Perform skills in combat

[Snake-Aes]

After a few levels, my character will have spare ranks to spend, and I'd like to put it in a perform skill so he could do it during combat in addition to passing time with it.


So, the big question is, is there a perform skill that can be done in combat, without interfering on the actual combat? First thing in my mind was singing, but I would try other performs first.

[Prodan]

Sword Dance?

[Marillion]

Perform (oration), so you can tell your opponent exactly why he sucks and you're awesome.

Perform (dance), if you don't mind the flavor of dance-fighting.

Perform (comedy) to make the enemy feel bad about himself with your cutting quips.

Perform (theatre) to make it look like a scene from a play.

[unre9istered]

Dance? If your moving anyway. In fact there's a feat somewhere called Snowflake Dance (I think) that adds your cha to damage with one handed weapons or something like that.

Comedy would also work, to make fun of your opponents. I think there's feat related to that skill as well, though I don't recall what it does.

Oratory can also be done in combat.

[Snake-Aes]

:p I don't want combat bonuses or penalties for it, it's just the fluff. First thing I thought of is dance and storytelling to recite shakespeare while I clonk people upside down.

[Keld Denar]

Perform: Drumming works well if you are a Lightning Mace fanatic.

Snowflake Wardance only works if you have Bardic Music uses, which, given that the OP doesn't have maxed out Perform, is rather unlikely. Cool idea though.

[Shademan]

preform:teabagging

srsly tho' SINGING. I'm sure there's SOME martial art out there that use singing as a way to breathe in their chosen way. I DO know that some use shouting...hm...Preform: bellowing

[Curmudgeon]

Perform (dance) is required to enter the Shadowdancer prestige class, though the skill grants no combat ability.

[Mastikator]

Telling jokes, specifically puns. Elan style.

[Morph Bark]

Perform (oration), so you can tell your opponent exactly why he sucks and you're awesome.

Perform (dance), if you don't mind the flavor of dance-fighting.

Perform (comedy) to make the enemy feel bad about himself with your cutting quips.

Perform (theatre) to make it look like a scene from a play.

Don't forget to mention this becomes SUPER EFFECTIVE when done by a necromancer!

[Snake-Aes]

I think Perform(Oratory) would let me say some koans, haikus and cryptic stories...

<kick> "there once was a carp"
<punch> "when the sword pierced it's heart"
<hurl> "it did not squirm"

[Gametime]

It doesn't seem like the sort of thing you're looking for, but Perform: Weapon Drill could be used to show off your sword-related prowess.

[Snake-Aes]

:D :D :D Perform(Dance) + Perform(Oratory) with the added bonus of Lunge(trades -2 ac for +5' reach during your turn, free action).
The scene is quickly getting more awesome.

[Doodleface]

Perform (dance) is required to enter the Shadowdancer prestige class, though the skill grants no combat ability.

It is also needed for the Dervish prestige class.
And it could just look cool if you wanted it to be all hip-hop and tango.

[Ossian]

Perform: kata. Unlocks prestige classes and you can pull lots of wuxia moves during combat. Also, good for sunset training montage (waterfall and beach rec recommended ). Hands in slow motion-strobo a-la-bruce lee /Hokuto no ken a real must-have

O.

[Snake-Aes]

It is also needed for the Dervish prestige class.
And it could just look cool if you wanted it to be all hip-hop and tango.

Our previous campaign had a fighter/dervish gestalt, and we fluffed it as breakdancing with swords.

[true_shinken]

+1 to Perform: weapon drill. It's also the easiest Perform skill to boost.

[gbprime]

Perform (opera). Let's face it, those characters can get stabbed in the lung and lay there dying in a pool of their own blood and still keep wailing at the top of their vocal range.

[gallagher]

PERFORM MIME!

ok, now that i got that out of my system, let me explain. get a couple of scrolls of forcecage. start miming that you are putting someone in a box. you are now the best mime ever, with stunning fashion sense

[Scorpina]

Perform (opera). Let's face it, those characters can get stabbed in the lung and lay there dying in a pool of their own blood and still keep wailing at the top of their vocal range.

See, my uncultured mind just translates this into an opportunity to work 'Kill The Wabbit! Kill The Wabbit! KILL THE WABBIT!' into play.

And that's awesome.

[senrath]

Take Perform (Overreaction). Act like every tiny injury is a life-threatening one.

[gbprime]

Take Perform (Overreaction). Act like every tiny injury is a life-threatening one.

That's awesome.

[SuperCracker]

Take Perform (Overreaction). Act like every tiny injury is a life-threatening one.

You just described every NBA player getting fouled.

[senrath]

And every professional soccer player.

[Mr.Moron]

Perform(Yelling) and Perform(Dramatic Posing).

That way you have one skill for both before and after the attack.

[Scorpina]

You just described every NBA player getting fouled.

And every professional soccer player.

Not to mention pro-wrestlers.

[Snake-Aes]

Nah, Won't perform overreaction :p I reserve my rights to complain that those 1d4 javelins hurt like 2d6 after combat.

[FMArthur]

Even though none of your choices in this thread will actually be used for anything, I would feel ashamed if I put points into anything that boils down to "perform: speak", because it implies odd things about characters who don't put their ranks into it. Talking is given to you for free in D&D, you don't need to pay for it!

[Mr.Moron]

Even though none of your choices in this thread will actually be used for anything, I would feel ashamed if I put points into anything that boils down to "perform: speak", because it implies odd things about characters who don't put their ranks into it. Talking is given to you for free in D&D, you don't need to pay for it!

Anyone can flail their appendages against piano keys (heck even cats can do it) and produce some noise. However, it takes a trained artist to make music. Similarly anyone complain and anyone can yell, but some people are just plain on a level above and beyond that.

[Snake-Aes]

:p speech performs indicate you are well-versed with oratory techniques, body language and so on. Since they are all usable untrained, it's not like characters without ranks in it absolutely suck, but the same story being told by the dwarf with int 8 just wouldn't feel as impressive as the one told by the bard with cha 22 and maxed Perform(Oratory). I dunno about your group, but in mine good roleplaying is playing your character as what you believe him to be. Thus if your character has the silvertongue of a slime mold, he just won't be a sweet talker no matter how well you act his speech. Expecting otherwise would go against what the character is meant to be good at.