Codas and you!

[The Inheritor]

Can I get some writer insight on why Codas are limited to Bards only? And for the sake of using, does having the Bard Archetype count the PC as a Bard?

[shroudb]

It's a thematic thing.

Codas are magical instruments, hence bards.

Bard dedication is enough but you're still bound to preparing them only as a bard, so the charges they gain is limited by the highest bard spell slot you have from the archetype.

[Claxon]

I would say if you have Bard dedication and spell casting that would count, but only your bard spell slots could be used to fuel the use of the coda.

As to why it's limited to bards...it's thematic.

However, for anything outside of PFS you could easily ask your GM to remove that limitation. It shouldn't have too much effect on balance. Especially since you need to have at the spells on the item list also on your spell casting list, else you can't cast it. So it doesn't expand the options you can cast. Well it kind of does in the sense that a prepared caster wouldn't need to prepare those spells, and a spontaneous caster wouldn't need it as a spell-known/repertoire.

[QuidEst]

The Inheritor wrote:

Can I get some writer insight on why Codas are limited to Bards only? And for the sake of using, does having the Bard Archetype count the PC as a Bard?

Not a writer for Paizo, but Bards are the only class that can cast spells using an instrument, and they're also a class where using staves really feels off without reflavoring. Moreover, if you want to play a Bard that uses most instruments, you're locked out of staves because you have both hands occupied.

We don't really have an answer yet on "are you a Bard if you have the Bard multiclass?", but I imagine most GMs would say yes.

[breithauptclan]

I can only repeat what the writers wrote about it.

Quote:

While many spellcasters prefer standard magic staves, bards often quest to find or create magical instruments to help supplement their songs.

I also note that as far as an item for spellcasting, they are the same as a staff.

The difference is that a staff is a combination of a spellcasting item and a weapon, while a Coda is a combination of a spellcasting item and a musical instrument.

If you want the effects of a Coda as a non-Bard by RAW, you could just get a staff, a musical instrument, and maybe another magical item that has the effects that you want.

For a houserule, I could see allowing any spellcaster to use a Coda if they are trained in Performance skill.