Reference for slimykuotoan:
BARD (Charisma)
Poetry, song, paintings, pottery, tapestries, and other works are very important in the history of sentient civilization. In particular, the records of great battles, adventures, trials, tribulations, comedies, tragedies, intrigues, and sometimes even religion itself are strongly tied to the works of bards.
ABILITIES
Fast Movement: A bard moves faster than normal. A bard carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed and moves at 30 feet per combat round. The fast movement is also negated by any armor heavier than leather. See the Bard Special Abilities Chart for a bard's movement rate.
Bardic Tradition: A bard derives magical capability from a specific tradition and must be wholly focused on it. When characters first learn bardic magic, they must choose one of the following bardic traditions:
- Arcane: This tradition reveals some of the secrets of reality to the bard, so that wizard spells may be evoked by the performances. A bard of the arcane tradition may use wizard books and scrolls in addition to her own magical repertoire.
- Legerdemain: This tradition allows the bard to weave illusionist spells within her performances, changing perceptions and ultimately the fabric of reality itself. A bard of the legerdemain tradition can fascinate creatures at 4th level and exhort greatness at 9th level.
- Divine: This tradition is focused on using religious texts, hymns, poems, songs, iconography, and so on in order that the gods may cause cleric spells to happen when the bard performs. A bard of the divine tradition can use holy objects such as symbols and water for their full effect and can turn undead at a penalty of five levels of experience.
- Natural: This tradition is usually passed down from druid to druid along with many other secrets of nature, but only bards are able to make use of it through their charisma whereas the druids use other secret means to bring out nature's special magic. A bard of the druidic tradition will have learned nature lore (Wisdom) in order to understand nature's secrets and can move in the manner of the woodland stride at 3rd level.
- Epic: This tradition is focused on the exploits of great men, the clashing of mighty forces, the destinies and fates, the rise and fall of whole civilizations, and the burdens of leadership. A bard of the epic tradition is only able to give her spell slots to another character and cannot cast spells herself. On the other hand, such a bard may equip any armor, although some abilities are affected by armor not on the class equipment list, and can inspire, embolden, demoralize, and achieve battlefield dominance.
Spells: A bard casts spells by doing a performance that requires both voice and precise body motions. Non-magical characters have a penalty of -5 to discern the difference between bardic spellcasting and a mundane performance. The Bard Special Abilities Chart shows the number of spells per day a bard may cast. A bard must prepare spells before casting them. This is done by studying spells from a magically-recorded repertoire. While studying, the bard decides which spells to prepare. Spell memorization and descriptions are covered in detail in the Magic section. (C&C PHB 4th print, pg. 49). Note that bards of the epic tradition cannot cast spells, instead giving their spell slots to others.
Bonus Spells: With a high charisma score, a bard gains bonus spells. If the character has a charisma of between 9-12, they can memorize an extra 0th level spell. If the charisma score is of between 13-15, they can memorize an extra 1st level spell. If the charisma score is 16 or 17, they can memorize an extra 2nd level spell and if 18 or 19, they can memorize an extra 3rd level spell. The bonus spells can only be acquired if the bard is at a high enough level to cast that spell level. Bonus spells are cumulative.
Bardic Luck (Charisma): They say that any party with a bard is lucky beyond all measure, and that the very presence of a bard makes the difference between heroes and corpses. Whenever an ally fails any d20 check (SIEGE check, attack roll, penetrate spell resistance, etc.), the bard may make a Charisma check with the same final target number as the original failed check. If this Bardic Luck check succeeds then the original d20 check is also considered a success. Bardic Luck may be used once per level per day.
Climb (Dexterity): This extraordinary ability allows a bard to climb up, down, or across a slope, wall, steep incline (even a ceiling with handholds), or unusually angled natural or man made slope or incline that others would find impossible to climb. When doing so, the bard moves at one-half the character's normal speed. A failed climb check means that the character makes no progress. A check that fails by 5 or more means that the character falls from the currently attained height, and must suffer falling damage. Bards cannot carry anything in their hands while climbing. When climbing typical natural slopes and man made inclines, such as cliff faces or steep steps, a bard does not need to make an attribute check to climb the surface.
This ability is affected by wearing armor heavier than leather.
Crafting (Dexterity): Bards are generally the best judges of what makes a good instrument or other tool of their trade, and also need to repair and maintain such tools away from civilization. Some bards also choose to produce statues, paintings, mosaics, stained glass, inscribed pottery, tattoos, jewelry, and other such objects to use in their performances.
Decipher Script (Intelligence): Bards often need to decipher and interpret legends and secret writings to acquire more knowledge. This ability allows the bard to decipher writing in an unfamiliar language, a message written in an incomplete or archaic form or a message written in code. If the check succeeds, the character understands the general content of a piece of writing. It takes ten turns (minutes) to decipher each page of a script. A decipher script check may be made only once per writing. A bard may use this ability to decipher and then use an arcade scroll, as a wizard or illusionist would, if a successful check is made at a penalty of -10. This ability may not be used to decipher divine scrolls.
Disguise (Charisma): With a successful check in this ability, bards can disguise themselves or impersonate people. The ability allows the bard to impersonate general types of people as well as individuals. For example, a human bard might impersonate a taller elf mage, or perhaps a traveller, even though the bard is a local.
For a general impersonation such as a beggar or merchant, the effort requires a few props, makeup, and 1d3x10 minutes of work to complete. Where specific individuals are being impersonated, at least one month's preparation time is required to avoid detection. A disguise can include an apparent change of height or weight of no more than one-tenth the original height or weight of the bard. The Castle Keeper makes the character's diguise check secretly so that the character is not sure of its success. The following penalties are a pplied to a disguise check when appropriate: sex difference -2, race difference -2, and a -2 for an age difference of more than ten years.
A successful disguise does not fool an observer in all instances. Success indicates that the bard is disguised well enough to fool normal, non-suspicious observers. If a suspicious individual observes the bard, the CK may allow the observer an intelligence check to see detect the disguise. If a bard is impersonating a particular individual, all who know that individual are permitted to make an intelligence check to detect the disguise. If the observer would recognize the impersonated individual on sight, the check is made at +4. If the observer is a friend or close associate, the check is made at +8 and if intimate, the check is at +12.
Hide (Dexterity): Bards use this ability to conceal themselves from others. A successful check means that the bard is hidden so well as to be almost invisible. The bard can move up to one-half normal speed and remain hidden. Hide checks suffer no penalty in this circumstance. At more than one-half and up to full speed, the character suffers a -5 penalty to the check to remain hidden. It's practically impossible (-20 penalty) to hide while running or charging.
If the character is being observed, even casually, they cannot hide. If observers are momentarily distracted, though, the character can attempt to hide. While the observer averts its attention from the character, the character can attempt to get to a hiding place. This check, however, is at a -10 penalty because the character has to move quickly to the hiding place. A bard cannot hide if there is nothing to hide behind or conceal oneself with. Deep shadows can count as concealment at the Castle Keeper's discretion.
Bards cannot hide and move silently at the same time until they reach 3rd level. At this level and beyond, a bard can attempt both but must make a successful hide and move silent check at -5. In this case, movement is reduced to one quarter the normal mvoement rate.
This ability is affected by wearing armor heavier than leather.
Legend Lore (Charisma): Bards are lore masters of myth and archaic knowledge. With a successful attribute check, a bard gains or remembers some relevant information about local notables, a legendary item, a noteworthy place or any other relevant bit of information. Gaining the information may entail speaking to local inhabitants and/or doing research. The information might prove useful in diplomacy, entertaining or otherwise influencing others. The ability also might impart a full or partial understanding of local or secret languages, including rogue's cant, the secret druidic language or ranger signs.
The check will not reveal the powers of a magic item, but may give a hint to its history, general function or activation. The Castle Keeper gauges the challenge level of the check based on wehther the knowledge is.
1. Common: This constitutes information known by at least a substantial minority of the local population.
2. Uncommon: But available, known by only a few people in the area.
3. Obscure: Known by few, and hard to come by.
4. Extremely Obscure: Known by very few scholars and sages, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, or possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge.
Listen (Wisdom): A bard can use this ability to listen intently and hear noises that others might not detect, even through an obstacle such as a door. Generally, a successful check indicates that the bard has detected some sort of noise. Success indicates the bard can hear soft sounds, like a whisper or a cat stalking, while outside or in the open and up to a range of 30 feet. It also indicates success if the bard is listening for sounds on the other side of a door, but the bard must be adjacent to the door. However, exactly what is heard is up to the Castle Keeper's discretion as each case is unique. If listening through a stone wall, the bard suffers a -10 penalty to the check. For other materials, vary the penalty as appropriate. A bard can retry this ability once a round.
Only wearing a metal or large helmet affects this ability negatively.
Move Silently (Dexterity): This ability allows a bard to move so silently that others cannot hear the movement. The bard can use this ability both indoors and outdoors. A bard can move up to one-half the character's normal speed at no penalty. At more than one-half and up to the character's full speed, the character suffers a -5 penalty. It's practically impossible (-20 penalty) to move silently while running or charging.
To move silently and hide, see the hide ability. This ability is affected by wearing armor heavier than leather.
Open Lock (Dexterity): A bard can use this ability to open any sort of mechanical lock that would normally require a key to open. A successful check indicates the lock has been opened. This ability requires the use of a set of rogue's tools, including picks, blank keys, wires, torsion wrenches or other appropriate tools. A bard may only make one attempt per lock. If that attempt fails, the bard cannot try to open the same lock again until gaining one more level as it is beyond the current ability of the bard to pick it.
Only wearing metal or large gloves affects this ability negatively.
Pick Pocket (Dexterity): A bard can use this ability, on a successful dexterity check, to remove the contents of a pocket or pouch (or otherwise take something from a person) without being noticed. Success may require the bard to cut the purse or pouch from the target. A penalty to the check is applied equal to the level or hit dice of the targeted victim.
This ability also allows the bard to perform "sleight of hand" maneuvers. A successful dexterity check indicates the bard has hidden or moved an item in such a manner so that observers are not aware of where the item has been hidden. Such typical maneuvers are hiding a coin, sliding a card up a sleeve, performing the shell game in such a way that the bard always wins, and the like. A penalty to the check may be applied if there is an observer present that is determined to note where an item is moved. This penalty is equal to the wisdom attribute bonus for the observer.
This ability is affected by wearing armor heavier than leather.
Traps (Intelligence): ...
BARD SPECIAL ABILITIES
Code: Select all
Fast Spells per Day
Level Movement 0th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1 35 1
2 35 2
3 40 2 1
4 40 3 1
5 40 3 2
6 50 3 2 1
7 50 4 2 1
8 50 4 3 2
9 50 4 3 2 1
10 60 4 3 2 1
11 60 5 3 3 2
12 60 5 4 3 2 1
13 60 5 4 3 2 1
14 60 5 4 3 3 2
15 70 5 4 4 3 2 1
16 70 6 4 4 3 2 1
17 70 6 5 4 3 3 2
18 70 6 5 4 4 3 2 1
19 70 6 5 4 4 3 2 1
20 70 6 5 5 4 3 3 2
21 80 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 1
22 80 7 5 5 4 4 3 2 1
23 80 7 6 5 5 4 3 3 2
24 80 7 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 1
25 80 7 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 1
26 80 7 6 6 5 5 4 3 3 2
27 80 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 1
28 80 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 1
29 90 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 3 3 2
30 90 8 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 2
31 90 8 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 2
32 90 8 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 3 3
33 90 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3
34 90 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3
35 90 8 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 3
36 90 8 7 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4
Charisma
HIT DICE: d6
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS: Any
ARMOR: Leather armor, leather coat, and padded
ABILITIES: Fast movement, bardic tradition, spells, bardic luck, crafting, climb, decipher script, disguise, hide, legend lore, listen, move silently, open lock, pick pocket, traps
Level HD BtH EPP
Code: Select all
1 d6 +0 0
2 d6 +1 2,001
3 d6 +1 4,001
4 d6 +1 8,001
5 d6 +2 16,001
6 d6 +2 32,001
7 d6 +2 64,001
8 d6 +3 128,001
9 d6 +3 250,001
10 d6 +3 500,001
11 +2 HP +4 750,001
12 +2 HP +4 1,000,001
13+ 250,000 EP per level
Titles of the Arcane Tradition:
Level Title Other
1 Dabbler
2 Neophyte
3 Initiate
4 Understudy
5 Junior
6 Undergraduate
7 Graded
8 Certified
9 Licensed
10-11 Senior
12-13 Qualified
14-15 Graduate
16-17 Practitioner
18-19 Demonstrator
20-21 Master
22-23 Conductor
24 Composer
Titles of the Legerdemain Tradition:
Level Title Other
1 Beggar
2 Hustler
3 Trickster
4 Soothsayer
5 Performer
6 Jester
7 Prestidigitator
8 Magician
9 Maestro
10-11 Hypnotist
12-13 Somnambulist
14-15 Archetype
16-17 Superego
18-19 Expressionist
20-21 Surrealist
22-23 Ringleader
24 Troupemaster
Titles of the Divine Tradition:
Level Title Other
1 Altar Boy/Girl
2 Candle Bearer
3 Usher
4 Choir Boy/Girl
5 Choir Leader
6 Cantor
7 Offering Handler
8 Offering Counter
9 Teacher of Children
10-11 Lecturer
12-13 Iconographer
14-15 Portrayer of Saints
16-17 Travelling Preacher
18-19 Miracle Worker
20-21 Missionary
22-23 Relic Bearer
24 Apostle
Titles of the Natural Tradition:
Level Title Other
1 Probationer
2 Fochlucan
3 Mac-Fuirmidh
4 Doss
5 Canaith
6 Cli
7 Anstruth
8 Ollamh
9 Alumnae
10-11 Magna Alumnae
12-13 Bonesong
14-15 Treesong
16-17 Faesong
18-19 Howler
20-21 Attuned
22-23 Incubator
24 Enlightened
Titles of the Epic Tradition:
Level Title Other
1 Scop
2 Fili
3 Bragi
4 Odist
5 Skald
6 Sagaman
7 Travatore
8 Chronicler
9 Troubador
10-11 Minstrel
12-13 Master Bard
14-15 Chronicler
16-17 Mythmaker
18-19 Muse
20-21 Standard Bearer
22-23 March Orderer
24 Executive Officer
