Bard
It is said that music has a special magic to it. The bard proves that saying true. Wandering the land, gathering lore,
telling stories, and living on the gratitude of the audience, is the life of a bard. Truly a bard is a jack-of-all-trades
who uses music to survive.
Characteristics: A bard brings music forth from his soul. Although not direct wielders of The Source, bardic
music has magical properties. Combine that with some rogue special abilities and with an extensive knowledge of
skills and you�ve got a bard in a nutshell. Because they are well rounded characters they aren�t great at any one
thing. They are good at a lot of things.
Alignment: Bards are wanderers by nature letting the wind blow them wherever they end up. Music can be learned
by a book, but the music of a bard comes from their soul and a soul cannot be tamed. Because of this free-spirited
nature most bards a lawful alignment is often not chosen.
Background: A bard normally learns the trade by apprenticing to a more experienced bard. Once the bard is
ready to strike out on their own, they do. Once on that long road of life adventuring just comes naturally. Their
ability to be useful in any situation makes them ideal for adventuring. Further, bards love to be part of the action
because then they can tell heroic stories in which they themselves witnessed. And between bards there is little
allegiance. In fact, more often than not, bards are highly competitive with each other. Competition for an audience
or simple jealously of the other�s reputation has been the cause of disputes between bards in the past.
Races: Bards can be found in every race across Irth. The role of a bard may be different dependant on the
society, but the desire for entertainment will mean there is always a home for a bard. Elves and Humans have had some
of the best bards in history. But it has been the Grilki that have brought bardic music to new heights. It was in
fact a Grilki, who was touched by The Sourcerer, that made it possible for bards to have a magical affect. Until him,
bards simply performed. Some of the more barbaric races train their bards, referred to as skalds, to be less
effective with skills and more effective in combat.
Other Classes: A bard works well with all the other classes. This is mostly because a bard gains pride from
those that hear their music. If there is no one to hear, the performance is wasted. Because of their generally high
Charisma, the bard often serves as the spokesperson for the party. In a party without a magic-user a bard can at
least conjure up magical effects from their music. In a party without a rogue, a bard focuses on their skills. The
bard can basically fit into any group because of their diversity.
Hit die: d6
The bard�s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Innuendo (Wis), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Pick Pocket (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex)
Skill Points at each level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features:
The following are class features of the Bard class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A bard is proficient with half weapons. Additionally, a bard is also proficient with one finesse weapon, dependant on their society and agreed upon by the GM. Examples of a finesse weapons are: longbow, longsword, rapier, or dagger. Bards are also proficient with light armor and shields.
Bardic Music: A bard can use their song or poetry to produce magical effects a number of times a day equal to their Charisma modifier + � their bard level. At 10th level their Wisdom modifier is added and at 17th level their Intelligence modifier is added to the number of times per day, unless the number is negative. This ability to affect friend or foe is dependent on their ranks in the Perform skill. Some examples are; inspiring courage in nearby allies, fascinating a nearby enemy, or inspiring greatness in their companions. Bardic Music includes all the options under the Perform skill. That is, the medium through which the message is conveyed can be anything from singing, dancing, playing an instrument, or telling an epic tale.
Inspire Courage: A bard with 3 or more ranks in Perform can inspire courage in allies near him, bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must hear the bard perform for one full round. The effect lasts as long as the bard is performing and for 5 rounds after they stop or can no longer be heard. While performing, the bard can still attack and use other skills, pending that they don�t affect the performance itself. That is, if playing a lute is the bard�s performance, they could attempt to pick a lock because that would use the hands they are using to play. Affected allies receive a +2 bonus to saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. Inspire courage is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability.
Countersong: A bard with 3 or more ranks in Perform can counter magical effects that depend on sound. As with inspire courage, a bard may perform a countersong while taking other actions that do not affect the performance. Each round of the countersong, the bard makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard who is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard�s Perform check result in place of the saving throw they would otherwise roll, if the Perform check is better. The bard may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds and counts as a supernatural ability.
Fascinate: A bard with 3 or more ranks in Perform can cause a single creature to become fascinated with them. The creature to be fascinated must be able to see and hear the bard and also must be within 90 feet. The bard must also be able to see the creature and the creature must be paying attention to the bard. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. The bard makes a Perform check, and the target can negate the effect wit a Will saving throw equal to or greater than the bard�s check result. If the saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If the saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the performance for up to 1 round per level of the bard. While fascinated, the target�s Spot and Listen checks suffer a -4 penalty. Any potential threat, such as an ally of the bard moving behind the fascinated creature, allows the creature a second saving throw against a new Perform check result. Any obvious threat, such as drawing a sword or aiming a bow automatically breaks the effect. While fascinating or attempting to fascinate a creature, the bard must concentrate as if casting or maintaing a spell. Fascinate is a spell-like, mind-affecting charm ability.
Inspire Competence: A bard with 6 or more ranks in Perform can help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be able to see and hear the bard and must be within 30 feet. The bard must also be able to see the ally. Depending on the task, the bard may use his performance to lift the allies spirits, to help them focus mentally, or in some other way. The ally gets a +2 bonus on the skill as long as he or she can hear the bard�s performance. The bard can maintain the effect for 2 minutes, which is long enough for the ally to take 20. Inspire competence is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability.
Suggestion: A bard with 9 or more ranks in Perform can make a suggestion to a creature that has already been fascinated (see above). The suggestion does not count against the bard�s daily limit on bardic music performances. A Will saving throw (DC 13 + the bard�s Charisma modifier) negates the effect. If the save is failed, the bard can suggest a course of activity for the affected creature. The suggestion must be worded in a reasonable manner and cannot cause the creature to do something that would directly affect the creature�s well being. Urging an ogre to stop attacking your party so that the ogre and the party could jointly loot a rich treasure elsewhere, is a reasonable example of this ability. Suggestion is a spell-like, mind-affecting charm ability.
Inspire Greatness: A bard with 12 or more ranks in Perform can inspire greatness in another creature. For every two levels the bard attains beyond 9th, the bard can inspire greatness in one additional creature. To inspire greatness the bard must perform and the creature must be able to hear the bard sing for one full round. The creature must also be within 30 feet. The targeted creature gains the following boosts:
- +2d10 (plus the target�s Constitution modifier) of temporary hit points.
- +2 to attacks and damage rolls.
- +1 on Fortitude saves.
Song of Freedom: A bard with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can create an effect equivalent to the break enchantment spell (caster level equals the character�s bard level). Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and music, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A bard can�t use song of freedom on himself.
Inspire Heroics: A bard with 18 or more ranks in a Perform skill can inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet. For every three bard levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, a bard must sing and an ally must hear the bard sing for a full round. A creature so inspired gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for up to 5 rounds thereafter. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability.
Mass Suggestion: This ability functions like suggestion, above, except that a bard with 21 or more ranks in a Perform skill can make the suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated (see above). Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability.
Bardic Knowledge: A bard picks up a lot of stray knowledge while wandering the land and learning stories from other bards. A bard may make a special bardic knowledge check with a bonus equal to their level + their Intelligence modifier to see whether they know some relevant information about a particular subject. At 9th level the bard may also apply his or her Wisdom modifier to the check. This check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint to its general function. The bard may not take 10 or 20 on this check and the knowledge is essentially random. The DC is determined by the GM.
| DC | Type of Knowledge | Example |
| 10 | Common; known by at least a substantial minority of the local population | A local mayor's reputation for drinking, common legends about a powerful place of mystery |
| 20 | Uncommon but available; known by only a few people in the area | A local priest's shady past, legends about a powerful magic item |
| 25 | Obscure; known by few; hard to come by | A knight's family history, legends about a minor place of mystery or magic item |
| 30 | Extremely obscure; known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known by only those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge | A mighty wizard's childhood nickname, the history of a petty magic item |
Distract: At 2nd level a bard can distract an enemy with a feat of legerdemain and thereby gain an advantage in combat. With 3 or more ranks in Pick Pocket a bard can use their slight of hand to slip past an enemy�s guard. The target must be within 5 feet of the bard. The bard then makes a Pick Pocket check opposed by the target�s Spot check. If the bard wins, they are granted a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls for every 5 points by which the check result exceeded the target�s, with a minimum of +1. This only applies to a single attack and can only be attempted once on any target per day.
Living History: At 3rd level a bard gains the Living History Feat.
Bonus Feats: At 4th, 11th, 16th and 20th levels a bard gains a bonus feat of their choice.
Evasion: At 5th level a bard gains the ability to avoid damage. If exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, the bard instead takes no damage on a successful save and only half damage all the time. Evasion can only be used if the bard is wearing light or no armor. Evasion is an extraordinary ability.
Canny Defense: At 5th level a bard gains the Canny Defense Feat, substituting Charisma for Intelligence.
Subsonics: At 6th level a bard can play below normal hearing. Subsonics allows a bard to play so softly that opponents do not notice it, yet their allies still gain all the usual benefits from the bardic music. Similarly, a bard can affect opponents within range, with your performance, unless they can see the performance or detect it in some way.
Virtuoso Performance: Beginning at 7th level a bard can make a performance above and beyond their bardic music. Virtuoso performance is very similar to bardic music but it�s effects are even more spectacular. This ability can be used once per day per 5 levels. At 10th level a bard may add � their Charisma modifier and at 14th the bard may add their entire Charisma modifier to the number of times they can use this performance per day. As with bardic music, a bard may perform other mundane tasks as long as it does not affect the performance itself. If a virtuoso performance forces the audience to make a Will save, then the only other action the bard can take is a 5-foot step.
Calumny: A bard with 10 or more ranks in Perform has mastered the fine art of slander and can create a work that makes a specific character or group appear in the worst light possible. Those in the audience make Will saves against a DC equal to the bard�s Perform check, with a success negating calumny. A successful calumny check however shifts the audience�s attitude toward the target down by one category-for example, from Friendly to Indifferent, from Indifferent to Unfriendly, or from Unfriendly to Hostile. Furthermore, audience members gain a +2 bonus on all opposed social interaction checks against the target. Calumny lingers in the minds of the audience for 24 hours past the last calumny check. For example, if a high-level bard used two calumny performances as a part of his check, the effects would last 2 days.
Jarring Song: A bard with 12 or more ranks in Perform can drive magic users up the wall. Anyone attempting to wield The Source while jarring song is being performed must make a Concentration check with a DC equal to 15 + the casting level of the spell or lose the weave.
Mindbending Melody: A bard with 14 or more ranks in Perform can command a person that has already been fascinated (see bardic music, above). A successful Will saving throw (DC 15 + bard�s Charisma modifier) negates the effect. When active, the target regards you as their trusted master. The target will believe everything the bard tells them, interprets everything the bard says in the most positive light possible, and follows any orders the bard gives without question. Orders that are obviously suicidal or harmful to the target or to those the target loves, allows an additional Will save. If the save succeeds, the target shrugs off the effects, but if the target fails, the orders are followed.
Uncanny Dodge: The bard gains the extraordinary ability to react to danger before their senses would normally allow them to do so, in a stage process. At 7th level and beyond a bard may retain their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. If immobilized a bard will still lose their Dexterity bonus.
At 13th level the bard can no longer be flanked. The bard�s peripheral vision is enhanced so that opponents� attacks on opposite sides of them are not as effective. This defense also denies a character with the flank attack for sneak attack damage, their bonus. However if a character with this ability is at least four levels higher than the bard, their flank still works.
At 19th level the bard gains an intuitive sense that alerts them to traps. This gives the bard a +1 bonus to reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.
Jack-of-all-trades: At 8th level a bard becomes proficient in even obscure skills. With this a bard can use any skill untrained, even those that normally require training and those that are exclusive to classes they don�t have. The bard cannot, however, gain ranks in a skill unless they can select it.
| Class Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Reflex Save | Will Save | Def | Rep | Special |
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +0 | Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge |
| 2 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +1 | Distract |
| 3 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +1 | Living History |
| 4 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Bonus Feat |
| 5 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | +5 | +2 | Evasion, Canny Defense |
| 6 | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Subsonics |
| 7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | +6 | +3 | VP (I), Uncanny Dodge (I) |
| 8 | +6/1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Jack-of-all-trades |
| 9 | +6/1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Bardic Knowledge (II) |
| 10 | +7/2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +4 | Bardic Music (II), VP (II) |
| 11 | +8/3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +4 | Bonus Feat |
| 12 | +9/4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | +8 | +5 | |
| 13 | +9/4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | +8 | +5 | Uncanny Dodge (II) |
| 14 | +10/5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | +8 | +5 | VP (III) |
| 15 | +11/6/1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | +9 | +6 | |
| 16 | +12/7/2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Bonus Feat |
| 17 | +12/7/2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | +10 | +7 | Bardic Music (III) |
| 18 | +13/8/3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | +10 | +7 | |
| 19 | +14/9/4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | +10 | +7 | Uncanny Dodge (III) |
| 20 | +15/10/5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | +11 | +8 | Bonus Feat |