The Bard
The Bard
Anyone can play an instrument. A Bard knows how to make the room listen. Their music can steady shaking hands, put iron into tired soldiers, smother a charging enemy's nerve, or turn a single violent chord into a weapon. Bards can be found in courts, taverns, temples, marching companies, and anywhere else stories need telling. They are capable spell casters, but their magic follows the performance instead of replacing it.
Basic Detail
HD Type: d6
Bonus HP Per HD: +4
Attack Curve: Medium
Magical Prowess: Standard
Sub-Type: Specialist
Skill Growth: 8 + Intelligence Modifier (x4 at first level)
Suggested Skills: Beguile, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Discern Intent, Gather Information, Haggle, Investigate,
Knowledge (Common), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Perform (Any Music), Perform (Oratory), Profession,
Sleight of Hand, and Spot.
Known Skills: 12 + Intelligence Modifier
Weapon Proficiency: Dagger and Short Sword
Armor Proficiency: Light, medium, heavy, and shields (except tower shields); light armor is recommended
Saves: 2 High, 2 Low
Primary Mental Attribute (PMA): Charisma
Suggested Attribute Distribution: Str 12, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 18
Progression
| HD | Perk | Base Attack | High Save | Low Save | Spell Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural LeaderD, Inspiration +1, DirgeA, ÉtudeA, and Extra Simplex SpellF | +0 | +2 | +0 | +1 |
| 2 | - | +1 | +3 | +0 | +1 |
| 3 | Spell FocusF | +2 | +3 | +1 | +1 |
| 4 | PanacheA | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 |
| 5 | Musical MageD | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 |
| 6 | Spell PenetrationF and Inspiration +2 | +4 | +5 | +2 | +1 |
| 7 | - | +5 | +5 | +2 | +1 |
| 8 | CrescendoA | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +2 |
| 9 | Decoupled SpellF | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +2 |
| 10 | Shrill ChordA and Grifter +3D | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +2 |
| 11 | - | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +2 |
| 12 | Warm TonicA, Greater Spell FocusF, Inspiration +3, and Grifter +4 | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +2 |
| 13 | - | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +2 |
| 14 | - | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +2 |
| 15 | Bolster SpellF and Jack of all TradesD | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +2 |
| 16 | AnthemA and Grifter +5 | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +3 |
| 17 | - | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +3 |
| 18 | Swift Supernatural AbilityF and Inspiration +4 | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +3 |
| 19 | - | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +3 |
| 20 | Inspire PerfectionA, Je ne Sais QuoiA, Master of NoneD, and Grifter +6 | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +3 |
F Feat, A Ability, and D Definition
The Breakdown
The Bard should make Will and Ego their high saves. Perform (Any Music) is the heart of the build and should remain at the skill point cap. A singer can use the same performance for Natural Leader; an instrumentalist should also train an oratory performance. Beyond that, the instrument and style are entirely up to the player. A drummer, piper, or full-volume brass menace all use the same progression.
Natural Leader: Gain Inspiration once per day per HD. Allies who can hear the performance gain the listed morale bonus to attack and damage while it continues and for 5 rounds afterward.
Dirge: Gain the song Dirge. Enemies who hear it must save or become stifled and suffer penalties to Reflex saves, attack rolls, and movement while the performance continues.
Étude: Gain the song Étude. Successful Perform checks give selected allies sonic damage on their first damaging attack or spell each round and build a one-use morale bonus for later.
Extra Simplex Spell: Learn a fourth Simplex spell. This prebuilt uses Arcane Tricks, Bless, Distract, and Tend.
Spell Focus: Select a number of the Bard's spells based on Charisma. Those spells are cast at +1 caster level and can exceed their normal damage or healing die limit by one die.
Panache: Gain the ability Panache. A well-timed boast can substitute Charisma for weapon attack and damage or improve AC and saves.
Musical Mage: The Bard can use an instrument or singing in place of verbal and somatic spell components. This also allows the Bard to cast spells without ending a song ability.
Spell Penetration: Gain +2 on rolls against spell resistance and when defending against a counterspell.
Crescendo: Gain the flourish Crescendo. During a song, release its built-up tension as sonic damage against as many as three targets without ending the performance.
Decoupled Spell: Increase a concentration spell's slot level by 2 to cast it without maintaining concentration. This keeps the Bard free to continue performing and casting other spells.
Shrill Chord: Gain the flourish Shrill Chord. Strike a dissonant chord as an immediate action to contest and potentially ruin another caster's spell without ending the current song.
Grifter: A Beguile check can double the Bard's performance income, and an exceptional Perform check can improve the disposition of an audience. Also gain the listed competency bonus to Beguile.
Warm Tonic: Gain the flourish Warm Tonic. Shift into soothing chords to cure conditions and heal selected allies without ending the current song.
Greater Spell Focus: Choose two spells already selected for Spell Focus. They gain another +1 caster level, are always signless and soundless, and can each be cast once per day as a swift action without consuming a spell slot.
Bolster Spell: Increase a spell's slot level by 2 to add four damage or healing dice. This cannot modify attribute damage.
Jack of all Trades: Increase every skill synergy bonus by +2.
Anthem: Gain the song Anthem. Allies who hear it resist compulsions, become immune to sleep, can retry saves against ongoing compulsions, and may draw on a substantial ward once during the performance.
Swift Supernatural Ability: Once per day, use a supernatural ability as a swift action. This is especially useful for starting Dirge or Étude without surrendering the Bard's standard action.
Inspire Perfection: Gain the ability Inspire Perfection. Give one creature three perfect die results that can be used during the next 24 hours.
Je ne Sais Quoi: Gain the ability Je ne Sais Quoi. The Bard becomes difficult to receive with immediate hostility and can exert the effect for an especially theatrical social check.
Master of None: Increase every known skill by as many as 3 skill points based on how far it is below the skill point cap. This cannot bring a skill to the maximum.
Spell Casting
Caster Level: The Bard's caster level is equal to their HD.
Spell List: The Bard casts from the Generalist spell list.
Spells Known: These spells do not need to be prepared and can be cast whenever the Bard has a spell slot of the appropriate level. Other Generalist spells can still be recorded in a spellbook and prepared normally.
Spells Per Day: These are the Bard's base spell slots before bonus spells from Charisma. A 0 means the Bard can cast spells of that level only if Charisma grants a bonus slot.
| Spells Known | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 13 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 14 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 15 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Spells Per Day | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - |
| 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - |
| 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 12 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - |
| 13 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 15 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 16 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 17 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 18 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 19 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 20 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Suggested Spells by Level
These selections keep the Bard's magic tied to performance, morale, social control, stagecraft, and making the rest of the group better at what they already do. They are suggestions, not requirements.