One of the changes which really bugged me from 3.0 to 3.5 was that your ranks in Perform would only apply to one form of performance.
While the method of 3.0 to give one mastery of one form of performance per skill rank was too much, letting one only have mastery of one instrument per Perform skill seems too little. I mean, what was the point of giving the Bard 6 skill ranks per level if he´d be forced to spent them on different Performance skills, in order to know more than one instrument?
My proposal: You know one form of performance for every four ( or five ) ranks in the skill Performance. This gives Bards a wider range for their performances, which should be in tone with high level bards, while still avoiding the glut of the 3.0 Performance skill.
While it adds a nice roleplaying feel, having that isn't necessary mechanically because of the spell Summon Instrument. Plus, skill in once type of performance means it's more likely, but not mandatory, that you can do other stuff. Like Quentin Tarintino has plenty of ranks in Perform (direction), but unfortunately lacks Perform (acting).
I would probably work it like a favoured enemy scenario. At 1st 5th 10th 15th etc you get a +2 bonus to one perform and a +2 to a new type of perform. (It might require adjusting the DCs to keep balance). That way you are clearly more proficient in one area but can dabble in the rest.
The Versatile Performer feat from Complete Adventurer (sadly not OGL) would fit. It allowed you to use multiple types of Performance off one skill number.
Oh, hey. Never even had noticed that feat. Yeah, that solves the problem. :)
As for the poster below my initial post: Huh? What has anything I said to do with Summon Instrument?
What I meant was that bards don't *need* proficiency with all instruments, since they can acquire any instrument that want on demand. You may as well just petition your DM for more proficiency since it makes zero difference from a mechanical point of view.
What I meant was that bards don't *need* proficiency with all instruments, since they can acquire any instrument that want on demand. You may as well just petition your DM for more proficiency since it makes zero difference from a mechanical point of view.
Uh... they may summon any instrument, but that doesn´t make them *proficient* with the use of it.
|
What I meant was that bards don't *need* proficiency with all instruments, since they can acquire any instrument that want on demand. You may as well just petition your DM for more proficiency since it makes zero difference from a mechanical point of view.
exactly because there is "zero difference from a mechanical point of view" is that i agree with the original poster... for example a Varisian Dancer would requiere 3, yes 3!, different skills to perform... same as flamenco dancer (use the chims or the wooden clams they use for dancing, dancing, and singing)
Actually at least for my home rules perfomance is as in 3.0... if literacy can give me in pathfinder a new language per new rank, i find it ridiculous that a skill that helps mostly RP would not.