Bard

The Bard combines a natural curiosity and an appreciation of the arts with calculated manipulation. Quick to pick up new skills and information, the typical Bard dabbles in the urban, martial and the arcane but lacks the devotion to master any one of them. Their signature ability is the Bard Song, a typically musical performance which can captivate entire audiences.

Bards in Impiltur are widely respected for their broad knowledge and strong memories. At the same time, a life of light labour and whimsy marks them as unreliable scoundrels. A Bard's most precious sense is knowing when they're about to overstay their welcome.

WARNING: To cast a spell, a bard must have a Charisma score of 10 + the spell's level. For example, to cast a 3rd-level spell, a bard must have a Charisma of 13.

Properties

• Alignment Restrictions: Any non-Lawful.
• Hit Die: d6.
• AB Progression: Medium.
• Primary Save: Reflex and Will.
• Skill Points: 5 + Int Modifier.
• Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Heal (skill), Intimidate, Knowledge, Parry, Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Stealth and Use Magic Device.
• Proficiencies: Armour Proficiency (Light), Armour Proficiency (Medium), Shield Proficiency, Weapon Handling, Weapon Proficiency (Simple), Weapon Proficiency (Bard).
• Spellcasting: Arcane (Charisma-based, no spell preparation, spell failure from armor is a factor).
• Ex-Bards: Bards cannot gain levels of experience while they are of any lawful alignment.

Progression

Lvl	BAB	Saves			Feats	HP range		Base Spells Per Day				Known spells					Bard Song	Inspire Competence	Bardic Knowledge
		Fort	Ref	Will				0	1st	2nd	3rd	0	1st	2nd	3rd		Usages	Skill Bonus	Skill Bonus
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Bard Song: Inspire Competence, Bardic Knowledge, Bonus Song	6±CON Modifier		2	-	-	-	4	-	-	-		1x	+1	+1
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Spellsword, Bonus Song	12±CON Modifier		3	0	-	-	5	2	-	-		2x	+2	+2
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Bonus Song	18±CON Modifier		3	1	-	-	5	3	-	-		3x	+2	+3
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Bonus Song	24±CON Modifier		3	2	0	-	5	3	2	-		4x	+3	+4
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Bonus Song	30±CON Modifier		3	3	1	-	5	4	3	-		5x	+3	+5
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Bonus Song	36±CON Modifier		3	3	2	-	5	4	3	-		6x	+4	+6
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Bonus Song	42±CON Modifier		3	3	2	0	5	4	4	2		7x	+4	+7
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Bonus Song	48±CON Modifier		3	3	3	1	5	4	4	3		8x	+5	+8

Feats

• Weapon Proficiency (Bard) - The Bard is proficient with the Longsword, Rapier, Shortbow and Shortsword.
• Bardic Knowledge - The Bard gains a bonus to their Knowledge skills equal to their level when using an Identification Kit.
• Bard Song - Once per day per level, the Bard can activate one of their songs. A Bard Song lasts for 1 turn. Only one song can be active at a time. The Bard must hold an instrument to use the ability and may not be deafened or silenced. All Bards can perform the Inspire Competence song, which increases all skills of the Bard's allies by 1, + 1 per 2 levels of the Bard.
• Spellsword - The Bard ignores arcane spell failure caused by wearing light armour.

Bonus Feat list

• Bard Song: Sharpen Focus (level 1): Increases all saving throws of the Bard and their allies by 1 per 5 (modified) ranks of perform.
• Bard Song: Inspire Courage (1) - Increases the attack bonus of the Bard and their allies by 1 per 6 (modified) ranks of perform.
• Bard Song: War Dance (1) - Increases the armour class of the Bard and their allies by 1 per 6 (modified) ranks of perform.
• Bard Song: Furious Vibrations (1) - Weapons used by the Bard and their allies deal an extra 1 per 7 (modified) ranks of perform sonic damage per hit.
• Bard Song: Countersong (3) - Instantly removes Hold and Domination effects from 1 ally per 3 levels of the Bard. They gain +2 to saves vs mind affecting spells for the song's duration.
• Bard Song: Numb Senses (3) - 1 ally per 3 levels of the Bard gains a 75% Sonic Damage Immunity .
• Bard Song: Fascinate (3) - Decreases all saving throws of the Bard's enemies by 1 per 6 (modified) ranks of perform.
• Bard Song: Relentless Pace (4) - 1 ally per 4 levels of the Bard gains an extra attack per round.
• Bard Song: Disorientation (4) - Decreases the attack bonus of the Bard's enemies by 1 per 7 (modified) ranks of perform.
• Bard Song: Mesmerize (4) - Decreases the armour class of the Bard's enemies by 1 per 7 (modified) ranks of perform.
• Bard Song: Support Act (5) - 1 enemy per 3 levels of the Bard gains a 50% Sonic Damage Vulnerability
• Bard Song: Marching Tune (5) - The Bard makes a Perform Check. They and their allies gain +1% speed per point on the check.
• Bard Song: Soothing Melody (5) - The Bard makes a Perform Check. They and their allies gain +1 temporary hitpoint per 2 points on the check.
• Bard Song: Charmed Performance (6) - The Bard and their allies gain Spell Resistance equal to 1 per 3 (modified) ranks of perform.
• Bard Song: Inspire Greatness (6) - 1 ally per 4 levels of the Bard gains +2 to all attributes.
• Bard Song: Overwhelm Senses (6) - The Bard makes a Perform Check. Enemies suffer dx points of sonic damage, where x = 1 per 3 points on the check.
• Extra Music - The Bard can use their Bard Song ability 4 more times per day.
• Lingering Song - The Bard Song ability lasts an additional 5 rounds.
• Requiem (4) - The Bard's songs now affect Undead creatures as well.

Spells

Bards access to different spells. For changes to spells, please refer to the spell list link.

Cantrips	1st level spells	2nd level spells	3rd level spells
Animate Hinge Cure Minor Wounds Daze Detect Magic Flare Light Lullaby Prestidigitation Resistance Summon Instrument	Amplify Balagarn's Iron Horn Charm Person Colour Spray Cure Light Wounds Expeditious Retreat Grease Identify Lesser Dispel Mage Armour Magic Weapon Protection From Alignment Scare Sleep Summon Creature I	Blindness/Deafness Bull's Strength Cat's Grace Clarity Cloud of Bewilderment Cure Moderate Wounds Darkness Eagle's Splendour Fox's Cunning Ghostly Visage Hold Person Invisibility See Invisibility Silence Sound Burst Summon Creature II Tasha's Hideous Laughter Ultravision	Bestow Curse Charm Monster Clairaudience/Clairvoyance Confusion Cure Serious Wounds Dispel Magic Displacement Fear Find Traps Greater Magic Weapon Gust of Wind Haste Invisibility Sphere Keen Edge Magic Circle Against Alignment Remove Curse Remove Disease Slow Summon Creature III Wounding Whispers

Metamagic

Table is unconfirmed as server accurate, based on vanilla. Server specific spells to be added later.

Bard Metamagic

Name	Level	Empower (2nd)	Extend (1st)	Silent (1st)	Still (1st)
Cure minor wounds	0	no	no	yes	yes
Daze	0	no	yes	yes	yes
Flare	0	no	yes	yes	no
Light	0	no	yes	yes	no
Resistance	0	no	yes	yes	yes
Amplify	1	no	yes	yes	yes
Balagarn's iron horn	1	no	no	yes	yes
Charm person	1	no	yes	yes	yes
Cure light wounds	1	yes	no	yes	yes
Expeditious retreat	1	no	yes	yes	yes
Grease	1	no	yes	yes	yes
Identify	1	no	yes	yes	yes
Lesser dispel	1	no	no	yes	yes
Mage armor	1	no	yes	yes	yes
Magic weapon	1	no	yes	yes	yes
Protection from alignment	1	no	yes	yes	yes
Scare	1	no	yes	no	yes
Sleep	1	yes	yes	yes	yes
Summon creature I	1	no	yes	yes	yes
Blindness/deafness	2	no	yes	yes	no
Bull's strength	2	yes	yes	yes	yes
Cat's grace	2	yes	yes	yes	yes
Clarity	2	no	yes	no	yes
Cloud of bewilderment	2	no	yes	yes	yes
Cure moderate wounds	2	yes	no	yes	yes
Darkness	2	no	yes	yes	no
Eagle's splendor	2	yes	yes	yes	yes
Fox's cunning	2	yes	yes	yes	yes
Ghostly visage	2	no	yes	yes	yes
Hold person	2	no	yes	yes	yes
Invisibility	2	no	yes	yes	yes
Owl's wisdom	2	yes	yes	yes	yes
See invisibility	2	no	yes	yes	yes
Silence	2	no	yes	yes	yes
Sound burst	2	no	no	yes	yes
Summon creature II	2	no	yes	yes	yes
Tasha's hideous laughter	2	yes	yes	yes	yes
Ultravision	2	no	yes	yes	yes

New Spells

• Detect Magic: When cast, all Arcane Marks within the area become readable to those in the area. The caster will also gain information about other magical signatures, such as those found in a wizard's laboratory or dungeon.
• Animate Hinge: When cast, the hinges of the nearest door or container attempt to open or close. If the object is trapped, there is a 20% chance that the trap is disabled for the next 2 rounds. This success or failure will not be reported. The spell fails if the object has been locked.
• Lullaby: This spell causes creatures within a medium area of effect to make a Will save. A failed roll results in a -5 Perception penalty and a -2 Saving Throw penalty to the Sleep spell for 1 turn. This spell does not count as being Hostile.
• Prestidigitation: This spell has no effects beyond those RPed by the caster.
• Summon Instrument: The caster summons an instrument which will last 1 turn per level before being destroyed. Portable instruments include the flute, pipes and lute. Drums and harps appear in a fixed position indicated by the caster.

Prestige Routes

This assumes the character has only a single class to meet the requirements and is non-human before taking the prestige class (PrC). Human characters will have greater flexibility in regards to feat progression due to the extra feat granted at character creation by their racial bonus, Quick to Master. Some class routes to prestige may also favour multi-classing in order to more effectively meet pre-requisites or to better synergise the character's skill set to suit the PrC, however caution is advised as most PrCs have strict skill requirements (meeting the unmodified rank, not a modified rank) and the wrong combination of classes (due to cross-classing of skills) may result in further delaying and reducing the levels of a prestige class obtainable or render it entirely unobtainable for the character.

Prestige Class	Minimum Bard Class Level	Maximum Prestige Class Level	Skill	Skill	Feat	Feat
Arcane Archer	4th Level	4th Level	7 ranks in Spellcraft at 4th Level	-	Weapon Focus at 3rd Level	-
Assassin	4th Level	4th Level	7 ranks in Stealth at 4th Level	3 ranks in Sense Motive at 1st Level	Blind Fight at 1st or 3rd Level	-
Blackguard	7th Level	1st Level	4 ranks in Intimidate at 1st Level	-	Cleave at 1st Level	Great Cleave 3rd Level
Daemonbinder	6th Level	2nd Level	7 ranks in Spellcraft at 4th Level	-	Spell Penetration at 3rd Level	Greater Spell Penetration at 6th Level
Harper Scout	5th Level	3rd Level	8 ranks in Diplomacy at 5th Level	4 ranks in Perform at 1st Level	Iron Will 1st or 3rd Level	-
High Mage	5th Level	3rd Level	8 ranks in Spellcraft at 5th Level	-	Combat Casting 3rd Level	-
Pale Master	4th Level	4th Level	7 ranks in Spellcraft at 4th Level	-	Spell Focus: Necromancy at 3rd Level	-
Shadowdancer	4th Level	4th Level	7 ranks in Stealth at 4th Level	7 ranks in Balance at 4th Level	Mobility at 1st or 3rd Level	-
Spirit Caller	4th Level	4th Level	7 ranks in Concentration at 4th Level	4 ranks in Sense Motive at 1st Level	Alertness at 1st or 3rd Level	-
Wild Shot	6th Level	2nd Level	7 ranks in Perception at 4th Level	-	Point Blank Shot at 1st Level	Rapid Shot at 3rd Level