Hit Die: d6
Class Skills
The class’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are
Skill points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill points at each additional level: 6 + Int mod
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Bards are proficient with light armour and shields (except tower shields).
Because the somatic components required for bard spells are relatively simple, a bard can cast bard spells while wearing light armour without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armour or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass bard still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Spellsongs: “Music is a form of magic”. This saying is evident with bards. A bard does not learn spells like a mage or runethane. Instead they unlock the secret of music and can turn it into magical effects. This is the main difference between bards and other minstrels/entertainers. Anyone can learn music, but only a bard can turn music into magic.
Bards learn spellsongs as required and a bard’s circumstances may dictate what spellsongs are learnt. Thus a bard who is injured without recourse to divine magic may create or learn a spellsong that allows them to heal themselves. To learn or cast a spell, a bard must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Cha 10 for 0-level spells, Cha 11 for 1st level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a bard’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the bard’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a bard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given in the above class table. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When the class table indicates that the bard gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level (for instance, 1st level spells for a 2nd level bard), he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level. The bard’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A bard begins play knowing four 0-level spells (also called cantrips) of your choice. At most new bard levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on the table below.
Bardic Music Type: There are three types of music bards are able to specialise in – vocal, string, and pipe. An experienced bard will know more than one type of music. Please note these music types are not determined by the type of Perform skill the bard is proficient with, however the bard must have at least 1 rank in the appropriate Perform skill to utilise these abilities.
At 1st level a bard must choose from vocal or string as their first known bardic music type.
At 6th level the bard must choose another music type from the choices remaining (note the pipe music type becomes available at 6th level).
At 11th level the bard chooses the last remaining music type.
Each bardic music type gives a bard access to different abilities. Refer to the Bardic Music section below on the different abilities gained.
Bardic Music: There are four bardic music abilities a bard is able to learn from each music type. At each level indicated in the table above, the bard must choose which ability they learn at that level. A bard must learn all bardic music abilities from a single bardic music type before they can learn new music abilities from a new music type.
For example Ursula is a 8th level bard who chose vocal at 1st level. She learns all four music abilities related to vocal before at 6th level she chooses string as her next music type. At 6th, 7th and 8th level she chooses a music ability related to string. At 11th level she will know all music abilities related to vocal and string, and when she chooses pipe at 11th level, she will choose a music ability related to the pipe music type.
The various music abilities and the music type are detailed below. A bard can use their bardic music ability a number of times a day equal to double their class level. Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using bardic music that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), or activate magic items by magic word (such as wands). Just as for casting a spell with a verbal component, a deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use bardic music. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his daily limit.
Vocal
Provide Courage: A bard raises the morale of his allies by singing positively. This provide a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage, as well as a +1 morale bonus to saving throws against charm and fear. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter.
Provide Inspiration: A bard can lift the spirits of an ally when the ally is attempting a skill check. The ally gains a +2 morale bonus to skill checks. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally. Depending on the task that the ally has at hand, the bard may use his bardic music to lift the ally’s spirits, to help him or her focus mentally, or in some other way. The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he or she continues to hear the bard’s music. The DM may rule that certain uses of this ability are infeasible—chanting to make a rogue move more quietly, for example, is self-defeating. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. A bard can’t inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence is a mind-affecting ability.
Fascinate: A bard can use his music to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and able to pay attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability (two at 4th level, three at 7th level, and so on).
To use the ability, a bard makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the song, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (up to a maximum of 1 round per bard level). While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the bard to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.
Countersong: A bard can use his music to counter magical effects that depend on sound. Each round of the countersong, he makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself ) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack (such as a sound burst or command spell) may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Countersong has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. The bard may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds.
String
Harmonise objects: A bard can pluck the strings of their instrument in such a way as to harmonise any hand-held object within 30 ft. This effectively disarms opponents.
Shatter: A bard can attempt to shatter glass, crack wooden or earthernware objects within 60 ft.
Suggestion: Plucking the strings of an instrument can attempt to pluck the “strings” of a person, i.e. make a suggestion to a person within 60 ft. can make a suggestion (as the spell) to a creature that he has already fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not break the bard’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect. Making a suggestion doesn’t count against a bard’s daily limit on bardic music performances. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language dependent ability.
Break enchantment: A bard can attempt to disrupt a magical affect on a person. This is equivalent to the break enchantment spell. Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and music, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A bard can’t use song of freedom on himself.
Pipe
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (blowpipe): All bards who are able to use wind instruments gain proficiency in the use of blowpipes.
Create Poison: Bards learn from the secret of how to create a poison that can be smeared on the darts when used with a blowpipe. Usually a sleep poison, but if the bard leans towards evil tendencies then this poison could be more debilitating.
The poison takes one day to create and consumes 1d6x10 gp in material. There is a 2% chance that the bard made a mistake in the creation of the poison and the time and materials is wasted.
The poison created, unless otherwise stated, is a sleep poison that requires injiury to be effective. The DC to withstand the poison is 15, and if failed the victim falls unconscious for 2d4 hours.
Lullaby: The soothing sounds of a wind instrument can make anyone fall asleep. The lullaby can affect anyone, it is not restricted to the victim’s HD like the sleep spell. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature.
Bardic Knowledge: A bard may make a special bardic knowledge check with a bonus equal to his bard level + his Intelligence modifier 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 Knowledge (history), 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.
DC |
Type of Knowledge |
10 |
Common, known by at least a substantial minority drinking; common legends of the local population. |
20 |
Uncommon but available, known by only a few people legends. |
25 |
Obscure, known by few, hard to come by. |
30 |
Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don’t understand the significance of the knowledge. |
Perform: All classes have access to the Perform skill, which allows them to earn money. Bards are able to use Perform to not only earn money but to change the attitudes of those who listen to them. In much the same way Diplomacy is used to change attitudes of others, a bard can use their music to change the attitudes of all people listening to their music. A bard who sucessfully makes the associated skill check moves the attitude of the crowd in one step. When playing positive music (a jig, comical ditty, etc) this will be one step down the chain (hostile to helpful). When playing negative music (a dirge, lament, etc) the bard can change the attitude of the crowd by one step up the chain (helpful to hostile). A bard who successfully makes the skill check has all listeners change their attitude by two steps when conversing with the bard themselves.
For example, a bard patronises a tavern while his companions get a meal and something to drink. His music, if the skill check succeeds, is able to change the attitude of the listeners one step; that is from hostile to unfriendly, unfriendly to indifferent, indifferent to friendly and friendly to helpful. Now when the bard’s colleagues attempt to gather information, garner supplies, etc the people who listened to the bard have changed their attitude just by listening to a lively jig.
Create Screech: No matter what instrument the bard uses, they are able to inflict discomfort, even pain on those around them. As a standard action the bard shrills piercingly, plucks disconcertingly a stringed instrument or produces a piercing note on a wind instrument to create a sonic effect to all within 60 ft. The distress caused depends upon the bard’s class level. A Fort Save DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier may affect the effect.
Level Effect
4th – 8th Dazed for 1 round (No save)
9th – 12th Stunned and deafened for 1d4 rounds (Save halves the duration)
13th – 16th Sonic damage of 5d8 and stunned for 1d4 rounds (save for half damage and half stunned duration)
17th – 20th Sonic damage for 7d8 and panicked for 1d4 minutes (save ngates the panicked effect)
Charm Person: At 5th level a bard can once per day attempt to charm a humanoid being by using their good looks and charisma. In all ways this attempt resembles a charm person spell. The Will Save is DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier.
Inspire Greatness: All effects from Provide Courage or Inspiration are doubled at 9th level and tripled at 11th level.
Charm Monster: At 12th level a bard can once per day attempt to charm any being by using their good looks and charisma. This ability functions like the spell charm monster. The Will Save is DC 10 + ½ bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier.
Mass suggestion: The bard creates a ballad/song, etc that so inspires people that the listeners attempt to carry out the suggestion implied in the song. Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability.
For example a song about rising up against the oppressors would encourage people to work against the current regime either subtly or blatantly. A song about cooperation would insipre people to be more harmonious with their neighbours. A song about a dark-haired, green eyed girl would cause people to be fixated on the next dark-haired, green eyed girl the person meets, etc.
Affect memory: The bard can play on “auto-pilot” while attempting to modify the memory of one person in the crowd. This ability works like the modify memory spell.