Are magic items of perform purposely left out of the rulebooks?


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


I'm playing a Bard in my campaign, and he loves to tell stories. I haven't seen a single perform bonus magic item in all of the books. My DM will not allow us to make up our own items because it can quickly get out of hand with +x luck, holy, unholy, competence, insight, enhancement etc..

I was thinking the reason is because Bard's get 3 for 1 with versatile performance on a perform bonus magic item.

I did find one magical Artifact, The Perfect Golden Lute from the advanced players guide with a +10 competence bonus to perform (string instruments), but its an artifact. That's all I found.

(edit) The circlet of persuasion will give you +3 competence to each of the perform skill checks.


A +5 competence bonus to a Perform skill will not break the game. They don't have +5 items of all skills because the formula is standard (bonus squared * 100) and because that'd take up a lot of space that could be used for other items that are more interesting.


I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should make your own.

Yes, I did read that he doesn't allow custom items.

Dark Archive

you could say to your GM that you are interested in one, and let them create the item. This also gives them a plot hook for a story line.


Cheapy wrote:

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should make your own.

Yes, I did read that he doesn't allow custom items.

Maybe I can convince him for a +5 bonus item. What would a +5 to perform (oratory) magic item be though? And would said item work with versatile performance?


Necklace, headband, anything around the face, really.

And yes, the bonus from that item would apply to versatile performance skills, since you replace the bonus of those skills with the bonus of Perform(oratory) in this case.


Technically, it could be any slotted item -- there are no item-slot affinities in Pathfinder.

(However, logically, necklace or headband do make the most sense)


Kalavas wrote:

What would a +5 to perform (oratory) magic item be though?

+5 Tongue Piercing of Perform (Oratory)- uses a face slot.


Tilnar wrote:

Technically, it could be any slotted item -- there are no item-slot affinities in Pathfinder.

(However, logically, necklace or headband do make the most sense)

I was thinking maybe a book or a journal. Whenever you use it during your oratory it gives you the bonus. Another idea would be a robe that makes you look flashy and draws the eye when you give your speech.


If it's a book or journal, it's not occupying a body slot and will cost double. However, other than that, if the GM signs off on it, no problems.


Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

How about a Masterwork Megaphone (voice trumpet) of voice projection ? Slotless, but use activated (just speak through it). Gives a +2 circumstance bonus to oratory just like a masterwork instrument gives a bonus to musical performances.


Why not just buy a Circlet of Persuasion? 4,500 gp for a +3 competence bonus on all Charisma checks . . . isn't Perform Charisma based, after all? So, for 4,500 gp, you get the bonus on all Performs (not just one!), Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Intimidate, and Use Magic Device.

It costs 2,000 gp more than a +5 enhancement bonus, but then you get the bonus with FIFTEEN skills instead of one.

Master Arminas


master arminas wrote:

Why not just buy a Circlet of Persuasion? 4,500 gp for a +3 competence bonus on all Charisma checks . . . isn't Perform Charisma based, after all? So, for 4,500 gp, you get the bonus on all Performs (not just one!), Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Intimidate, and Use Magic Device.

It costs 2,000 gp more than a +5 enhancement bonus, but then you get the bonus with FIFTEEN skills instead of one.

Master Arminas

Good point. I was thinking maybe that was why they didn't include bonus to perform items. In a sense it was already covered by Circlet of Persuasion.

Also, it would take a lot of space to add a magic item for each of the perform checks. They would need a separate one for each perform in order for it to make sense. Example: dancing shoes for perform dance, keyboard for perform keyboard, violin for strings, etc. That would be a lot of items.

I still don't think it would be a big deal to have a specific made item to help you with your main performance type, and still have a circlet of persuasion too for all the rest of your performs, giving you that +2 extra when using your favored type.

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