The Metal Bard [PEACH, not really serious]

[Caracol]

I don't know if this has been done before, but I'll post it anyway. Help me improve and tweak it, but do not take it too serioulsy, anyway: it's just to have some laugh. But if your DM is insane enough to let you play this class, please, tell me what happened!!!!

THE METAL BARD

Bardic music is for sissies, because bards ARE sissies. To take real music it needs a real Bard. And the real music is only METAL.
Bard's music comes from the heart. A Metal Bard's music, istead, comes from the deepest blackned f****** depts of their hear full of rebellion or hatred. It's love for the music, the metal, and the others can just go **** up themselves.
Andventures, role, religion, other classes....: Whatever. They simply care about the Metal anyway.

METAL BARD

{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th

1st|+0|+0|+2|+2|Metal Music, Metal Knowledge, Countersong, Headbanging, Subgenre|2|—|—|—|—|—|—

2nd|+1|+0|+3|+3||3|0|—|—|—|—|—

3rd|+2|+1|+3|+3|Electrify|3|1|—|—|—|—|—

4th|+3|+1|+4|+4||3|2|0|—|—|—|—

5th|+3|+1|+4|+4||3|3|1|—|—|—|—

6th|+4|+2|+5|+5|Inspire Horns|3|3|2|—|—|—|—

7th|+5|+2|+5|+5||3|3|2|0|—|—|—

8th|+6/+1|+2|+6|+6|Inspire Headbanging|3|3|3|1|—|—|—

9th|+6/+1|+3|+6|+6|Show Off|3|3|3|2|—|—|—

10th|+7/+2|+3|+7|+7||3|3|3|2|0|—|—

11th|+8/+3|+3|+7|+7||3|3|3|3|1|—|—

12th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+8|Song of Rebellion|3|3|3|3|2|—|—

13th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+8||3|3|3|3|2|0|—

14th|+10/+5|+4|+9|+9|Mass Headbanging|4|3|3|3|3|1|—

15th|+11/+6/+1|+5|+9|+9|Inspire Moshing|4|4|3|3|3|2|—

16th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10||4|4|4|3|3|2|0

17th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10||4|4|4|4|3|3|1

18th|+13/+8/+3|+6|+11|+11|Louder Countersong|4|4|4|4|4|3|2

19th|+14/+9/+4|+6|+11|+11||4|4|4|4|4|4|3

20th|+15/+10/+5|+6|+12|+12|God of Metal|4|4|4|4|4|4|4

[/table]

Alignment: Nonlawful
Hit Die: 1d6
Characteristics: Charisma, Dexterity and Intelligence influences the Metal Bards ability. The Charisma is also needed to cast their spells.

Class Skills:
Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex),and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Spells Known
{table]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th

1st|4|—|—|—|—|—|—

2nd|5|2¹|—|—|—|—|—

3rd|6|3|—|—|—|—|—

4th|6|3|2¹|—|—|—|—

5th|6|4|3|—|—|—|—

6th|6|4|3|—|—|—|—

7th|6|4|4|2¹|—|—|—

8th|6|4|4|3|—|—|—

9th|6|4|4|3|—|—|—

10th|6|4|4|4|2¹|—|—

11th|6|4|4|4|3|—|—

12th|6|4|4|4|3|—|—

13th|6|4|4|4|4|2¹|—

14th|6|4|4|4|4|3|—

15th|6|4|4|4|4|3|—

16th|6|5|4|4|4|4|2¹

17th|6|5|5|4|4|4|3

18th|6|5|5|5|4|4|3

19th|6|5|5|5|5|4|4

20th|6|5|5|5|5|5|4 [/table]

¹ = The Metal Bard must have the appropriate Cha bonus to cast ithese spells.

Class Features:

Weapon, Armor and Instrument proficiency: Metal Bards are proficient in studded leather armor, chainmail, in all simple metal weapons and in the composite shortbow (with at least a bit of metal in it), longsword and morningstar. They are proficients in shields made of metal, tower shield excluded.
They are proficient in vocals, keybords, guitar and bass, and drums.

Spells: A Metal Bard can cast a spell as a regular bard, only is way cooler when it does it. Additional Metal Bard spells will follow (maybe).

Metal Knowledge: A Metal Bard is expert in knowing the most unknow things about Metal. He can add his Metal Bard Level to his Int bonus to perform a Metal Knowledge check, to gain precious information about genres, groups, curiosities and object linked to the Metal. He can take 10 to this proof.

METAL KNOWLEDGE EXAMPLES
{table="head"]CD | Example

10 | Dimmu Borgir is a melodic Black Metal Band.
20 | Ronnie James Dio claims to be the one who invented the Devil Horn Gesture, but actually it was Gene Simmons.
30 | Felix Ü. Walzer, the bassist of the Agathodaimon, has his left leg shorter than the right one by O,5 inches. [/table]

Subgenre: At 1st level, a Metal Bard chooses one of the following subgenres of Metal he represents. Every subgenre gives a bonus and a malus. You can't change your subgenre later, because this would be a betraial of your metaller spirit, and you can't gain additional level in this class.

SUBGENRES LIST:

Spoiler

Show

BLACK METAL
Bonus: You have access to the Wiz/Sor spells of Necromancy school of the appropriate level.
Malus: You have to praise a Demon.

BRUTAL /GORE METAL
Bonus: You make full damage rolls with all your weapons and damage inflicting spells.
Malus: You have to kill something everyday. Flowers don't count, it has to be GORY.

DEATH METAL
Bonus: You gain full BAB.
Malus:You must talk growling everytime.

DOOM/STONER METAL
Bonus: You have a bonus of +4 to Will saves.
Malus: Your base speed halves.

FOLK METAL
Bonus: You are proficient in traditional instruments too.
Malus: You cant use the "Electrify" ability.

GOTHIC METAL
Bonus: You gain proficiency in heavy armor made of metal.
Malus: You must talky in gloomy poetry.

CROSSOVER METAL
Bonus: You can choose two different subgenres. You gain bonuses from both.
Malus: You gain both maluses too.

INDUSTRIAL METAL
Bonus: You have +10 to Craft (Metal) skill.
Malus: You have a -5 to Move Silenty skill.

GLAM METAL
Bonus: You gain a Charisma bonus of +2.
Malus: You don't have a well defined gender.

HEAVY METAL
Bonus: You gain the Leadership feat to have roadies /groupies at 6th level as a bonus feat.
Malus: You don't have bonus until levwl 6th.

SPEED METAL
Bonus: You can use two action of Metal Music as one.
Malus: You can use Metal Music a number of times a day equal to your Cha bonus.

POWER METAL
Bonus: You can use Show off at 1st level.
Malus: You must have at least a Dex of 18. Plus, you're soooooo annoying.

THRASH METAL
Bonus: You have inverted Charisma: you gain bonuses if you modifier is negative.
Malus: Your Cha based skills (Perform excluded) have a penality of -2.

Suggest me some other subgenres too!!!

Metal Music: One time a day for every Metal Bard level, a Metal Bard can use his music to convey the true power of the Metal and crate magical effects. Every Metal Music effect require a minumum level and the more degrees in Perfom using the instrument he choosed he can have at his level.
Activate one of these effects is a standard action. A Metal Bard can't cast spell during this but can headbang.

COUNTERSONG: As Bard's Countersong, but can be effected by Headbanging.

HEADBANGING: A Metal Bard can start to headbang. He gais a +1 to his Perform check for every 4 levels in Metal Bard class he has. Starting to Headbang is a standard action. Becomes a swift action at level 6. He can use this ability to boost his checks performing the other Metal Music abilities.

ELECTRIFY: A Metal Bard can develop a static charge of electricity coming from the instrument he plays. This charge deals 1d6 damage for every 3 levels in Metal Bard class he has. This charge can be used to attack an enemy into 30 ft reach with a Perform check istead of your attack bonus.

INSPIRE HORNS: With a Perform check against a Will save of the opponent, a Metal bard can make a creature make the Devil Horn Gesture with his hands. This way, he suffer a penality of -1 to attack, saves and AC due to the distraction. This penality increase by one for 4 levels in Metal Bard class he has.

INSPIRE HEADBANGING: As Inspire Horns, but the creature loses a standard action istead of having penalities.

SHOW OFF: A Metal Bard can use his Perfom Check istead of Diplomacy, Intimidate and other Cha based skills.

SONG OF REBELLION: As Song of Freedom, only more Metal.

MASS HEADBANGING: As Inspire Headbanging, but can be used agaist a number of opponent equal to 1+Cha bonus.

INSPIRE MOSHING: As Mass Headbanging, but the opponent uses their lost action to Bullrush the nearest creature to themselves.

LOUDER COUNTERSONG: A Metal Bard can contrast a sound effect by pumping up the volume. If he succedes in the countersong attempt, he reflects back the sound effect to his original source.

GOD OF METAL: You gain a worldwide reputation: every metalhead knows you. You gain the Leadership Feat that lasts until the day. If you already have one, both feat effects stack.

Edit: made some small changes, expect additional tweaking.

[Xuincherguixe]

This is great :P

Also, you might want to have an even more obscure example than the one listed, because I'm familiar with that band, and I'm hardly an expert (didn't know who the bassist was mind you). Then again, maybe the streaming radio thing I listen to (go Snakenet!) just plays a lot of obscure bands too.

Perhaps "Felix Ü. Walzer's left leg is a quarter inch shorter than his right" (I just made that up, it's probably not true)


I think as you gain levels, you should be able to add additional layers of sub genres. I once heard of a "Orcish Black Metal Band." Seriously, that's like a subsubsub genre. (Black Metal - Fantasy - Orcish. Maybe there was a Tolkien beneath fantasy).

Maybe there should be an option for Heavy Metal bards who are so unlike anything else, the existing sub genres just don't fit. Because of this, it confuses people who are trying to figure out what it is. But, some kind of social penalty because no one knows how to describe it.

[Vazzaroth]

Orc Metal?



Edit:
Just thought of a spell.

Metal Grunts
2nd level
Standard Action
1 round/caster level

No more than than once per round, while using another Metal Music effect, you may deal 1d4 Sonic damage to any target within 30 ft.

Also:

Metal Scream! (The ! is necessary)
4th level
Standard Action
Concentration
For as long as you sustain(Stnd action concentration) your Metal Scream, you deal 1d4 sonic damage to all targets beside yourself within 30 feet and are shakened until your next turn. If a single target is effected more for 6 rounds or more, they are deafened for 1d4+1 hours. After 5 rounds of Concentration, you begin suffocating and need to take Fort saves as the Suffication rules.

Edit 2: And at 9th level, Power Metalers should get the Endurance feat.

[Colt]

Someone already did something like this over at the WotC forums
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=852283
The Disciple of Metal.

It's pretty nice

[Caracol]

Someone already did something like this over at the WotC forums
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=852283
The Disciple of Metal.

It's pretty nice

I knew that someone should have already tought about this. Anyway, that is a perfect PrC for this class, and sure a really big admount of work....
Mine is just a Bard variant with just some little modifications, a version with some pestering (for the others) features, rather than helpful abilities for the party. As I said, this is just a joke, but if anyone wants to help me to make this class really playable, help me modify it. Also, I would like some Metal Bardic Spells, I was thinking that make spells inspired by famous song's names would be nice.
Any suggestions?

[Caewil]

Yes! Music with rocks in!

[playswithfire]

A crossover Death/Gore metal bard becomes a pretty nice dip. Max damage in exchange for killing something every day (which is pretty likely in any campaign) and no loss of BAB. Looks like a fun class.

[Jalor]

Subgenre:

Spoiler

Show

Progressive Metal
Example Bands: Rush, Dream Theater
Bonus: 1 extra spell known of each spell level.
Malus: Intelligence must be 16 or higher.

[Sulfura_Occulta]

hah, this is cool. my only complaint is that it seems like the black metal genre is obviously the best one to be. maybe I'm biased. I'll have to use this class for an NPC sometime, have my characters meet "Varg."

[Caracol]

hah, this is cool. my only complaint is that it seems like the black metal genre is obviously the best one to be. maybe I'm biased. I'll have to use this class for an NPC sometime, have my characters meet "Varg."

Because Black Metal is the best music!!! Anyway, the balance of the genres is messed up because I just put some guidelines inspired to the genres, not really caring about the balance. As I said, I made this in an (insane) moment of inspiration. But I have no problems for this to become a serious and playable class.

Are you really gonna use it against your players? Just tell me what happened in that case!!!

[Zephirus]

You CAN do a Heavy metal bard in AD&D. Just take some levels in bard, some levels in warlock(enough to qualify for eldrich theurge), one level in cleric of talos (just to add some flavor) and all the rest in eldrich theurge.

Have fun.

[Mayhem]

Heh I can't look it all over right now, but I can say this: moshing is for casuals. The trve grim metal head would never mosh

EDIT: I'm being excessively vague. There is no moshing in black metal, maybe an alternate class ability for them.

[umbrapolaris]

Satan spawn, the caco-demon !!!! Satan spawn, the caco-demon !!!!

i let you guess from what band it is ^^

Black/Death metal rulzzz

the true grim metal head never mosh , he bull rush with armor spikes ^^