Let's make a Bard without the Performance Skill

[pabelfly]

So Bard spellcasting, while it uses Charisma and has a verbal component that requires singing, reciting or music, has no requirement that the signing actually be good. Like, imagine whatever terrible singer you want: that could be coming from a Bard with Bard spellcasting.

Now, Bardic Music has various uses that require ranks in Performance, but we have ACFs that don't require a performance check, like Drow Bard (poisoning proficiency) and Half-Elf bard (Diplomacy),

I've also come across these two feats while doing research and editing for a guide:

Enchanting Song – spend bardic music use to add +1 to DC of enchantment spell (Races of Stone)
Misleading Song - spend bardic music use to add +1 to DC of illusion spell (Races of Stone)

This gives us a few different ways to use Bardic music uses that doesn't require ranks in Perform, and I'm sure there are many others that I'm not aware of.

So the question would be: what builds can we make with a Bard that doesn't know how to Perform?

[Rebel7284]

Metamagic Song comes to mind.

[Inevitability]

UA's fey bard trades a lot of bardic music for druid class features, most notably including a full-progression animal companion. It's one more body to hit with buff spells, and it's some frontline presence that a bard usually doesn't bring to the table, while also reducing your reliance on bardic music.

[Biggus]

There are several good feats which enable you trade bardic music uses away for other things (Doomspeak, Lyric spell, Snowflake Wardance) but they all require ranks in Perform, the only one I know which doesn't is the already-mentioned Metamagic Song.

The MIC has the Bow of Songs which enables you to trade BM uses for a Cha-based bonus to attack and damage when using it.

[Jay R]

On a side note, what would you call such a person? The word "bard" meant a performer in the Middle Ages, and today means a poet, primarily one from an oral tradition of poetry.

I understand playing with the rules to create such a build, but I couldn't bring myself to call a non-performer a "Bard".

[pabelfly]

On a side note, what would you call such a person? The word "bard" meant a performer in the Middle Ages, and today means a poet, primarily one from an oral tradition of poetry.

I understand playing with the rules to create such a build, but I couldn't bring myself to call a non-performer a "Bard".

A bard with no ranks still sings to cast spells. They'll have higher Charisma than average too. They'll just not do it very well other than that though.

[ShurikVch]

Two more feats:

Captivating Melody (Complete Mage) - Perform check to increase DC of Enchantment or Illusion spell by +2; costs 1 daily use of Bardic Music; check DC is 15 + spell's level, and failure means you get no benefits, but still lose daily use of Bardic Music; spell must be from the same class as Bardic Music

Talfirian Song (Races of Faerûn) - expend daily use(s) of Bardic Music for "free" Heighten Spell (without using higher-level spell slots)