About Marcus EldMarcus Eld
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Bard Spells Known (CL 4nd; concentration +8)
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Consumables
Weapons
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Other Gear
GOLD 259.0 gp
Armored Casting (Ex) You can cast bard spells while wearing light armor and use a shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Bardic Performance You are trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around you, including yourself if desired. You are trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around you, including yourself if desired. You can use this ability for 8 rounds per day. Each round, you can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that you have mastered. 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 you are killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. You cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time. Bonus Feat Humans select one extra feat at 1st level. Bonus Feats An arcane duelist weaves might and magic in his combat style, gaining the following bonus feats at 2nd level and every four levels thereafter: 2nd level-Combat Casting, 6th level-Disruptive, 10th level-Spellbreaker, 14th level-Penetrating Strike, 18th level-Greater Penetrating Strike. This ability replaces versatile performance and well-versed. Cantrips You have learned a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spells, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again. Distraction (Su) You can use your performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the distraction, make a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet (including yourself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack may use your Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform skill check proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the distraction is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous 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 your Perform skill check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components. Fascinate (Su) You can use your performance to cause up to 1 creatures to become fascinated with you. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear you, and capable of paying attention to you. You must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 13) to negate the effect. If a creature's saving throw succeeds, you cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes your performance for as long as you continue to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty on all 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. Focused Mind Your childhood was either dominated by lessons of some sort (be they musical or academic) or by a horrible home life that encouraged your ability to block out distractions to focus on the immediate task at hand. You gain a +2 trait bonus on concentration checks. Inspire Competence (Su) You can use your performance to help an ally succeed at a task. That ally must be within 30 feet and be able to hear you. The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as she continues to hear your performance. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible, such as Stealth, and may be disallowed at the GM's discretion. A bard can't inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence relies on audible components. Inspire Courage (Su) You can use your performance to inspire courage in your allies (including yourself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive your 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. 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. No Racial Subtype You have chosen no racial subtype. Rallying Cry (Su) At 1st level, an arcane duelist can use performance to rally dispirited allies. Each round he makes an Intimidate check. Any ally (including the bard) within 30 feet may use this check in place of his own saving throw against fear and despair effects. Those already under a fear or despair effect can attempt a new save each round using the bard's Intimidate check. Rallying cry does not work on effects that don't allow saves. This is a mind-affecting ability that uses audible components. This performance replaces countersong. Reactionary You were bullied often as a child, but never quite developed an offensive response. Instead, you became adept at anticipating sudden attacks and reacting to danger quickly. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Initiative checks. Skilled Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level. Background:
Marcus was born to a relatively wealthy trader family in Absalom. Always a rebellious youth (perhaps due to losing his mother at a young age) he ignored studying the minutiae of successful trading in favor of drinking, womanizing, and inevitably fighting the relatives of insulted young ladies. He picked up bladecraft at an early age, and his father encouraged this pursuit, realizing that Marcus was never going to be a successful trader, but a ready, trusted, blade would be useful for business ventures.
Early into adulthood disaster struck his family. His father had speculated much of the family's wealth on a single cargo which, along with his two other sons, was lost during a sea voyage. Possibly due to pirates, possibly from weather or even business rivals. Hopelessly indebted, his father decided suicide with the only option, leaving Marcus alone and nearly penniless. Determining that it was time to see the world, Marcus signed on with the first caravan he could and left Abasalom for good. |
