Lingering Performance - how does the round count?

[shadowskinC]

Say if a bard with Lingering Performance starts her turn, begins a bardic Performance(typically Inspire Courage), and stops the performance instantly. The effect lasts for two whole rounds, ending at the beginning of the turn after her next turn. The action above costs one round of bardic performance. No question here.

But what happens if she decides to hold on the performance till her next turn, ending it as soon as that turn begins? It will last for the two more rounds, effectively lasting 3, but does that cost one round of performance or two? That makes the difference of whether you can double or triple your effective bardic performance rounds.

First time trying to build a bard here, so I wonder how you(r dm) would rule about that.

[Alphavoltario]

Lingering Performance:

The bonuses and penalties from your bardic performance continue for 2 rounds after you cease performing. Any other requirement, such as range or specific conditions, must still be met for the effect to continue. If you begin a new bardic performance during this time, the effects of the previous performance immediately cease.

Bardic Performance:

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.

So to break this into parts:

1st: You activate performance, lasting until your next turn.

2nd: On your next turn, decide if you are going to continue the performance, spending the requisite amount of rounds of Bardic Performance necessary for that performance. Repeat this step as many times as desired.

3rd: When you choose to not continue your performance, Lingering Performance counts that round as round 1 of 2 for the 'lingering' effect unless you start a new performance.

1 Round of activated performance will effectively last for 3 rounds with Lingering Performance.

[vhok]

round 1------2------3
imagine the lines are the other players/monsters turns and the 123 are your turns
end at the start of 3

[shadowskinC]

Alphavoltario wrote:

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

So to break this into parts:

1st: You activate performance, lasting until your next turn.

2nd: On your next turn, decide if you are going to continue the performance, spending the requisite amount of rounds of Bardic Performance necessary for that performance. Repeat this step as many times as desired.

3rd: When you choose to not continue your performance, Lingering Performance counts that round as round 1 of 2 for the 'lingering' effect unless you start a new performance.

1 Round of activated performance will effectively last for 3 rounds with Lingering Performance.

Thx about the clarification, I thought ending the performance was a decision to make, and it turns out it's deciding not to maintain.

[Alphavoltario]

vhok wrote:

round 1------2------3

imagine the lines are the other players/monsters turns and the 123 are your turns
end at the start of 3

Would Actually look more like 1-----2-----3-----

Bardic Performance lasts until the beginning of your next turn, which is when you decide to end it or continue it. Lingering Performance gives you two more rounds of the effect of when you decide to stop the performance.

However:
If you were to use a spell such as Saving Finale immediately upon starting the performance

Saving Finale:

School evocation [mind-affecting]; Level bard 1, skald 1
Casting
Casting Time 1 immediate action
Components V, S
Effect
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one living creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
Description
You must have a bardic performance in effect to cast this spell. With a flourish, you can immediately end your bardic performance when a creature within range affected by your bardic performance fails a saving throw, allowing the subject to immediately reroll the failed saving throw.

then the effect would only last until the beginning of round 3 as you showed.