Bard + Barbarian... how to make it work?

[Happosaai]

I'm looking at making a Dragon Disciple by taking Barbarian to 4th, and adding Bard 1.

I'm trying to figure out how to make bardic performance work with Rage, but am not seeing how.

While in rage, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration.

A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired.

So, through this, it seems impossible. There was a feat in the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting called Berserker's Cry, which let you "Barbarian song" your party for 1/2 level + Cha mod rounds, once per day.
Sadly, this book / feat is no longer legal for Pathfinder Society play.

There's also a Bard Archetype called Savage Skald, which lets you start a performance as part of a critical hit, giving the bard temp hp and the rest of the party a +1 to hit before the Bard's next turn. Sadly this appears to also fall under the normal Barbarian Rage skill usage.

Are there any options that would make what I'm trying to do work? I'm looking for just Pathfinder resource replies, so I can then figure out if it would be legal for Society play.

[Thalin]

Urban barbarian can do a controlled rage and bardsong at the same time. In fact, given both are restricted to light armor, it's a great pick in general.

[Happosaai]

Thalin wrote:

Urban barbarian can do a controlled rage and bardsong at the same time. In fact, given both are restricted to light armor, it's a great pick in general.

I'm not familiar with that. What book is it from?

[gravalpea]

Happosaai wrote:

Thalin wrote:

Urban barbarian can do a controlled rage and bardsong at the same time. In fact, given both are restricted to light armor, it's a great pick in general.

I'm not familiar with that. What book is it from?

That would be in Ultimate Combat

[Happler]

Happosaai wrote:

Thalin wrote:

Urban barbarian can do a controlled rage and bardsong at the same time. In fact, given both are restricted to light armor, it's a great pick in general.

I'm not familiar with that. What book is it from?

You can also find a quick bit on it here in the PRD:

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateCombat/classArchetypes/barbarian .html

[FireclawDrake]

I'd just like to note here that Bardic Performance actually do not require any ranks in perform... Inspire Courage doesn't even use perform at all. I'd allow certain bardic performance during rage if I was your DM, just none of the ones which actively use perform (such as Fascinate, Countersong, or Distraction). A barbarian can rage and still sing.

[DWIZ]

using the moment of clarity rage power and the feat lingering song might do what you want.

[Quandary]

FireclawDrake wrote:

I'd just like to note here that Bardic Performance actually do not require any ranks in perform...

And neither does the Perform skill itself (Untrained OK). Who ever mentioned Ranks?

FireclawDrake wrote:

Inspire Courage doesn't even use perform at all.

Inspire Courage is an application of the Bardic Performance ability, which right up front says:

A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him.
So I don`t see any reason to see why Inspire Courage isn`t using the Perform skill.
Sure, it doesn`t matter how GOOD your modifier/roll is, and the ONLY effect of a roll is to tell you `how good of a performance it was`... But whether or not your GM chooses to roll every Performance, you ARE explicitly using the Performance skill with Bardic Performance. Note the Rage restriction doesn`t care about ROLLING, it says `using X-based Skills`, and Bardic Performance explicitly says it uses the Performance skill.

Honestly, I think Performance probably should be allowed while Raging, especially given the Savage Skald Archetype... Bardic Performance even says ¨A bardic performance cannot be disrupted¨ which signifies there is no Concentration involved... But per RAW, it still violates the restriction agaisnt CHA-based Skill usage.

I will FAQ this post because I think it`s more than reasonable that Performance IS allowed, but I just don`t see any way per RAW.

The RAW-legal ways to allow it that I see:
Urban Barbarian Controlled Rage, or Moment of Clarity, and/or Lingering Song, as mentioned above...
Or find a way to do Bardic Performance using a different skill, like Acrobatics of Intimidate, instead of Performance.
(??? I don`t know if anything like that exists... ???)

[WhipShire]

Just for flavor... take a look at the 3.5 PRC War Chanter from Complete Warrior book.

[Happosaai]

WhipShire wrote:

Just for flavor... take a look at the 3.5 PRC War Chanter from Complete Warrior book.

Whip, thanks for the reply, but that's not an option as it's not a Pathfinder resource.

Quandry wrote:

The RAW-legal ways to allow it that I see:

Urban Barbarian Controlled Rage, or Moment of Clarity, and/or Lingering Song, as mentioned above...
Or find a way to do Bardic Performance using a different skill, like Acrobatics of Intimidate, instead of Performance.
(??? I don`t know if anything like that exists... ???)

Quandry, that was my reading of it as well, but now I also know of the RAW ways it's possible. I hope this does get FAQ'd.