Bards
HP/level: 1d6
Required stats: 9 str, 9 dex, 13 wis, 13 int, 15 cha
Weapon Proficiencies: 3 +1/4 levels
Non-weapon proficiencies: 4 +1/3 levels
Bonus proficiencies: Perform; 2 instruments, singing, dancing; Profession; entertainer, Local History (home or starting region, player’s choice), Local Lore (home or starting region, player’s choice)
The jacks of all trades and masters of not quite none, bards are the spinners of fables, the tellers of stirring tales, the speakers, singer and dancers to whom men and gods all look for a beatific recital of what history has to say. They are the rovers and travelers whose feet seldom leave the paths, to whom kings and queens alike have sold their kingdoms in the pursuit of the favor bards of renown could shower them with...or withhold at a whim. If asked, a bard might say that the power of the liltingly sung word is as powerful as any historian’s pen, warrior’s sword or wizard’s gesture of power. Some might even go so far as to say that a single aching note upon a finely tuned string even rivals the might behind the pious cleric’s faithful heart.
And, in that, the bard might well be right.
Bard’s receive spell-like abilities called Bardic Songs. Not all of them are songs, so much as to say that some could be poems, wordless tunes played upon an instrument or, in fact, they might well be full fledged songs composed to stir the heart and soul to vigor…or send shivers running down the spines of those who would dare face the bard as foe. It’s all in the wrist, the bard might say, if asked.
And, in that, the bard might well be wrong.
Bardic Compositions and Spells:
Starting at first level, a bard may select two bardic song powers, called Compositions. Every 4th level, beginning at 4th, the bard may learn another, gaining another again at 8th, then again at 12th, 16th, 20th, and so on. Starting at 12th level, however, the bard can fashion their own compositions in much the same way wizards might research a spell. Their bardic compositions are considered magical for purposes of dispelling and effectiveness in anti-magic shells and the like, and are always considered to be “cast” by a caster of the bard’s level, for purposes of dispelling and such.
In addition to bardic songs, bards also gain a healthy smattering of spellcasting. They have their own spell list that they draw from, and unlike either priestly or wizardly types, their magic, though considered “wizardly” in terms of what it is, has entirely different components. Bards cast spells in a similar fashion as a sorcerer, though they do not “use” the magic in the same way. Rather, they shape it by the three components that bards must use: song, instrument and dance. The casting times are the same as the class spell lists they are drawn from, but all require some measure of sung words, played instrument or a handful of intricate dance steps. Like sorcerers, though for entirely different reasons, bards require Charisma to use their magic. Unlike sorcerers, bards must have at least a 15 charisma in order to use any spells at all. With a 15, they can cast 0th level cantrips, starting at 4th level. At 6th level, if they have a 16 charisma, they can begin casting 1st level spells. At 8th level, if they have a 17 charisma, they can start casting 2nd level spells. At 10th level, if they have an 18 charisma, they can start casting 3rd level spells. At 12th level, if they have a 19 charisma, they can start casting 4th level spells. At 14th level, if they have a 20 charisma, they can start casting 5th level spells and, finally, at 16th level, if they have a 21 charisma, they can begin casting 6th level spells. Usually, this comes out to requiring a bard to put a lot, if not all, of their extra stat points gained every four levels onto charisma, but bards are free to not do so if they wish.
Bards cannot use or make wizardly or priestly scrolls. Rather, they can inscribe their compositions. The making of a composition would require the same time and effort as spell research, and it might cost a similar amount if the DM adjudicates that special inks and papers must be used, special powders or dyes perhaps if the composition is inscribed upon a stone or some such.. A bard can inscribe or otherwise imprint their compositions on a successful perform check that is used to determine if the inscription fails or succeeds. Failed attempts result in a composition that another bard cannot learn from. If another bard finds such a Composition, they can add it to their list of bardic song powers if they properly “play” the composition, as detailed below. Thus can bards exceed (sometimes vastly) the number of bardic compositions they, themselves, would otherwise gain just based on level advancement. Only bards may use inscribed compositions!
Using Compositions:
A bard has to make a perform check, using whatever type of performing skill the DM determines as being appropriate for this particular composition. The check is at a –1 for every equivalent spell level the DM feels the power simulates. The DC for such a check should never be lower than 20, and for extremely powerful compositions, it might well be in the 30’s.
Note: bardic song powers do not have levels, so the DM must adjudicate what level of spell the power would be if it were a spell. A bardic song that offers no save and deafens all within 15’ might translate into a 4th level spell, whereas a bardic song that paralyzed a single foe with terrifying chanting, but offered a saving throw to avoid it at the onset, might be 3rd. Iif that same power didn’t offer a saving throw, it might be 4th or even 5th level.
In any case, Bardic song powers should be able to simulate spell-effects resembling existing spells or entirely new ones of 6th level or less, wizardly or priestly. A bardic composition might well exist that could restore life to the dead, like a raise dead spell (as raise dead is 5th level), but such a composition might be jealously guarded or hoarded away. The real power of bardic compositions is that they are virtually limitless. A bard has no limit to the number of times per day they can use them, and, in fact, is only limited by those he or she can access as a function of their Perform proficiency ranks and the number of inscribed Compositions the DM puts in their path.
The DM might also rule that the bard must be of a certain level to be able to learn or even use certain compositions. For instance, the possible composition 'Dance of Life' that simulates a Raise Dead spell might require the bard to have at least 10 ranks, but the DM could also determine that, though a 7th level bard could have 10 ranks in a perform skill, the bard would have to be at least 10th level and have at least 10 ranks in the Perform-dance skill.
Note: bards can become very unbalancing very quickly if the DM is too generous with inscribed compositions. A 3rd level bard, for instance, with 6 or 7 bardic song powers, half of which emulating spells around 3rd or 4th level, could swiftly upset any balance the DM wants to keep. Bardic compositions, once gained by a bard, are pretty difficult to “take away” in any justified way. The DM should always think very carefully when considering having a rare composition come into the PC bard’s hands, and, like any powerful magical item, should strongly consider how the ongoing use of such a power as the composition might offer would affect the state of the campaign.
Bards may specialize in one weapon at 5th level.
Bards also receive 3 thief skills of their choosing. These can never be Walk through Walls or Levitation. They receive 20 points to distribute at 1st level and 10 at every level after, which is 1/3rd what a thief would get, being as that they have 1/3rd the number of thief skills.