Lord Felix Zumstein's page

Rolling a Natural 20 on a Knowledge or Sense Motive Check:
While on an investigation, a sleuth regains luck by uncovering secrets. Rolling a natural 20 on these skill checks while actively investigating causes the sleuth to regain 1 luck point.Such skill checks made for more mundane reasons (such as normal research or using Sense Motive to gain information during normal bargaining or while gambling) do not regain luck for the sleuth. Determining which skill checks qualify is up to the GM.

Rolling a 6 or Higher on an Inspiration Roll:
When a sleuth rolls an inspiration die while on an investigation and the die comes up a 6 or higher, she regains 1 luck point. (If she rolls multiple inspiration dice at a time, she regains 1 luck point if the total is 6 or higher.) Like regaining luck via a natural 20 on a qualifying skill check, inspiration checks made for more mundane reasons don’t qualify for regaining luck. The GM is the final arbitrator for what rolls qualify. It’s possible for a investigator to regain 2 luck points on the same Skill check, if both the qualifying skill check is a natural 20 and any inspiration roll made is a 6 or higher.

Deeds
Sleuths spend luck points to accomplish deeds. Most deeds grant a sleuth some momentary bonus or effect, but there are some that provide longer-lasting effects. Some deeds stay in effect as long as a sleuth has at least 1 luck point.

At 1st level, a sleuth gains the following deeds.

Daring (Ex)
At 1st level, a sleuth can spend 1 luck point when he makes an Acrobatics, Climb, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, or Swim check to roll d6 and add the result to the check. He can choose to add this die after he rolls. If the d6 roll is a natural 6, he rolls another d6 and adds it to the check. He can continue to do this as long as he rolls natural 6s, up to a number of times equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

Opportunistic Evasion (Ex)
At 1st level, when a sleuth succeeds at a Reflex saving throw against an effect that still deals damage on a successful save, he can spend 1 luck point as an immediate action to instead take no damage for that effect.

Sleuth’s Initiative (Ex)
At 1st level, as long as the sleuth has at least 1 luck point, he gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks. Furthermore, if he has the Quick Draw feat, his hands are free and unrestrained, and the weapon is not hidden, he can draw a single light or one-handed melee weapon as part of the initiative check. (Unlike with swashbuckler deeds, this does not have to be a piercing weapon.)

Investigators are proficient with simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, short sword, and sword cane. They are proficient in light armors, but not shields.
Bardic Knowledge (Ex)
A bard adds half his class level (minimum 1) to all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained.
Cantrips (Sp)
Bard’s learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Bard Spells Known under “Spells Known.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.
Bardic Performance
A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the bard can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his level.

Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.

At 7th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a swift action.

Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both.

If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the bard for the performance to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in the description). A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components.

If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.

List of Bardic Performances:
*Countersong (Su)
At 1st level, a bard learns to counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components.) Each round of the countersong he makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack 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 non-instantaneous 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 skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components.
*Distraction (Su)
At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the Distraction, he makes a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack 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 Distraction is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the Distraction, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components.
*Fascinate (Su)
At 1st level, a bard can use his performance 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 capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The Distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability. Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) to negate 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 observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.
*Inspire Courage (Su) +1
A 1st level bard can use his performance to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive the bard’s performance. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. inspire courage can use audible or visual components. The bard must choose which component to use when starting his performance.
Sleuth’s Luck (Ex)
At 1st level, a sleuth gains a fluctuating pool of luck, measuring her ability to get out of scrapes. At the start of each day, a sleuth has a number of luck points equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Her luck goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than her Charisma modifier (minimum 1), though feats, magic items, and spells that grant either grit or panache points can also grant a sleuth luck points equal to the amount of grit or panache they grant. A sleuth spends luck to accomplish deeds (see below), and regains luck in the following ways.

Rolling a Natural 20 on a Knowledge or Sense Motive Check: While on an investigation, a sleuth regains luck by uncovering secrets. Rolling a natural 20 on these skill checks while actively investigating causes the sleuth to regain 1 luck point. Such skill checks made for more mundane reasons (such as normal research or using Sense Motive to gain information during normal bargaining or while gambling) do not regain luck for the sleuth. Determining which skill checks qualify is up to the GM.

Rolling a 6 or Higher on an Inspiration Roll: When a sleuth rolls an inspiration die while on an investigation and the die comes up a 6 or higher, she regains 1 luck point. (If she rolls multiple inspiration dice at a time, she regains 1 luck point if the total is 6 or higher.) Like regaining luck via a natural 20 on a qualifying skill check, inspiration checks made for more mundane reasons don’t qualify for regaining luck. The GM is the final arbitrator for what rolls qualify. It’s possible for a investigator to regain 2 luck points on the same Skill check, if both the qualifying skill check is a natural 20 and any inspiration roll made is a 6 or higher.

This and the 1st-level deeds below replace alchemy. A sleuth cannot take the alchemist discovery talent or any investigator talent that affects alchemy.
Deeds
Sleuths spend luck points to accomplish deeds. Most deeds grant a sleuth some momentary bonus or effect, but there are some that provide longer-lasting effects. Some deeds stay in effect as long as a sleuth has at least 1 luck point.

At 1st level, a sleuth gains the following deeds.

Daring (Ex)☆
At 1st level, a sleuth can spend 1 luck point when he makes an Acrobatics, Climb, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, or Swim check to roll d6 and add the result to the result to the check. He can choose to add this die after he rolls. If the d6 roll is a natural 6, he rolls another d6 and adds it to the check. He can continue to do this as long as he rolls natural 6s, up to a number of times equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

Opportunistic Evasion (Ex)
At 1st level, when a sleuth succeeds at a Reflex saving throw against an effect that still deals damage on a successful save, he can spend 1 luck point as an immediate action to instead take no damage for that effect.

Sleuth’s Initiative (Ex)
At 1st level, as long as the sleuth has at least 1 luck point, he gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks. Furthermore, if he has the Quick Draw feat, his hands are free and unrestrained, and the weapon is not hidden, he can draw a single light or one-handed melee weapon as part of the initiative check. (Unlike with swashbuckler deeds, this does not have to be a piercing weapon.)