Bards often serve as negotiators, messengers, scouts, and spies. They love to accompany heroes (and villains) to witness heroic (or villainous) deeds firsthand, since a bard who can tell a story from personal experience earns renown among his fellows.
A bard casts arcane spells without any advance preparation, much like a sorcerer. Bards also share some specialized skills with rogues, and their knowledge of item lore is nearly unmatched. A high Charisma score allows a bard to cast high-level spells.
Class Features[]
Alignment Restrictions: Any nonlawful.
Hit Die: d6.
Proficiencies: Simple weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields.
Skills Points: (*4 at 1st level): 4 + Int Modifier.
Spellcasting: Arcane (Charisma-based, no spell preparation, spell failure from armor is a factor). Bards begin the game knowing all cantrips.
Ex-Bards: Bards cannot gain levels of experience while they are of any lawful alignment.
Bonus Feats: The epic bard gains a bonus feat every three levels after 20th
Epic Bard Bonus Feats: Curse Song, Epic Skill Focus, Epic Will, Great Charisma, Great Dexterity, Improved Combat Casting, Lasting Inspiration, Epic Spell Focus
Class Abilities[]
Bardic Knowledge The bard is able to identify items more easily than other classes. Gained: 1st Level. Use: Automatic. Bonuses: Apply bard levels as a bonus to any Lore skill checks.
Bardic Music Bards are able to sing songs that can bolster their allies. Gained: 1st Level. Use: Selected. Bonuses: Deafened creatures are not affected by the bard’s singing. The bardsong may be sung once per day, per class level. The song affects all allies within 30 feet and lasts for 6 rounds. The higher the bard’s Perform skill, the better the bardsong. Bard song bonuses do not stack.
- Perform and bard Level 1: +1 to Attack and Damage rolls.
- Perform 6 and bard Level 2: +1 to Will Saves.
- Perform 9 and bard Level 3: +1 to Damage rolls and +1 to Fortitude Saves.
- Perform 12 and bard Level 6: +1 to Reflex saves.
- Perform 15 and bard Level 8: +1 to Attack rolls, +8 temporary Hit Points.
- Perform 18 and bard Level 11: +2 to Dodge Armor Class.
- Perform 21 and bard Level 14: +1 to Damage rolls, +8 temporary Hit Points and +1 Dodge Armor Class.
- Perform 24 and bard Level 15: +1 Will Saves, +1 Reflex Saves, +1 Fortitude Saves, +1 Dodge Armor Class.
- Perform 25 and bard Level 16: +1 Will Saves, +4 temporary Hit Points. +1 Dodge Armor Class.
For each additional 5 Perform and 1 class level in bard an additional +2 temporary Hit Points is granted. Spell Caster - Bards are Arcane Spell Casters.
Custom Features[]
Carousing - Bards can carouse; soliciting their choice of coin or rumors from any body of persons capable of conversing.
Expanded Social Skills - Bards with persuade can 'grift' for money or rumors, while those with intimidate can engage in extortion.
Bardic School Lore - Bards can call upon the lore of their college, reciting songs and stories from the repertoire of their school, and even and add their own songs and stories to that knowledge base.
RP Tips and In Game[]
As a bard new to the region, you will first want to acquaint yourself with the various taverns found in the city of Dohral. These are The Alderwood Inn, The Justice Inn, The Mainstay Inn, The Prince of Parasowel, The Seaside Froth, The Tall Mug Inn, and Ye Olde Hidey Hole. These seven locations provide excellent and varied settings to ply your bard-trade. Carousing for coin and rumors, performing for coins and learning the lay of the land (starting near the bar). An serious bard practicing the trade will be able to make a good living in Dohral.
Once you are an accomplished bard, seek beyond the city, find addional venues such as the Tivook Inn and others where you can learn even more rumors and earn a litte coin in the meanwhile.
Join with local heroic bands and you can tell their tale, even recording it for your bardic college and recitation/recital by other bards ever after. YOU can help write the tales told round the fire! Your BARD can tell those tales and many more! Come be part of this revolution in bard role play!