BARD ----- "There is small magick everywhere in the world. Many who have lived in the larger cities and towns for long enough have forgotten, but those who still dwell in the little villages and hamlets, along the ancient rivers, out on the lonely moors, or in the deep forest still remember. The Bluebird's Song that a lost child might sing to find their way back to the forest path that leads to their cottage, the Faerie Song of Hiding sung by a grandmother out gathering wood wishing to be unnoticed by a large troll passing near, The Shepherd's Song that would call animals to the caster, as long as he knew their names, The Sailor's Chant to summon a minor wind; strong enough to propel a boat if enough of the crew were participating - many of these folk know a minor ritual or two, even if it is just something to kindle a fire in the hearth, or put a colicky baby to sleep." - excerpt from a D&D forum Bards take this a step further. Their magic is typically stronger and more reliable, but the origins are nearly the same. In the course of their travels, bards learn stories and songs of brave heroes, daring rogues, enchanting faerie queens, fearsome giants, mystical realms, and mighty deeds. Bards learn to make these stories come alive in the minds of their audience. A powerful enough bard can literally conjure forth a moving image of color and sound capable of rendering the entire room of listeners spellbound with the story that is being spun. ** ** Certain elements in the environment may affect the potency of a bardic song. For instance, the charming power of a love song may be enhanced if sung during a full moon. Bards wander the land in search of new experiences, lyrical inspiration, heroic tales, and esoteric knowledge. They rarely stay in one place for very long, nor do they hold on to much. They live to be free to roam the highways and byways, telling stories, singing songs, and getting into a little mischief along the way. * HIT POINTS: D6 per level. Add CON Bonus at 1st level only. 2pts/level after 9th level. * +2 to SPELLS and +1 to REFLEX Saving Throws. * Armor: Light or medium armor, no shield. * Weapons: Any one-handed melee weapon and crossbow. * Bards get a number of melee attacks against 'Normal Men'(or creatures of basically that strength, i.e., goblins, kobolds, dwarves, orks, men, gnomes, giant rats, etc) equal to their level each round when using swords or daggers. So a 3rd level Bard would have 3 attacks/round against these. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fighting Ability: Begin with +1. Add +1 levels 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15. (CHA)Influence, persuade, seduce: Begin with +1. Add +1 at every level through level 16. (DEX)Open Locks, Puzzle Boxes(INT)/Magical Closures(INT): Begin with +1. Add +1 every level through level 16. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Languages: Begin knowing Common plus 4 more. Can learn an additional 2 languages for each point of INT above 10 instead of the usual 1 language per point. * Bards can use most magic items that Fighters or Thieves can use, as well as all general purpose magic items. They cannot use magical weapons and armor that cannot normally be used by their class(2-H swords, plate armor, etc). * Bards will always carry at least one finely crafted musical instrument with them. The instruments can be of any kind imaginable, but one is always a stringed instrument. * Bards begin knowing 2D4 magical songs/spells. These songs may be chosen by the player beforehand or created out of necessity during play. Spell ideas can be taken from real songs (Moonshadow, Sounds of Silence, I Hear You Knockin' But You Can't Come In, etc). D4 new songs may be learned at each succeeding XP level. New Bardic songs may be learned from other bards, dragons/creatures, or rural 'singers of small magick'. Songs may also be found written in books or on scrolls, or penned by the Bard themself from stories or legends heard about or found in writings during their travels, from personal inspiration and from intuitive connection to the natural world around them (the Bluebird's Song). * Bards can sing/play CHA bonus spellsongs/day at level 1 plus 1/day for each subsequent XP level. They can choose from any of the spells that they know, but each magical song may be sung no more than twice within a 24 hour period. The third time the song is sung that day, it is merely a mundane song which has no power, and will remain so until the following day. There are no 'spell levels' as such, but the power and results of the spellsong are to be determined (by the DM) based on the XP level of the Bard who is casting it and in conjunction with the caster's desired effect. Note that the same magical song sung as a 10th level Bard will usually produce a much more powerful effect than it did when the Bard singing it was only 2nd level. Although, of course, a 10th level bard *could* sing/play the song at a 2nd level of magical effect if so desired. See the table below for the approximate power level of a spell given the XP level of the Bard: XP level 1 = 1st level spells XP level 3 = 2nd level spells XP level 5 = 3rd level spells XP level 8 = 4th level spells XP level 11 = 5th level spells XP level 14 = 6th level spells The power of Bardic magic tops out at the 6th level of magic. The ability to cast magical spellsongs of 6th level occurs about the time the Bard reaches 14th level of XP. Songs must be played and/or sung/chanted for the magic to work, although the Bard's voice may be at a very low volume if necessary. * Bards may know hundreds of non-magical songs with mundane or heroic themes that they can sing at any time. They can also compose non-magical songs at any time. These songs may be used to raise morale, counterspell, for creating atmosphere, witty jests, entertainment, wooing, calming angry creatures, or any other purpose. Some of these songs, though not 'magical' may give a bonus to die rolls for certain desired reactions. * Bardic Lore: Bards travel widely and hear many things. They have a 1-2(D6) chance to know the answer to a general question about legends, and mythology, local heroes and fables, famous weapons, the occult, enchanted monsters, local customs, history, heraldry, theology, philosophy, music, literature, geography, medicine, law, science, mathematics, gaming, martial theory, etc., that pertains to the adventure at hand. Examples in play: 1) Upon finding yourself in a strange forest, you might recall that this place is called the Tulgey Wood and a fearsome beast called the Jabberwock hunts here. 2) On finding a mysterious artifact in a dungeon, you might have heard tales of this ancient relic and know something of its history and power. 3) Upon traveling to a new land, you may remember stories of a powerful witch who lives here, or who the ancient enemy of these people is, or who stole the fabulous Golden Fleece from the never-sleeping dragon, or that King Cyrus holds the Achy Breaky Dance Ball every year on Midsummer's Eve. * +3 on Reaction Rolls from Faeriekind. * Bards are quite adept at games of chance and add their CHA bonus to any rolls involving them(except for when playing games of chance against Thieves and Pirates). Bards are also adept at parlor games, boardgames, and word games but add no bonus when playing ANY game against Hobbits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * At 1st level, a Bard's music will raise the morale and give a bonus to Saving Throws and Skill Checks of +1 to friends and allies, while also penalizing those of adversaries by -1. This is usable once per XP level times per day. At 9th level, this becomes +2/-2. * At 2nd level, Bards can use songs to counterspell the songs of other bards or creatures that make use of song or sound(harpies, shriekers, groaning spirits, etc...). See COUNTERSPELLING below. * At 3rd level, Bards gain the skill of ventriloquism and can mimic any voice they have ever heard before. * At 4th level, a Bard gets Witty Insult, which can be used once per XP level times per day. With this skill you can to use your wit to distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of another when they are making an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. They will make that roll with Disadvantage. If the intended recipient is 4th level/4HD or above, they get a saving throw vs Spells in order to avoid the effects. * At 4th level, Bards can Charm Person*(as MU spell) with their music 1/day. At 8th level, 2 times/day and add Charm Monster**. At 12th level, 3 times/ day and plants are included. * Charm Person includes living humans, demi-humans, humanoids, giants, faeriekind, and similar types. ** Charm Monster includes most everything else. * At 5th level, a Bard can pen sheet music from memory of a song they have heard only once before. The song can be magical or mundane. * At 5th level, Bards also gain the skill, Clever Reposte, which may allow them to turn another bard's Witty Insult back on themselves. Use the Counterspell Table below. * Beginning at 6th level, a Bard gets a 2 in 6 chance to understand most contemporary spoken languages, EXCLUDING those that are highly obscure or only spoken by a handful of people. When listening to anyone speak an unfamiliar language, the Bard, if successful, can grok the gist of what the person or creature is saying and even haltingly reply back in the unknown tongue. At level 10, a 3 in 6 chance, and 4 in 6 at level 14. NOTE that the Bard will always believe he or she has succeeded, even if they are mistaken in the translation and replying to the speaker in only gibberish...or worse. * Bards are skilled musical instrument makers and can craft any stringed, keyed, woodwind, or percussion instrument at 7th level. These instruments will be of very high quality - worthy of a professional Bard. * At 8th level, a Bard has a 2 in 6 chance of getting psychic impressions when in physical contact with a known or unknown item or part of an ancient ruin or place which was surrounded by great power or involved in extraordinary or legendary events. These impressions may be mental, emotional, and/or involve any combination of the physical senses. This power may be used once per day. * At 9th level, a Bard is well known throughout the land and is in demand far and wide for the stories they tell and the entertainment they bring. At this level, Bards can compose their own magical songs, just as Magic- Users can research new spells. The new song will take a number of weeks equal to the level of the spell desired to compose. At the end of that time, the Bard must roll a D6. On a roll of 1, the song is only a catchy tune, but unable to produce the desired effect and composition must be begun again. While composing a new magical song, the Bard may not be out adventuring, but must be in a quiet, relaxing place in order to allow the muse of inspiration to visit their soul. At 9th level, a Bard can weave an illusory 3D image, complete with sound and scent, of the story they are telling. This image appears completely real and solid and can mesmerize and charm all who are able to see or hear the Bard (saving throws apply to any with INT of 13+). The effect lasts for 2D6 rounds after the Bard has stopped playing/ singing. This can be done 1+CHA bonus times per day. Any song or story can be sung or told in this way, however, the grander the song, the grander the vision. * At 10th level, Bards get 2 attacks/round. * At 12th level, Bards are immune to mind-affecting spells (charms, compulsions, phantasms, hypnotic patterns, morale effects, and the like) cast by mortals and fey. * At 14th Level, a Bard is known as a MASTER BARD. * Bards can counterspell the songs of other bards or creatures that make use of song or sound(harpies, shriekers, groaning spirits, etc...) at any level. SEE BELOW: Compare the level of the countering bard with that of the attacking bard or creature then consult the table below. The counterspelling bard rolls 2d6 + CHA bonus, and if he or she beats the target number the spell is successfully countered. Rolling the exact number required indicates nominal success. Rolling higher than the number required indicates better results. **DM judgement here** Counterspelling Bard is: 10 or more levels higher 4 or better 7-9 levels higher 5 or better 4-6 levels higher 6 or better 1-3 levels higher: 7 or better Equal level: 8 or better 1-3 level lower: 9 or better 4-6 levels lower: 10 or better 7-9 levels lower: 11 or better 10 or more levels lower: 12 ** "levels" refer to HD when referring to "monsters" If the counterspelling Bard is hit for damage during the round they are counterspelling, he/she must make a SPELLS SAVE (add CHA bonus to roll) to see if the counterspell was interrupted. The counterspelling Bard still gets a normal saving throw if applicable. Bard Level Names ---------------- Level 1.....Lyrist Level 2.....Raconteur Level 3.....Jongleur Level 4.....Skald Level 5.....Minstrel Level 6.....Harper Level 7.....Troubadour Level 8.....Lorist Level 9.....Bard Level 14....Master Bard ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bard Spell Examples -------------------- Moonshadow: Good for thieves. Shadows deepen and thicken. Bonus to Hide in Shadows for thieves. Gives non-thief characters the ability of a 7th-level thief to Hide in Shadows. Lasts for 1 turn/level of bard. Sounds of Silence: Can be cast as an area effect spell(10' radius per caster level) or on a specific creature. Lasts 1 turn per XP level of bard. Can be used either to mute all sounds emanating from the creatures in the circle or to protect those inside from sounds without. I Hear You Knocking: Closes and magically locks doors/portals (as Hold Portal or Wizard Lock) Ride of the Valkyries: Summons 1-3 Valkyries to fight on the side of The Party. (AC:4, F:3, DMG:1-6) Valkyries fight for D6 rounds or until slain, whichever comes first. Can only be used once per month. Theme from Ghostbusters: Protection from touch of Spirits, Wraiths, Phantasms, and Ghosts. 10' radius. Lasts as long as the song goes on. March of the Dwarven Clans: Spirits high, exhaustion relieved, can double distance traveled on foot in a day. If used for two days in a row, the third day must be a day of rest - no foot travel. Kung Fu Fightin': Causes 2D6 humanoid adversaries within 60' to break into kung fu fighting amongst themselves. Those at/above level 4 or with a 13+ INT get a saving throw. Lasts for D4 rounds after the bard stops playing. The Lion Sleeps Tonight: "Calms the savage beast". Ferocious animals become calm and drowsey. Save vs spell or fall asleep for D4 hours. Animals who make the save will still remain quiet and docile for D4 turns after the song ends. Only affects non-fantastical mammals (not dragons, griffins, chimera, giant frogs, etc). Eye of the Tiger: Intimidate humanoid opponent(s). Causes Morale Check. Those at/above level 4 or with a 13+ PSY get a saving throw. Bridge Over Troubled Water: Creates a bridge of shimmering translucence 10' long per level of bard. Lasts for as long as the bard is playing. Monster Mash: Causes all humanoid monsters of 8HD or less within hearing range to dance in a jerky fashion. Attack rolls are at -4. Those at/above level 4 or with a 13+ INT get a saving throw. Lasts for D4 rounds after the bard stops playing. Walkin' a Tightrope: Safety Dance: Walk Like an Egyptian: Ain't No Mountain High Enough: I Heard It Through The Grapevine: Return To Sender: Would I Lie To You: Fly Me to the Moon: