Thursday, July 1, 2010

Bard

BARD

From the shadowy corners of Athas’ most disreputable places hails the bard. Athasian bards are the unquestioned masters of oral tradition and forgotten lore, but rather than sharing their lore with whoever will listen, Athasian bards guard their secrets as jealously as the sorcerer‐kings harbor their water and iron. Athasian bards may sell information to the highest bidder; they peddle their services and the fruits of their knowledge, but trade secrets are what give bards an edge on the uninitiated. Bards would rather die than reveal these secrets.

Role: Meeting a bard can be an uneasy encounter, since one never knows how the bard has chosen to devote his multiple talents. Some bards master the art of making poisons, and survive by selling these poisons and their antidotes for those who have coin to pay. Some bards master the art of entertainment, using their performances to amuse nobles and templars and gain wealth. Some become assassins, mixing their knowledge of poison and stealth to become hired hands. Bards’ unique position in the Athasian society means they often overhear conversations between high‐ranking templars or nobles, or they may have treated an injured person that prefers to remain anonymous. Respectable folk despise them; the powerful fear them; but in the Athasian cities, everyone eventually comes to need their services.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8.

BARD

Extracts per Day

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Alchemy, Bardic Knowledge, 1 - - - - -

Bardic Performance, Countersong

Distraction, Fascinate, Smuggler

2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Poison Resistance +2 2 - - - - -

Poison Use, Well Versed

3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Identify Poison, Swift Alchemy 3 - - - - -

4th +3 +1 +4 +4 Trade Secret 3 1 - - - -

5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Lore Master 1/day, Poison 4 2 - - - -

Resistance +4

6th +4 +2 +5 +5 Suggestion, Swift Poisoning 4 3 - - - -

7th +5 +2 +5 +5 Extend Poison 4 3 1 - - -

8th +6 +2 +6 +6 Poison Resistance +6 4 4 2 - - -

Trade Secret

9th +6 +3 +6 +6 Empower Poison 5 4 3 - - -

10th +7 +3 +7 +7 Jack-of-all-trades, 5 4 3 1 - -

Poison Immunity

11th +8 +3 +7 +7 Lore Master 2/day 5 4 4 2 - -

Slippery Mind

12th +9 +4 +8 +8 Soothing Performance, 5 5 4 3 - -

Trade Secret

13th +9 +4 +8 +8 Maximize Poison 5 5 4 3 1 -

14th +10 +4 +9 +9 Defensive Roll 5 5 4 4 2 -

15th +11 +5 +9 +9 Quicken Poison 5 5 5 4 3 -

16th +12 +5 +10 +10 Trade Secret 5 5 5 4 3 1

17th +12 +5 +10 +10 Awareness, Lore Master 3/day 5 5 5 4 4 2

18th +13 +6 +11 +11 Instant Alchemy, 5 5 5 5 4 3

Mass Suggestion

19th +14 +6 +11 +11 Mindblank 5 5 5 5 5 4

20th +15 +6 +12 +12 Deadly Performance 5 5 5 5 5 5

Class Skills

The Bard’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The following are class features of the Bard.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the bard’s friend, crossbow (any), garrote, greater blowgun, rapier, shortbow, whip and widow’s knife. Bards are also proficient with light armor, but not shields.

Alchemy (Su): Bards are not only masters of creating mundane alchemical substances such as Alchemist’s fire and smokesticks, but also of fashioning magical potion-like extracts in which they can store spell-like effects. In effect, a Bard prepares his spells by mixing ingredients into a number of extracts, and then “casts” his spells by drinking the extract. When a Bard creates an extract, he infuses the concoction with a tiny fraction of his own energy—this enables the creation of powerful effects, but also binds the effects to the creator.

When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, a Bard gains a competence bonus equal to his class level to the Craft (alchemy) check. In addition, a Bard can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic. He must hold the potion for one round to make such a check.

In many ways, extracts behave like spells in potion form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by effects like dispel magic using the Bard’s level as the caster level. Unlike potions, though, extracts can have powerful effects and duplicate spells that a potion normally could not.

A Bard can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day. His base daily allotment of extracts is given on the table above. In addition, he receives bonus extracts per day if he has a high Intelligence score, in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day.

When a Bard mixes an extract, he infuses the chemicals and reagents in the extract with energy from his own aura. An extract immediately becomes inert if it leaves the Bard’s possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping—a Bard cannot pass out his extracts for allies to use. An extract, once created, remains potent for 1 day before becoming inert, so a Bard must re-prepare his extracts every day. Mixing an extract takes 1 minute of work—most Bards prepare many extracts at the start of the day or just before going on an adventure, but it’s not uncommon for a Bard to keep some (or even all) of his daily extract slots open so that he can prepare extracts in the field as needed.

Although Bards don’t actually cast spells, they do have a formulae list that determines what extracts they can create. A Bard can utilize spelltrigger items if the spell appears on his formuale list, but not spell-completion items (unless he uses Use Magic Device to do so). An extract is “cast” by drinking it, as if imbibing a potion—the effects of an extract exactly duplicate the spell upon which its formula is based, save that the spell always affects only the drinking Bard. The Bard uses his level as the caster level to determine any effect based on caster level.

Creating extracts consumes raw materials, but the cost of these materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the consumption of that particular extract. Extracts cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements (Bard extracts that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement).

A Bard can prepare an extract of any formula he knows. To learn or use an extract, a Bard must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the extract’s level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Bard’s extract is 10 + the extract level + the Bard’s Intelligence modifier.

A Bard may know any number of formulae. He stores his formulae in a special tome called a formula book. He must refer to this book whenever he prepares an extract but not when he consumes it. A Bard begins play with two 1st-level formulae of his choice, plus a number of additional formulae equal to his Intelligence modifier. At each new Bard

level, he gains one new formula of any level that he can create. A Bard can also add formulae to his book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs and time requirements. A Bard can study a wizard’s spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book.

Bardic Knowledge (Ex): A bard adds half his class level (minimum 1) to all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained.

Bardic Performance: A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create exceptional effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the bard can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his level.

Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.

At 7th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a swift action.

Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both.

If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the bard for the performance to have any effect, and such performances are language dependent. A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components.

If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.

Countersong (Su): At 1st level, a bard learns to counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components). Each round of the countersong he makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill 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 noninstantaneous 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 skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components.

Distraction (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the distraction, he makes a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself ) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) 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 skill check proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the distraction is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the distraction, but it must use the bard’s Perform skill check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components.

Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance 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 capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. For every three levels the bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability.

Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect. 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 observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on all skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect.

Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mindaffecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.

Suggestion (Sp): A bard of 6th level or higher can use his performance to make a suggestion (as per the spell) to a creature he has already fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not disrupt the fascinate effect, but it does require a standard action to activate (in addition to the free action to continue the fascinate effect). A bard can use this ability more than once against an individual creature during an individual performance.

Making a suggestion does not count against a bard’s daily use of bardic performance. 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. Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind affecting, languagedependent ability and relies on audible components.

Soothing Performance (Su): A bard of 12th level or higher can use his performance to create an effect equivalent to a mass cure serious wounds, using the bard’s level as the caster level. In addition, this performance removes the fatigued, sickened, and shaken conditions from all those affected. Using this ability requires 4 rounds of continuous performance, and the targets must be able to see and hear the bard throughout the performance. Soothing performance affects all targets that remain within 30 feet throughout the performance. Soothing performance relies on audible and visual components.

Mass Suggestion (Sp): This ability functions just like suggestion, but allows a bard of 18th level or higher to make a suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated. Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language dependent ability that relies on audible components.

Deadly Performance (Su): A bard of 20th level or higher can use his performance to cause one enemy to die from joy or sorrow. To be affected, the target must be able to see and hear the bard perform for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The target receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the target is staggered for 1d4 rounds, and the bard cannot use deadly performance on that creature again for 24 hours. If a creature’s saving throw fails, it dies. Deadly performance is a mind-affecting death effect that relies on audible and visual components.

Smuggler: A bard adds half his class level (minimum 1) to all Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks.

Poison Resistance (Ex): At 2nd level, a Bard gains a +2 bonus on all saving throws against poison. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, and then again to +6 at 8th level. At 10th level, a Bard becomes completely immune to poison.

Poison Use (Ex): Bards are trained in the use of poison and starting at 2nd level, cannot accidentally poison themselves when applying poison to a weapon.

Well-Versed (Ex): At 2nd level, the Bard becomes resistant to the bardic performance of others, and to sonic effects in general. The bard gains a +4 bonus on saving throws made against bardic performance, sonic, and language dependent effects.

Identify Poison (Ex): At 3rd level, a Bard can safely identify any poison through an appropriate method (smell, taste, alchemical test) without risking harm.

Swift Alchemy (Ex): At 3rd level, a Bard can create alchemical items with astounding speed. It takes a Bard half the normal amount of time to create alchemical items, and he can apply poison to a weapon as a move-equivalent action.

Trade Secrets: As a Bard gains experience, he learns a number of trade secrets that aid him and confound his foes. Starting at 4th level, a Bard gains one Trade Secret. He gains an additional Trade Secret at 8th, 12th and 16th level. Unless otherwise indicated, a Bard cannot select an individual Trade Secret more than once.

Alchemy Dealer: A Bard with this Trade Secret pays one‐half of the market price for raw materials needed to craft alchemical items.

Combat Trick: A Bard that selects this Trade Secret gains a bonus Combat Feat.

Coolheaded: This ability allows the Bard to take 10 on all Bluff and Diplomacy checks.

Improvised Materials: A Bard with this Trade Secret can craft poisons from raw materials at hand instead of relying on specific ingredients. Doing so increases the Craft (poisonmaking) check DC by 5 but otherwise has no effect on the poisonʹs potency.

Infusion: When a Bard with this ability creates an extract, he can infuse it with an extra bit of his own power. The extract created now persists even after the Bard sets it down. As long as the extract exists, it continues to occupy one of the Bard’s daily extract slots. An infused extract can be imbibed by a non-Bard to gain its effects.

Poison Dealer: A Bard with this Trade Secret pays one‐half of the market price for raw materials needed to craft poisons.

Poisonbane: A Bard that selects this Trade Secret receives a +4 insight bonus to Craft (alchemy) checks when creating antitoxin and poison antidotes.

Scorpion’s Touch: Whenever a Bard with this ability applies a poison, the poison’s save DC increases by +1. This trade secret may be chosen more than once, and its effects stack.

Smokestick Application: A Bard with this ability can combine inhaled poisons with smokesticks. All creatures within the area the smokestick covers (10‐ft. cube) are affected by the poison the Bard applied to the smokestick.

Sticky poison: Any poison the Bard creates is sticky—when the Bard applies it to a weapon, the weapon remains poisoned for a number of strikes equal to the Bard’s Intelligence modifier. A Bard must be at least 8th level before selecting this Trade Secret.

Weapon Training: A Bard that selects this Trade Secret gains Weapon Focus as a bonus feat.

Lore Master (Ex): At 5th level, the bard becomes a master of lore and can take 10 on any Knowledge skill check that he has ranks in. A bard can choose not to take 10 and can instead roll normally. In addition, once per day, the bard can take 20 on any Knowledge skill check as a standard action. He can use this ability one additional time per day for every six levels he possesses beyond 5th, to a maximum of three times per day at 17th level.

Swift Poisoning: At 6th level, a Bard can apply a dose of poison to a weapon as a swift action.

Extend Poison (Ex): At 7th level, a Bard can alter the onset time of any poison he manufactures by up to one hour. This can be applied to either or both primary and secondary damage. This increases the poison’s base price by 25%.

Empower Poison (Ex): At 9th level, a Bard can alter the strength of any poison with numeric variables that he manufactures. All variable, numeric effects of an empowered poison can be increased (or decreased) by one‐half. This can be applied to either or both primary and secondary damage. Empower poison increases a poison’s base price by 50%.

Jack-of-All-Trades (Ex): At 10th level, the bard can use any skill, even if the skill normally requires him to be trained. At 16th level, the bard considers all skills to be class skills. At 19th level, the bard can take 10 on any skill check, even if it is not normally allowed.

Slippery Mind: This ability represents the rogue’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a rogue with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.

Maximize Poison (Ex): At 13th level, a Bard can maximize the strength of any poison with numeric variables that he manufactures. For example, a poison that inflicts 2d6 Str damage inflicts 12 points of Str damage. Maximize poison increases a poison’s base price by 75%.

Defensive Roll: At 14th level the Bard can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than he otherwise would. Once per day, when he would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon. or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the Bard can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the Bard must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, he takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, he takes full damage. He must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute his defensive roll—if he is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC, he can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.

Quicken Poison (Ex): At 15th level, a Bard can reduce the time between a poison’s initial and secondary damage of any poison he manufactures from 1 minute to 1 round. Quicken poison increases a poison’s base price by 100%.

Awareness (Ex): At 17th level, a Bard is never caught flat‐footed and always act in the surprise round.

Instant Alchemy (Ex): At 18th level, a Bard can create alchemical items with almost supernatural speed. He can create any alchemical item as a full-round action if he succeeds at the Craft (alchemy) check and has the appropriate resources at hand to fund the creation. He can apply poison to a weapon as an immediate action.

Mind Blank (Ex): At 19th level, a Bard’s mind becomes completely sealed against involuntary intrusion as per the mindblank spell. This spell‐like ability is always considered active.


Bard Formulae

Bards can create extracts utilizing the following spells.


1st-Level Bard Formulae

2nd-Level Bard Formulae

3rd-Level Bard Formulae

Comprehend Languages

Cure Light Wounds

Detect Secret Doors

Detect Undead

Disguise Self

Endure Elements

Enlarge Person

Expeditious Retreat

Identify

Jump

Reduce Person

Shield

True Strike

Aid

Alter Self

Barkskin

Bear’s Endurance

Blur

Bull’s Strength

Cat’s Grace

Cure Moderate Wounds

Darkvision

Delay Poison

Detect Thoughts

Eagle’s Splendor

False Life

Fox’s Cunning

Invisibility

Levitate

Owl’s Wisdom

Protection from Arrows

Resist Energy

Restoration, Lesser

See Invisibility

Spider Climb

Undetectable Alignment

Arcane Sight

Beast Shape I

Cure Serious Wounds

Displacement

Fly

Gaseous Form

Haste

Heroism

Nondetection

Protection from Energy

Rage

Remove Blindness/Deafness

Remove Curse

Remove Disease

Tongues

Water/Silt Breathing

4th-Level Bard Formulae

5th-Level Bard Formulae

6th-Level Bard Formulae

Air Walk

Arcane Eye

Beast Shape II

Cure Critical Wounds

Death Ward

Discern Lies

Elemental Body I

Fire Shield

Freedom of Movement

Invisibility, Greater

Neutralize Poison

Restoration

Spell Immunity

Stoneskin

Beast Shape III

Contact Other Plane

Dream

Elemental Body II

Magic Jar

Nightmare

Overland Flight

Plant Shape I

Polymorph

Sending

Spell Resistance

Analyze Dweomer

Beast Shape IV

Elemental Body III

Eyebite

Form of the Dragon I

Giant Form I

Heal

Mislead

Plant Shape II

Shadow Walk

Statue

Transformation

True Seeing

Wind Walk



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