The Bard (Ess' project class #4)

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Essence
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The Bard (Ess' project class #4)

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This classy classic class brings to light a bunch of new mechanics I’ve adopted for this project, specifically the ones surrounding spellcasting. Mostly, they’re stolen from Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed again, because I think the ideas are good ones.

To wit:
  • All casters cast through a combination of spontaneous casting and spell memorization. Essentially, they choose a list of spells from which they are able to cast spontaneously, and they can change the list with an hour-long ritual. Creating this list is called “readying your spells” When creating the list, they can choose any spell they have access to (see next few points.)
  • All classes cast from the same spell list, but have access to different difficulty levels of spells:
    Basic spells are a specific list of 15 0th-level spells.
    Simple spells include illusions, enchantments, summoning spells (but not calling spells), basic healing and restorative spells (basically any restorative available to a Bard in 3.5), single-target buffs that don’t add to one’s BAB in any manner, and lesser damaging spells (basically any non-direct damaging spell available to clerics in 3.5).
    Normal spells include more advanced healing and restorative spells (any restorative/preventative spell not available to Bards), slightly better damaging spells (the direct-damage Cleric spells from 3.5), multi-target buffs, buffs that add to BAB, calling spells, non-soul-affecting necromantic spells, and short-term item-enchantment spells.
    Complex spells include basically anything that’s not already on this list, except for nature magic (Druids and Rangers), spirit magic (Shugenja, Shamen, and Wu Jen), and psionics (Psion, Psychic Warrior, and Physical Adepts.)
    Exotic spells include spells unique to particular styles of casting (Nature magic, Spirit magic, Psionics, etc), and every exotic spell has at least one class that gains it as a class feature.
  • Feats exist which can grant a character access to more complex spells than they can normally cast, either by spell level, by specific spell, or by descriptor (i.e. “all spells with the [air] descriptor count as Simple spells to you” or something similar.)
  • There are a number of magic templates that some casters can use to alter the spells they cast. Bards, for example, can apply the Sonic template to any damaging spell they cast, which basically adds the [Sonic] descriptor to the spell and adds a round of deafness per point of damage inflicted to any damaging spell (or 2 rounds if the spell already had the [Sonic] descriptor.)
  • Feats exist which can grant a character access to particular Spell Templates
  • Spell components are determined by what class you are, not what spell you’re casting.
  • Finally, spell slots can be traded downward at a 2-for-1 ratio, or traded upward at a 3-for-1 ratio. Spell slots cannot be traded upward if the caster does not have access to spells of the higher level.


Stolen from Frank, rather than from Monte:
  • All spell effects that are usually based on “caster level” are instead based on “character level” – so that the ONLY thing that your “caster level” does is determine your Spell Slots per Day/Spells Readied list.
  • The formula for spell saving throws has been changed to match every single other saving throw a PC can generate: They are all, universally, now 10 + 1/2 character + stat.



On the Bard’s 7th level spells: After pondering the “half-caster” and “quarter-caster” progressions handed to the Bard and the Ranger/Paladin, I decided that partial casters are overly punished for their partial-ness, so I developed three spellcasting progressions, which gave access to 9, 7, and 5 levels of spells. The loss of two spell levels per downward step is a pretty severe blow, particularly considering how few of the highest-level spells the partial casters get.

On “Spell Failure”: ALL spells have Spell Failure – but only if the class that casts them has Somatic components to it’s spells. If the class instead has Gesture components, they have no spell failure, but they have to be able to move (i.e. non-helpless and non-restrained). If the class has neither Somatic or Gesture components (usually only psionic classes), he can cast spells while helpless or restrained.


Also, as a mechanical note, feats with the [magical] descriptor are feats like Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, the aforementioned feats that allow access to spell templates and more complex spells, and other feats that add to one’s casting power without being Metamagical or item creation feats.

Finally, some people might ask why Bards eventually get to cast in Heavy Armor. This was for a few reasons. First, I have some heavy armors in my game that aren’t Full Plate, but are still worthwhile, and some of those armors are stylistically not inappropriate for a bard to wear. Secondly, I want to encourage some combinations of classes and/or concepts that are unusual to a player accustomed to PHB-style D&D. Some of this includes giving some classes abilities that don’t seem to work immediately into their concept and/or their existing abilities. Finally, I don’t want characters who already have heavy armor profs to avoid multiclassing into Bard because they will have to drop down to light armor. They will still have to do so for several levels, of course, but eventually they’ll get their freedom of choice back. Balance-wise, Ignore Spell Failure: Medium and Heavy combined don’t count against the class as much as Ignore Spell Failure: Shields does, because I know it won’t come into play for many Bards.


BARD

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features and Spell Slots Per Day/Spells Readied by Level:

Code: Select all

[br]							Spell Levels:[br]                                                 0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7[br] 1 Bardic music, bardic knowledge,                                    [br]   countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1   2/3 0/1                              [br] 2 Inspire friendship                           2/4 1/2                       [br] 3 Inspire competence                           3/4 2/3                       [br] 4 Master of sound (+1)                         3/5 2/3 0/1                   [br] 5 Ignore spell failure: shields                3/5 2/4 1/2                   [br] 6 Suggestion                                   4/6 3/4 2/3                    [br] 7 Bonus feat                                   4/6 3/5 2/3 0/1                [br] 8 Inspire courage +2                           4/7 3/5 2/4 1/2                [br] 9 Inspire greatness                            5/7 4/6 3/4 2/3                  [br]10 Master of sound (+2)                         5/7 4/6 3/5 2/3 0/1             [br]11 Ignore spell failure: medium armor           5/8 4/7 3/5 2/4 1/2            [br]12 Song of freedom                              5/8 5/7 4/6 3/4 2/3             [br]13 Bonus feat                                   5/8 5/7 4/6 3/5 2/3 0/1           [br]14 Inspire courage +3                           5/8 5/8 4/7 3/5 2/4 1/2            [br]15 Inspire heroics                              5/8 5/8 5/7 4/6 3/4 2/3            [br]16 Master of sound (+3)                         5/8 5/8 5/7 4/6 3/5 2/3 0/1       [br]17 Ignore spell failure: heavy armor            5/8 5/8 5/8 4/7 3/5 2/4 1/2      [br]18 Mass suggestion                              5/8 5/8 5/8 5/7 4/6 3/4 2/3     [br]19 Bonus feat                                   5/8 5/8 5/8 5/7 4/6 3/5 2/3 0/1[br]20 Inspire courage +4, song of power            5/8 5/8 5/8 5/8 4/7 3/5 2/4 1/2[br]


Class Features
All of the following are class features of the bard.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Bards are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). A bard can cast spells from any spell slots he gained as a bard while wearing light armor without incurring the normal spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of spell failure (but see the Ignore Spell Failure ability, below.) A multiclass Bard does not ignore spell failure when casting spells from slots he obtained from any class other than bard.
Spells: A bard has access to simple spells, and any spells with the [Sonic] descriptor. Every bard spell has a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music), and a somatic component (gesturing, dancing, or acting). A bard may choose to ready any spell he has access to provided he can cast spells of that level. He readies spells ahead of time, any of which he can cast up to the maximum number of spell slots available to him for each given level. To ready or cast a spell, a bard must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a bard’s spell is 10 + 1/2 the bard’s character level + the bard’s Charisma modifier. Bards are able to add the Sonic template to any damaging spell (see Spell Templates under the Magic description.)
Bardic Knowledge: A bard may make a special bardic knowledge check with a bonus equal to his bard level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the bard has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)
A successful bardic knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. A bard may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.

<insert Bardic Knowledge DC table here>

Bardic Music (varies): Once per day per bard level, a bard can use his song or poetics to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). While these abilities fall under the category of bardic music and the descriptions discuss singing or playing instruments, they can all be activated by reciting poetry, chanting, singing lyrical songs, singing melodies, whistling, playing an instrument, or playing an instrument in combination with some spoken performance. Each ability requires both a minimum bard level and a minimum number of ranks in the Perform skill to qualify; if a bard does not have the required number of ranks in at least one Perform skill, he does not gain the bardic music ability until he acquires the needed ranks.
Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using bardic music that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), or activate magic items by magic word (such as wands). Just as for casting a spell with a verbal component, a deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use bardic music. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his daily limit.
Countersong (Su): A bard with 2 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to counter magical effects that depend on sound (but not spells that simply have verbal components). Each round of the countersong, he makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself ) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Countersong has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. The bard may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds.
Fascinate (Sp): A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and able to pay attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.
The targets creatures make Will saves (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s character level + the bard’s Charisma modifier). If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the song, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (up to a maximum of 1 round per bard level). While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the bard to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result.
Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Courage (Su): A bard with 4 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself ), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Friendship (Su): A bard of 2nd level or higher with 5 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetic to sway the mind of a humanoid within 30 feet. The target becomes Friendly to the bard and up to one ally per four class levels visible to the target. The bard must continuously perform for the target, which prevents most methods of communication with the target, but the bard’s allies can communicate normally with the target. This ability lasts for as long as the bard performs plus 1 round per class level, up to a maximum of 1 minute.
Inspire Competence (Su): A bard of 3rd level or higher with 6 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally.
The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he or she continues to hear the bard’s music. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. A bard can’t inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence is a mind-affecting ability.
Suggestion (Sp): A bard of 6th level or higher with 9 or more ranks in a Perform skill can make a suggestion (as the spell) to a creature that he has already fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not break the bard’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect.
Making a suggestion doesn’t count against a bard’s daily limit on bardic music performances. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see [/I]mass suggestion[/I], below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language dependent ability.
Inspire Greatness (Su): A bard of 9th level or higher with 12 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting him or her extra fighting capability. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally with a single use of this ability (two at 12th level, three at 15th, four at 18th). To inspire greatness, a bard must sing and an ally must hear him sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependant. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability.
Song of Freedom (Sp): A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to create an effect equivalent to the break enchantment spell (caster level equals the character’s bard level). Using this ability requires 5 full rounds 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 (Su): A bard of 15th level or higher with 18 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to 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 (Sp): This ability functions like [/I]suggestion[/i], above, except that a bard of 18th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in the 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.
Song of Power(Su): A bard of 20th level or higher with 23 ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to charge his body and soul with the magic that music carries, triggering one of two transformative effects.
First, he could use the Song of Power to accelerate his magical abilities, transforming his body into a glowing, semi-translucent form that hovers inches above the ground and seems less to walk and more to be pulled as if on wires. The Bard must sing continuously to maintain the transformation, and uses up one use of Bardic Music per round that he maintains the transformation. Under the effects of this transformation, the Bard can cast any spell he has access to without using up his daily allotment of spell slots, but no more than one spell per round. Casting spells in this manner does not use up spell slots, nor does it require that he has readied the spell previously. Furthermore, the Bard gains Spell Resistance 15+character level in this form.
Second, he could use the Song of Power to accelerate his physical abilities, exactly duplicating the effects of a Divine Power spell, except that the Bard must sing continuously as he fights, and the Bard gains Damage Reduction 7/-. Maintaining this transformation requires that the Bard use one use of his Bardic Music ability per round.
Master of Sound (Su): At 4th level, and again every 6 levels beyond the 4th (10th and 16th), a Bard deals an additional +1 damage per spell level when casting a spell or using a spell-like ability that deals sonic damage. Alternately, the Bard can choose to gain a +1 bonus to the DCs of spells or spell-like abilities with the [sonic] descriptor. The Bard makes this decision whenever he casts a spell (or activates a spell-like ability) that has the [sonic] descriptor.
Ignore Spell Failure: Shields (Ex): At 5th level and beyond, Bards suffer no spell failure for their bardic spells while using shields.
Bonus Feat (Ex): At 7th level and every 6th level thereafter (13th and 19th), the Bard gains a bonus feat with either the [combat] or [magical] descriptors.
Ignore Spell Failure: Medium Armor (Ex): At 11th level and beyond, Bards suffer no spell failure for their bardic spells while wearing medium armor.
Ignore Spell Failure: Heavy Armor (Ex): At 17th level and beyond, Bards suffer no spell failure for their bardic spells while using heavy armor.




Essence
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