Again: Bards

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artikid
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Again: Bards

Post by artikid »

Hi,
a few thoughts on a Bard class/supplement collected from a discussion we had on dragonsfoot.org.

Bards are wandering Troubadours: suave and knowledgeable.
Thanks to their abilities they can mingle easily with the highest lords and ladies as well as with the lowliest rogues and rascals.
Bards are particularly successful as heralds, diplomats and spies.

Lvl XP HD Bardic Music
1 0 1d4 1
2 1,250 2d4 1
3 2,500 3d4 2
4 5,000 4d4 2
5 10,000 5d4 3
6 20,000 6d4 3
7 40,000 7d4 4
8 75,000 8d4 4
9 150,000 9d4 5
10 225,000 9d4+2 5
11 300,000 9d4+4 6
12 375,000 9d4+6 6
13 450,000 9d4+8 7
14 525,000 9d4+10 7
15 600,000 9d4+12 8
16 675,000 9d4+14 8
17 750,000 9d4+16 9
18 825,000 9d4+18 9
19 900,000 9d4+20 10
20 975,000 9d4+22 10

Requirements:
In order to qualify to be a bard, one must have rolled a Dexterity of 9 or higher, and a Charisma of 9 or higher.

Class Abilities:
Bards may use any armor up to leather but no shields. They may wield any one handed melee or thrown weapons plus spears, slings, light crossbows and short bows.
Bards fight and save as Thieves of an equal level and may use any magic item open to characters of the Thief class.
The class is open to Elves, Gnomes, Half- elves and Humans.
Bards can use the Climb walls, Pick Pockets and Listen Thief skills as a Thief of equal level.
In addition, a bard has a 5% chance per level of knowing some useful fact, rumor or legend. He may even be able to determine the properties of magical items at GM discretion.

Bardic music:
To operate his musical magic the bard must be free to play an instrument and sing. Activating bardic music powers counts as an action for the round (like casting a spell).
Each bard can use its bardic music powers a number of times per day that depends on his level. So a Bard can use its musical powers from 1 time per day (first level) to 10 times per day (19th level or more).
Bardic music can have a variety of effects: a bard knows as many bard songs as his Barrdic Music score +1 (from 2 to 11).
Also, bardic music uses can be used to activate magical musical instruments (like Drums of Panic or Horn of Blasting) extra times per day, each bardic music use consumed allows the bard to play the instrument one extra time. Horns of Blasting do not risk shattering when employed by bards in this way.
All bardic music powers last as long as the bard plays (up to a maximum number of rounds equal to the bard's level) and 1d4 rounds thereafter.
Bardic music has a range of 60' feet from the bard and targets must be able to hear the bard's music to be affected by its power.
Bardic music is not magical in nature and can thus not be dispelled and affected by anti-magic shells and similar magic. However a silence spell negates bardic music.

Bardic Songs:
Bardic songs can simulate the following spell effects using the Bard's level as the caster's level where necessary.
Audible Glamer
Bane
Bless
Cause fear
Charm Animal
Charm Person
Charm Monster
Confusion
Haste
Remove Fear
Sleep
Suggestion
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artikid
Posts: 364
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 5:59 am
Location: Enna, Italy
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Re: Again: Bards

Post by artikid »

Although I revised the adept and the barbarian I still think that the Bard I wrote can work as it is now.
Any comments or suggestions?
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