Maestro Sorcerer + Spellsong

[dunebugg]

The Maestro Sorcerer bloodline includes Spellsong as a bonus feat. The feat requires Cha 13, and the bardic performance class ability.

This seems to imply that at class level 3, the Maestro's Fascinate ability would qualify her for that feat.

However, because the sorcerer isn't explicitly granted Bardic Performance, it does not make sense RAW.

Should we follow RAI and allow Spellsong to be taken (why would it be on this list otherwise)? Or follow RAW and say that they would have to multiclass to something granting the Bardic Performance class ability still?

[strayshift]

The text says: at 3rd level: "Fascinate (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain the ability to use a Perform skill to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with you. This acts as the fascinate bardic perform ability, except the save DC is 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your Charisma bonus, and it lasts 1 round/level."

"Spellsong: You can combine your bardic performance and your spellcasting in two ways. First, you can conceal the activity of casting a bard spell by masking it in a performance. As a swift action, you may combine your casting time of a spell with a Perform check. Observers must make a Perception or Sense Motive check opposed by your Perform check to realize you are also casting a spell. This uses 1 round of your bardic performance ability, regardless of the spell's casting time.

Second, as a move action, you can use 1 round of bardic performance to maintain a bard spell with a duration of concentration. You can cast another spell in the same round you are using bardic magic to maintain concentration; if you do this, your concentration on the maintained spell ends when you end the bardic performance the spell is part of."

So presumably the fascinate ability can be concealed behind performance and spells can be combined with a performance. The fixed duration of the fascinate would more or less render the need to concentrate pointless.

That's my reading of it anyhow.

[Paul Murray]

Makes more sense if you multiclass.

[Kumakawa]

The text says that you can conceal the fact you are casting a spell; it doesn't say you can conceal the fact you are using bardic performance. The point of the feat seems to be to allow enchanters to conceal their casting of spells. I would rule that, beginning at third level, the Maestro can conceal her spell use with spell song, though, by RAW, only sorcerer spells that are also on the bard list would qualify.

This is a great candidate for an errata. I'd love to play a Maestro in PFS.

[AbsolutGrndZer0]

I would say that as a sorcerer ability, you change "bard" to "sorcerer" for purposes.

On a related note, I also note that while the feat is called "Spellsong" nowhere does it say one must actually sing. So, dance would be fine, would it not? Many of the abilities DO require sound-based performance, but some do not, as the feat doesn't mention sound other than the name.

[Pavlovian]

I would allow the fascinate ability of the maestro bloodline to apply to the 'bardic performance' prerequisite for lingering spell and spellsong but then it gets more tricky:

1) conceal the activity of casting a spell by Perform: uses up 1 round of bardic performance, which a Maestro sorcerer does not have.

2) maintain the concentration of a spell by performing: uses up 1 round of bardic performance, which a Maestro sorcerer does not have.

The maestro bloodline should get bardic performance as the bard with a diminished number of rounds per day: like 2 + Cha modifier + 1 round per maestro bloodline sorcerer level (about half what a bard would get). Then change the fascinate ability so it works like the bard ability and takes up bardic performance rounds. You can use those rounds for the Spellsong feat as well.

Maybe you could change the Inspire ability as well to grant Greater Heroism to one ally plus 1 per 3 levels after 15th, using up rounds of performance as well.

[Pavlovian]

Changes I have made as a house rule for a friend's character in my homebrew campaign:

Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell with a verbal component and no somatic or material component, you treat your caster as if it were one higher.
Additionally, you gain Bardic Performance, which works the same as the bard ability, except you can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 2 plus your Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st, the sorcerer gains 1 additional round per day of bardic performance. Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but maintaining it is a free action each round. Changing between effects is a standard action as well. Note that the maestro sorcerer does not gain any performances except those granted by the bloodline itself or those gained through feats.

Fascinate (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain the ability to use a Perform skill to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with you. This acts as the fascinate bardic perform ability, except the save DC is 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your Charisma bonus.

Inspire (Sp): At 15th level, your artistic magic can inspire your allies to great accomplishments. You can use your bardic performance to grant a greater heroism effect to yourself or one ally within 30 feet. At 18th level, you can choose to affect two targets with this ability.