[3.5] Uses for Perform WITHOUT Bardic Music?

[Zaq]

I'm tinkering with the skill section of my Truenamer guide. Perform (oratory) is a class skill for Truenamers, and I'm really trying to figure out if there's any possible reason at all to care about this skill without dipping into Bard, Heartfire Fanner, or another class that offers a Bardic Music effect.

Anyone know of interesting RAW uses for Perform that do not involve or require Bardic Music (or more specifically, that ideally don't involve dipping out of Truenamer)? I guess there's the PHB's nebulous "draw attention from [. . . ] extraplanar beings" with a consistent DC 30, but that's super GM-specific and not really something we can comfortably optimize around in a vacuum. And I'm not going to bother with the "ooh, technically you can use the skill to make money during downtime" use because that's not interesting and isn't worth the effort of optimizing.

Technically you can use Perform (oratory) to qualify for Versatile Performer and then use that to, um, bootstrap up your ability to make non-oratory Perform checks, but that doesn't actually do much of anything most of the time.

Any other feats, skill uses, etc.? I suppose if there's a really interesting PrC that uses Perform that doesn't require dipping out of Truenamer prior to entering the PrC, that could maybe be interesting in a niche build, but I'm really more interested in stuff that a pure Truenamer can use the skill for.

There may be nothing. Plenty of classes have the odd "why does this skill even exist?" skill tacked on. But since the Truenamer's list is so small and the fact that Perform (oratory) being on there is so specific, I figure that it's at least worth poking at for a little while to see if there's anything at all that can be done with it. Anything?

[daremetoidareyo]

Gimme a few days, i'm still picking through the pages and pages of my perform guide.

Here's a quick copy pasta of interesting things:

Heroes of battle p.111: Legendary leader Adaptation: If the DM would rather not dramatically increase the size of the adventuring party by adding cohorts into the mix, he can allow a legendary leader’s organization to run without the character always being there. In such a case, the class could be adapted by swapping in a couple of abilities that would help the party—for example, by removing the quick rally, greater command, and to hell and back features, and instead giving the legendary leader the ability to inspire allies in a fashion similar to bardic music. The legendary leader would need a Leadership score equal to the ranks in Perform normally required for the bardic music effect to be usable, and he could emulate the bardic music effects a number of times per day equal to one-*half his level plus his Charisma modifier.


Powerful Voice (Dragon #318) [Ancestor]: you gain a +2 bonus on diplomacy and wild empathy checks. As a standard action, you can make a DC15 perform (sing) or perform (oratory) check to grant you allies a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects. This bonus lasts as long as you continue speaking or singing. While using this ability, you can not cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls) or by command word. (Oriental Adventures p.65) +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks and Perform checks when you are speaking or singing.

DMG2: Mentor: Entertainer: An entertainer mentor is an actor, musician, storyteller, or other notable personality, often someone quite recognizable or famous. An entertainer grants her apprentice a +2 competence bonus on Diplomacy checks and the ability to call upon the aid of an admirer or fan by spending a tithe appropriate for the apprentice’s level. The admirer is of a character level equal to 1/2 the apprentice’s own (minimum 1st) and must be within at least one step of his alignment, but can be of any race or class. The ally serves the apprentice for a limited duration (usually a number of days equal to his Charisma modifier, minimum of 1 day) as if a cohort. Once the apprentice calls upon the aid of an admirer, he may not do so again until he gains at least one level. Associated Skills: Diplomacy, Perform. DMG2: performers guild p.224 Performer: A performer guild requires each member to perform his chosen services in support of other guild members as necessary. Generally, such service requires 1d4–1 days (8 hours per day) each week.

Bonded item
DMG2 p.235: Ritual of Song You forge a bond with the chosen item by using it to demonstrate your talent for performance. Despite its name, this ritual applies to any kind of performance, even one with no vocal components. Prerequisite: Perform (any) 6 ranks. Task and Ceremony: You must use Perform checks to earn at least 1% of the gp cost for imbuing the bonded item with its new ability. See the Perform skill description, page 79 of the Player’s Handbook, for details. The item must be incorporated into each of these performances in some way—perhaps as accompaniment to a musical performance, or as a prop or costume accessory. Benefi t: You gain a +1 bonus on Perform checks made while holding or wearing the item.

Races of stone p.169: Gnome Chanting Circle: Many gnome villages include a chanting circle. The circle is infused with the spirit and liveliness of the gnome race, allowing gnome bards to share their songs and stories with more passion and skill, and infusing the music of gnome bards with the power of the earth. Any creature standing in a gnome chanting circle gains a +5 bonus on Perform checks. In addition, illusion spells cast by a spellcaster standing within the circle are harder to resist than normal. Increase the DC needed to resist illusion spells cast by spellcasters (of any type) standing within the circle by 1. Any gnome who stands within this 20-foot-radius circle can concentrate on one bardic music ability each round as a free action. Price 15,000 gp.

DMG p.282: Other Considerations: Once you have a final cost figure, reduce that number if either of the following conditions applies: —Item Requires Skill to Use: Some items require a specific skill (such as Perform for a musical instrument) to get them to function. This factor should reduce the cost about 10%.
UA p.181: reputation checks: SKILL CHECKS When an NPC or monster with an Intelligence score of 5 or higher has a positive opinion of a character’s reputation, the character gains a bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Perform checks equal to his reputation bonus.

PGTF p.157:Petitioners: The petitioners of the House of Knowledge include former sages, bards, artisans, and loremasters. They appear as they did in life and have the following special qualities. Additional Immunities: Electricity, polymorph. Resistances: Acid 10. Other Special Qualities: As a special property of the plane, these petitioners retain all of their Craft, Knowledge, and Perform skills, though they do not retain other memories of their lives. petitioner with human heritage feat can become a spellscale, thereby keeping all of their skill ranks

Races of stone p.59: Drink-and-Tell: A decidedly nonathletic contest, the game of drink-and-tell involves participants and spectators alike sitting in a circle. One participant produces a massive flagon of specially brewed mead, drinks from it, and then tells a tale. Depending on how entertaining the tale is, he’ll either hear cheers from the rest of the circle (meaning the participant is still in the game) or jeers (meaning the participant is now out of the competition but remains a spectator). Then the flagon is passed clockwise around the circle; spectators merely pass it to their left, but participants drink from it and offer a tale of their own. The flagon keeps going around the circle until it’s either empty or only one participant remains. If drink-and-tell ends with an empty flagon, everyone who hasn’t been knocked out can claim a shared victory. Participating in Drink-and-Tell: It generally takes a successful DC 15 Perform (comedy) or Perform (oratory) check to earn the cheers of the circle. Unfortunately, the mead brewed for drink-and-tell, though tasty, is known to slur speech more than most alcohol, making success in later rounds more difficult. Drink-and-tell mead is technically an ingested poison (DC 14 Fort save; 1d3 Cha/1d3 Cha), although it only induces drowsiness and reduces speech to
a slurred gibberish. It isn’t otherwise dangerous.

[Pangolin]

You can get an audience up to fanatic level with epic Perform (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#perform).

[Particle_Man]

Just to add it for the sake of completeness:

You can make some money if you have nothing else to do with your time. :smallsmile:

[MaxiDuRaritry]

If you're running a game with the BoEF or one of the other "Rated M for Mmmmmaybe you shouldn't be playing with this if you're under 18" books, you can utilize Versatile Performer to make use of the various Perform skills they grant utility to.

If nothing else, you'll gain more uses for that silver tongue of yours.

[Saintheart]

Harmonious Knight substitution levels for Paladin have a Perform skill as a prerequisite for accessing the ACF abilities. These abilities closely resemble Bardic Music but don't increase by levels. You don't make a Perform check to use the skills, the skill is simply a prereq.

[Bohandas]

It's used for the Hrothgar's Journey incantation from Unearthed Arcana

[tiercel]

Generically for Perform, there are all those specific magical instruments that require Perform (stringed instrument) et al — so that could make Perform useful without bardic music.

But as this is for Perform (oratory) only.... sheesh, I hadn’t even noticed that Truenamer got that and only that Perform skill. It’s obviously thematic, but.....

I don’t know of an item that specifically requires Perform (Oratory).

So.... AFAIK that leaves two uses:

1) Plot. Sometimes, as in pregenerated adventures, hitting a certain Perform DC can help unlock plot (e.g. Red Hand of Doom, in which Perform checks can help unlock an alliance with the Helpless Elves)

2) Epic. According to the SRD, Perform can be used to sway an audience’s attitude (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#perform) — so it’s basically Diplomacy for characters without Diplomacy (like Truenamers, which wait how do Truenamers the-power-of-words class not have Diplomacy, you know what forget it), assuming that a game lets “Epic” rules be used

[Yogibear41]

Giving your character a few points in a profession or perform can be a good way to flesh out your character as an actual person instead of just stats on a piece of paper. Krogar might be a world famous half-orc barbarian that can split the skull of even great wyrm dragons with a swing or two of his axe, but did you also know he was a prized (Perform:) Juggler? or perhaps he makes world famous swamp goulash with Craft: Cooking.

[ShurikVch]

Well, for the start - number of feats, PrCs, and items in the game are required some amount of Perform ranks

Besides that...

PrC:
Evangelist - Great Orator
Gladiator - Roar of the Crowd
Thunder Guide - Lionized in the Press (Hey, DC 10 is easy, and 200 gp is handy!)
War Chanter - Inspire Toughness

Feats:
Disguise Spell
Melodic Casting
We Few, We Happy Few (Dragon #335): for the next 10 minutes, allies who heard you would use result of your Perform (oratory) check as their Will save

Spells:
Easy Math (Song and Silence)
Fugue (Spell Compendium)

[Troacctid]

Combat Panache and Elusive Dance are pretty good feats that require Perform.

[Telonius]

Pipes of Frenzied Revelry (Relic item for Olidammara from MiC) require a Perform check to activate, but don't require Bardic Music.

[The Viscount]

You can use it to defend against and turn the crowd against a heckler as described in RC page 66.

[Ruethgar]

Use a Legendary(Dragonlance) Lute. Masterwork works as well if Dragonlance is off the table, but either way, one of the effects of a MW Lute is an effective level increase for bardic music by +1(letting you get it without a dip), legendary would quintuple that to +5 making it a bit more usable. I can’t recall where that was from, there were two sources that granted extra effects to the MW lite, the other was being able to do two bardic musics simultaneously. Song and Silence sounds right for one of the books, but can’t recall the other. And of course Elvencraft Bow Bladed Neck Bladed Quadruple Wand Chambered Lute Bows are always a nice thing to have if you can use 4 wands.

[Prime32]

Perform (weapon drill)CW explicitly cannot be used with bardic music, but it gains a bonus equal to half your BAB, and further bonuses if you have feats like Combat Expertise or Weapon Focus.

It's popular in conjunction with the undersong spell (make Perform checks in place of Concentration checks) for boosting the strength of Diamond Mind maneuvers.