Can bards use inspire competence to boost skill checks involved with crafting, such as an actual craft skill or spell craft?
I would rule that the bard would have to be performing during the entire duration of the activity. Things that take longer than a few rounds to complete wouldn't get the benefit of Inspire Competence in my games, at least.
So while were on the topic, could the second level bard spell Gallant Inspiration be used to keep a crafting skill check from failing?
I probably would not allow it. My opinion is that a crafting check is an abstraction representing the culmination of effort over some extended period of time. For example, if it takes a week of crafting to make an item, I can't justify how an immediate action spell would have retroactively altered the work you did during the prior week.
For me, that spell makes sense for skill checks that take one round or so. By RAW, you can probably apply the spell to all kinds of skill checks, but I wouldn't allow it for anything requiring an extended period of time to complete.
I don't see why not, as long as the bard is there the entire time. The only limits on the bard are things where making noise would obviously be a distraction, such as using stealth.
Nobody here works with music on the radio? Its the same thing. tell me forging a sword wouldn't go better with Iron man blaring in the background.
I don't see why not, as long as the bard is there the entire time. The only limits on the bard are things where making noise would obviously be a distraction, such as using stealth.
Nobody here works with music on the radio? Its the same thing. tell me forging a sword wouldn't go better with Iron man blaring in the background.
Only difference is that the radio will be on for around a minute/day. A bard can only Inspire Competence for 4 + Cha rounds/day. that's why I wouldn't have it be useful for things taking longer than a minute or so. For that minute, you do great work. For the other 7 hours, 59 minutes, you are back to normal.
ahh that's right, they changed that and rage to rounds per day.
Oh well, no more achieving water skiing speeds with perform (drum) for the bard on the galley anymore. Dammit.
Ahah! Use inspire competence and the fabricate spell.
could the second level bard spell Gallant Inspiration be used to keep a crafting skill check from failing?
I could see this rationalized as the bard hovering over the crafter the entire time watching over him, and spotting a minor mistake and immediately pointing it out/casting to grant the bonus. Once per crafting attempt, and the bard must be present and involved the whole time. "Hey, you missed a spot!"