Bard

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Class Information

Free
Alignment: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, True Neutral, Chaotic Neutral
Hit Dice: d6
Skills
Creation: (6 + Intelligence Modifier) x 4
Leveling: 6 + Intelligence Modifier

Balance
Bluff
Concentration
Diplomacy
Haggle
Hide
Jump
Listen
Move Silently
Perform
Spellcraft
Swim
Tumble
Use Magic Device
Proficiencies
Simple Weapons
Martial Weapons (Longsword, Rapier, Short Sword, Shortbow)
Light Armor
Shields (except tower shields)
Overview

Using sells, skills, and powerful magical songs, Bards are the ultimate support characters, simultaneously strengthening friends and weakening foes.

Playing songs is the bard's most impressive ability. With songs bards can give a boost to their allies abilities or subdue foes. The Fascinate song can mesmerize and immobilize enemies better than other class's spells or abilities.

Bards also have mastery of many different kinds of spells. They can heal allies or attack and manipulate foes and have more spell points than any of the other melee or specialist classes.

With this special blend of abilities, bards can make any party more effective, regardless of composition.

Past Lives
Icon Feat Description
Feat Past Life - Bard Icon.png Past Life: Bard You were a Bard in a past life. You occasionally find yourself humming a merry tune. Each time you acquire this feat you gain:
  • +2 to saves vs enchantments and illusions
  • +1 bard song usage
Feat Past Life - Bard Icon.png Past Life: Bardic Dilettante You recall more about your past life as a bard. By taking this feat you gain:
  • +1 to all Charisma based skills
  • +1 to the DC's of your Enchantment spells
  • Can Inspire Courage three times per rest.
Spells
See Also: Bard Spells
  • A bard casts spells from a selection of arcane and divine spells, which are drawn from the bard spell list. The casting ability of a bard is his Charisma.
  • Like sorcerers, bards do not have to prepare spells. Instead they can learn a limited number of spells which are always available to be cast.
  • A bard also gets bonus spell points from his Charisma modifier.
  • A Bard is limited to casting spells no higher level than his Charisma-10.
  • The Arcane Spell Failure from light armor (but not shields) is ignored by Bards when casting Bard spells.
Advancement
BardSpell Information
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveReflex SaveWill SaveAutograntedSpell Points1st2nd3rd4th5th6th
1 +0/+0 +0 +2 +2 Dismiss Charm, Fascinate, Bardic Ballad 501-----
2 +1/+1/+6 +0 +3 +3 752-----
3 +2/+2/+7 +1 +3 +3 Bardic Inspiration 1003-----
4 +3/+3/+8 +1 +4 +4 12532----
5 +3/+3/+8 +1 +4 +4 15043----
6 +4/+4/+9 +2 +5 +5 Suggestion 17543----
7 +5/+5/+10/+15 +2 +5 +5 200442---
8 +6/+6/+11/+16 +2 +6 +6 Soothing Song 225443---
9 +6/+6/+11/+16 +3 +6 +6 Ballad Melody: Greatness 250443---
10 +7/+7/+12/+17 +3 +7 +7 2754442--
11 +8/+8/+13/+18 +3 +7 +7 3004443--
12 +9/+9/+14/+19 +4 +8 +8 Song of Freedom 3254443--
13 +9/+9/+14/+19 +4 +8 +8 35044442-
14 +10/+10/+15/+20 +4 +9 +9 Improved Inspire Courage 37544443-
15 +11/+11/+16/+21 +5 +9 +9 Inspiration Melody: Heroics 40044443-
16 +12/+12/+17/+22 +5 +10 +10 425544442
17 +12/+12/+17/+22 +5 +10 +10 450554443
18 +13/+13/+18/+23 +6 +11 +11 Mass Suggestion 475555443
19 +14/+14/+19/+24 +6 +11 +11 500555544
20 +15/+15/+20/+25 +6 +12 +12 Improved Inspire Courage 525555554

Class Feats[edit]

Level 1[edit]

  • Arcane Lore: Represents your knowledge of the arcane. This feat is received once for every bard level.
  • Dismiss Charm: Activate this short-ranged ability while targeting a charmed, commanded, controlled, or dominated enemy that is under your control to dispel the controlling effect.
  • Fascinate: This feat forces the enemy to sit quietly and take no action for a short period of time or until it is attacked. Requires 3 or more ranks in the Perform skill.
  • Bardic Ballad: You are constantly surrounded by a faint aura of Bardic Music, and it benefits you and your nearby allies in combat. You and all nearby allies receive the benefits of Inspire Courage as long as you are alive and not incapacitated, providing a +1 music bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws versus fear, as well as +3 universal Spell Power.
  • Religious Lore: This feat grants represents your knowledge of religion. Obtain at level 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. of bard taken.
  • Wilderness Lore: This feat grants represents your knowledge of the wilderness. Obtain at level 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. of bard taken.

Level 3[edit]

  • Bardic Inspiration: Activate this ability to Inspire a single target ally or yourself. Future abilities can modify or increase the effect of your Inspiration, and gaining more effective Bard levels will increase your duration of this ability. At Bard Level 3, this automatically includes Inspire Competence, providing a +4 Music bonus to all skill checks.

Level 6[edit]

  • Suggestion: A bard of 6th level or higher with 9 or more ranks in the Perform skill can use a song that casts a spell similar to the Suggestion spell on a creature that he has already fascinated. Using this ability does not break the bard’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect.

Level 8[edit]

  • Soothing Song: Sing a song to apply a small positive energy heal to your target and nearby party members. In addition, your Inspire Courage becomes Improved Inspire Courage and now gives an additional +1 bonus to attack, damage, and fear saves, and +3 Universal Spell Power.

Level 9[edit]

  • Ballad Melody: Greatness: Adds the effects of Inspire Greatness to your Bardic Ballad, providing allies a +20 Temporary Hit Points, +3 Physical Resistance Rating, an +10 Healing Amplification as long as your are not incapacitated and they are within the Ballad.

Level 12[edit]

  • Song of Freedom: A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in the Perform skill can use its music or poetics to break all enchantments affecting an ally. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally. This ability is equivalent to the Break Enchantment spell.

Level 14[edit]

  • Improved Inspire Courage: Your inspire courage now gives an additional +2 bonus to attack, damage, and fear saves, and an additional +3 Universal Spell Power.

Level 15[edit]

  • Inspiration Melody: Heroics: Adds the effects of Inspire Heroics to your Bardic Inspiration: +4 Music bonus to Armor Class, +4% Music bonus to Dodge, and +4 Music bonus to all Saves.

Level 18[edit]

  • Mass Suggestion: A bard of 18th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in the Perform skill can activate this bard ability to charm multiple fascinated foes for a short time.

Level 20[edit]

  • Improved Inspire Courage: Your inspire courage now gives an additional +3 bonus to attack, damage, and fear saves, and an additional +3 Universal Spell Power.