Bardic music without a bard level?

[Particle_Man]

Is there another way to gain the bardic music ability without taking a level in bard? The prestige classes I have found have bardic music as a requirement and I don’t know if any base classes aside from bard that grant bardic music.

[Saintheart]

Arguably, by RAW, Initiate of Milil. "Your paladin, cleric, and bard levels stack for determining what kinds of bardic music you can use." Which is bootstrap levitation I admit, but anyway.

[Korahir]

Virtuoso 1, ecl 8, Complete Adventurer
Fochlucan Lyrist 1, ecl 11, Complete Adventurer
Dragonsong Lyrist 1, ecl 8, Draconomicon, functions like bardic music but different name, does not stack
Warrior Skald 1, ecl 6, Races of Faerun
Spellsinger 1, ecl 6, Races of Faerun
Troubadour of Stars 1, ecl ?, Book of Exalted Deeds

From the lists of stuff.

Harmonious Knight (Paladin ACF) grants inspire courage only.

[Rebel7284]

Heartfire Fanner is fun.

[Saintheart]

From the lists of stuff.

Harmonious Knight (Paladin ACF) grants inspire courage only.

And the issue is whether it's granting you a form of bardic music or whether it's just a unique inspire courage ability. Unfortunately the ACF isn't clear on that one and makes no reference to bardic music uses.

[Elves]

I don't know of a way.
Edit: misunderstood, thought you meant without any class levels. There are several PRCs that grant it as people have pointed out.


Arguably, by RAW, Initiate of Milil. "Your paladin, cleric, and bard levels stack for determining what kinds of bardic music you can use." Which is bootstrap levitation I admit, but anyway.
That doesn't grant you the actual class feature though unless you take bard, so funny as it would be I don't think it works.


And the issue is whether it's granting you a form of bardic music or whether it's just a unique inspire courage ability. Unfortunately the ACF isn't clear on that one and makes no reference to bardic music uses.
Seems pretty clear -- would fulfill inspire courage req but not bardic music.

[Arkhios]

If you're not too picky, technically Pathfinder Chronicler prestige class (from 3.5 era Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting) can be ported into just about any setting

It grants you Bardic Music starting from 3rd level, exactly as the bard feature, at your PrC level -2, eventually reaching effective bard level 8 in regards to what you can do with Bardic Music (inspire courage +2 for example).

[Railak]

The soundweaver archetype of the kineticist in pathfinder. It's a 3rd party, produced by Legendary.
It's become my favorite thing to use in place of bard. Gets really good ways if reducing burn.