Bard: Haunting Melody: free or standard action activation?

[Lady Alysha]

The ECS Bard feat Haunting Melody: Is it a bardic music ability that requires a standard action to activate? Or does it ride on top of another bardic music (for example I activate as a standard action Inspire Courage and then activate as a free action the Haunting Melody).

From the text of the feat it is not clear. It appears that it is a free effect, whenever you are performing. On the other hand, if it is a form of bardic music (it's not clear if it is), then it would take a standard action to activate.

The description says "When you sing or use some other Perform skill, you can unnerve enemies within 30 feet of you." But it also says that it consume one bardic music count.

[Venger]

this is a skill check. it doesn't say it takes an action, so it doesn't. an immediate/free is pretty reasonable considering a hardcap of 5/6, so go for it and enjoy your doomspeak dirgesinger or whatever

[Gruftzwerg]

The description says "When you sing or use some other Perform skill, you can unnerve enemies within 30 feet of you." But it also says that it consume one bardic music count.

The feat gives you a special option whenever you use your Perform skill.


Most Bard songs already involve a perform roll, so the needed action is already covered by that.

The question should be, what happens in the other chases when you freely chose to do a perform check? And how often you can do those checks? Once a round? Once per encounter? Or only when the Bards song demands it (making Countersong the best option)?

[Lady Alysha]

That would be amazing. Justs start singing Inspire Courage at the beginning and add on top Haunting Melody.

Or: have a custom item, the infamous ring of continous undersong (replaces concentration checks with perform checks). Then take some levels in Warblade and use Diamond Mind maneuvers. For better rolls and visuals, use Perform (Weapon Drill).

Fireball? I slice it in two. Oh, did that scare you?
Dominate? I block it. Yes, I know it's scary.
Finger of Death? I deflect it with my sword. Are you afraid now?
Then just wait until I hit you with my shakening, Greater Insightful Strike.

[Hiro Quester]

It counts as a use of bardic music. So it takes the time a use of bardic music takes.

So a standard action in most cases. Unless you have cast Harmonize (makes starting a bardic music a move action) or have the crusader song of white raven feat that makes it a swift action.

Edit:

Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action.

[Venger]

It counts as a use of bardic music. So it takes the time a use of bardic music takes.

So a standard action in most cases. Unless you have cast Harmonize (makes starting a bardic music a move action) or have the crusader song of white raven feat that makes it a swift action.

Edit:

That isn't necessarily true. many feats of this sort will allow you to do bardic music as part of your action or at some other discount. captivating melody, for example, lets you do it as a swift.