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Tichrondrius
2008-02-18, 05:43 PM
I'm going to run a campaign soon and I wanted to have a Bard as one of the main BBEG, but I need some tips from you guys. How can you make bards creepy evil?

How can you make bards really seem badass?

And what feats and Prestige Classes do you suggest for a powerful wizard-like evil bard? Any suggestions you guys have would be great. Thanks in advance. :P

Yeril
2008-02-18, 05:46 PM
Give him a evil looking harp.

And black clothes.

Who plays the harp.

That is Evil.

And uses like facinate and suggestion, not for useful reasons but to be creepy and such.

Like, Suggestion on a little kid, use that aura spell to make him radiate strong necromancy, and have him follow the party through the city, and never say a word no matter what.

spooky stuff. :smallbiggrin:

With a Harp.

Like him.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/libris_gallery/84714.jpg

mikeejimbo
2008-02-18, 05:51 PM
Would you say Sublime Chord, from Complete Arcane, as a prestige class? Gets him up to 9th level spells, though he casts fewer than any other caster.

Suggestions, Charms, Dominations - those are all very good creepy evil spells.

I also think that to be particularly creepy, he (or she) shouldn't even seem evil at first. And whether you do that or not, he should be unearthly beautiful. I would even venture to say that if he's male, he should look rather effeminate. (Oh, it's a girly-man bard! Hahah- *dominate person*).

Azerian Kelimon
2008-02-18, 05:53 PM
Or have him sing Gimme the Prize or Hells Bells or Back In Black as he kicks the crap out of the party. Preferably, with TWF.

Parvum
2008-02-18, 05:56 PM
There is a bard variant called the Harbinger that's basically an evil bard- his version of the Paladin of Slaughter. Although I personally support making the standard bard evil... more challenging.

Perform (oratory). The good guys won't want to stop him after an evil speech, because he did it so damn well.

GrassyGnoll
2008-02-18, 06:11 PM
Dirgesinger is a good prestige class to tack on him if you want a tragic villain.

Creepy checklist-
Plays only before killing someone/something (might not be obvious at first, but having inn goers start vanishing on the nights of his concerts is a start)
Speaking in iambic/dactylic pentameter when not singing
Sings to self in combat
Startlingly nice to children
Stares at people while performing
Sees the world as a perpetual black comedy he directs (even better if he's the only one who finds it funny)
Plays a harp/organ
Hums "Cold Blows the Wind" to himself

Azerian Kelimon
2008-02-18, 06:22 PM
And then there's the possibility of making a bard who attacks with him instrument. One of my bards enchanted his guitar to sprout a force edge and used it to great effect as a greatsword. And an empathic link with an intelligent weapon meant it played music as I fought.

Keld Denar
2008-02-18, 06:28 PM
There are a couple of Bard alt class features somewhere (RoDragon?) that allow a Bard to swap fascinate and suggestion with fear effects. Toss up an intimidate check, then strike an eerie evil harp tune to stack fear effects enough to get your PCs shaken. That'll divide them so you can easily conquer them, even with a bard.


Oh, and snowflake wardance....definitely wardance!

GrassyGnoll
2008-02-18, 06:38 PM
Oh, and snowflake wardance....definitely wardance!

Are there any adaptations for snowflake wardance in non-arctic campaigns?

RTGoodman
2008-02-18, 06:44 PM
Also, Libris Mortis has a feat that lets you use your Bardic Music abilities against undead. I don't know if that includes suggestion and whatnot, but controlling some undead through music (*obligatory "Thriller" reference here*) is pretty cool and/or creepy.

Keld Denar
2008-02-18, 06:45 PM
Are there any adaptations for snowflake wardance in non-arctic campaigns?

Um, no idea. Just rename it though. Call it Falling Leaf Wardance in a forest setting, or Blowing Grass Wardance in a plains setting. Maybe something like Shaking Earth Wardance in an earthquake heavy mountainous area. It has to be dramatic though, or it loses effect ;) Other than that, there isn't much in it that is that flavorful that can't be edited with a little DMs license.

BRC
2008-02-18, 06:45 PM
I actually had an Idea for a bard PRC where they use music to control a blade-wielding dancing puppet, but I couldn't think of a good way to do it.

Douglas
2008-02-18, 06:46 PM
Are there any adaptations for snowflake wardance in non-arctic campaigns?
No adaptation is needed, the only things about the feat that are at all related to anything cold/arctic are the name, the source book, and a metaphorical description in the fluff text that compares the user to a razor-edged snowflake.

dyslexicfaser
2008-02-18, 06:47 PM
Also, Libris Mortis has a feat that lets you use your Bardic Music abilities against undead. I don't know if that includes suggestion and whatnot, but controlling some undead through music (*obligatory "Thriller" reference here*) is pretty cool and/or creepy.

Requiem. You can fascinate/suggest to them, but only when the undead are not hostile to you. I guess if you gave him Lich-loved (possibly the creepiest feat EVER), that'd work.

GrassyGnoll
2008-02-18, 07:06 PM
I actually had an Idea for a bard PRC where they use music to control a blade-wielding dancing puppet, but I couldn't think of a good way to do it.

If I somehow get that to work, I'll credit you.

Jayngfet
2008-02-18, 07:09 PM
put the PC's in the same bar as him, he's in the same bar, slightly effeminate
with a few tatoos, the pregnant barmaid says something to offend him


he summons a chain devel, about fourteen dead from the devel, he walks off nonchalantly amongst the bloodshead after finishing his drink, killing the guy by the door and taking his beer

one can substitute some fiendish tigers if nessesary, just make the things so evil theres no alignment illusions

he could also animate someones chair on the way out for laughs

EDIT: while singing anarchy in th UK.

BRC
2008-02-18, 07:09 PM
If I somehow get that to work, I'll credit you.
When I have time I'll write up some of the concepts I had and send them off to you.

Xefas
2008-02-18, 07:33 PM
I actually had an Idea for a bard PRC where they use music to control a blade-wielding dancing puppet, but I couldn't think of a good way to do it.

Change the 1st level Psionic Power "Astral Construct" into magic. Change the fluff. Tada!



And then there's the possibility of making a bard who attacks with him instrument. One of my bards enchanted his guitar to sprout a force edge and used it to great effect as a greatsword. And an empathic link with an intelligent weapon meant it played music as I fought.

Also:

Epic Bard
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/Xiranthador/Atomsk.jpg

mikeejimbo
2008-02-18, 07:35 PM
Could you take Perform(Shortsword) and attack people to a beat? I always thought that'd be neat.

Tichrondrius
2008-02-18, 07:37 PM
Wow, this is good stuff, thanks guys.

GrassyGnoll
2008-02-18, 07:37 PM
Cool.

Creepy checklist extension
- Hideous Laughter is a must
- Undead accompaniment (not a hokey skeleton Day of the Dead kind of thing, but mysterious assistant always in a cloak)
- While we're at it make that mysterious assistant his dead wife/daughter
- Mistakes the party (or the bard) for former band mates he killed
- Make Song of Discord a bit more deadly, rage/cannibalism effect
- Making him a master of disguise couldn't hurt
- Evil clowns are overplayed, but a sick sense of humor would help
- Throw in the bard spells from BoVD
- Make him a vampire named Lestat Scratch that, that Anne Rice is a hack
- Replace Summon Monster with Summon undead?

List o' villain songs
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Twisted Nerve
The Chosen (for the schizophrenic stalker in you)
Cold Blows The Wind (already mentioned I know, but it'd tie in well with the dead spouse cohort)
Stagger Lee
Red Right Hand
Just the Right Bullets
Little Drop of Poison
Hurt
Psycho Killer
No Quarter

Anything that screams unstable.

Collin152
2008-02-18, 07:38 PM
Could you take Perform(Shortsword) and attack people to a beat? I always thought that'd be neat.

What about Perform (Acts of Violence)?

Also, see Devil went down to Georgia.
"The devil opened up his case and he said: "I'll start this show."
And fire flew from his fingertips as he resined up his bow.
And he pulled the bow across his strings and it made an evil hiss.
Then a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this."

mikeejimbo
2008-02-18, 07:45 PM
Or a choir of ghosts! Wailing, moaning and such.

Collin152
2008-02-18, 07:50 PM
Bards can use Animate Objects, right? Use as many spells as possible to increase his "audience".

Jayngfet
2008-02-18, 08:39 PM
Bards can use Animate Objects, right? Use as many spells as possible to increase his "audience".

yep, if I'm not mistakein they get it at 17th level

Tengu
2008-02-18, 08:42 PM
Also:

Epic Bard
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/Xiranthador/Atomsk.jpg


That's not evil, that's one of the most badass scenes in a series that's already made of awesome.


NWN games have the Curse Song feat, which basically lets you use bard song to give penalties to your opponents instead of bonuses to your allies. Might be very worthwhile, though I'm not sure does it even exist in DND.

Xuincherguixe
2008-02-18, 09:22 PM
Evil Bard is pretty doable.

Badass bard? That's a lot harder.

Maybe his musical instrument is made out of one of his arms?

Collin152
2008-02-18, 09:27 PM
If he uses an instrument, it's either a fiddle, a flute, or a length of chain with bells of various sizes on it.

MisterSaturnine
2008-02-18, 09:49 PM
There was talk (and a picture involved) of a violin-wielding bard. Yes, I said wielding. The discussion eventually led to the conclusion that to have a bard who cut people with his bow, you'd need the strings of both the bowstring and violin strings to be made of adamantine. Problem with that was the violin'd sound pretty crap when you went to play it. Unless, of course, you treated the bow with lubricant. Like, say, blood.

I picture the bard walking up to someone, and cutting them JUST SO HE CAN PLAY THE VIOLIN. Alternatively, he can walk with a cane and use one of his legs as a source of "lubricant."

This led to my own idea for a bard, which you're free to use: he uses an altered spell list which I posted here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3779578#post3779578) and I'm pretty sure is well-balanced. Instead of buffing his comrades, uses the Harbinger variant to debuff his enemies. You add a homebrewed +2 synergy bonus from have 5 ranks in Perform (Sing), and you have a Bard who plays disturbing, very sharp and metallic-sounding songs on his violin, singing in a Tom Waitsy voice. His motive is enjoyment. He doesn't want to take over the world or anything, has no special resentment for humanity--he just finds suffering hilarious. Like one of the other posters suggested, perhaps he feels like life is a black comedy he's directing. It just so happens that no one else gets the joke.

The Extinguisher
2008-02-18, 09:49 PM
Bards are by definition badass.

Right? Right?
*sobs*

Collin152
2008-02-18, 09:52 PM
Bards are by definition badass.

Right? Right?
*sobs*

Yes. Also, Monks are overpowered and Pun-Pun is fun to play with other people in the party.

The Extinguisher
2008-02-18, 09:55 PM
There was talk (and a picture involved) of a violin-wielding bard. Yes, I said wielding. The discussion eventually led to the conclusion that to have a bard who cut people with his bow, you'd need the strings of both the bowstring and violin strings to be made of adamantine. Problem with that was the violin'd sound pretty crap when you went to play it. Unless, of course, you treated the bow with lubricant. Like, say, blood.

I picture the bard walking up to someone, and cutting them JUST SO HE CAN PLAY THE VIOLIN. Alternatively, he can walk with a cane and use one of his legs as a source of "lubricant."

This led to my own idea for a bard, which you're free to use: he uses an altered spell list which I posted here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3779578#post3779578) and I'm pretty sure is well-balanced. Instead of buffing his comrades, uses the Harbinger variant to debuff his enemies. You add a homebrewed +2 synergy bonus from have 5 ranks in Perform (Sing), and you have a Bard who plays disturbing, very sharp and metallic-sounding songs on his violin, singing in a Tom Waitsy voice. His motive is enjoyment. He doesn't want to take over the world or anything, has no special resentment for humanity--he just finds suffering hilarious. Like one of the other posters suggested, perhaps he feels like life is a black comedy he's directing. It just so happens that no one else gets the joke.

Wow. That's awesome. If you don't mind, I'm going to use something like that for my bard/paladin. It's just amazing. I love you forever now.


Yes. Also, Monks are overpowered and Pun-Pun is fun to play with other people in the party.

Hey. No need to disillusion me. :smalltongue:

MisterSaturnine
2008-02-18, 09:55 PM
You think Monks are overpowered? Try the CW Samurai.

But yeah. Plenty of ways to make a Bard scary. I mean, just the fact that there's a guy who fears death so little that while his enemies are flinging spells and slashing at him with swords, he's singing a little ditty is pretty badass.

EDIT: Aw, thank you, Axel. :smallsmile: I just hope I can find a DM one of these days so *I* can play him...

EDIT #2: More dark bard songs to play (all by Tom Waits)--

Everything Goes to Hell
Starving in the Belly of a Whale
Another Man's Vine
God's Away on Business
Get Behind the Mule
Eyeball Kid
Misery's the River of the World

Collin152
2008-02-18, 09:58 PM
Okay, how about this. A fiddler on a roof, who believes it's his music that entices the sun to rise, and develops a song that let's him keep it from coming back, and so forth.

The Extinguisher
2008-02-18, 10:05 PM
How much would that violin cost? Masterwork plus ammunition cost of adamantine per string? Something like that.

MisterSaturnine
2008-02-18, 10:11 PM
Thing is, each string probably wouldn't cost too much (it'd just be hard to make it thin). I'd just treat the whole violin, strings and all as a masterwork violin + the cost of making a weapon adamantine. So, about 3150.

The hard part would be figuring out the damage the bow does. I'm going to go with 1d6 slashing (maybe 1d8 for how painful it would likely be--getting cut by all those strings, which would REALLY hurt coming out), 19-20/x2 critical.

Collin152
2008-02-18, 10:15 PM
Imagine poisoning them before the battle.
To any observer, you'r just resining it up.

The Extinguisher
2008-02-18, 10:16 PM
Good point.

Now I can't wait to try this out...

Rutee
2008-02-18, 10:17 PM
Also:

Epic Bard
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/Xiranthador/Atomsk.jpg


Okay so now that I have a motivational poster to make...

DementedFellow
2008-02-18, 10:18 PM
Thing is, each string probably wouldn't cost too much (it'd just be hard to make it thin). I'd just treat the whole violin, strings and all as a masterwork violin + the cost of making a weapon adamantine. So, about 3150.

The hard part would be figuring out the damage the bow does. I'm going to go with 1d6 slashing (maybe 1d8 for how painful it would likely be--getting cut by all those strings, which would REALLY hurt coming out), 19-20/x2 critical.
I would think the bowstring would do more damage that the whallop from the violin itself.

Collin152
2008-02-18, 10:18 PM
I still fully endorse The Devil Went Down to Georgia as a source of inspiration.

holywhippet
2008-02-18, 10:19 PM
Have the bard use illusions cast on the party to make innocent villagers see them as horrible monsters that they must kill or be killed.

GrassyGnoll
2008-02-18, 10:21 PM
Okay, how about this. A fiddler on a roof, who believes it's his music that entices the sun to rise, and develops a song that let's him keep it from coming back, and so forth.

Me likey. More Nyarlathotep-esque über bards ideas please. Maybe a bard whose tempo determines how fast time moves around him.

Collin152
2008-02-18, 10:25 PM
Me likey. More Nyarlathotep-esque über bards ideas please. Maybe a bard whose tempo determines how fast time moves around him.

Who/what - esque?

Rutee
2008-02-18, 10:26 PM
Nyarlathotep, the herald of the.. Outer? Elder? Some group of gods or other in Cthulhu.

Also, the work, she is complete! (http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/RuteeKatreya/epic-bard2.jpg)

GrassyGnoll
2008-02-18, 10:27 PM
Cthulu pantheon god. He's an Outer God who takes the form of a tall black man who travels the world as a devil figure.

Edit: Wikipedia'd him. "Nyarlathotep's first appearance is in the eponymous short story by Lovecraft (1920), in which he is described as a "tall, swarthy man" who resembles an Egyptian Pharaoh. In this story he wanders the earth, seemingly gathering legions of followers through his demonstrations of strange and seemingly magical instruments, the narrator of the story among them. These followers lose awareness of the world around them, and through the narrator's increasingly unreliable accounts the reader gets a sense of the world's utter collapse. The story ends with the narrator as part of an army of servants serving Nyarlathotep."

Mass Dominate Person through bardic music? Just throw an artifact on him to explain it and let him loose.

mikeejimbo
2008-02-18, 10:28 PM
Bards are by definition badass.

Right? Right?
*sobs*

I keep trying to say this, but no one takes me seriously in the hat.

MisterSaturnine
2008-02-18, 10:38 PM
I would think the bowstring would do more damage that the whallop from the violin itself.

Oh, he wouldn't use the violin itself--that would break the violin. It's only made of wood, after all. The strings of the violin are only made out of adamantine so the bow doesn't slice 'em.

Ascension
2008-02-18, 10:51 PM
I just wanted to throw in here a slight protest at the suggestion that the bard should play modern songs. No! No! NOOOOOOO!

He needs to sing old fashioned ballads. EVIL old fashioned ballads! Imagine he's like... an evil ren-faire performer or something!

I agree he should have Perform (Oratory) or perhaps (Poetics) so that he can make awesome evil speeches before he commits massive acts of villainy. Maybe you should have him be the leader of a whole ORCHESTRA OF EVIL! Oh yeah, I'm liking this idea...

...and always keep in mind, Jack (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_the_Flies) was a choir leader.

Ranis
2008-02-18, 11:06 PM
Make one of his arms a blade of some kind, and have him play it like a fiddle with a rapier in his other hand. That's pretty freaking scary right there.

Tichrondrius
2008-02-18, 11:11 PM
There was talk (and a picture involved) of a violin-wielding bard. Yes, I said wielding. The discussion eventually led to the conclusion that to have a bard who cut people with his bow, you'd need the strings of both the bowstring and violin strings to be made of adamantine. Problem with that was the violin'd sound pretty crap when you went to play it. Unless, of course, you treated the bow with lubricant. Like, say, blood.

I picture the bard walking up to someone, and cutting them JUST SO HE CAN PLAY THE VIOLIN. Alternatively, he can walk with a cane and use one of his legs as a source of "lubricant."

Oh man, this is awesome. I'm so stealing this- and giving you credit, of course. :P

Collin152
2008-02-18, 11:49 PM
A Bard whose song can undo death itself- almost. Essentially, he can make someone return to life for about a minute. After that, if his music is still going, they turn into an undead of some kind. Those who listen to his music too long stop fullfilling nesecary functions (ie, breathing) die, and come back as undead.

MisterSaturnine
2008-02-19, 12:17 AM
Oh man, this is awesome. I'm so stealing this- and giving you credit, of course. :P

I didn't come up with the adamantine strings idea--members of this board did a long while back, in response to a cool picture. I came up with the leg as a lubricant source, however, and everything after that in the same post.

Skjaldbakka
2008-02-19, 12:38 AM
Where did this bard hate come from?

If the base class isn't 'good enough' for you, take a look at Sublime Chord and Seeker of the Song from CA.

I personally use bard as the primary spellcasting class in my games. 7-9th level spells being part of the epic level progression. You should try it. It works really well.

shadowdemon_lord
2008-02-19, 01:17 AM
Two words: Legato Bluesummers. Play up the mind controlling powers of the bard, take fascinate/suggestion and turn it into fascinate/mass dominate (only things with low hit die, never used on PC's, able to make them do anything, maybe with them confused as to why their bodies are performing these tasks). Give him a callous disregard for life, maybe even make him act as if other beings are beneath him in some fundamental fashion. Possibly refluff the bard so that his mind controlling enchantments are psionic in nature as oppose to magical. This guy should torture the PC's with hard decisions and horrible situations involving lots and lots of dominated towns people.

Credit for this idea of course goes to Trigun.

Cuddly
2008-02-19, 01:24 AM
I plan on having a lich bard in my game. He dwells in an abandoned town, playing beautiful music for the mindless dead on his pipe organ.

It's gonna be cool.

loopy
2008-02-19, 01:35 AM
I had a Bard BBEG one time, called the Taleweaver. He introduced himself to the heroes as one who created the sagas of the great heroes of the age. He helped the party, letting them know about suitably heroic quests, introducing to the 'movers and shakers' in society, and generally helped them out...

...That is, until he decided that this particular tale had run its course and needed a suitably tragic ending. On the next quest the party found that there was easily 10 times the orcs they had been told about. They somehow (he he) managed to fight their way free, only for the Taleweaver to appear in a rage and promise that this tale WOULD end to his satisfaction, one way or another.

The party arrived back in town to find a bounty on their heads, almost all their contacts mysteriously turned against them, and rumours circulating around the populace about many atrocities that the party had supposedly done. (don't you just love bards?)

Eventually they found their way through the conspiracy, and solved the problem (I'll leave the details for you to flesh out in your particular game), and good times were had by all.

Not exactly the character that everyone else was suggesting, but I had fun with him.

mikeejimbo
2008-02-19, 01:37 AM
I plan on having a lich bard in my game. He dwells in an abandoned town, playing beautiful music for the mindless dead on his pipe organ.

It's gonna be cool.

And he kidnaps the party and forces them to listen to his music, because the mindless undead can't appreciate it?

Hectonkhyres
2008-02-19, 01:39 AM
Make him a factotum or a beguiler with skill point devoted to perform(fiddle). Call him a bard. Eat some cake.

Nerd-o-rama
2008-02-19, 01:41 AM
Make him a factotum or a beguiler with skill point devoted to perform(fiddle). Call him a bard. Eat some cake.
Cake associated with a Beguiler is doubly a lie.

ZeroNumerous
2008-02-19, 01:46 AM
Also, the work, she is complete! (http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/RuteeKatreya/epic-bard2.jpg)

This is actually easily doable. Just talk to your DM about refluffing a guitar to be made out of ironwood. Then you have a "heavy mace" that you can play.

Rutee
2008-02-19, 01:47 AM
This is actually easily doable. Just talk to your DM about refluffing a guitar to be made out of ironwood. Then you have a "heavy mace" that you can play.

My next DnD character was supposed to be some sort of Rogue/Sorc/Arcane Trickster. But then you had to go and ruin that. Thanks ^.^

(Or I'd just stat it as an Axe. Because I have a sick sense of humor.)

ZeroNumerous
2008-02-19, 01:48 AM
(Or I'd just stat it as an Axe. Because I have a sick sense of humor.)

Ironwood functions in all ways like iron, so presumably you could have an ironwood "axe".[/pun]

evisiron
2008-02-19, 01:55 AM
Last post before sleep, so this may have been mentioned before...

Creepy music starting to play before he shows himself, especially if its a trick or illusion. If it gets to the point were you say "A set of haunting notes drifts in on the midnight breeze" and the players go "Oh ****!" then you have done you job well. :smallamused:

Farmer42
2008-02-19, 12:46 PM
"Down the Willow Garden" is another great song to have him playing. I's been recorded over the years under a bunch of different names, from "Rose Connelly" to "Down in the Willow Garden." It's an old bluegrass/folk song, but probably the creepiest version is the Everly Brothers rendition, here. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGb2bDlGsBk)

The Glyphstone
2008-02-19, 08:03 PM
I've always wanted to have or see a bard Lich, who chose undeath so that he would have eternity to finish writing the "perfect song"...not exactly threatening, but a good motivation to make a Bard BBEG.

GrassyGnoll
2008-02-19, 09:00 PM
Two words: Legato Bluesummers. Play up the mind controlling powers of the bard, take fascinate/suggestion and turn it into fascinate/mass dominate (only things with low hit die, never used on PC's, able to make them do anything, maybe with them confused as to why their bodies are performing these tasks). Give him a callous disregard for life, maybe even make him act as if other beings are beneath him in some fundamental fashion. Possibly refluff the bard so that his mind controlling enchantments are psionic in nature as oppose to magical. This guy should torture the PC's with hard decisions and horrible situations involving lots and lots of dominated towns people.

Credit for this idea of course goes to Trigun.

Yeah, Legato was the ultimate psychic BBEG, but what about Midvalley the Hornfreak? He's a bit more fitting for a bardic baddy. Since he was once a simple assassin it provides enough of a motivation when another BBEG puts a bounty on you.

BardicDuelist
2008-02-19, 09:39 PM
The undead thing is cool, but I personally think that a musician who made a deal to save a dying loved one and was betrayed by the forces he consorted with (preferably non-supernatural). He could be seeking to take revenge on a world that he feels has wronged him.

While he is a bit cliche, you should have him come off as an ally who betrays and manipulates the party. Nothing sucks more than having your charasimatic benefactor turn on you.

Collin152
2008-02-19, 09:47 PM
The vilain should only apear to the PCs as an illusion.
His danger lies in his manipulation of the townsfolk.
They deal with his mess, an otherworldly tune plays, and a cloaked figure steps from the shadows, toying with their minds.
The real bard is as close as he can be, but invisible.

Vyker
2008-02-19, 10:33 PM
Look up "The Violinist of Hameln." It's an entire anime/war fought between bards, each of whom is more badass than the last.

Except for the whiney ones...

But let's ignore them. Look it up! Look it up, I say! Daemon-bards who save the world with love while murdering people! Fallen angels who play flute-scythes whilst commanding sky-dreadnoughts and raining death down upon the world! A jackal/centaur/daemon who wields an infinite number of swords! Music guns! Hot damn!

ZekeArgo
2008-02-20, 11:42 PM
Since this thread inspired me to create an evil bard for a PbP game I found, I figured I'd pop in for a suggested BBEG build for a bard who sings and sows discord ;)

Bard 1/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Warchanter 3/Whatever 12

Devoted Performer grants full bardic music progression, along with snowflake wardance and righteous might providing +attack and damage, then all of the other crazy abilities availible to a near full BaB progression, decently skilled character ;)