This bard owes a nod to Monte Cook’s bard from the Book of Eldritch Might II. His idea of “spellnotes” usable as a move-action stuck with me, as it has a certain free-wheeling flavor and feels distinct from other magic.
Summary:
This bard is built around three class features: “Songs” (or bardic performances), which are broad on-going effects started at the beginning of a fight; “notes”, or specific one-round effects that he can toss around at his convenience, and “lore”, which are miscellaneous powers that make him a good skillmonkey. These features all recur every three levels.
Three lists of elective abilities make for a lengthy write-up, but I hope that the result was a more fun and flexible class: there are 18 notes (you eventually know 7) and 16 songs (you eventually get 8), which means that my bard and your bard can be completely different.
He also gets three bonus combat feats over his career and some CMB boosts with “panache”. This isn’t enough to make him a real warrior, but it’s a nod to the fact that the bard is a jack-of-all-trades, and can still buckle some swash when he has to.
Note: I’ve made a vague and non-binding assumption that most or all bardic music is achieved by singing or oration. This is an abstraction. Bardic music is a supernatural ability, and in my imagination a high-level bard can open his mouth and make all sorts of crazy sounds come out. Only one song (one of the choices for his ultimates) uses a perform check, and it still doesn’t specify which type.
If you think that (comedy) or (dance) or whatever works for a given performance, allow it. And if you want bards with wardrums or panpipes, write some feat or mechanic that rewards them for the lost hand(s). But for now I’m just not going there.
THE TEN-PAGE BARD:
1 Bardic Knowledge, Lore, Bardic Music, Cantrips
2 Song, Panache
3 Bardnotes
4 Lore, Break silence (lesser)
5 Song
6 Note, Bardic Performance (move action)
7 Lore
8 Song, Panache
9 Note, Bardic Performance (free action)
10 Lore, Lore Mastery
11 Song, Break Silence (greater)
12 Note, Greater Bardnotes
13 Lore
14 Song, Panache
15 Note, Harmony
16 Lore
17 Song
18 Note
19 Lore, Greater Bardnotes (swift action)
20 Song, Symphony
Bardic Knowledge (ex)
A bard’ far-flung travels, as well as his keen interest in songs, legends and stories, grants him an impressive smattering of disparate lore. A first level bard treats all knowledge skills as trained (including the +3 bonus for having ranks in a class skill), even if he actually has zero ranks. At 2nd level, 4th level, and every even-numbered bard level therafter, a bard gains 1 free rank in every knowledge skill.
Lore
Bards are multi-talented individuals, and as they gain experience they frequently pick up odd skills or bits of lore. Whenever this class feature comes up, you may choose one of the following. These abilities don’t stack with themselves, but you are free to take them multiple times in order to select different feats or apply them to different skills.
Acquired Talent: Choose a bonus feat from the following list: Acrobatic, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Magical Aptitude, Persuasive, Self-Sufficient or Stealthy.
Comprehensive Knowledge (ex): You gain a bonus to a single knowledge skill equal to half your bard level (minimum +2).
Effortless Skill (ex): Choose 2 skills that you have ranks in. You may take 10 on these skills even when it is not normally allowed.
Inspire Eloquence (or, What Would the Bard Say?): Any ally in your presence gains a +1 moral bonus to all charisma-based checks, provided that their total modifier is not then higher than yours would be.
Jack-of-all-trades (ex): All skills become class skills for you.
Inspire Competence (su): You gain “inspire competence” as a bardnote, which allows you to grant one ally a +2 competence bonus to skill checks of a particular type for 1 round. The greater version of this note (available at level 12) grants a +3 bonus. Because you must perform to use this ability, certain uses (such as stealth) may be infeasible.
Versatile Performance (ex): Choose one type of performance. In certain situations, you may use a performance to augment a check using a different skill: for instance, you may aid a sense motive roll by telling a provocative and potentially incriminating story and carefully watching your target’s reactions, or you might win someone’s favor with a particularly stirring melody. Roll a perform check in addition to your normal skill check and use whichever roll is higher. Using versatile performance takes at least twice as long as using the skill in question normally would (or longer at the DM’s discretion).
The types of Perform and their associated skills are: Act (Bluff, Disguise), Comedy (Bluff, Intimidate), Dance (Acrobatics, Fly), Keyboard Instruments (Diplomacy, Intimidate), Oratory (Diplomacy, Sense Motive), Percussion (Handle Animal, Intimidate), Sing (Bluff, Sense Motive), String (Bluff, Diplomacy), and Wind (Diplomacy, Handle Animal).
This ability is improvisational and situational by nature, and your DM has absolute authority to allow unlisted uses or veto listed ones in some situations.
Also note that this ability may not be feasible in situations where you wouldn’t normally be free to strike up a performance; for instance, few judges will be impressed if you plead your case in the form of song. Conversely, a bard hired to perform at a royal ball might use this ability to make social skill checks on people whom he would normally never have access to, beguiling them with music rather than words.
Warrior’s Lore: The bard gains Martial Weapon Proficiency as a bonus feat.
Bardic Music (su)
Each day, a bard may perform for a number of rounds equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day.
Starting a song is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a song from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous song and start a new one as a standard action. A bard cannot start a new song in the same round that he ended the old one. At 6th level a bard may start a performance as a move action, and at 9th he may do so as a free action. A bard of 14th level or lower cannot have more than one performance in effect at one time.
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.
“Foes” or “enemies” in the following descriptions refers to any number of creature’s of the bard’s choosing, even if they are not necessarily hostile. Likewise, “friends” or “allies” can refer to any number of willing creatures (including himself, if the bard wishes). If new creatures enter a combat after the bard starts performing he may designate them as “friends” or “foes” immediately (this is not an action), and can even change his mind if it turns out he has misjudged them. By default, creatures that the bard isn’t aware of are not affected, but a bard may specific that he wants to affect such hidden observers. All bard songs are sonic effects, and a creature (or object) must be within hearing range to be affected.
Whenever an ability references a saving throw the difficulty class is 10 + half the bard’s level + the bard’s charisma modifier. Any creature who succeeds at a saving throw against an effect is immune to that specific effect for 24 hours, unless otherwise noted (for instance, if a song says that a foe must save again each round).
A bard begins play knowing one song. At 2nd level, and ever 3 levels thereafter, he learns a new one.
Enthralling Song (compulsion, mind-affecting):
This song draws the rapt attention of those around you. Out of combat, enthralling song can be used to fascinate one or more creatures. 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. For every two levels the bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability.
Targets who fail their will save sit quietly and listen to the bard for as long as he maintains the song. While fascinated, such creatures take a -4 penalty on all skill checks made as reactions, such as perception. Any potential threat entitles the target to a new saving throw. Targets who make their saves bare the bard no special enmity and might continue to listen to the performance anyway.
Any overt threat automatically breaks the effect (or keeps it from working in the first place). However, even in combat your foes find your performance impossible to ignore, and suffer a -1 competence penalty to all attacks and checks made against creatures other than you for as long as you are visible to them.
5th level: As a standard action after performing for four rounds you may make a suggestion (as the spell) to a single creature that you have already fascinated. You may make an additional suggestion for every four rounds that you perform, but no more than once per target per day. Foes in combat suffer a -2 competence penalty rather than -1.
11th level: You may fascinate up to five creatures per bard level, and inflict a -3 competence penalty to those attacking your allies in combat.
17th level: After four rounds of performance you may make a suggestion simultaneously to any number of fascinated creatures. You inflict a -4 competence penalty in combat.
Lifesong:
This sacred melody wards and rejuvenates the vital energy of those you call friend. All your allies gain a +1 bonus to saves against necromancy spells and negative energy effects. Additionally, every round one ally (chosen on your turn) is healed of damage equal to your bard level.
5th level: The save bonus is +2, and in place of damage you may heal up to 2 points of ability damage.
11th level: The save bonus is +3, and in place of damage you may heal up to 4 points of ability damage or drain.
17th level: The save bonus is +4, and the healing effects of your song affect all allies rather than just one per round.
Inspire Courage (mind-affecting):
You set a fearsome spirit in those around you, urging them to strike out boldly and fearlessly. Your allies gain a +1 moral bonus to all attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against compulsion effects.
5th level: The bonus becomes +2
11th level: The bonus becomes +3
17th level: The bonus becomes +4
Shadowsong (illusion, mind-affecting)
Only yourself and your target can hear this delicate melody. Indeed, it muffles sound and makes his form seem shadowy and indistinct to outsiders, granting a +2 enhancement bonus to stealth checks.
Enemies who fail a will save believe him to be a figment of their imaginations. This functions as the sanctuary spell, except that you may transfer this protection to a different ally once per round on your turn. An ally who breaks the effect by attacking can’t benefit from it again during the same encounter.
5th: The stealth bonus is +3, and the warded ally is treated as being invisible as per the spell. He still enjoys the sanctuary benefit (against enemies who can see invisibility, for instance).
11th level: The stealth bonus is +4, and the affect becomes improved invisibility rather than invisibility. A subject who attacks remains invisible (but still loses the sanctuary effect for the rest of the fight).
17th: The stealth bonus is +5, and enemies must always make a will save to attack the warded ally, even if he overtly attacks them first.
At 5th level and beyond, the bard may also choose from among the following intermediate songs.
Cadence of Anguish (mind-affecting)
This vile but beautiful song strickens a single target with crippling pain. The target must succeed at a fortitude save every round or be sickened for as long as you continue playing. Further, for every full round that you play the target suffers a cumulative -1 penalty to fortitude saves and concentration checks.
11th: A target who becomes sickened must save every round or become staggered.
17th: A target who becomes staggered must save every round or become nauseated.
Inspire Heroics (mind-affecting):
You set a stalwart spirit in those who hear your song, bolstering them as they march into danger. Your allies gain a +1 dodge bonus to armor class and a +2 moral bonus to all saving throws.
11th level: +2 dodge bonus and +3 moral bonus to saves
17th level: +3 dodge bonus and +4 moral bonus to saves.
Discordant Tune (compulsion, mind-affecting):
This bizarre, off-key jig stirs up enmity among your enemies and keeps them from working as a team. Foes who fail a will save refuse to help their former comrades in any way. They neither grant nor benefit from flanking bonuses, cannot take helpful actions (such as aid another or the casting of support spells), and make no special effort to avoid hurting their allies with area attacks. They even make attacks of opportunity against each other.
11th level: Once per round, a creature of your choice (one who has already failed their initial save against this song) must save again or be affected as by the spell lesser confusion. Note that such creatures continue to make attacks of opportunities against their former allies (an exception to the normal rules for the “confused” condition).
17th: All enemies under the affects of this song (those who failed their initial save) must save again each round or be affected by lesser confusion.
Melody of Mind Fogging (compulsion, mind-affecting)
This eerie, lilting melody muddies the minds of living creatures. It imposes a -2 penalty to your enemy’s will saves. Further, at some later point designated by you (perhaps immediately after the song ends, perhaps 12 hours later) any foes who fail a will save lose all memory of what transpired while the song was playing.
11th: The penalty to will saves is -3, and you may fabricate new memories for up to one target who failed his save, as the spell alter memory.
17th: The penalty to will saves is -4 and you may freely alter the memories of any targets who fail their save.
At 11th level and beyond, a bard may also choose form among the following greater songs:
Anthem of Doom
You strike up a bold, macabre and dreadful ballad which announces the eminent demise of your enemies. This song is usually performed on the way to a battle, as it can be heard from up to one mile away, and an enemy must hear it for five consecutive rounds before it takes effect. Obviously, this requires you to unambiguously announce your presence to your foes.
If any creatures exposed to the song later join battle with you (or a group that you are part of) they take a -5 luck penalty to their first attack roll, saving throw, or caster level check. Creatures with hit dice less than your level must also make a will save in the first round of combat; those who succeed are shaken for 1 round, while those who fail are frightened for 1 minute (this is a fear effect).
Creatures who attack or are attacked by you more than 1 minute per bard level after hearing the performance suffer no ill effect.
17th level: A foe need only hear you perform for three rounds for the anthem to take effect.
Disharmonic Rending:
You let forth a ghastly, screeching swarm of sound in this grand and overt display of power. This effect deals 1 point of sonic damage per bard level per round to your target, with no saving throw. Creatures must also make a fortitude save each round that they take damage or suffer 1 point of constitution damage.
This power may instead be focused on an object or section of object of up to gargantuan size, which (in addition to taking damage) must save each round or have its hardness reduced by 1. An object whose hardness is reduced to -1 shatters, but otherwise, the hardness returns at a rate of 1 per round (as the reverberations within the object slowly die down).
17th level: The effects of a failed save become 2 points of constitution damage (or 2 points of hardness reduction).
Inspire Greatness (mind-affecting):
You deliver a mighty speech which instills an epic sense of purpose in those who hear. This is usually done immediately before an important battle, as it requires you to perform undisturbed for five rounds while your allies listen and take heart in your words. Once this is done, the affected creatures (up to five per bard level) gain these benefits for one minute per bard level, even if they leave your presence.
A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent. You may only inspire greatness in a given creature once per day.
17th level: You need only perform for three rounds to inspire greatness.
Ostinato of Unraveling:
This harsh, pounding arcane song is used to undo magical effects. While it is in effect you may dispel magic as the spell once per round (this is a free action on your turn). Alternately, by performing for 3 consecutive rounds, you may instead duplicate the spell break enchantment (while it is technically possible to do this in combat, you must choose the target on the round you begin performing).
17th level: This effect acts as greater dispel magic instead of dispel magic. Additionally, by performing for 10 rounds you can duplicate the spell disjunction.
At 17th and 20th level, the bard may choose from among the following ultimate songs.
Aria of Life:
You call out to a recently-slain friend with an unearthly song so enchantingly lovely that they are lured back to the mortal coil.
This song is targeted on a deceased creature who has been dead for no longer than one minute. After performing for one full round, roll a perform check (DC = their negative hitpoints); if successful, the target returns to life and must attempt a fortitude save at the same DC.
A target who fails this save is bound to life only for as long as you keep performing. They are restored to 0 hitpoints but lose 1 hitpoint per round and prove utterly immune to any healing or stabilizing spells. You must succeed at a perform check (DC = their negative hitpoints) every round or else they perish. Nevertheless, for as long as your song holds them they are able to act as if alive; conversing, doing battle, or simply saying goodbye.
A target who succeeds at their fortitude save is restored fully to life as if by the spell raise dead. If their hitpoints are later reduced to below the negative of their constitution while you are still performing the aria of life, they do not die but are instead bound to life as above for as long as you keep playing.
In either event, the target cannot be affected by this song again for one week.
Ballad of Brutality:
You crush your victim’s soul beneath a barrage of eloquent savagery and perfect viciousness. The target must make a will save every round, suffering 2 negative levels should they fail and 1 negative level should they succeed.
Deathly Sublimity (death, mind-affecting):
You assail your victim with a melody of such transcendent and terrible beauty that he may perish of joy or sorrow.
This song must be played for three rounds to take full affect. On the first round, the target is unaffected.
On the second round, the target must succeed at a will save or be dazed for 1 round.
On the third round the target must make both a fortitude and a will save. If the target fails both saves he dies, while if he succeeds at both he is staggered for 1d4 rounds and the bard cannot use deadly performance on him again for 24 hours.
A creature who succeeds at one save but not the other does not die but is staggered for this turn, and must make a fortitude and a will save each round that the bard continues to play until he either resists or succumbs fully as described above. Creatures killed by Deathly Sublimity who are then resurrected rarely choose to come back to life.
Serenade of Fate:
You exalt the target of your song with such resounding grandeur that fortune gives way before him. The target rolls twice and takes the more favorable result on all die rolls, including but not limited to d20 rolls. For damage rolls and other single sums containing multiple die the target should roll all die involved once, then roll all die again and take the higher total value.
Spells:
As in Pathfinder, except that bards gain 1 less spell known of each level (I think bards should have a few tricks up their sleeves, but they should never rival the sorcerer as mages, even at 1st level).
Panache (ex)
While not exactly seasoned warriors, bards do have a knack for flashy or elaborate techniques which take advantage of their daring and showmanship.
At first level, a bard may add his charisma bonus to his CMB and CMD against all intelligent foes (those not immune to mind-affecting effects). He also gains a bonus feat from the following list: Catch Off-guard, Combat Expertise, Dazzling Display, Dodge, Improved Disarm, Improved Fient, Improved Trip, Intimidating Prowess, Throw Anything, Weapon Focus
At 8th level, a bard treats his BAB derived from bard levels as equal to his level when determining his CMB and CMD, and may choose a bonus feat from the above list or one of the following: Greater Disarm, Greater Feint, Greater Trip, Shatter Defenses, Wind Stance
At 14th level a bard may attempt any standard-action maneuver as an immediate action (not provoking an attack of opportunity) against any foe that he hits with a melee attack, and may choose a bonus feat from a previous list or one of the following (even if he does not yet meet the BAB prerequisites): Deadly Stroke, Improvised Weapon Mastery, Lightning Stance
Bardnotes (su)
A bardnote is a supernatural ability which a bard may use during any round that he is employing bardic music (including the round that he starts a song). These simple tricks are easy to perform because they are woven seamlessly into the greater magic of his music, often representing improvisational elements added to a well-practiced song.
Using a bardnote is a move action until 12th level. A bard of 12th level or higher may use a note that he knows as a swift action, or he may use the greater version of that note as a move action. At 19 level even greater notes become a swoft action. Regardless, a bard may only use one note per round. All bardnotes affect a single target unless stated otherwise. All bardnotes are sonic effects. Aside for screaming sword, screaming shield and note of ensorcellment, all are mind-affecting effects.
A 3rd level bard knows 2 notes. They learn an additional note every 3 levels thereafter.
Beat of Swiftness: The target gains a +20 enhancement bonus to their base speed (whether flying, swimming, etc) for 1 round. Greater Note: The bonus becomes +40.
Beckon: The target of this note must succeed at a will save (DC = 10 + your bard level + your charisma modifier) or be compelled to seek out and attack a creature of your choosing for 1 round. If this creature is you, add +2 to the DC. If the target is not already hostile towards this creature the note fails. The target forsakes all other concerns and tries to the best of her abilities to directly harm her foe, but how she attacks is still at her own discretion (for example, she may use ranged weapons or spells). This is a compulsion effect. Greater note: The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus. If the target succeeds in killing or incapacitating her foe the effect ends.
Chime of Warding: Select one ally. This note absorbs the first 4 points of ability damage or ability drain inflicted on the target during the next round. It negates temporary penalties to ability scores (such as a ray of enfeeblement) just as it does ability damage, but only if those penalties are inflicted in the next round. This does not protect against damage or penalties that the target takes on willingly. Greater note: This note absorbs up to 6 points of ability damage or drain, and also up to 1 negative level.
Chord of Grace: The target gains a +2 moral bonus to dexterity for 1 round. Greater note: The bonus becomes +4
Clarion of Freedom: This note removes the held, slowed, or entangled condition from one target and renders him impervious to these conditions for 1 round (this is different from the other “clarion” notes, which only suppress conditions temporarily). If the target is grappled, he may make a free grapple or escape artist check to slip free, using your perform check result if it is higher. Greater Note: This note removes the stunned, paralyzed, or grappled conditions automatically.
Clarion of Sight: The target gains the benefits of a see invisibility spell for 1 round. Additionally, this note may be used to suppress (not cure) the deafened, blind, or dazzled condition for 1 round. Greater note: The target gains the benefits of true seeing for 1 round.
Clarion of Strength: If the target has failed a fortitude save against an ongoing effect during the last round, she may reroll that save to shrug off the effect. Additionally, this note may be used to suppress (not cure) the sickened, staggered, or fatigued condition for 1 round. Greater note: The target adds your charisma bonus to her extra saving throw. This note may also be used to suppress the nauseated or exhausted conditions.
Clarion of Will: If the target has failed a will save against an ongoing effect during the last round, she may reroll that save to shrug off the effect. Additionally, this note may be used to suppress (not cure) the dazed, shaken, or frightened condition for 1 round. Greater note: The target adds your charisma bonus to her extra saving throw. This note may also be used to suppress the charmed, dominated, or panicked conditions.
Countersong: For one round your allies gain a +5 bonus to saves verses sonic and language-dependant effects. Any friendly creature who has already succumbed to a continuous sonic or language-dependant effect is entitled to another saving throw with the +5 bonus. Greater note: In addition, all your allies gain sonic resistance equal to your bard level for 1 round.
Cry of Condemnation: You gravely point out or fulminate furiously against a specific foe, inspiring your friends to strike him down. All your allies gain a +2 moral bonus to attack and damage rolls against the target for 1 round. Greater note: The bonus becomes +4
Defensive Harmony: Select two allies. They each gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC whenever they are adjacent. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus. Greater note: The bonus becomes +2
Echo of Ensorcellment: This renders a creature more vulnerable to magic, imposing a -2 penalty to all saves vs. spells or supernatural abilities and a -2 penalty to spell resistance for 1 round. Greater Note: The penalty to spell resistance becomes -5.
Offensive Harmony: Select two allies. They each gain a +1 circumstance bonus to attack rolls when attacking a foe that the other threatens. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus. Greater note: The bonus becomes +2
Peal of Triumph: This note must be used on a target who has succeed at a fortitude, reflex, or will save in the last round. The target gains a +4 moral bonus to saves of the same type for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus. Greater note: All your allies gain the save bonus, as long as at least one of them has succeeded at a save of the same type.
Ring of Inspiration: The target gains a +2 moral bonus to intelligence, wisdom and charisma for 1 round. Greater note: The bonus becomes +4
Screaming Blade: This note cloaks an ally’s weapon with disharmonic energy, dealing 1 point of sonic damage per bard level to the next creature damaged by that weapon. If the weapon fails to land a hit before the start of your next turn the note is wasted. Greater note: Every attack made with the weapon in the next round deals this additional damage, but no more than once against any given foe.
Screaming Shield: This note wards the target with disharmonic energy, dealing 1 point of sonic damage per bard level to the next creature who damages her in melee. If no one damages her before the start of your next turn the note is wasted. Greater note: The screaming shield triggers against all enemies who strike the target (but no more than once against any given foe).
Thrum of Might: The garget gains a +2 moral bonus to strength for 1 round. Greater note: The bonus becomes +4
Break Silence (su)
A bard of 4th level or higher within an area of magical silence may attempt a will save (against the spell’s normal DC) as a swift action in order to end the effect. A permanent silence effect (such as one generated by a magic item or a magical creature) is instead suppressed for 2d6 rounds. At 11th level a bard does not need to roll a saving throw (he succeeds automatically).
Lore Mastery (ex)
Whenever a bard rolls a natural 9 or lower on a knowledge check, treat it as if he had rolled a 10.
Harmony (su)
A bard of 15th level or higher may perform two different bard songs at once. Starting the second song is a standard action. It requires a move action every round thereafter to continue and consumes two effective rounds of bardic music per round.
The bard may end the second song at any time (and still continue the first one) by simply not taking a move action to sustain it. In fact, the bard may choose to end either song; it doesn’t matter which he started first.
Symphony (su)
A 20th level bard’s mastery of arcane music runs so deep that he may perform two songs as easily as one. This functions as the harmony class feature, except that the second song requires no extra actions to start or maintain.
Starting a new song (after ending one of his previous songs) is a swift action, but a bard who ends both songs at once must wait until his next turn and restart the performance as normal.
Thanks for reading, and any comments are highly appreciated.
I've been up for far too long to evaluate all your hard work, but the moment I saw the "Aria of Life" I instantly thought, "Neil! Play the Drum Solo of Life!"
I've been up for far too long to evaluate all your hard work, but the moment I saw the "Aria of Life" I instantly thought, "Neil! Play the Drum Solo of Life!"
lol'in.
I swear I've never seen that before now. I guess a diminutive 17th-level bard makes no less sense than anything else on ATHF.
Heh, 10 pgs as promised. I presume that veerything not covered is the same as the standard bard?
Correct, and I apparently just missed my chance to edit that in.
Should have drank more coffee before posting, apparently. But yea. Same skills, hit dice, saves, proficiencies, and attack bonus.
So far I like what I see -- you're obviously a man after my own heart, not afraid to scrap things and start from the ground up, while scavenging through the wreckage for anything still useable.
One minor nitpick from the bloodless English Teacher in me: "moral" is similar to "ethical." Morale has to do with confidence and the like. So there's no such thing as a "moral" bonus; it's a "morale" bonus.
I'll try to make more substantive comments after I've had a chance to go over this thing.
looks good
incidentally in an overhaul I did I introduced a bunch more bardic music abilities. I will post them up for comment. Perhaps if we get a whole lot of them the bards can choose which 'songs' they know?
not afraid to scrap things and start from the ground up, while scavenging through the wreckage for anything still useable.
Absolutely. n_n
"moral" is similar to "ethical." Morale has to do with confidence and the like.
Do'h.
incidentally in an overhaul I did I introduced a bunch more bardic music abilities. I will post them up for comment.
Cool!
OK, you've inspired me to do my own revision (well, you and the fact that I'm re-reading Snorri Sturluson's Egil's Saga -- required reading for anyone who wants to play a bard or a barbarian!). I've gone the route of making the bard choose between being a "minstrel" (play spells on an instrument, can inspire simultaneously, and overall super skill-monkey) or a "skald" (medium armor and shields, can inspire while fighting). Both versions use the same basic chassis, but their tradition influences the way they cast spells and inspire allies, and what class abilities they have access to. I'll post it when I've got it finished up.
Go with the skald and have him/ her chant songs whilst fighting to bestow bonuses/ penalties to others. And the sagas are all very good reads.
Go with the skald and have him/ her chant songs whilst fighting to bestow bonuses/ penalties to others.
Yes, that's what I've done with the skald "tradition"/path. I've kept the minstrel as a separate "tradition" as well. (P.S. I read most of the other sagas about 10 years ago, but I keep re-reading Egil's in particular. Kveldulf is the man!)
I've got "The Sagas Of The Icelanders" by Penguin Press. I brought it on a deployment and it took forever to read. Well over 700 pages of sagas. It read like a fiction book and was better than most that I've read. Unbelievable more people are not aware of these literary gems of the European past (asides from the Arthurian Legends). I've read other sagas not included in it too, but... Amazing book- 18 sagas!!
Okay, here it is: all seven pages of it! BAB, HD, saves are all as per the standard bard.
Level Special
1st Bardic tradition, bardic performance, spells, bardic inspiration
2nd Bardic lore, well-versed
3rd Bardic inspiration
4th —
5th Bardic lore, lore master 1/day
6th Bardic inspiration
7th —
8th Bardic lore
9th Bardic inspiration
10th Tradition keeper
11th Bardic lore, lore master 2/day
12th Bardic inspiration
13th —
14th Bardic lore
15th Bardic inspiration
16th Tradition keeper
17th Bardic lore, lore master 3/day
18th Bardic inspiration
19th Tradition keeper
20th Inspiration of life
Bonus Skills: All bards automatically receive one free rank per class level in Linguistics (Int) and Knowledge (Lore) (Int). These are otherwise treated as class skills, but do not count against the bard’s total number of skill points per level.
Other Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (all) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Streetwise (Cha) (Minstrel) or Survival (Wis) (Skald).
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Bards are also proficient with light armor. A bard can cast bard spells (but not arcane spells received from other classes, if any) while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component.
Bardic Tradition (Ex): Starting at 1st level, a bard must choose one of two bardic traditions: the minstrel or the skald. The specific tradition affects the character’s standard bardic performance (q.v.) and his bardic lore and tradition keeper abilities (q.v.).
A skald is proficient with all simple weapons and with all martial weapons. Skalds are also proficient with light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields). A skald can cast bard spells (but not arcane spells received from other classes, if any) while wearing light or medium armor and use a shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a skald wearing heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question normally has a somatic component.
A minstrel gains 1 free rank per level in Diplomacy, Perform (music), and Streetwise. These are otherwise treated as class skills, but do not count against the bard’s total number of skill points per level.
Bardic Performance (Ex):
A minstrel’s spells and inspirations have only two components: an arcane focus (a musical instrument), with associated somatics (playing). A minstrel must have both of his hands free in order to cast spells, but can otherwise be gagged or restrained. He cannot use the Still Spell feat in conjunction with his bard spells. Arcane spell failure applies for medium or heavy armor.
When casting spells with durations greater than “instantaneous” or “permanent,” a minstrel can extend the spell duration by continuing to play. In that case, the spell lasts for as long as he continues playing (maximum 1 round per class level), and the spell’s normal duration begins thereafter. If the minstrel chooses not to extend spell durations in this manner, he can continue to cast spells from round to round, as does any other spellcaster.
A minstrel (and only a minstrel) can sing and play an instrument simultaneously in order to cast a spell and maintain an inspiration at the same time. If you have one hand free, you can sing in order to maintain inspiration while fighting with a light or one-handed weapon in the other hand. You cannot begin an inspiration, cast spells, or maintain spells unless both hands are free to play an instrument, however.
A skald’s spells and inspirations all have verbal components only. A skald need not have his hands free in order to cast spells, but must be able to speak in a loud, clear voice. This means that a skald can cast a spell as a standard action, rather than as a full-attack action, and that the skald gains a +4 bonus to checks to cast defensively (this stacks with the effects of the Combat Casting feat). When casting spells with durations greater than “instantaneous” or “permanent,” a skald can extend the spell duration by continuing to recite. In that case, the spell lasts for as long as he continues reciting that verse (maximum 1 round per class level), and the spell’s normal duration begins thereafter. A skald (and only a skald) can maintain a spell or inspiration in this manner while fighting.
Spells
Like other spellcasters, a bard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table 2. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high casting attribute.
The bard's selection of spells is limited. A bard begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of the bard's choice. At each new bard level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table 2: Bard Spells. Unlike the sorcerer, the bard gains additional spells known based on his casting modifier.
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third bard level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), a bard can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the bard “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell's level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level bard spell the bard can cast. A bard may swap only a single spell at any given level and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
Bardic Inspiration (Su):
Starting an inspiration is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round using the bardic performance ability (q.v.). At 7th level, you can start a bardic inspiration as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, you can start a bardic inspiration as a swift action. Changing an inspiration from one effect to another requires you to stop the previous effect and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic inspiration cannot be disrupted except by another bard (make opposed skill checks). It ends immediately if you are killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a bardic performance action to maintain it each round.
Targets must be able to hear you for the inspiration to have any effect, and chanted (skaldic) inspirations are language-dependent. A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic inspiration. If you fail this check, the attempt still counts against your daily limit.
Countersong: A minstrel can learn to counter magic effects that depend on sight and/or sound (but not spells that have verbal components). Each round he makes a Perform (music) or Linguistics check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack, or 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 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 skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don't allow saves.
Inspire Courage: A bard can learn 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.
Chant of the Long Road: A bard of 3rd level or higher can learn to use music or recitation to encourage those within 60 ft. who are engaged in tasks of endurance. The bard uses one round of inspiration and must roll a successful Perform (music) or Linguistics check. Those affected can choose to substitute the bard’s check results for the results of one Endurance skill check. If a later check comes up during the same march ot task, the bard can expend another round of use to allow another check substitution. This inspiration supercedes the feat of the same name from Complete Scoundrel, and also the Warrior Skald’s “marcher’s chant” prestige class feature from Races of Faerun.
Sustaining Song: A bard of 3rd level or higher can learn to inspire hope even in those who lay dying. For as long as he continues this inspiration, dying allies need not roll to stabilize, and thus lose no additional hit points by failing to roll. Once the inspiration ends, those affected go back to dying if they fail stabilization checks. This inspiration supercedes the Virtuoso prestige class feature of the same name, from Complete Adventurer.
Inspire Spellpower: A minstrel of 6th level or higher who knows the song of arcane power lore (q.v.) can learn to apply some of this benefit to allies. When used, each allied spellcaster within 30 ft. gains a +1 bonus to his or her effective caster level. This inspiration supercedes the feat of the same name from Races of Stone, and also the Virtuoso “magical melody” prestige class feature from Complete Adventurer.
Spellbreaker Song: A bard of 6th level or higher can learn to use his music or poetry to interfere with spells that have verbal components. Enemy spellcasters within 30 feet take a 20% spell failure chance when casting any spell that has a verbal component (as if they were deafened). A minstrel (only) can instead choose to target a single spellcaster. In order to cast, the target must succeed at a concentration check (1d20 + caster level + casting ability modifier) at a DC equal to the results of the minstrel’s Perform (music) check. This inspiration supercedes the variant class feature of the same name from Complete Mage, and the Seeker of the Song’s “hymn of spelldeath” prestige class feature from Complete Arcane.
Inspire Greatness: A bard of 9th level or higher can learn to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting extra fighting capability. For every three levels the bard attains beyond 9th, he can target an additional ally while using this performance (up to a maximum of four targets at 18th level). To inspire greatness, all of the targets must be able to see and hear the bard. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability.
Soothing Performance: A bard of 12th level or higher can learn to use his inspiration to create an effect equivalent to a mass cure serious wounds spell, using the bard's level as the caster level. In addition, this performance removes the fatigued, sickened, and shaken conditions from all those affected. Using this ability requires 4 rounds of continuous use, and the targets must be able to see and hear the bard throughout. Soothing performance affects all targets that remain within 30 feet throughout the activation time.
Inspire Heroics: A minstrel of 15th level or higher can learn to inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single ally within 30 feet. For every three bard levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in an additional creature. To inspire heroics, all of the targets must be able to see and hear the bard. Inspired creatures gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. This effect lasts for as long as the targets are able to witness the performance. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Rage: A skald of 15th level or higher can learn to inspire allies into a rage. Willing allies within 10 feet of you when this power is activated gain the benefits of rage as if they were 1st level barbarians. Count each ally’s duration of rage against your usage of bardic inspiration rounds, so if 3 allies are affected, this ability costs 3 daily rounds’ worth of inspiration per round.
Bardic Lore (Ex):
Bardic Knowledge (Minstrel or Skald): Add half your bard level as a competence bonus to all Knowledge checks. You may select this knack only once.
Canny Defense (Minstrel): When wearing light or no armor, you add 1 point of your Intelligence bonus (if any) per bard level as an insight bonus to your Armor Class and CMD. If you are caught flat-footed or otherwise denied your Dexterity bonus, you also lose this bonus.
Combat Feat (Skald): You receive a combat feat as a bonus feat, just as a fighter does. You can learn fighter-only feats (e.g., Weapon Specialization) as if your BAB were your fighter level, but you must otherwise meet all the prerequisites to select a given feat. You may gain this knack multiple times; each time, select a different feat.
Combine Songs (Minstrel): You can maintain two types of inspiration simultaneously using bardic performance, by playing an instrument and singing. The usage costs, in terms of rounds of inspiration, stack—in other words, maintaining inspire courage and inspire greatness would cost 2 rounds’ worth of inspiration per round. This lore supercedes the War Chanter (Complete Warrior) and the Seeker of the Song (Complete Arcane) prestige class feature of the same name.
Improved Spell Capacity (Minstrel or Skald): You must be 17th level to learn this lore. You gain a 7th level spell known taken from the sorcerer/wizard 7th level spells list, useable once per day (if your spellcasting ability is 24 or higher, you gain bonus uses per day accordingly).
Finesse (Minstrel): You can select either Weapon Finesse or Agile Maneuvers as a bonus feat. You may select this knack a second time in order to acquire the second feat.
Green Ear (Minstrel): Plants and plant creatures are not immune to your mind-affecting spells and bardic inspiration abilities. Additionally, your spells affect fey as if they were humanoids (making them vulnerable to a hold person cast by you, for example). This lore supercedes the feat of the same name from Complete Adventurer.
Lyric Spell (Minstrel): You can expend daily rounds of your bardic inspiration to cast any arcane spell that you know and can cast spontaneously. Casting a spell requires one round of your bardic inspiration ability, plus one additional round per level of the spell. For example, casting a 3rd level spell requires four daily rounds’ worth of your bardic music ability. Use of this lore requires you to sing and play an instrument, so you cannot maintain a spell or inspiration while using this ability. This lore supercedes the feat of the same name from Complete Adventurer.
Metamagic Feat (Minstrel or Skald): You gain a metamagic feat as a bonus feat. You must meet all of the prerequisites. You may gain this knack multiple times; each time, select a different feat.
Metamagic Song (Minstrel): When you spontaneously cast an arcane spell that is enhanced by a metamagic feat, you can spend a number of rounds of your bardic inspiration ability equal to twice the number of extra levels that the metamagic feat imposes on the spell rather than raising the spell's effective level. Applying metamagic spontaneously using this method increases the casting time of the spell normally. You cannot use the Metamagic Song feat to add metamagic feats that would make the spell's effective level higher than the highest level of spell that you can cast normally. You must sing and play an instrument (as if maintaining inspiration and casting a spell), so you cannot use this lore in conjunction with the Still Spell or Silent Spell feat.
When applying a metamagic feat to a spell, you must either use Metamagic Song to completely offset the increase in the spell's effective level or apply the metamagic feat normally and cast the spell at its higher level. You cannot partially increase the level of the spell (or split the cost) to reduce the number of rounds of bardic inspiration spent when using the Metamagic Song feat. Only one method can be used to pay for metamagic feats that affect a single spell. This lore supercedes the feat of the same name from Races of Stone.
Mythic Song (Minstrel): Your spells affect magical beasts as if they were animals, and affect monstrous humanoids and giants as if they were humanoids. Dragons normally immune to sleep and paralysis are vulnerable to those effects from your spells or bardic inspiration abilities.
New Arcana (Minstrel or Skald): Add one spell to your list of spells known, of a spell level up to the maximum spell level you are able to cast. You can add a spell from another class’ list, but at a spell level one higher than the listing for that class (for example, an 11th level minstrel could add fireball as a 4th level spell known).
Requiem (Minstrel): Undead are not immune to your mind-affecting spells and bardic inspiration abilities. This lore supercedes the feat of the same name from Libris Mortis.
Rune Lore (Skald): You can use the Linguistics skill to inscribe one-use spells that are activated when the inscribed surface or object is touched. Inscribing a rune takes one hour and requires a Linguistics check at DC 20 + the level of the spell to be inscribed.
Skill Focus (Minstrel): You gain one Skill Focus or Skill Synergy feat as a bonus feat. You may gain this knack multiple times; each time, select a different feat.
Song of Arcane Power (Minstrel or Skald): You can boost your effective caster level by singing to accompany a spell you are playing (this prevents the maintenance of a bardic inspiration during that round), or by playing an instrument to accompany your chanting. This lore supercedes the Sublime Chord prestige class feature of the same name, from Complete Arcane. The magnitude of the boost depends on your Perform (music) check results:
Check Result Caster Level Increase
9 or lower +0
10 – 19 +1
20 – 29 +2
30+ +3
Versatile Performance (Minstrel): You become adept at bolstering your chances of success with other skills by judicious use of performance. Choose one type of Perform skill and an associated non-perform skill. If conditions allow it, when making a skill check for the associated skill, roll the skill check normally, but roll a Perform check as well. If the perform check is better, you can use those results in place of the skill check results.
For example, if you choose Perform (music) and Handle Animal, you might be able to sooth the animal with music, even if you would normally be unable to handle the beast. You cannot use this ability in combat, or when you would otherwise be unable to take 10. You must possess at least one rank in the associated skill to use this ability, although this requirement is waived once you gain the Jack-of-All-Trades ability (q.v.) at 10th level.
The types of Perform and their associated skills are: Acting (Bluff), Dance (Acrobatics or Fly), Music (Diplomacy or Handle Animal). You may acquire this knack multiple times; each time, it applies to a new associated skill.
Warsinger (Skald): You may learn this lore only if you have at least one level in barbarian. If so, you may use bardic inspiration while raging, and the benefits of your inspire courage and inspire greatness abilities improve by +1 while you rage.
Tradition Keeper (Ex):
Jack of All Trades (Minstrel): A minstrel can use any skill starting at 10th level, even if the skill normally requires him to be trained. At 16th level, the minstrel considers all skills to be class skills. At 19th level, the minstrel can take 10 on any skill check, even if it is not normally allowed.
Martial Prowess (Skald): At 10th level, a skald gains +1 to his base attack bonus (i.e., his BAB becomes +8/+3 instead of +7/+2). Subsequent increases apply normally (i.e., an 11th level skald has BAB +9/+4, a 12th to 13th level skald has BAB +10/+5, etc.). At 16th level, you gain another +1 to your BAB (to BAB +14/+9/+4), and another +1 at 19th level (to BAB +17/+12/+7/+2).
Inspiration of Life (Su):
To be affected by the killing version, the target must be able to hear the bard perform or recite for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The target receives a Will save (DC 10 + half the bard's level + the bard's spellcasting ability modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature's saving throw succeeds, the target is staggered for 1d4 rounds, and the bard cannot use this ability on that creature again for 24 hours. If a creature's saving throw fails, it dies. This is a mind-affecting death effect.
To bring a creature back to life, the bard must play or recite for half an hour. At the end of that time, the fallen creature rolls for resurrection survival (a Fortitude save, with DC based on his race’s life span). If successful, he or she is brought back to life, as if by a raise dead spell. If this check fails, the creature is brought back to life, but only for as long as the inspiration effect continues. He or she is immune to curative spells and stabilization during that time; when the inspiration ends, the creature dies again for good.
Kirth, interested in posting this on the Pathfinder Database? If you want, you can submit it to me directly via email if you have a word doc or pdf of it.
Veector, if you give me a couple of days I can send you rewrites of all 11 classes, plus feats and skills revisions. But I'd like to stress that one of my primary goals was to eliminate the need for a lot of the 3.5 splatbook prestige classes, so most of the content is non-OGL and has potential copyright issues. I originally made this stuff for my own group's use, not for public dissemination, so I'm a bit concerned about sharing it in any sort of a permanent fashion with a larger audience.
Veector, if you give me a couple of days I can send you rewrites of all 11 classes, plus feats and skills revisions. But I'd like to stress that one of my primary goals was to eliminate the need for a lot of the 3.5 splatbook prestige classes, so most of the content is non-OGL and has potential copyright issues. I originally made this stuff for my own group's use, not for public dissemination, so I'm a bit concerned about sharing it in any sort of a permanent fashion with a larger audience.
Aaah, in that case :(
I've been up for far too long to evaluate all your hard work, but the moment I saw the "Aria of Life" I instantly thought, "Neil! Play the Drum Solo of Life!"
Silly cartoon or not, if ever there were a real life bard who could resurrect the dead through talent so awe-inspiring that even a corpse would have to rise up and take a bow, Neil Peart definitely makes the list and may very well top the list.
Although, for a cheap pun, why doesn't Alex Lifeson play the guitar solo of life?
Hydro, I am really liking your stuff. In fact, I would like to discuss your stuff with you in greater detail- is your contact information on your profile?
General:
This is fantastic. Bard notes are amazing. They are the answer to the question "What do bards do for rounds 2 and 5?"
I do thing that this powers up the bard a bit too much. Specifically, Panache is overkill. I'd make bards choose between Panache and Bard Notes.
Also, I think that the ability to take 10 on 2 skills is better than the other Lore options. Would reduce this to 1.
This is one of the best home-brew class I have ever seen, though.
First up, thanks!
Second, I don't think panache is too powerful because it will so seldom be used, and because the bard doesn't have any other class features that directly make him a better combatant. A jack-of-all-trade suffers from an innate lack of synergy, which is the reason why such classes are typically underpowered: if you're spending most of your actions throwing out bardnotes or casting spells, then a combat boost has relatively little effect on your overall power.
That said, I might remove the "free combat maneuver" effect from the last iteration of it. That was my "Please take an attack action every now and then!" power (even though I knew that at that point in the game, having fallen so far behind the fighter and also having so many magical powers, they probably wouldn't).
Hydro, I am really liking your stuff. In fact, I would like to discuss your stuff with you in greater detail- is your contact information on your profile?
"mahsaikanah" at yahoo. :)
Also, I think that the ability to take 10 on 2 skills is better than the other Lore options. Would reduce this to 1.
Forgot to mention this, but I think I'm going to have this mirror the rogue's skill mastery (with a level prerequisite to match). This would actually apply it to even more skills (most likely), but not being able to take it until 10th level would be a big deal, and would put him on par with the other skillmonkey.
Your design philosophy is pretty clear: If somebody has a skill that is powerful, and you give them a skill that is less powerful that can't be used at the same time as the first one, you have added 0 power to the character. They either have to use their original skill, or one of lesser power.
This is pretty much how you did all the bard songs - you get to only use one of them, so so long as you make everything worse than Inspire Courage, you're not making the bard more powerful.
Likewise, your argument with Panache - you can either do that or cast spells, and melee with a bard is almost certainly worse than spellcasting.
But this design philosophy isn't strictly true. A lot of these abilities are situationally more powerful - Cadence of Anguish is overpowered in battles against 1 target.
You misunderstood me a little. I wasn't saying that these things add zero power: the flexibility absolutely does make the bard more powerful as he gains levels, which absolutely was intentional. However, the amount of power which that adds isn't even CLOSE to the amount of power it would add if he could use all his bardsongs at once. In fact, the ability to use even two at once (at level 15, by spending a move action every turn) may well be his single most powerful class feature.
My point wasn't that mutually exclusive options add no power, just that they add considerably less. Panache looks like five or six feats- a gratuitous amount of power to just toss in as an afterthought- but to the bard it's actually worth much less than that.
But the difference between Bard notes and Panache is that Bard Notes serves to reinforce the specific bard role, while Panache doesn't help shape the class.
...
Panache just makes you better at a secondary thing...which adds unnecessary amounts of power. A lot of DMs are going to look at this bard revision and say "...You just made a class filled with everything you could possibly want a bard to do.
I disagree. I think that buffing is the bard's main schtick, but being able to handle a rapier is an important part of the bard archetype: if it weren't, he'd just be a songmage, with d6 hit dice and a wizard's attack bonus.
Panache supports two of the bard's existing themes: by making him good at tripping and disarming it reinforces his roll as a "support guy", and by giving him more reason to get into melee in the first place it reinforces his average attack bonus, weapon proficiency, and armor proficiency.
If I found this class to be overpowered I would rather remove or limit other class features than remove panache completely. That would be taking a lot of flavor out of the class for a relatively small reduction in net power.
Lore. Effectively a free feat-equivalent or better every 3 levels.
Panache. Effectively 2 free feats every 6 levels.
Bard Notes. By far the most important/interesting addition.
Other Bardic Music. Undeniably adds flexibility and power.
"Lore" only grants skill feats or bonuses (except weapon lore, but the bard already has several martial weapons so this is a very small combat boost). Calling this "a feat or better" would be seriously misunderstanding the roll that skills play in the system.
The main issue is that there isn't much you can do to really crank one skill. You can take a +2/+2 feat to boost it, and you can take skill mastery (at later levels), but that's about it; and being kind of good at a variety of skills isn't nearly as good as really excelling at one skill. The list doesn't even include Skill Focus.
It was my intent to make the bard roughly equivalent to the rogue skill-wise: every time the bard gets "lore", the rogue has gotten another 6 skill points. In addition the rogue gets rogue talents ever 2 levels, and these are almost universally better than the bard's lore powers (the only thing the bard can be better at is knowledge, and even then, he's not going to be much better at it than the pathfinder bard was). That is, presuming said rogue isn't just spending his talents on combat feats, and thus getting them at the same rate as the fighter.
What I didn't account for, though, is that the bard has access to spells, which can grant a lot of out-of-combat utility that the rogue has more limited access to. Now that you've made me think about this I am considering making the "lore" class feature less frequent, or perhaps dropping his skillpoints to 4+int.
Like I said, panache is a very small benefit because of how seldom he will use it. A bard who spends it on defensive feats will get a point or two of AC out of it; one who spends it on active/offensive feats will only have a back-up option for when they run out of spells.
And bard notes, while they're a great use of a move action, do still require a move action. A bard who wants to use notes and also cast spells can only take a 5-foot step. If you've DMed for a summoner you've probably seen how much trouble that can get you in. He's not going to be using these every round.
This is, I think, too much. At low-mid (1-10) levels (the area where I consider D&D combat not to be completely retarded), you'd have a character with a fighter's ability to execute combat maneuvers, a ton more skill-points, the ability to do some big party buffs and some minor tricks, and a decent spellcasting repertoire.
This is a jack of all trades that comes too close to being a master of all trades, in my opinion
I'm really not sure about that. The bard can cast spells, but by mid level a sorcerer or enchanter easily outstrips him with the breadth, volume, and power of their spells. Not only do bards have a limited list (at least as strict as the cleric or druid's list), but a slower progression as well.
He might (with a good charisma) be as good at tripping and disarming as a fighter (though probably not as good as a barbarian), but combat maneuvers are hardly the strongest tactic that a fighter has available to him. Improved Trip only takes up one of a fighter's feats; the rest (i.e, the other four feats that a 10th level fighter has over a 10th level bard, plus weapons training, plus armor training) are there to help him kick the guy he tripped when he's down. And the bard gets absolutely nothing to help him attack and deal damage; not even the self-buff spells that a cleric gets.
I'll need to get back to you later (someone else needs this computer), but in any event, you have my sincere thanks for taking the time to compose a detailed criticism. :)
I was wondering how long it would be before someone threw a post at me that challenged my design assumptions and made me think about these things; that's half the reason I post on boards like this.
The cardinal problem with the bard is: After the bard uses bard song during the first round of combat, what interesting, bard-y things does he get to do for the rest of combat?
Currently, he either goes in and melees badly, or casts spells badly. MAD pretty much precludes melee - he can't afford the strength, dex and con he'd need to melee well. And his BAB doesn't help.
I'm not sure about this. Having had the surprise of my life playing a bard(not only did I have the time of my frakking LIFE, he was effective in combat as well), I have to take issue with these presumptions. I admit, we weren't playing pathfinder at the time, but just because the bard didn't have the BAB of the fighter or the spells of the wizard did not mean that he avoided combat- in fact once he had more than one attack per round he relished in it. And by the time the BAB had increased to allow for iterative attacks, the spell selection had increased dramatically- going by Pathfinder rules now(I don't have the 3.5 book on me right now unfortunately), I see that the bard has access to two third level spells(blink and confusion would work best at a cursory glance) and enough second level ones to suppliment it that combat is not over should someone make their save- and dirge of doom to boot. Hardly bad, in my opinion.
Maybe the issue here is that at low levels the bard is easily overshadowed by the fighter on his left and the wizard on his right and doesn't shine until later on in the game.
By the time you hit 8th level (your 2nd iterative attack), you were 2 BaB behind a fighter, and about to be 3 (at 9th). You were attacking with a stat that was 8-12 lower than the fighter's. (a 14 strength vs. his 22 or 24, assuming a +2 strength item for the fighter). You were attacking with limited weaponry, and not a lot of feat choices.
Before you take into account the feat differential, or the probability that the fighter has a nicer weapon, the fighter is hitting at +6 to +8 higher than you.
When you do hit, you're doing a lot less damage, too. Your damage per round, at 8th level, is probably something around 15 or 20 on average.
...why bother? At this point, your barbarian, fighter, Paladin, Rogue, etc, will be tossing out 40-60 a round, at -least-. Your damage represents an insignificant contribution.
Your statements are based on a situation that you created in which anyone who isn't the fighter you also created for that situation would be at a distinct disadvantage- and you also assigned traits to the bard as well, which puts them at an even further disadvantage. In short, the bard is set up to fail, mainly because you're ignoring the other abilities the bard can bring to bear, as well as any equipment the bard may be carrying. Let's even the playing field and look again.
Not to be Johnny One Note, but the Bard in question has two third level spells to bring to bear against anyone he may be facing. Going with what my Bard had, he can cast Fear, and assuming he has any magic items to increase his Charisma modifier, that is one considerable save enemies have to make to avoid fleeing. He can use the time earned to cast Phantom Steed and then ride down anyone he wishes(mine had a few points in ride for just this purpose). Or he could have done the same thing with Scare. Or Hypnotic Pattern.
Or, we could go the buff route. A bard still has access to cat's grace under these rules, and could enhance their dexterity to a considerable degree before casting blur, blink, displacement, or even haste(cliche, I know, but still viable). Or vice versa, depending on the situation.
Finally, we have no idea what this bard is keeping in his pockets. Given that Use Magic Device is so important to this class, they could have several magic items to help them out in combat- by level 8 the possiblities are considerable. Forget items to increase save DCs, they probably have more than a few magic weapons of their own. Wands of magic missile are not out of the question, and can be used before wading into combat.
I'm at work, so I really can't go into the level of detail I would like, but its something to think about. Just because the fighter, barbarian, paladin and rogue(under certain circumstances) can deal out the damage doesn't mean that the bard can't either. It's just that their strength lies in versatility, not in direct slaughter.
Coming back to this with fresh eyes, looking at the spell list again, and looking at this writeup again, I’m not THAT worried about the bard in terms of combat power (though I think that MAD is often overvalued as a drawback; you CAN play a perfectly viable bard with the same array as a paladin). I do think it needs work, but I'm still working out where and how.
MAGIC:
A 17th level bard casts spells as a 12th level sorcerer; minus true seeing, disintegrate, chain lightning and contingency, among others. By 20th he only has 1 spell per day (and a few spells known) over a sorcerer13.
He does have full caster level though (so he’s not as bad as, say, our poor iconic EK). Further, there are some nice spells (irresistible dance and greater shout) which he actually gains at the same character level as the sorcerer. Irresistible dance is arguably as good as disintegrate (better against lone, powerful foes like dragons, assuming you can get into melee). And shout is particularly nice- a handful of damage dice, save or stun for 1 round, and automatic deafness. Not too shabby if you’re facing a group that includes casters.
Looking back, though, they don’t seem to have any other great out-of-level spells; this seems to be a feature of their top tier, and greater shout unfortunately still can’t be compared to meteor swarm (which the wizard gets 1 level later).
COMBAT:
As my last bout of geekery with crosswind showed us, fighters are freaking badass, and it takes a lot for another character to seriously compete with them. Further, the bard does not have any self-buffs to speak of (he has some nice buffs, but if a bard and a fighter are adventuring together he is more likely to cast those on the fighter than on himself; they’re important when discussing the bard’s net contributions, but not when talking about whether he should be in melee or not). The bard can’t possibly hold a candle to the fighter in terms of real attacks or defense, so I’m basically just going to look at CMB.
Here’s a pretty rough comparison at 4 levels. Fighter buys a 16 base STR and a 10 base CHA; bard buys 14 and 14 for the same point value. Improved/Greater X feats are ignored because I assume the fighter and the bard will take them at about the same rate (the fighter has 11 bonus feats to the bard’s 3, but he also has better things to do with the other 8).
5th level fighter (bab +5, +1 Weapon Focus, +1 Weapon Training, strength 19 +2 from item, +1 magic weapon. 6k gp): CMB = +13
5th level bard (bab +3, +1 Weapon Focus, strength 14, cha 17 +2 from item, +1 magic weapon 6k gp): CMB = +11
10th level fighter (bab +10, +2 GWF, +2 weapon training, strength 20 +4 from item, +2 magic weapon. 24k gp): CMB = +23
10th level bard (effective BAB +10, +1 WF, strength 14 +2 from item, cha 18 +2 from item, +3 magic weapon. 26k gp): CMB = +22
15th level fighter (bab +15, +2 GWF, +3 weapon training, strength 21 +6 from item +1 inherent, +5 magic weapon. 113k gp) CMB = +34
15th level bard (effective bab +15, +1 WF, strength 14 +6 from item, cha 19 +6 from item, +5 magic weapon. 122k gp) CMB = +33
20th level fighter (bab +20, +2 GWF, +4 weapon training, strength 23 +6 from item +5 inherent, +5 magic weapon. 223k) CMB = +43
20th level bard (effective bab +20, +1 WF, strength 14 +6 from item +5 inherent, cha 21 +6 inherent +5 from item, +5 magic weapon. 397k gp) CMB = +44
GP values at 5, 10, and 15 are about half average wealth; the rest will be spent on other stuff (wands for the bard, weapon properties for the fighter, etc).
GP at level 20 is about half average wealth for the bard but less than a third for the fighter; this is because there isn’t anything else the fighter can buy to improve hic CMB. His weapon enhancements and strength score are both maxed out. The bard just barely overtakes the fighter at level 20 because of this, but he spends more money to do it.
These stats aren’t really ridiculous, either; they’re typical. In an extreme case the bard could start with 18 strength and 20 CHA, gaining another +4 over what’s listed here and beating the fighter at all levels, but in practice he’ll still have a hard time keeping up with the fighter (even as a trip monkey) thanks to TWF/Step Up/Lunge/etc. A smiting paladin could achieve the same CMB as a bard at any level were he so inclined, and a raging barbarian (with the right powers) would out-wrassle all three of them; at least for the first check or two.
To make a long story short, yes, it seems like a committed melee bard really can buckleswash with the best of them. He’s absolutely no good against enemies with high CMD’s (titans, dragons, etc), nor will he have the defenses to really frontline, nor the pure offense to hurt enemies once he’s tripped or disarmed them, but he always has his spells and notes to fall back on.
I’m glad I did this because I had considered improving panache, perhaps throwing in a cha-to-AC. I don’t think that’s a good idea now (it’s probably best if the bard remains a little fragile). I am considering a rewrite of the last iteration, though. Currently it lets you make one attack (for unimpressive damage) at +28 and then (if that hits) a maneuver at +44. In most cases I’d rather just do the maneuver, screw direct attacks.
More later (‘more of what’, I couldn’t tell you).