Description
A bard brings forth magic from his soul, not from a book. He can cast only a small number of spells, but he can do so without selecting or preparing them in advance. His magic emphasizes charms and illusions over the more dramatic evocation spells that wizards and sorcerers often use. In addition to spells, a bard works magic with his music and poetry. He can encourage allies, hold his audiences rapt, and counter magical effects that rely on speech or sound. Bards have some of the skills that rogues have, although bards are not as focused on skill mastery as rogues are. A bard listens to stories as well as telling them, of course, so he has a vast knowledge of local events and noteworthy items.
Alignment restrictions: Any non-lawful - Bards are wanderers, guided by whim and intuition.
- Ex-bards = A bard who becomes lawful in alignment cannot progress in levels as a bard, though he retains all his bard abilities.
Class Features
| Hit die : d6 | |
| Base Attack Bonus progression : | Medium |
|---|
| Saving throws : | ||
| High = | Reflex, Will | |
| low = | Fortitude |
| Proficiencies : | ||
| Weapon: | Simple & Bard ~ (longsword, rapier, shortbow, and shortsword) | |
| Armor: | Light & Shields (except tower shields) |
| Skill Points : ( 6 + Int modifier ) ×4 at 1st Character level. |
| Class Skills : Acrobatics, Appraise, Athletics, Bluff, Concentration, Craft (all), Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Linguistics, Listen, Lore (all), Move Silently, Parry, Perform, Profession (all), Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device. |
Spellcasting
A bard casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the bard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a bard must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Cha 10 for 0-level spells, Cha 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). Starting at 8th level, and every three levels after, bards can replace one known spell with a new spell of the same level. The replaced spell must be two spell levels below what the bard can currently cast (1st level spell at 8, 1st or 2nd level spell at 11, 1st or 2nd or 3rd level spell at 14, and so forth). Bards do not suffer from arcane spell failure when wearing light armor. Medium and heavy armor, as well as all shields, still incur the normal failure chance.
| Key ability | Type | Prepared |
| Charisma | arcane | no |
Bard Ability & Spell progression
| Level | BAB | Saving throws | Ability gained | Inspirations gained | Spell known | Spells per day | ||||||||||||||||
| Fort | Ref | Will | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Bardic music, Bardic knowledge, Countersong, Fascinate | Inspire courage +1 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Inspire competence +2 | 5 | 2* | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| 3 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Haven song | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| 4 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | 5 | 3 | 2* | - | - | - | - | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 5 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Inspire defense +2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | |||
| 6 | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Cloud mind | 5 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | |||
| 7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Inspire regeneration +1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2* | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | |||
| 8 | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Inspire toughness +1, Inspire courage +2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | |||
| 9 | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Ironskin chant 5/- | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | |||
| 10 | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Inspire defense +3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2* | - | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | |||
| 11 | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Inspire slowing 15%, Inspire competence +4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | |||
| 12 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Song of freedom | Inspire regeneration +2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | ||
| 13 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Inspire toughness +2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2* | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | |||
| 14 | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Inspire jarring, Inspire courage +3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | |||
| 15 | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Song of heroism | Inspire defense +4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | ||
| 16 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Inspire slowing 30% | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2* | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 17 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Inspire regeneration +3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |||
| 18 | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Legionnaire's march | Inspire toughness +3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 19 | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Inspire competence +6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||
| 20 | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Inspire courage +4, Inspire defense +5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||
* Provided the bard has sufficient charisma to have a bonus spell of this spell level.
Epic Bard Ability & Spell progression
| Level | BAB | Saving throws | Ability gained | Spell known | Spells per day | |||||||||||||||
| Fort | Ref | Will | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||
| 21 | +15/+10/+5 | +7 | +12 | +12 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 22 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +7 | +13 | +13 | Inspire regeneration +4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 23 | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +7 | +13 | +13 | Inspire toughness +4, Bonus feat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 24 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +8 | +14 | +14 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 25 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +8 | +14 | +14 | Inspire defense +6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 26 | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +8 | +15 | +15 | Inspire courage +5, Bonus feat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 27 | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +9 | +15 | +15 | Inspire competence +8, Inspire regeneration +5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 28 | +21/+16/+11/+6/+1 | +9 | +16 | +16 | Inspire toughness +5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 29 | +21/+16/+11/+6/+1 | +9 | +16 | +16 | Bonus feat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 30 | +22/+17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +17 | +17 | Inspire defense +7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
* Provided the bard has sufficient charisma to have a bonus spell of this level.
Bardic Knowledge
A bard picks up a lot of stray knowledge while wandering the land and learning stories from other bards. He gets +1 to all lore skills for each 5 levels of bard.
Bardic inspiration
You can sing songs that can improve morale and mystically enhance the offensive and defensive strengths of the bard and his or her companions. These are constantly active buffs to the party and the bard with specific effects. Only 1 inspiration may be active at any time; and Requires 3 Ranks of Perform.
- Inspire Courage (1st level): A bard can use song to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. This gives a bonus to hit and damage. It starts at +1, and becomes +2 at 8th level, +3 at 14th level, +4 at 20th level, +5 at 26th.
- Inspire Competence (2nd level): A bard can use his music to help an ally succeed at a task. This gives a skill bonus to all allies. It starts at +2 and becomes +4 at 11th level and +6 at 19th level and +8 at lv 27. The range is 30 feet.
- Inspire Defense (5th level): A bard can use song to inspire defense in his allies (including himself). This gives a dodge AC bonus to all allies. It starts at +2 and becomes +3 at 10th level, +4 at 15th level, +5 at 20th level, +6 at 25th level +7 at 30th level.
- Inspire Regeneration (7th level): A bard can use song to inspire regeneration in his allies (including himself). This heals all party members a certain number of hit points every two rounds. This starts at 1 hit point and becomes 2 at 12th level, 3 at 17th level,3 at 22th level, 5 at 27th level. This inspiration does not affect Constructs and Undead.
- Inspire Toughness (8th level): A bard can use song to inspire toughness in his allies (including himself). This gives a bonus to saving throws for all allies. It starts at +1, +2 at 13th level, +3 at 18th level, +4 at 23th level, +5 at 28th level.
- Inspire Slowing (11th level): A bard can use song to inspire slowing in his enemies. All enemies that come within 20 feet of the bard have to make a Will save (DC 13 + (1/2 Bard level) + CHA modifier) otherwise they will be slowed down. Initially they are slowed down 15% but at 16th level they are slowed by 30%. There are no further penalties besides movement, unlike the slow spell. It only ever affects enemies, never allies or neutrals.
- Inspire Jarring (14th level): A bard can use song to inspire jarring in his enemies. All enemies within 20’ of the bard suffer a -4 penalty to all Concentration checks and -2 to all Will saves.
Bardic Music
You can sing a song to help allies and hinder foes. As you progress in level and Performance skill, new songs become available and older songs become more powerful (Bard level/day).
- Countersong (requires Perform 3): This song puts a buff on the targeted ally that lasts for 10 rounds or until discharged. Any hostile magic that would affect the countersong's target has to make a Spell Resistance check of 10 + levels of Bard the singer possesses. Whether the spell is blocked or not, the countersong is discharged. A bard cannot cast this on himself, only on allies.
- Fascinate (requires Perform 3): Every hostile creature within 90 feet must make a Will save against a (DC of 11 + the bard's Charisma modifier). This is an enchantment (compulsion) mind-affecting ability. If the target fails this save, then they are dazed for 10 rounds and the bard is within 90 feet of them. If a creature is attacked, or is within 10 feet of a creature being attacked, the effect ends for that creature, though anyone who fails their saving throw will be dazed for at least one round. Fascinate affects up to one enemy per level of the bard.
- Haven Song (3rd level, requires Perform 6): This song renders all enemies who fail a Will save against (DC 11 + 1/2 Perform skill) to be unable to attack the bard for 10 rounds or until the bard takes hostile action against them or their allies (for example, attacking or casting a harmful spell). The Fascinate and Cloud Mind songs do not count as hostile actions. This song affects deafened targets.
- Cloud Mind (6th level, requires Perform 9): A single target makes a mind-affecting will saving throw against (DC 11 + 1/2 Perform skill) or is mesmerized for 10 rounds. The target only breaks out of his mesmerized state if attacked. This doesn't count as a hostile ability for breaking the effects of invisibility. Any creatures summoned by the mesmerized target will be calmed as well, because they technically count as an extension of the summoner. However, killing summoned creatures will NOT break the enchantment on the caster, as long as he himself is not affected. For example, if a wizard summons an elemental and the bard sings Cloud Mind, both the enemy spellcaster and his summoned elemental will be calmed. Casting Word of Faith will kill the summoned elemental, but will not break the mesmerization effect on the spellcaster if he is outside the radius of Word of Faith.
- Ironskin Chant (9th level, requires Perform 12): This song gives the party damage reduction 5/- for 4 rounds. (The damage reduction applies to any type of damage, including magic damage.)
- Song of Freedom (12th level, requires Perform 15): This song will break curses and enchantments on allies with a check of d20 + bard's level against DC (11 + caster level of the effect to be dispelled). (The radius of this song is RADIUS_SIZE_MEDIUM, centred on the bard.)
- Song of Heroism (15th level, requires Perform 18): This song inspires either the bard or a single targeted ally. For 5 rounds, the inspired creature gains +4 dodge bonus to AC and a +4 morale bonus to saving throws. Additionally, the inspired creature gains +4 temporary hit points per level. There is a cool down of 20 rounds before this ability can be used again.
- Legionnaire's March (18th level, requires Perform 21): This song rallies all allies within 60 feet. The game determines the highest base attack bonus of all allies in the area of effect, and all affected characters now use this as their new base attack. All affected characters get a +4 competence bonus to damage rolls, as well. This ability lasts for 10 rounds. There is a cool down of 5 minutes (game time) before this ability can be used again.
Special Abilities
Some songs need to be selected as a general feat when Leveling up; and will be available IF the requirements are satisfied BEFORE leveling up to the availability of that song.
- Curse Song (requires Perform 3) Bard Level = 1 : Bards are able to sing a song that can curse their enemies.
- Lingering Song (requires Perform 3) Bard Level = 6 : This ability causes the bard's songs to last an additional 5 rounds.
Armor restrictions
A bard can cast bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield* incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass bard still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes. There is also an additional feat (Battle Caster) that can be taken by bards (not inherent) that allows them to wear medium armor (but not use shields) without spell penalties. Note however that Medium Armor Proficiency is not included and bards do not get that feat for free.
- n.b. Shields constructed from exotic materials such as Mithral and Zalantar have reduced or no Arcane Spell Failure chance.
Casting
A bard casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the bard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. Every bard spell has a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music). To learn 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 + the spell level + the bard’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a bard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day.
In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. The bard’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A bard begins play knowing four 0-level spells of your choice. At most new bard levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Bard Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a bard knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the Bard Spells Known is a fixed number.)
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third bard level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), a bard can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the bard “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level bard spell the bard can cast.
A bard may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
As noted above, a bard need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
Epic Bard Bonus Feats:
Armor Skin (Epic), Chorus of Heroism, Song of Requiem, Epic Toughness, Epic Energy Resistance, Overwhelming Critical, Blinding Speed, Hymn of Requiem, Epic Prowess, Great Charisma, Great Strength, Great Wisdom, Great Intelligence, Great Dexterity and Great Constitution