must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a bard’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the bard’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a bard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Bard. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: The Bard indicates that the bard gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.
The bard’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A bard begins play knowing four 0-level spells of your choice. At most new bard levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: The Bard. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a bard knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on Table: The Bard are fixed.)
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third bard level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), a bard can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the bard "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level bard spell the bard can cast. A bard may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
As noted above, a bard need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
Bardic Knowledge (Ex)
A bard adds his Charisma modifier and one-third his ranks in Gather Information to all his Knowledge checks, and may make all Knowledge checks untrained.
Fey Court (Su)
A bard's alignment determines his membership in either the Seelie or Unseelie fey court. A good-aligned bard joins the Seelie court. An evil-aligned bard joins the Unseelie court. A Seelie bard that become evil immediately joins the Unseelie court instead, and vice versa (switching all court-specific class abilities as well). A neutral-aligned bard may join either court, and may choose again each time he gains a character level (switching all court-specific class abilities as well).
Seelie Court
Seelie bards treat Diplomacy as a class skill for as long as they are a member of the Seelie court. A Seelie bard that joins the Unseelie court retains his ranks in Diplomacy (even if he has more ranks than would normally be allowed for a cross-class skill).
Unseelie Court
Unseelie bards treat Intimidate as a class skill for as long as they are a member of the Unseelie court. An Unseelie bard that joins the Seelie court retains his ranks in Intimidate (even if he has more ranks than would normally be allowed for a cross-class skill).
Fey Empathy (Su)
A bard can improve the attitude of a fey creature. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The bard rolls 1d20 and adds his bard level and his Charisma modifier to determine the fey empathy check result.
A bard can also use this ability to influence an elemental or outsider, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check unless making a check against a good-aligned (if Seelie) or evil-aligned (if Unseelie) creature.
A bard may make one fey empathy check against a creature every 24 hours. After making a successful fey empathy check against a creature, a bard can make Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks against that creature with a +4 bonus.
Bardic Performance (Su)
Once per encounter per bard level, a bard can use his Perform skill to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). Each ability requires both a minimum bard level and a minimum number of ranks in the Perform (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/perform.htm) skill to qualify; if a bard does not have the required number of ranks in at least one Perform (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/perform.htm) skill, he does not gain the bardic performance ability until he acquires the needed ranks.
Starting a bardic performance effect is a standard action. Some bardic performance abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using a bardic performance that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), spell trigger (such as wands), or command word. Just as for casting a spell, a deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance made with a spoken Perform skill and a bard must have at least one hand free when attempting to use a bardic performance made with a physical Perform skill. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his encounter limit.
Counterperformance
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can counter magical effects that depend on sound or sight (but not spells that simply have verbal components). Each round of the counterperformance, he makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic, language-dependent, pattern, gaze, or similar magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the counterperformance is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic, language-dependent, pattern, gaze, or similar magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it observes the counterperformance, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Counterperformance allows saves against effects that don’t allow saves as if they had a Will save DC equal to the CR of the creature (or trap etc.) causing the effect plus 20.
Fascinate
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see or 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 a bard attains beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.
To use the 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 observes the performance, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate. While fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat 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 an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Courage
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance 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 see or hear the bardic performance. The effect lasts for as long as the ally observes the bardic performance and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). 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 performance to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see or hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally.
The ally gets a morale bonus on skill checks equal to one-half the bard's Perform check for as long as he or she continues to observe the performance. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates. 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 (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 count against a bard’s encounter limit on bardic performances. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), 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 his performance 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 make a performance and an ally must observe it. The effect lasts for as long as the ally observes the performance 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 spells that are Hit Dice dependant. These bonus Hit Dice are lost first if a character suffers negative levels (effectively negating those negative levels). Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability.
Performance of Freedom
A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to create an effect equivalent to the break enchantment spell (caster level equals the character’s bard level). Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and performing, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. This effect works even against spells greater than 5th level that cannot be dispelled by dispel magic.
Inspire Heroics
A bard of 15th level or higher with 18 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet. For every three bard levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, a bard must make a performance and an ally must observe it 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 observes the performance and for up to 5 rounds thereafter. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability.
Mass Suggestion
This ability functions like suggestion, above, except that a bard of 18th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in a Perform skill can make the suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated. Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability.
Unearthly Grace (Su)
At 2nd level, a bard gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum +1) on his initiative checks, saving throws, and Armour Class.
Resist Nature's Lure (Su)
Starting at 4th level, a bard gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.
Fey Armour (Su)
Starting at 5th level, a bard gains damage reduction/cold iron equal to one-half his bard level.
Fey Charisma (Su)
Beginning at 6th level a bard gains a +2 sacred (if Seelie) or profane (if Unseelie) bonus to his Charisma score. This bonus increases to +4 at 12th level, and +6 at 18th level.
Bonus Feat
At 7th level a Seelie Bard gains Combat Inspiration (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?521615-Leadership-(revamped)) as a bonus feat. An Unseelie bard gains Fearsome Presence (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?521615-Leadership-(revamped)) instead.
Evasion (Ex)
At 7th level, a bard can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he 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.
Slippery Mind (Su)
At 10th level, a bard gains a slippery mind. This ability represents the bard’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him. If a bard with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails his saving throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. He gets only this one extra chance to succeed on his saving throw.
Courtly Armour (Su)
At 11th level, a Seelie bard's damage reduction improves to damage reduction/cold iron and evil. An Unseelie Bard's damage reduction instead improves to damage reduction/cold iron and good. In either case the damage reduction also improves to three-quarters of his bard level.
Orphean Performance (Ex)
The great bard Orpheus could move the stones, trees, and even the dead to tears with his music. At 13th level, a bard's performances, spells, and special attacks can affect even creatures that are immune to mind-affecting or morale affects. Creatures that would normally be immune by virtue of a spell, class feature, or magic item receive a +4 bonus on saves against the bard's mind-affecting and morale effects. Creatures that would normally be immune by virtue of their type receive no bonus.
Furthermore, the bard's performances are considered extraordinary rather than supernatural effects.
Improved Evasion (Ex)
At 17th level a bard gains Improved Evasion. This ability works like evasion, except that while the bard still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless bard does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Inspired (Su)
At 19th level a bard benefits from a constant greater heroism effect, as the spell. The temporary hit points from this effect are refreshed at the end of every encounter. The bard also gains spell resistance equal to his bard level +5. This spell resistance automatically ignores beneficial or harmless spells, at his option.
Fey Coronation (Su)
At 20th level, a bard becomes a member of the fey nobility by virtue of his unsurpassed artistic talents. He gains a gaze attack out to 30 feet as the charm monster (if Seelie) or fear (if Unseelie) spells (save DC 10 + one-half his bard level + his Charisma modifier). He may use rainbow bridge (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?532416-Rainbow-Bridge-(anti-Shadow-Walk-for-Evocation)) and shadow walk at will to travel the twilight fey dimension. Finally, his type changes to fey, he gains low-light vision, and he becomes immortal (ignoring aging penalties, magical aging effects, and never dying of old age, though he may be slain).
Ex-bards
A bard who becomes non-chaotic in alignment cannot progress in levels as a bard, though he retains all his bard abilities.
The revised paladin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?533184-Revised-Paladin) represents Will and Fortitude, the revised ranger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?533378-Revised-Ranger) represents Fortitude and Reflexes, and finally this revised bard represents Reflexes and Will.
Full BAB (can make many dazzling rapier flourishes)! d8 HD!
Bardic Knowledge - bits of lore you've picked up through Gather Information on every possible subject
Bardic Performance-deliberately includes nonverbal Perform skills, limits are per ENCOUNTER rather than per day, and they're all supernatural abilities
Individual performances have been edited slightly. I'm considering going back to the Neverwinter Nights (DnD 3.0?) version where Perform ranks gave scaling bonuses to virtually all character stats, plus the Curse Song feat option...
Bard
http://i.imgur.com/gWniU23.jpg?1
"Music is the language of the soul, of the heart...and of the fey."
Alignment
Any chaotic.
Hit Die
d8.
Class Skills
The bard’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (8 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int modifier.
Table: The Bard
Level
Base
Attack Bonus
Fort
Save
Ref
Save
Will
Save
Special
Spells per Day
Spells Known
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
1st
+1
+0
+2
+2
Bardic Knowledge, Fey Court, Fey Empathy, Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Courage +1
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
4
—
—
—
—
—
—
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+3
Unearthly grace
3
—
—
—
—
—
5
21
—
—
—
—
—
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+3
Inspire Competence
3
1
—
—
—
—
—
6
3
—
—
—
—
—
4th
+4
+1
+4
+4
Resist Nature's Lure
3
2
—
—
—
—
6
3
21
—
—
—
—
5th
+5
+1
+4
+4
Fey Armour
3
3
1
—
—
—
—
6
4
3
—
—
—
—
6th
+6/+1
+2
+5
+5
Fey Charisma +2, Suggestion
3
3
2
—
—
—
—
6
4
3
—
—
—
—
7th
+7/+2
+2
+5
+5
Bonus Feat, Evasion
3
3
2
—
—
—
6
4
4
21
—
—
—
8th
+8/+3
+2
+6
+6
Inspire Courage +2
3
3
3
1
—
—
—
6
4
4
3
—
—
—
9th
+9/+4
+3
+6
+6
Inspire Greatness
3
3
3
2
—
—
—
6
4
4
3
—
—
—
10th
+10/+5
+3
+7
+7
Slippery Mind
3
3
3
2
—
—
6
4
4
4
21
—
—
11th
+11/+6/+1
+3
+7
+7
Courtly Armour
3
3
3
3
1
—
—
6
4
4
4
3
—
—
12th
+12/+7/+2
+4
+8
+8
Fey Charisma +4, Performance of Freedom
3
3
3
3
2
—
—
6
4
4
4
3
—
—
13th
+13/+8/+3
+4
+8
+8
Orphean Performance
3
3
3
3
2
—
6
4
4
4
4
21
—
14th
+14/+9/+4
+4
+9
+9
Inspire Courage +3
4
3
3
3
3
1
—
6
4
4
4
4
3
—
15th
+15/+10/+5
+5
+9
+9
Inspire Heroics
4
4
3
3
3
2
—
6
4
4
4
4
3
—
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+5
+10
+10
Fey Charisma +6
4
4
4
3
3
2
6
5
4
4
4
4
21
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+10
Improved Evasion
4
4
4
4
3
3
1
6
5
5
4
4
4
3
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+11
Mass Suggestion
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
6
5
5
5
4
4
3
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+11
Inspired
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
6
5
5
5
5
4
4
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+12
Fey Coronation, Inspire Courage +4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
6
5
5
5
5
5
4
1. Provided the bard has a high enough Charisma score to have a bonus spell of this level.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the bard.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus all light, one-handed, and ranged martial weapons and whips. Bards are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). A bard can cast bard spells while wearing light armor or using a shield (except a tower shield) without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armor or using a tower shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass bard still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Spells
A bard casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the bard spell list, the 3.5 ranger spell list, the sorcerer/wizard spell list (enchantment and illusion schools only), and the Animal, Chaos, Charm, Liberation, Luck, Madness, Nobility, Plant, Travel, and Trickery domains. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. Every bard spell has either a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music) or a somatic component (dancing, pantomiming, etc). To learn or cast a spell, a bard must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a bard’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the bard’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a bard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Bard. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: The Bard indicates that the bard gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.
The bard’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A bard begins play knowing four 0-level spells of your choice. At most new bard levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: The Bard. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a bard knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on Table: The Bard are fixed.)
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third bard level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), a bard can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the bard "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level bard spell the bard can cast. A bard may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
As noted above, a bard need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
Bardic Knowledge (Ex)
A bard adds his Charisma modifier and one-third his ranks in Gather Information to all his Knowledge checks, and may make all Knowledge checks untrained.
Fey Court (Su)
A bard's alignment determines his membership in either the Seelie or Unseelie fey court. A good-aligned bard joins the Seelie court. An evil-aligned bard joins the Unseelie court. A Seelie bard that become evil immediately joins the Unseelie court instead, and vice versa (switching all court-specific class abilities as well). A neutral-aligned bard may join either court, and may choose again each time he gains a character level (switching all court-specific class abilities as well).
Seelie Court
Seelie bards treat Diplomacy as a class skill for as long as they are a member of the Seelie court. A Seelie bard that joins the Unseelie court retains his ranks in Diplomacy (even if he has more ranks than would normally be allowed for a cross-class skill).
Unseelie Court
Unseelie bards treat Intimidate as a class skill for as long as they are a member of the Unseelie court. An Unseelie bard that joins the Seelie court retains his ranks in Intimidate (even if he has more ranks than would normally be allowed for a cross-class skill).
Fey Empathy (Su)
A bard can improve the attitude of a fey creature. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The bard rolls 1d20 and adds his bard level and his Charisma modifier to determine the fey empathy check result.
A bard can also use this ability to influence an elemental or outsider, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check unless making a check against a good-aligned (if Seelie) or evil-aligned (if Unseelie) creature.
A bard may make one fey empathy check against a creature every 24 hours. After making a successful fey empathy check against a creature, a bard can make Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks against that creature with a +4 bonus.
Bardic Performance (Su)
Once per encounter per bard level, a bard can use his Perform skill to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). Each ability requires both a minimum bard level and a minimum number of ranks in the Perform (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/perform.htm) skill to qualify; if a bard does not have the required number of ranks in at least one Perform (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/perform.htm) skill, he does not gain the bardic performance ability until he acquires the needed ranks.
Starting a bardic performance effect is a standard action. Some bardic performance abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using a bardic performance that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), spell trigger (such as wands), or command word. Just as for casting a spell, a deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance made with a spoken Perform skill and a bard must have at least one hand free when attempting to use a bardic performance made with a physical Perform skill. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his encounter limit.
Counterperformance
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can counter magical effects that depend on sound or sight (but not spells that simply have verbal components). Each round of the counterperformance, he makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic, language-dependent, pattern, gaze, or similar magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the counterperformance is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic, language-dependent, pattern, gaze, or similar magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it observes the counterperformance, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Counterperformance allows saves against effects that don’t allow saves as if they had a Will save DC equal to the CR of the creature (or trap etc.) causing the effect plus 20.
Fascinate
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see or 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 a bard attains beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.
To use the 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 observes the performance, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate. While fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat 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 an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Courage
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance 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 see or hear the bardic performance. The effect lasts for as long as the ally observes the bardic performance and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). 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 performance to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see or hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally.
The ally gets a morale bonus on skill checks equal to one-half the bard's Perform check for as long as he or she continues to observe the performance. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates. 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 (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 count against a bard’s encounter limit on bardic performances. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), 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 his performance 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 make a performance and an ally must observe it. The effect lasts for as long as the ally observes the performance 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 spells that are Hit Dice dependant. These bonus Hit Dice are lost first if a character suffers negative levels (effectively negating those negative levels). Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability.
Performance of Freedom
A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to create an effect equivalent to the break enchantment spell (caster level equals the character’s bard level). Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and performing, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. This effect works even against spells greater than 5th level that cannot be dispelled by dispel magic.
Inspire Heroics
A bard of 15th level or higher with 18 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet. For every three bard levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, a bard must make a performance and an ally must observe it 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 observes the performance and for up to 5 rounds thereafter. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability.
Mass Suggestion
This ability functions like suggestion, above, except that a bard of 18th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in a Perform skill can make the suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated. Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability.
Unearthly Grace (Su)
At 2nd level, a bard gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum +1) on his initiative checks, saving throws, and Armour Class.
Resist Nature's Lure (Su)
Starting at 4th level, a bard gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.
Fey Armour (Su)
Starting at 5th level, a bard gains damage reduction/cold iron equal to one-half his bard level.
Fey Charisma (Su)
Beginning at 6th level a bard gains a +2 sacred (if Seelie) or profane (if Unseelie) bonus to his Charisma score. This bonus increases to +4 at 12th level, and +6 at 18th level.
Bonus Feat
At 7th level a Seelie Bard gains Combat Inspiration (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?521615-Leadership-(revamped)) as a bonus feat. An Unseelie bard gains Fearsome Presence (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?521615-Leadership-(revamped)) instead.
Evasion (Ex)
At 7th level, a bard can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he 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.
Slippery Mind (Su)
At 10th level, a bard gains a slippery mind. This ability represents the bard’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him. If a bard with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails his saving throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. He gets only this one extra chance to succeed on his saving throw.
Courtly Armour (Su)
At 11th level, a Seelie bard's damage reduction improves to damage reduction/cold iron and evil. An Unseelie Bard's damage reduction instead improves to damage reduction/cold iron and good. In either case the damage reduction also improves to three-quarters of his bard level.
Orphean Performance (Ex)
The great bard Orpheus could move the stones, trees, and even the dead to tears with his music. At 13th level, a bard's performances, spells, and special attacks can affect even creatures that are immune to mind-affecting or morale affects. Creatures that would normally be immune by virtue of a spell, class feature, or magic item receive a +4 bonus on saves against the bard's mind-affecting and morale effects. Creatures that would normally be immune by virtue of their type receive no bonus.
Furthermore, the bard's performances are considered extraordinary rather than supernatural effects.
Improved Evasion (Ex)
At 17th level a bard gains Improved Evasion. This ability works like evasion, except that while the bard still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless bard does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Inspired (Su)
At 19th level a bard benefits from a constant greater heroism effect, as the spell. The temporary hit points from this effect are refreshed at the end of every encounter. The bard also gains spell resistance equal to his bard level +5. This spell resistance automatically ignores beneficial or harmless spells, at his option.
Fey Coronation (Su)
At 20th level, a bard becomes a member of the fey nobility by virtue of his unsurpassed artistic talents. He gains a gaze attack out to 30 feet as the charm monster (if Seelie) or fear (if Unseelie) spells (save DC 10 + one-half his bard level + his Charisma modifier). He may use rainbow bridge (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?532416-Rainbow-Bridge-(anti-Shadow-Walk-for-Evocation)) and shadow walk at will to travel the twilight fey dimension. Finally, his type changes to fey, he gains low-light vision, and he becomes immortal (ignoring aging penalties, magical aging effects, and never dying of old age, though he may be slain).
Ex-bards
A bard who becomes non-chaotic in alignment cannot progress in levels as a bard, though he retains all his bard abilities.