[3.5] Is there a Bard variant without spellcasting?

[Pika...]

Hi,

I run a low-magic setting, and a player currently wants to play a bard. Being a big fan of the Paladin and Ranger variants that replace spellcasting I am hoping there has been a similar one published for the Bard.

If there was, can someone please direct me to the proper book?

[RTGoodman]

I don't think so, at least not officially - in D&D, the Bard's magical abilities are a such a huge part of the class that removing them basically turns it into something different.

However, there are a few alternate ideas that might work. The Marshal is a non-magical leader of troops that has auras that make them better and can give them extra actions and such. It's from the Miniatures Handbook, and while it's not a particularly good class, it's at least playable and fun.

Also, with ToB you could choose a Crusader, which is (again) a mostly non-magical class that has (via the Devoted Spirit discipline) a number of ally-buffing powers. I would probably allow a Crusader to drop his Cha-to-Saves ability and his Smite ability in return for getting Bardic Music.

[Optimystik]

As rtg said, I think it's easier to add bardic music and perfrom to a melee class than to remove a bard's spells. I could be wrong though.

[AstralFire]

I have also run swordsages who lose their class abilities and pick up Bardic Music and Bardic Lore.

[Pika...]

I see...

Well, to keep with the bard flavor a bit, what if I dropped some of the class features of the Rogue in favor of Bardic Music and Bardic Lore? If so, which would be best?

[Kylarra]

I think there was a spellsong variant, where instead of spells they get spellsongs which do certain things, in one of monte cook's eldritch might books, that may not be exactly what you're looking for, but at least then it'd be more along the lines of music and not just straight casting.

[quick_comment]

Crusaders and warblades get inspire courage for the cost of 1 bard level and a feat. I think losing a maneuver readied and granting full bardic music abilities as an ACF after you take song of the white raven would be fair.

[RTGoodman]

I see...

Well, to keep with the bard flavor a bit, what if I dropped some of the class features of the Rogue in favor of Bardic Music and Bardic Lore? If so, which would be best?

Hmm... well, it used to be a Rogue/Thief subclass anyway, right?

I suppose you could drop the skill points to 6+Int per level, with Bard skills list plus Search, Disable Device, and Open Lock. Get rid of Trap Sense, Uncanny Dodge, and Improved Uncanny Dodge, and reduce sneak attack to every 3rd level (1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19) or so. Add in Bardic Music as normal.

[Keld Denar]

Crusaders and warblades get inspire courage for the cost of 1 bard level and a feat.

It'd have to be 2 feats, or you'd be severely limited. Song of the White Raven progresses your Inspire Courage along the normal route, but you don't get any more musics/day. Thus, you'd probably have to take Extra Music along with SotWR in order to use it in more than 1 encounter per day.

I've been poking around with the Sublime Marshal as spliced by the amazing Tempest Stormwind (yes, THAT Tempest Stormwind). They get White Raven manevuers + one other discipline between Devoted Spirit, Stone Dragon, Diamond Mind, or Iron Heart.

Mine is actually gonna nab Falling Star instead, a discipline homebrewed by our very own Fax Celestis (yes, THAT Fax Celestis) and see if I can pull off an effective archer Marshal. Should be interesting...

[The Neoclassic]

I homebrewed a non-caster bard a while ago, if you're interested. Someone else had pretty much the exact same request that you have.

[Riffington]

Hmm... well, it used to be a Rogue/Thief subclass anyway, right?

I suppose you could drop the skill points to 6+Int per level, with Bard skills list plus Search, Disable Device, and Open Lock. Get rid of Trap Sense, Uncanny Dodge, and Improved Uncanny Dodge, and reduce sneak attack to every 3rd level (1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19) or so. Add in Bardic Music as normal.

Yeah, something like this. I'd definitely base it off rogue and lose some of those abilities (keeping trapfinding because yours will be a rogue substitute.) But I don't know that you need to drop the skill points at all. Lose rogue special abilities, trap sense, uncanny dodge, and sneak attack; give them all the bard abilities, 8+skill pts, and some kind of combat thing (leaning towards a few White Raven maneuvers)

[Rixx]

Yes! It's called a "Commoner". ;D