Variant Multiclassing and Bardic Masterpieces

[Tom Marlow]

If a Spellcaster (or any other class) Variant Multiclasses as a bard, can they gain gain Bardic Masterpieces from taking feats or sacrifices spells?

[DeathlessOne]

Using the Variant Multiclass options, if you choose Bard... You are a Bard. There is some debate on what LEVEL of Bard you count as for various things (as sometimes those are not spelled out) but you are still a Bard. You can select Masterpieces in place of feats.

You cannot, however, trade off spells that are not BARD spells. The requirements for Masterpieces specifically call out 'X level bard spell known'.

[Doompatrol]

Say's only Bards can learn them under prerequisites. I think there's a bit of writing buried somewhere in the Skald that say's they can get them as well.

[David knott 242]

The other issue you have is that you use up bardic performance rounds to activate a masterpiece and must have an effective bard level to determine the DC of the save against the masterpiece, if applicable. Presumably, this would suggest that masterpieces won't work for a VMC Bard until he gains the Bardic Performance ability at 7th level. Before that level, you have no bardic performance rounds to activate the masterpiece.