[Long] Lanky's Extensive Bard Rewrite (PEACH)

[Return of Lanky]

First off, before I begin, I'd like to state that I've got no problems with the Bard per the RAW. However, that said, I don't believe the Bard excels at the one area in which it is supposed to excel: Flexibility.

That said, I'd like to give fair warning now: This bard variant can and will overwhelm you with options.

That, and while I've always been a fan of the effects of Bardic music, I've never been a fan of their use.

Bard

Alignment: Any non-Lawful
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: As regular-flavour Bard
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6+Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at each additional level: 6+Int Modifier

Saves: Ref Good, Will Good, Fort Poor
BAB: As regular-flavour Bard

Spells: As per the Bard Spells Known/Spells per Day list

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus seven "slots" worth of Martial and/or Exotic weapons. Martial weapons consume one "slot", while Exotic weapons consume two "slots". A bard can cast bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component.

A Bard does not incur the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes if their Bard level is equal to or higher than their other arcane spellcasting class level.

Spells

As per the regular Bard description. Additionally the Bard does not require material components for spells, unless the component has a value of one gold or more.

A bard may cast spells while using Bardic Music if the Spell Level of the spell being cast is two Spell Levels below the bard's highest Spells Known Spell Level and if the Bardic Music being performed is two tiers lower than the highest available Bardic Music effect tier.

A Bard may not swap spells gained via the Bardic Flexibility: Arcane or Bardic Flexibility: Divine class feature.

Bardic Knowledge

A bard may make a special bardic knowledge check with a bonus equal to his bard level + his Intelligence or Wisdom modifier (whichever is higher) to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the bard has 5 or more ranks in a relevant Knowledge skill, he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)

A successful bardic knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. A bard may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.

Bardic Music

(To save space, I'll just list the Tiers for each Bardic Music ability)

Tier 1: Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Courage
Tier 2: Inspire Competence, Suggestion
Tier 3: Inspire Greatness, Song of Freedom
Tier 4: Inspire Heroics
Tier 5: Mass Suggestion

Note that some Bardic Flexibility options may increase the Tier of some Bardic Music.

Bardic Flexibility

*rubs hands gleefully* Alright, here's where we get into the good stuff.

Bardic Flexibility represents the Bard's Jack of All Trades philosophy. A Bard may select a Bardic Flexibility option at 1st level, 3rd level and every three levels beyond (6th level, 9th level, etc). Bardic Flexibility comes in five Flavours: Arcane, Divine, Martial, Skill, and Bardic.

The first time a bard selects a Flavour, he may choose one of the Tier 1 abilities. The second time a bard selects the same Flavour, he may choose one of the Tier 1 or Tier 2 abilities. The third time a bard selects that Flavour (and every time after that), he may select one of the Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 abilities.

Arcane flavour

Tier 1: Arcane Focus
Tier 2: Arcane Interest
Tier 3: Arcane Gimmick, Arcane Power

Arcane Focus
If the bard has 4 ranks in Knowledge: Arcana, the bard gains an Item Creation or Metamagic Feat. A bard may select this option a maximum of three times.

Arcane Interest
If the bard has 7 ranks in Knowledge: Arcana, the bard may select one spell from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list, to a maximum of Spell Level 3. The bard gains this as a bard spell two levels higher. This spell is in addition to the bard's Spells Known list. A bard may select this option a maximum of three times.

Arcane Gimmick
If the bard has 10 ranks in Knowledge: Arcana, the bard may use any Metamagic feat he knows without increasing the casting time three times per day. A bard may only select this option once.

Arcane Power
If the bard has 12 ranks in Knowledge: Arcana, for the purpose of bonus Spells Per Day and Saving Throws, the bard's Charisma is considered to be increased by 4. A bard may only select this option once.

Divine flavour

Tier 1: Divine Habits
Tier 2: Divine Wisdom
Tier 3: Divine Performer

Divine Habits
If the bard has 4 ranks in Knowledge: Religion, they may wear Medium Armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance.

Divine Wisdom
If the bard has 7 ranks in Knowledge: Religion, the bard may select one spell from the Cleric or Druid spell list, to a maximum of Spell Level 3. The bard gains this as a bard spell one spell level higher. This spell is in addition to the bard's Spells Known list. A bard may select this option a maximum of three times.

Divine Performer
If the Bard has 10 ranks in Knowledge: Religion, they gain a Cleric domain. This grants the bard the bonus ability of the domain and the spells known of the domain, though the spells are all one level higher. The bard does NOT gain any extra spells per day in this fashion. A bard may only select this option once.

Martial flavor

Tier 1: Weapon Prowess
Tier 2: Adept Warrior
Tier 3: Trick Attack

Weapon Prowess
The bard gains 5 "slots" worth of Weapon Proficiencies, with Martial Weapons consuming 1 "slot" and Exotic weapons consuming 2 "slots". A bard may select this option as many times as he wishes.

Adept Warrior
With the exception of Fighter-only feats, the bard gains a Fighter bonus feat. A bard may select this option a maximum of three times.

Trick Attack
With the exception of Fighter-only feats, the bard gains a Fighter bonus feat without needing to meet any prerequisites save feat requirements. A bard may only select this option once.

Skill flavour

Tier 1: Skill Focus
Tier 2: Bardic Lore
Tier 3: Roguish Trick

Skill Focus
The bard gains the feat Skill Focus. A bard may select this option a maximum of three times.

Bardic Lore
The bard picks one Knowledge skill. The bard gains a number of ranks in that skill equal to his level + 3. Every level the bard gains thereafter adds one rank to the chosen skill. A bard may select this option a maximum of three times.

Roguish Trick
The bard gains the Rogue ability Trapfinding, though the DC for finding and disarming traps is increased by 2. A bard may select this option twice. Selecting it a second time removes the increased DC for finding and disarming traps.

Bardic flavour

Tier 1: Consistent Knowledge
Tier 2: Rote Performance, Cascade Performance
Tier 3: Forceful Countersong

Consistent Knowledge
The bard may take 10 on Bardic Knowledge checks. A bard may only select this option once.

Rote Performance
The limit for using Bardic Music with Bardic Spells is changed from two tiers lower than the highest available tier to one tier lower than the highest available tier. A bard may only select this option once.

Cascade Performance
The bard uses both Inspire Courage and Countersong as one ability, consuming only one use of bardic music per day. A bard may only select this option once.

Forceful Countersong
Any spellcasters within 30 ft of the bard must roll a concentration check to successfully cast a spell with a verbal component, with the DC being equal to the Bard's Perform check. The bard may opt to exclude friendly spellcasters from this effect, though it reduces the DC for enemy spellcasters by 5. Using Countersong in this fashion means it is considered a Tier 5 ability for the purpose of casting spells and using bardic music simultaneously.

A bard may only select this option once.

-fin

Thoughts?

[KKL]

At a glance it still seems somewhat underpowered, but still far better than the normal PHB bard.

[Tempest Fennac]

This is an interresting idea, but shouldn't the Martial, Skill and Bardic Flavour abilities have small prequisites in the same was that the Arcane and Divine ones do? Also, is Divine Wisdom underpowered? (I'd have the spells being 1 level higher for Bards).

[Suzuro]

Just a couple of things. When choosing flexibility: Divine, do you get the spells as arcane or divine spells?

If the latter, why would Divine give you the ability to ignore spell failure.

...ummm..I thought I had another one, but I guess not, good job!


-Suzuro

[Return of Lanky]

Suzuro: You're right, Divine Wisdom is pretty weak. Amended to any Cleric/Druid spell from SL 1-3, at one SL higher.

Though to clarify, Divine Habits allows you to wear Medium Armour when casting ALL spells. Every ability works with all of the bard's other class features, not just within it's own flavour.

Tempest Fennac: I didn't go with prerequisites for the Martial, Skill, and Bard flavours for three different reasons, actually.

I decided not to go with prerequisites for the Martial abilities because I wasn't sure what sort of conditions would be appropriate. BAB requirements wouldn't have fit Weapon Prowess, and the bard already needs to meet the feat's requirementsfor Adept Warrior. And the whole point of Trick Attack is that you don't need the prerequisites for the feat.

Skill flavour requirements didn't really seem right, either, just because the abilities are not strong compared to Arcane or Divine flavours. The first ability is essentially just a bonus feat (and a weak one except when used to bolster Perform) and the second is just a stepping stone for Roguish Trick... Though I see I didn't explain that Knowledge ranks gained via Bardic Lore scale with your Bard level. I'll fix that.

Finally, requirements for Bardic flavour abilities didn't fit because they're Bard abilities.

[Tempest Fennac]

Thanks (those reasons make sense to me now).

[Fizban]

I just had a wacky idea: why not allow them to pick spells known from any spells found on both the Cleric and Sor/Wiz spell lists? Allows a lot more choice, while still keeping the spells considered exclusive to the class exclusive, and leaving targets for Arcane/Divine Interest. Bard only spells would still be available of course.

Arcane Interest seems a little harsh, increasing the level by 2: since the bard gains spells slower to begin with, you won't be getting the spell until it's 5 or 6 levels old.

Rougish Trick less than inspiring. Even without the arbitrary penalty, Trapfinding is really a throwaway ability. There are Ranger and Barbarian variants, dropping Track and Trap Sense, respectively, that give Trapfiniding. Aside from those, any class that gains Trapfinding will gain it at 1st level, meaning a quick dip is all you need to get it, and making it a top tier ability makes no sense.

I'm sure there's a feat that lets you cast spells while using Bardic Music without limit, I just can't find it at the moment: it would make Rote Performance kind of moot.

Trick Attack could make for some interesting builds: ignoring skill requirements is meh, ignoring BAB is handy (and might put some feats available before they should be), but you can also ignore racial and other requirements that could get just strange. What I wonder though, is what would happen if you didn't need all the feats? Say, ignore up to one feat requirement, as long as the feat doesn't require abilities granted by the feat you're ignoring (Improved Expertise uses the Expertise ability, for example). That would make it a lot trickier, in my opinion.