Duet? [3.5]

[Ascension]

Are there any feats, prestige classes, spells, etc. that allow multiple bards singing together to stack the same song? So if Bard A and Bard B both attempt to Inspire Courage, it's more effective than a Bard singing alone?

I know they can still both be beneficial to the party by singing different songs, but it'd be nice if there was some way to combine their efforts...

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Aid Another for the skill-check based ones.

[Glimbur]

The problem with letting bards combine efforts is the same reason they made bonuses typed: when do you stop letting it stack? Otherwise adventurers would hire about a dozen bards to follow them around and inspire them. Even if duets only add half the normal bonus, added together; +6 to hit and damage for a modest investment of money is imbalanced.

[Eldariel]

The problem with letting bards combine efforts is the same reason they made bonuses typed: when do you stop letting it stack? Otherwise adventurers would hire about a dozen bards to follow them around and inspire them. Even if duets only add half the normal bonus, added together; +6 to hit and damage for a modest investment of money is imbalanced.

Not to mention, available for a single ~level 8 Bard with little effort.

[Aneantir]

It's an interesting idea, in theory. I'd allow something like this, but end up having to use it as a tactical feat or something that both bards must have. Something like this, maybe:

Melodic Song [Tactical]
Prerequisites: BAB +4, Bardic Music ability, Arbitrary prereq feats
Benefit:
Courageous Effort: When two or more Bards use their bardic music to Inspire Courage in their allies, they also apply a bonus to saves equal to the highest Inspire courage bonus between them.
Subliminal Messaging: When two or more Bards use Suggestion or Mass Suggestion within one round of each other, the second attempt's save DC increases by 2.
Inspire Superior Competence: When two or more Bards use the Inspire Competence song for the same skill, all other skills that use the same attribute also recieve the bonus.

[Ascension]

((The above was posted while I typed this))

Well, you'd have to make require enough effort to prevent a choir of bards from destroying the universe, but I think if you limited the number of participants, made sure it wasn't available at really low levels, and/or added some drawbacks it wouldn't be a problem.

You could, for example, require both bards involved in the duet to make a fairly high-DC perform check each round they maintain the song in order to stay in harmony. On failure the duet would give lower bonuses than either bard would be capable of individually, on success it would give higher bonuses. There might be several degrees of success or failure dependent on the spread of the two results.

Maybe a progression of feats, each more impressive than the previous one? Something like Duet -> Round -> Trio -> Quartet -> Barbershop Quartet (Special: Must have 5 ranks in Profession: Barber)

[Chronos]

Make all the performers have the feat. When each bard picks the feat, they have to specify their singing voice (soprano, alto, tenor, or bass). When using this feat, each individual bard's music is treated as that of a bard 5 levels lower (including what songs are available and the bonus granted by Inspire Courage), but bard songs in different voices by bards using the feat stack.

[Keld Denar]

From a purely combat perspective, Dragonfire Inspiration is a different ability form vanillia Inspire Courage, and thus, 2 bards acting in concert (pun!) could grant all allies +X to hit and +Xd6+X damage to every swing. That would be strong enough by itself, without needing any feats (other than DFI).

[Telonius]

I would gladly allow "Summon Instrument" to be reflavored into "Summon Backup Singers" for a bard focused on vocals. :smallcool:

[AstralFire]

I would gladly allow "Summon Instrument" to be reflavored into "Summon Backup Singers" for a bard focused on vocals. :smallcool:

Ghost Sound. Been there, done that.

[Keld Denar]

I would gladly allow "Summon Instrument" to be reflavored into "Summon Backup Singers" for a bard focused on vocals. :smallcool:

Summon Motown I - IX

"Summon Miracles"
"Summon Temptations"
"Summon Marvelettes"
"Summon Supremes"

etc....

[Necrotheologist]

If you're into alternate classes:

There is an alternate Bard class in the Book of Eldritch Might 2 (Also reprinted in the Complete Book of Eldritch Might) where combining songs is a basic class feature. Works sort of like combining spellcasting. And multiple Bards can contribute. Gives the class a very unique flavour.