Bard - Troubadour/Jongleur
Prime Attribute: Charisma
Overview
Bards are the consummate 'people persons'. While other character classes, such as Paladins, may depend upon their charisma for an aspect of their character; the Bard's entire character revolves around her ability to relate to people. People trust Paladins and Knights and will follow them into battle; but they are still followers. A Bard will inspire a person from the 'inside-out'; convincing him he is heroic and that his deeds will matter to both him, his community, and his descendants. Also, a Bard will find out far more about a community and its inhabitants than any other character; he knows who to ask, how to ask, what to ask, and how to listen carefully. Taking all those pieces together, a Bard is able to tease out information unavailable to others and to use it. A Bard's stories or songs can sway communities or even nations.
Of course, it is a 2-way relationship. Bards became Bards because they love to entertain. They not only find it easy to entertain people; but it is a necessity as well. Bards enjoy being the center of attention. Bards are a group that genuinely enjoy their work. However, they expect to be paid and to enjoy the other fringe benefits that come from a certain style and a way with people.
Bards are attracted to adventuring parties. Such a group is not only a wonderful opportunity to travel and see new places, but also a rich source of stories and renown. While a Bard can attract more attention at times then an adventuring party may desire, the Bard's talents far outweigh any such minor inconveniences. Bards are able to inspire their companions. In addition, they are a wealth of knowledge and have the skills to find out additional information. Plus, as noted earlier, Bards are the uncontested master class at negotiations, assessing and altering social situations and NPCs, and negotiating favourable deals and rates for the Party. Finally, the Bard is a valuable addition in her own right. Minstrels or Gleemen have all the before mentioned Bard skills plus very respectable fighting skills and a few rogue skills thrown in as well. Troubadours or Jongleurs also have the same Bard skills as their Minstrel counterparts. However, these Bards have magical abilities and can cast literal spells with their performances. Such talents come at a cost of their weaker fighting skills than the Minstrels and a lack of rogue skills.
Overview of Troubadours/Jongleurs: (note: the rest of the information on this page applies to Troubadours/Jongleurs - see the Minstrel page for specific information on that Bard class).
While Troubadours are sometimes referred to as "High Bards", they are not better nor worse than minstrels, just different. Troubadours tend to perform for the middle and upper classes (hence, "High Bards"). Their performances are usually the reason why the audience is there (food and drink or other entertainment may be present; but the performance is why the audience is in that spot at that time). A troubadour's aim is to present the most perfect performance for their audiences. For instance, a troubadour will strive to have the most accurate recitation of "The Lay of Camwyn Dragonmaster" with the perfect musical accompaniment; whereas, a minstrel will happily change names and notes in order to amuse/interact with his audience. Both bards believe they are giving the best performance for their audience and deserve the most acclaim - it's their approaches that are entirely different.
These different approaches mean radically different talents. Troubadours are scholars striving to find new stories or rediscover old stories and knowledge. They tend to be somewhat obsessed with knowledge as they never know when different tidbits of information can come together for a new song or a 'more accurate' interpretation of an old tale. Thus, troubadours also love to wander and will join adventuring groups, especially if they explore old ruins or new lands where previously lost information or tales may be found. Troubadours do not have the same level of combat skills nor the rogue skills of the minstrel; but they still can significantly add to a party's combat power and, unlike minstrels, their performances not only seems magical, they truly are magical.
Troubadours utilize bard magic. Bard magic is totally different than arcane or divine magic. As such, other magic users do not readily recognize when bard magic is being utilized. Bard magic usually augments a bard's performance with some additional effects that would be indispensable for a bard's adventures. Thus, a troubadour is a powerful support character with respectable combat skills and, of course, the bard's indispensable 'people skills'.
ABILITIES
ASSESS PERSON/CROWD (WISDOM):
Using this ability, the bard can gather the information an astute 'people watcher' would be able to gain from an individual or group. The player must state what sort of information the bard is trying to gather and how she is gathering that information. The Castle Keeper will give the player an approximate idea of the length of time required to gather that information and how difficult it will be to collect the information. For instance, a roll will not be required nor more than a few seconds for the bard to judge an openly hostile mood in a bar and who is the subject of that hostility. On the other hand, a bard trying to pick up subtle clues for someone from a different culture or a person who is hard to see and hear will face a much higher difficulty challenge and would take substantially more time. Note: the more strategies and time the player has his bard utilize, the more likely the information being gathered is accurate or even possible to gain. But, the target of the bard's attention may get suspicious or worse… The player does not get to know if the roll succeeded or not. A successful check will result in information useful to assess the target. A narrow fail will result in inconclusive results while a significant fail will result in the bard making an incorrect assessment. A critical fail will result in the target knowing he/she/they are being studied by the bard - results will vary and depend on the Castle Keeper.
While this ability is unaffected by wearing armor, appearing ready to fight will have an effect on the reaction of people being studied by the bard…
The Castle Keeper may or may not allow a check on non-human creatures.
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 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 arcane script if a successful check is made at a penalty of -10. If successful he can read the spell and cast the spell (unlike minstrels). This ability may not be used to decipher divine scrolls, but a minstrel will be able to tell roughly what the scroll's purpose is (e.g. heal) and its general alignment (creator of the scroll good or evil).
EXALT (CHARISMA):
This is the bard’s ability to inspire companions and listeners, allowing them to surpass their normal level of performance. Some bards invoke this ability through song and music, while others do so through oration, battle cries or sheer acting and demeanor. With a successful attribute check, a bard can help allies succeed at a task. The ally gets a +2 bonus on any action requiring an attribute check, including class ability checks, saving throws and standard attribute checks. This ability does not affect attack rolls. The allies must be able to see and hear the bard, and must be within 60 feet. The Castle Keeper may rule that certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The bard can use this ability once per day per level, and can maintain the effect for a number of rounds equal to the bard’s level. The bard can take other actions while using this ability, unless the Castle Keeper rules otherwise. As the bard rises in levels, the bonus imparted increases as well. It rises to +3 at 6th level, +4 at 12th level and +5 at 18th level.
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 whether the knowledge is:
Common: This constitutes information known by at least a substantial minority of the local population.
Uncommon: The information is known by only a few people in the area, though easy to track down.
Obscure: The information is known by a few, but rather hard to come by.
Extremely Obscure: The information is 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.
FASCINATE:
At 4th level, a bard gains the ability to place a single creature into a trance. The creature to be fascinated must be able to see and hear the bard, and the bard must also see the creature. The creature must be able to pay attention to the bard. The distraction of a nearby combat or other danger will prevent the ability from working. The Bard can use music, poetry, chanting, speech, whistling, playing an instrument or any combination of the above to produce the intended effect on the creature, as long as some verbal performance is included. Bards can use this ability three times per day, and can maintain the effect for a number of rounds equal to their level.
When a bard uses this ability, the target makes a charisma saving throw to resist the bard’s spellsong. If the saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the bard for up to the full duration of the effect. While using this ability, a bard must concentrate, as if casting or maintaining a spell. While fascinated, the target is treated as if prone and also suffers a -4 penalty to all saving throws and a -5 to armor class. If the creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. Any threat that is obvious to the fascinated creature, such as the casting of a spell, drawing of a sword or aiming of a weapon automatically breaks the effect.
As the bard rises in levels, the power of the fascination increases as well, allowing the bard to further influence the listener through suggestion. These specialized uses of the fascinate ability can only be performed on creatures who are under the influence of the bard’s fascinate ability. At 5th level, a bard may attempt a charm person on a fascinated creature. At 8th level, a bard may attempt to implant a suggestion into a fascinated creature. At 12th level, a bard may attempt antipathy/ sympathy on a fascinated creature. At 18th level, a bard may attempt a mass suggestion on fascinated creatures. In each case, the creature receives a saving throw to attempt to resist the spellsong. As the bard gains experience, the number of creatures that can be affected by the fascination, or one of its specialized uses, increases. The number of creatures is equal to two fewer than the level of the bard. For example, a 4th level bard can fascinate 2 creatures, a 6th level bard can fascinate 4 creatures, and a 12th level bard can fascinate 10 creatures.
EXHORT GREATNESS:
At 9th level, a bard can inspire greatness in one other creature. For every two levels the bard attains beyond 9th, the bard can inspire greatness in an additional creature. To inspire greatness, the bard must use song, poetry or some sort of oration. The creature to be inspired must be able to hear the bard, and must be within 30 feet for the effect to take place. A creature inspired with greatness gains temporary hit points and attack bonuses for as long as the bard is within its hearing and the bard continues to sing or orate. This effect lasts for one minute, or six rounds, at 9th level, and the duration increases by one additional round for every level beyond 9th. The creature can move out of the 30 foot radius once the exhortation has begun, but it must still be able to hear the bard at all times.
The target creature gains a +2 bonus on all ‘to hit’ rolls, and gains temporary hit points as if two hit dice (or levels) higher. Apply the creature’s constitution modifier, if any, to each bonus hit point roll. See the combat section for a detailed explanation of temporary hit points.
BARDIC MAGIC
A person may only become a troubadour if she has the 'spark'. Non-troubadours believe that means the spark of musical/performance genius, which is partly true. Troubadours know it also means the aspiring troubadour is capable of bardic magic. Bard magic is tied to performance skills. It is also tied to a totally different understanding of magic. Clerics see clerical magic as favour from the gods. Arcane magic users see magic as a tool to be used. Bards see magic as a separate entity - a force that has an individual identity and with a will of its own. Bards approach magic as a negotiation or dance. As a result, non-bards do not perceive bardic magic nor can they utilize it. Bards can perceive other types of magic at work, but they are incapable of making any of it their own (e.g. a bard cannot read an arcane scroll and learn to cast sleep). Bards need to learn from other bards or to make discoveries on their own…. However, there is a relationship between bard magic and elven magic that neither group talks about….
Bards can receive more details about "Bardic Magic" on this page.
SENSE AND SUMMON MAGIC:
Bards have an innate ability to sense the magic around them and persuade it to power spells. This process has 3 steps: First, usually during a long rest, the Bard concentrates for 30 minutes while doing a quiet performance. During this time, the magic that is locally available will gather around the Bard or it will be readily observable to the Bard. The Bard will be able to discern the following things about the magic: 1. Strength: non-existent, weak, average, strong, overbearing . Average is by far the most common. There is normally a reason why it is not average….. 2. Nature of the magic: cooperative, indifferent, hostile. Second, the Bard may choose to make a Lore check for additional information. The DM makes the roll in secret and supplies information based on the roll (success gives +1 to stage 3, failure -1. The DM may give background information at this point – possible reason why the local magic is non-existent or hostile, etc…). Third, the Bard makes a Performance check to get the magic’s cooperation. Before the check, the approximate DC is supplied by the DM. (Failure = no magic and Bard needs to try in a new spot, Success = magic will help Bard, Critical Success=1 spell of the Bard’s choice is augmented - usually extra damage or range or duration...) .
Note: In very rare cases, the magic is very self-aware. The DM will warn the Bard of this situation in vague terms upon the sensing magic stage. The Bard may choose to continue, stop, run away at this point, ….. If the Bard continues, he/she will then be in negotiation with the self-aware magic. That situation may be extremely good or extremely bad…… In either case, the magic will expect something from the Bard and his/her companions - service/assistance, ….. their souls. Bards should really hesitate before negotiating with an evil self-aware magic of overbearing strength!
BARD SPELLS:
Bards have available spell slots - these include four "0" level (cantrip) spells (bards of any level only have access to four cantrip slots). Level 1 and up spell slots increase with the bard's level as indicated in the chart below. Bards do not have to prepare specific spells ahead of time. In order to cast a spell, a bard needs to: 1. have previously summoned magic - unless noted otherwise, this magical source is enough to power all of the bard's available spell slots. 2. the bard must know the spell. 3. the bard must have an unused spell slot of the proper level available (note: once a day, a bard may sacrifice a level one spell slot for 4 additional cantrip slots). 4. the bard must have the available elements to cast the spell (usually a performance).
Bards are limited in the number of spells they can know at one time. If a bard discovers a new spell, he or she will lose an existing spell of the same level (unless the bard is entitled to more known spells due a level increase).
Bards can only learn their spells from other bards or from experimenting. Unlike divine or arcane magic, the majority of bard magic is quite subtle. To anyone but a troubadour, it is impossible to see the difference between the performance of a non-magical minstrel and a magical troubadour. It will just seem that the troubadour's performance is just a little more powerful…..
BARD SPELLS PER DAY
Lvl 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1 4 1
2 4 2
3 4 3
4 4 3 1
5 4 4 2
6 4 4 3
7 4 4 3 1
8 4 4 4 2
9 4 5 4 3
10 4 5 4 3 1
11 4 5 4 4 2
12 4 5 5 4 3
13 4 5 5 4 3 1
14 4 5 5 4 4 2
15 4 5 5 5 4 3
16 4 5 5 5 4 3 1
17 4 5 5 5 4 4 2
18 4 5 5 5 5 4 3
19 4 5 5 5 5 5 4
20 4 5 5 5 5 5 5
BARD SPELLS KNOWN
Lvl 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1 4 2
2 5 3
3 6 4
4 6 4 2
5 6 4 3
6 6 4 4
7 6 5 4 2
8 6 5 4 3
9 6 5 4 4
10 6 5 5 4 2
11 6 6 5 4 3
12 6 6 5 4 4
13 6 6 5 5 4 2
14 6 6 6 5 4 3
15 6 6 6 5 4 4
16 6 6 6 5 5 4 2
17 6 6 6 6 5 4 3
18 6 6 6 6 5 4 4
19 6 6 6 6 5 5 4
20 6 6 6 6 6 5 5
PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Charisma
HIT DICE: d6
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS: Broadsword, bows, club, dagger, dart, hand axe, hammers, javelin, longsword, rapier, scimitar, short sword, sling, spear, staff
ARMOR: Chain shirt, hide, laminar leather, leather, leather coat, padded, ring mail, studded leather
ABILITIES: Assess person/crowd, decipher script, exalt, legend lore, fascinate, exhort greatness, sense/summon magic, cast bard spells.
Lvl HD BtH EPP
1 d6 +0 0
2 d6 +1 1,501
3 d6 +1 3,251
4 d6 +1 7,501
5 d6 +2 15,001
6 d6 +2 30,001
7 d6 +2 60,001
8 d6 +3 120,001
9 d6 +3 240,001
10 d6 +3 450,001
11 +2 HP +4 625,001
12 +2 HP +4 800,001
13+ 175,000 per level
Overview
Bards are the consummate 'people persons'. While other character classes, such as Paladins, may depend upon their charisma for an aspect of their character; the Bard's entire character revolves around her ability to relate to people. People trust Paladins and Knights and will follow them into battle; but they are still followers. A Bard will inspire a person from the 'inside-out'; convincing him he is heroic and that his deeds will matter to both him, his community, and his descendants. Also, a Bard will find out far more about a community and its inhabitants than any other character; he knows who to ask, how to ask, what to ask, and how to listen carefully. Taking all those pieces together, a Bard is able to tease out information unavailable to others and to use it. A Bard's stories or songs can sway communities or even nations.
Of course, it is a 2-way relationship. Bards became Bards because they love to entertain. They not only find it easy to entertain people; but it is a necessity as well. Bards enjoy being the center of attention. Bards are a group that genuinely enjoy their work. However, they expect to be paid and to enjoy the other fringe benefits that come from a certain style and a way with people.
Bards are attracted to adventuring parties. Such a group is not only a wonderful opportunity to travel and see new places, but also a rich source of stories and renown. While a Bard can attract more attention at times then an adventuring party may desire, the Bard's talents far outweigh any such minor inconveniences. Bards are able to inspire their companions. In addition, they are a wealth of knowledge and have the skills to find out additional information. Plus, as noted earlier, Bards are the uncontested master class at negotiations, assessing and altering social situations and NPCs, and negotiating favourable deals and rates for the Party. Finally, the Bard is a valuable addition in her own right. Minstrels or Gleemen have all the before mentioned Bard skills plus very respectable fighting skills and a few rogue skills thrown in as well. Troubadours or Jongleurs also have the same Bard skills as their Minstrel counterparts. However, these Bards have magical abilities and can cast literal spells with their performances. Such talents come at a cost of their weaker fighting skills than the Minstrels and a lack of rogue skills.
Overview of Troubadours/Jongleurs: (note: the rest of the information on this page applies to Troubadours/Jongleurs - see the Minstrel page for specific information on that Bard class).
While Troubadours are sometimes referred to as "High Bards", they are not better nor worse than minstrels, just different. Troubadours tend to perform for the middle and upper classes (hence, "High Bards"). Their performances are usually the reason why the audience is there (food and drink or other entertainment may be present; but the performance is why the audience is in that spot at that time). A troubadour's aim is to present the most perfect performance for their audiences. For instance, a troubadour will strive to have the most accurate recitation of "The Lay of Camwyn Dragonmaster" with the perfect musical accompaniment; whereas, a minstrel will happily change names and notes in order to amuse/interact with his audience. Both bards believe they are giving the best performance for their audience and deserve the most acclaim - it's their approaches that are entirely different.
These different approaches mean radically different talents. Troubadours are scholars striving to find new stories or rediscover old stories and knowledge. They tend to be somewhat obsessed with knowledge as they never know when different tidbits of information can come together for a new song or a 'more accurate' interpretation of an old tale. Thus, troubadours also love to wander and will join adventuring groups, especially if they explore old ruins or new lands where previously lost information or tales may be found. Troubadours do not have the same level of combat skills nor the rogue skills of the minstrel; but they still can significantly add to a party's combat power and, unlike minstrels, their performances not only seems magical, they truly are magical.
Troubadours utilize bard magic. Bard magic is totally different than arcane or divine magic. As such, other magic users do not readily recognize when bard magic is being utilized. Bard magic usually augments a bard's performance with some additional effects that would be indispensable for a bard's adventures. Thus, a troubadour is a powerful support character with respectable combat skills and, of course, the bard's indispensable 'people skills'.
ABILITIES
ASSESS PERSON/CROWD (WISDOM):
Using this ability, the bard can gather the information an astute 'people watcher' would be able to gain from an individual or group. The player must state what sort of information the bard is trying to gather and how she is gathering that information. The Castle Keeper will give the player an approximate idea of the length of time required to gather that information and how difficult it will be to collect the information. For instance, a roll will not be required nor more than a few seconds for the bard to judge an openly hostile mood in a bar and who is the subject of that hostility. On the other hand, a bard trying to pick up subtle clues for someone from a different culture or a person who is hard to see and hear will face a much higher difficulty challenge and would take substantially more time. Note: the more strategies and time the player has his bard utilize, the more likely the information being gathered is accurate or even possible to gain. But, the target of the bard's attention may get suspicious or worse… The player does not get to know if the roll succeeded or not. A successful check will result in information useful to assess the target. A narrow fail will result in inconclusive results while a significant fail will result in the bard making an incorrect assessment. A critical fail will result in the target knowing he/she/they are being studied by the bard - results will vary and depend on the Castle Keeper.
While this ability is unaffected by wearing armor, appearing ready to fight will have an effect on the reaction of people being studied by the bard…
The Castle Keeper may or may not allow a check on non-human creatures.
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 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 arcane script if a successful check is made at a penalty of -10. If successful he can read the spell and cast the spell (unlike minstrels). This ability may not be used to decipher divine scrolls, but a minstrel will be able to tell roughly what the scroll's purpose is (e.g. heal) and its general alignment (creator of the scroll good or evil).
EXALT (CHARISMA):
This is the bard’s ability to inspire companions and listeners, allowing them to surpass their normal level of performance. Some bards invoke this ability through song and music, while others do so through oration, battle cries or sheer acting and demeanor. With a successful attribute check, a bard can help allies succeed at a task. The ally gets a +2 bonus on any action requiring an attribute check, including class ability checks, saving throws and standard attribute checks. This ability does not affect attack rolls. The allies must be able to see and hear the bard, and must be within 60 feet. The Castle Keeper may rule that certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The bard can use this ability once per day per level, and can maintain the effect for a number of rounds equal to the bard’s level. The bard can take other actions while using this ability, unless the Castle Keeper rules otherwise. As the bard rises in levels, the bonus imparted increases as well. It rises to +3 at 6th level, +4 at 12th level and +5 at 18th level.
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 whether the knowledge is:
Common: This constitutes information known by at least a substantial minority of the local population.
Uncommon: The information is known by only a few people in the area, though easy to track down.
Obscure: The information is known by a few, but rather hard to come by.
Extremely Obscure: The information is 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.
FASCINATE:
At 4th level, a bard gains the ability to place a single creature into a trance. The creature to be fascinated must be able to see and hear the bard, and the bard must also see the creature. The creature must be able to pay attention to the bard. The distraction of a nearby combat or other danger will prevent the ability from working. The Bard can use music, poetry, chanting, speech, whistling, playing an instrument or any combination of the above to produce the intended effect on the creature, as long as some verbal performance is included. Bards can use this ability three times per day, and can maintain the effect for a number of rounds equal to their level.
When a bard uses this ability, the target makes a charisma saving throw to resist the bard’s spellsong. If the saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the bard for up to the full duration of the effect. While using this ability, a bard must concentrate, as if casting or maintaining a spell. While fascinated, the target is treated as if prone and also suffers a -4 penalty to all saving throws and a -5 to armor class. If the creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. Any threat that is obvious to the fascinated creature, such as the casting of a spell, drawing of a sword or aiming of a weapon automatically breaks the effect.
As the bard rises in levels, the power of the fascination increases as well, allowing the bard to further influence the listener through suggestion. These specialized uses of the fascinate ability can only be performed on creatures who are under the influence of the bard’s fascinate ability. At 5th level, a bard may attempt a charm person on a fascinated creature. At 8th level, a bard may attempt to implant a suggestion into a fascinated creature. At 12th level, a bard may attempt antipathy/ sympathy on a fascinated creature. At 18th level, a bard may attempt a mass suggestion on fascinated creatures. In each case, the creature receives a saving throw to attempt to resist the spellsong. As the bard gains experience, the number of creatures that can be affected by the fascination, or one of its specialized uses, increases. The number of creatures is equal to two fewer than the level of the bard. For example, a 4th level bard can fascinate 2 creatures, a 6th level bard can fascinate 4 creatures, and a 12th level bard can fascinate 10 creatures.
EXHORT GREATNESS:
At 9th level, a bard can inspire greatness in one other creature. For every two levels the bard attains beyond 9th, the bard can inspire greatness in an additional creature. To inspire greatness, the bard must use song, poetry or some sort of oration. The creature to be inspired must be able to hear the bard, and must be within 30 feet for the effect to take place. A creature inspired with greatness gains temporary hit points and attack bonuses for as long as the bard is within its hearing and the bard continues to sing or orate. This effect lasts for one minute, or six rounds, at 9th level, and the duration increases by one additional round for every level beyond 9th. The creature can move out of the 30 foot radius once the exhortation has begun, but it must still be able to hear the bard at all times.
The target creature gains a +2 bonus on all ‘to hit’ rolls, and gains temporary hit points as if two hit dice (or levels) higher. Apply the creature’s constitution modifier, if any, to each bonus hit point roll. See the combat section for a detailed explanation of temporary hit points.
BARDIC MAGIC
A person may only become a troubadour if she has the 'spark'. Non-troubadours believe that means the spark of musical/performance genius, which is partly true. Troubadours know it also means the aspiring troubadour is capable of bardic magic. Bard magic is tied to performance skills. It is also tied to a totally different understanding of magic. Clerics see clerical magic as favour from the gods. Arcane magic users see magic as a tool to be used. Bards see magic as a separate entity - a force that has an individual identity and with a will of its own. Bards approach magic as a negotiation or dance. As a result, non-bards do not perceive bardic magic nor can they utilize it. Bards can perceive other types of magic at work, but they are incapable of making any of it their own (e.g. a bard cannot read an arcane scroll and learn to cast sleep). Bards need to learn from other bards or to make discoveries on their own…. However, there is a relationship between bard magic and elven magic that neither group talks about….
Bards can receive more details about "Bardic Magic" on this page.
SENSE AND SUMMON MAGIC:
Bards have an innate ability to sense the magic around them and persuade it to power spells. This process has 3 steps: First, usually during a long rest, the Bard concentrates for 30 minutes while doing a quiet performance. During this time, the magic that is locally available will gather around the Bard or it will be readily observable to the Bard. The Bard will be able to discern the following things about the magic: 1. Strength: non-existent, weak, average, strong, overbearing . Average is by far the most common. There is normally a reason why it is not average….. 2. Nature of the magic: cooperative, indifferent, hostile. Second, the Bard may choose to make a Lore check for additional information. The DM makes the roll in secret and supplies information based on the roll (success gives +1 to stage 3, failure -1. The DM may give background information at this point – possible reason why the local magic is non-existent or hostile, etc…). Third, the Bard makes a Performance check to get the magic’s cooperation. Before the check, the approximate DC is supplied by the DM. (Failure = no magic and Bard needs to try in a new spot, Success = magic will help Bard, Critical Success=1 spell of the Bard’s choice is augmented - usually extra damage or range or duration...) .
Note: In very rare cases, the magic is very self-aware. The DM will warn the Bard of this situation in vague terms upon the sensing magic stage. The Bard may choose to continue, stop, run away at this point, ….. If the Bard continues, he/she will then be in negotiation with the self-aware magic. That situation may be extremely good or extremely bad…… In either case, the magic will expect something from the Bard and his/her companions - service/assistance, ….. their souls. Bards should really hesitate before negotiating with an evil self-aware magic of overbearing strength!
BARD SPELLS:
Bards have available spell slots - these include four "0" level (cantrip) spells (bards of any level only have access to four cantrip slots). Level 1 and up spell slots increase with the bard's level as indicated in the chart below. Bards do not have to prepare specific spells ahead of time. In order to cast a spell, a bard needs to: 1. have previously summoned magic - unless noted otherwise, this magical source is enough to power all of the bard's available spell slots. 2. the bard must know the spell. 3. the bard must have an unused spell slot of the proper level available (note: once a day, a bard may sacrifice a level one spell slot for 4 additional cantrip slots). 4. the bard must have the available elements to cast the spell (usually a performance).
Bards are limited in the number of spells they can know at one time. If a bard discovers a new spell, he or she will lose an existing spell of the same level (unless the bard is entitled to more known spells due a level increase).
Bards can only learn their spells from other bards or from experimenting. Unlike divine or arcane magic, the majority of bard magic is quite subtle. To anyone but a troubadour, it is impossible to see the difference between the performance of a non-magical minstrel and a magical troubadour. It will just seem that the troubadour's performance is just a little more powerful…..
BARD SPELLS PER DAY
Lvl 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1 4 1
2 4 2
3 4 3
4 4 3 1
5 4 4 2
6 4 4 3
7 4 4 3 1
8 4 4 4 2
9 4 5 4 3
10 4 5 4 3 1
11 4 5 4 4 2
12 4 5 5 4 3
13 4 5 5 4 3 1
14 4 5 5 4 4 2
15 4 5 5 5 4 3
16 4 5 5 5 4 3 1
17 4 5 5 5 4 4 2
18 4 5 5 5 5 4 3
19 4 5 5 5 5 5 4
20 4 5 5 5 5 5 5
BARD SPELLS KNOWN
Lvl 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1 4 2
2 5 3
3 6 4
4 6 4 2
5 6 4 3
6 6 4 4
7 6 5 4 2
8 6 5 4 3
9 6 5 4 4
10 6 5 5 4 2
11 6 6 5 4 3
12 6 6 5 4 4
13 6 6 5 5 4 2
14 6 6 6 5 4 3
15 6 6 6 5 4 4
16 6 6 6 5 5 4 2
17 6 6 6 6 5 4 3
18 6 6 6 6 5 4 4
19 6 6 6 6 5 5 4
20 6 6 6 6 6 5 5
PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Charisma
HIT DICE: d6
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS: Broadsword, bows, club, dagger, dart, hand axe, hammers, javelin, longsword, rapier, scimitar, short sword, sling, spear, staff
ARMOR: Chain shirt, hide, laminar leather, leather, leather coat, padded, ring mail, studded leather
ABILITIES: Assess person/crowd, decipher script, exalt, legend lore, fascinate, exhort greatness, sense/summon magic, cast bard spells.
Lvl HD BtH EPP
1 d6 +0 0
2 d6 +1 1,501
3 d6 +1 3,251
4 d6 +1 7,501
5 d6 +2 15,001
6 d6 +2 30,001
7 d6 +2 60,001
8 d6 +3 120,001
9 d6 +3 240,001
10 d6 +3 450,001
11 +2 HP +4 625,001
12 +2 HP +4 800,001
13+ 175,000 per level