What spell to use for magic item...

[Xaotiq1]

I will be running a campaign soon and I have an idea for an item that the players will encounter. Essentially, it would allow a character wearing it to hear a bardic performance that is taking place in another location and reap the benefits (Inspire Courage, Dragonfire Inspiration, etc.).

I thought about something like message, but I think it needs to be a higher level spell. Any thoughts?

[denthor]

If only the wielder hears it sending. The 10 minutes to cast could be a problem of timing.

You could have it chanel from a plane where a choir is practicing so it is a random roll if the music starts. Due time differences. If the roll is always missed they may just get rid of the weapon.

There is a sword that bards get it forces them on stage and into combat

It is is song and silence 3.5 extra book for bards and thieves (Rouge).

[Elysiume]

If the wielder is hearing it, it would be Clairaudience. Sending/Message would be better suited to someone transmitting a bardsong to a remote listener. Is it being played in a fixed area, like an auditorium? Or is the transmitter also mobile? An item of permanent Clairaudience would work to just have permanent listening access to an area, and since Inspire Courage just works on being able to hear the bard, that'd probably suffice.

[Xaotiq1]

If the wielder is hearing it, it would be Clairaudience. Sending/Message would be better suited to someone transmitting a bardsong to a remote listener. Is it being played in a fixed area, like an auditorium? Or is the transmitter also mobile? An item of permanent Clairaudience would work to just have permanent listening access to an area, and since Inspire Courage just works on being able to hear the bard, that'd probably suffice.

No,the bard wouldn't need to be in one place. The holder of the item would speak a command word which would alert bard to start the show, so to speak. Then the holder of the item would gain the benefit of the song. If anyone here is familiar with Final Fantasy 4; the item would be like the Twinharp or Whispergrass (depending on the version you're playing).

[Goaty14]

A PC with a continouus item of Acorn of Far Travel (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20040710a) (Drd/Rngr 2) and a bard always using said abilities under the oak tree (maybe the tree is in the center of a tavern or a fey forest?) does exactly this, in addition to the normal benefits of the spell (not much, but worth noting).

EDIT: and then a X/day (or use-activated) item of whispering wind/sending would be to activate the bard.

[Elrak]

No,the bard wouldn't need to be in one place. The holder of the item would speak a command word which would alert bard to start the show, so to speak. Then the holder of the item would gain the benefit of the song. If anyone here is familiar with Final Fantasy 4; the item would be like the Twinharp or Whispergrass (depending on the version you're playing).

Hmm how about splitting the effects?. The easy part would be having a command activated item for sending a message (obviously using message for item creation purposes) to prompt the Bard and then a set of a wearable items and instument (such as an earring and a flute) that are joined via caliraudience (crafting prerequisites "Clairaudience and Bardic Music). The set items would allow the wearer of the earring to hear the melody played on the instrument but would only grant any benefits (aside from hearing a nice tune when noone else can) if the person playing the instrument is actually a bard using bardic music. This would make the itme in question less abusable I think.

[Saintheart]

If you don't mind everyone in a several-block radius also hearing the song, Resounding Voice allows a bard to be heard 100 feet per caster level away.

Or alternatively, I'd argue a good old Ring of Communication, since it allows the wearer to hear anything a person with another one has, would serve as a medium for this Lionel Ritchie bit.

[Hunter Noventa]

Magic items don't always have to follow the exact restrictions of the spell involved either. But I think that Clairaudience would probably be your best bet. The fact that it relies on your bard NPC elsewhere being able to respond and start their Bardic Performance would give it a failure chance of some kind though.

[Xaotiq1]

Thanks for the input, Everyone! Methinks I'll use Resounding Voice as a base and make it either a ring or a slotless item. Can't wait for the party to get their mitts on this and reverse engineer it.