Alternate Bard Songs: Instill Cowardice/Fear/Terror [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternate Bard Songs: Instill Cowardice/Fear/Terror [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Xeviat-DM
04-07-04, 07:10 AM While working on my Knight class, who borrows heavily from the Bard's Bardic music, I realized that the Inspire Courage/Greatness/Heroics didn't fit all fantasy knight archtypes. Sure, it fits the Diplomacy heavy knights of lore, but not the intimidate black knight types.

Thinking about it, the evil Bards of my dark campaign setting probably wouldn't go for the Inspire type songs either. Instilling Cowardice/Fear/Terror into their foes is something more fitting a dark, evil Bard.

Now, inspire Courage and Heroics are easy enough to flip. Instill Cowardice would just be the opposite penalty of Inspire Courage's benefit. Instill Terror could easily be the opposite of Inspire Heroics (though I'm more fond of causing the opponent to become Paniced, or following after the Inspire Awe song of the War Chanter from CW).

But Inspire Greatness is tough to make an opposite too. One could call the opposite Instill Failure, and make it grant 2 psudo negative levels, but that doesn't quite work.

Any ideas on good songs for a dark bard, following similar power schemes as the current Inspire songs of the Bards?

Thanks.
Xeviat-DM
04-08-04, 06:08 PM Hello?
Sunrider
04-08-04, 07:16 PM Sounds like a Jester-type bard - instead of helping allies, the bard's song ridicules, distracts and infuriates enemies. An interesting variant, and one I've included in my games on many occasions.
Jell_Moo
04-08-04, 07:54 PM Well, I have two ideas.

1) If you want Instill Terror to be something other than the polar opposite of either Heroics or Courage, then maybe take a look at the Inspire Awe ability that the Warchanter has in Complete Warrior. Could Work.

2) For some sort of Instill failure, maybe make it function very similarly to the Enervation spell. Instead of a ranged touch attack, make it a fort save. When the character gets it (9th level as Inspire Greatness, or maybe slightly later since it is a little more powerful) it affects one enemy. Just like Inspire Greatness, it can affect one other for every 3 extra class levels.

Anyhoo, just a few random thoughts.
Xeviat-DM
04-08-04, 09:42 PM I found inspire Awe, and I'm using that mechanic for Instill Terror (The Inspire Heroic's trade out). I'm thinking that Instill Failure or Instill Worthlessness could work as a psudo -2 level effect, and it would immediately go away once the bard song is ended (5 rounds after since that's when all other effects end). But I don't quite like that, it just doesn't feel right.
Shadowfoot
04-08-04, 09:46 PM You may want to check out my voice of sorrow (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=199049) PrC for ideas for darker songs.
Xeviat-DM
04-09-04, 04:29 AM Wow Shadowfoot, very good songs. Interesting, your Instill Doubt, Instill Weakness, and Instill Cowardice are nearly the exact opposites of Inspire Courage, Inspire Greatness, and Inspire Heroics. Though I have one thing to ask you: Do you really feel that shaken is even with +2d10 HD, +2 BAB, and +1 Fort save? Shaken is -2 attack, saves, skill, and ability checks, but it doesn't hurt spellcasters, where inspire greatness gives everyone temp hp.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Xeviat-DM 04-07-04, 07:10 AM	While working on my Knight class, who borrows heavily from the Bard's Bardic music, I realized that the Inspire Courage/Greatness/Heroics didn't fit all fantasy knight archtypes. Sure, it fits the Diplomacy heavy knights of lore, but not the intimidate black knight types. Thinking about it, the evil Bards of my dark campaign setting probably wouldn't go for the Inspire type songs either. Instilling Cowardice/Fear/Terror into their foes is something more fitting a dark, evil Bard. Now, inspire Courage and Heroics are easy enough to flip. Instill Cowardice would just be the opposite penalty of Inspire Courage's benefit. Instill Terror could easily be the opposite of Inspire Heroics (though I'm more fond of causing the opponent to become Paniced, or following after the Inspire Awe song of the War Chanter from CW). But Inspire Greatness is tough to make an opposite too. One could call the opposite Instill Failure, and make it grant 2 psudo negative levels, but that doesn't quite work. Any ideas on good songs for a dark bard, following similar power schemes as the current Inspire songs of the Bards? Thanks.
Xeviat-DM 04-08-04, 06:08 PM	Hello?
Sunrider 04-08-04, 07:16 PM	Sounds like a Jester-type bard - instead of helping allies, the bard's song ridicules, distracts and infuriates enemies. An interesting variant, and one I've included in my games on many occasions.
Jell_Moo 04-08-04, 07:54 PM	Well, I have two ideas. 1) If you want Instill Terror to be something other than the polar opposite of either Heroics or Courage, then maybe take a look at the Inspire Awe ability that the Warchanter has in Complete Warrior. Could Work. 2) For some sort of Instill failure, maybe make it function very similarly to the Enervation spell. Instead of a ranged touch attack, make it a fort save. When the character gets it (9th level as Inspire Greatness, or maybe slightly later since it is a little more powerful) it affects one enemy. Just like Inspire Greatness, it can affect one other for every 3 extra class levels. Anyhoo, just a few random thoughts.
Xeviat-DM 04-08-04, 09:42 PM	I found inspire Awe, and I'm using that mechanic for Instill Terror (The Inspire Heroic's trade out). I'm thinking that Instill Failure or Instill Worthlessness could work as a psudo -2 level effect, and it would immediately go away once the bard song is ended (5 rounds after since that's when all other effects end). But I don't quite like that, it just doesn't feel right.
Shadowfoot 04-08-04, 09:46 PM	You may want to check out my voice of sorrow (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=199049) PrC for ideas for darker songs.
Xeviat-DM 04-09-04, 04:29 AM	Wow Shadowfoot, very good songs. Interesting, your Instill Doubt, Instill Weakness, and Instill Cowardice are nearly the exact opposites of Inspire Courage, Inspire Greatness, and Inspire Heroics. Though I have one thing to ask you: Do you really feel that shaken is even with +2d10 HD, +2 BAB, and +1 Fort save? Shaken is -2 attack, saves, skill, and ability checks, but it doesn't hurt spellcasters, where inspire greatness gives everyone temp hp.