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DireHawk 05-28-07, 01:30 AM

Ok, so I am personally a fan of Bards. I love the flavor behind them, and I think they have a great deal more potential and use than most people would credit them with. However, I've also always felt that bardic magic should be different from arcane or divine, something completely its own. I came across Monte Cook's Book of Eldritch Might 2 and perused his suggestion for spell songs. I like the idea, and most of the implementation, but there are sooooo many bard spells out there that I don't want to convert them (and they'd need to be converted, because the ones he lists suck). So, this is what I'm thinking... -First of all, bards gain spell songs, not spells. They gain the spell notes, spell chords, and spell melodies just as suggested by big Monte. However, a few changes. Scrap his spell songs. Instead, bard spells of level 1 and 2 become spell notes, and now require only move action to cast (a few exceptions, such as swift action spells, and longer than standard action spells, may apply. They would still be considered spell note in power). Bard spells level 3 and 4 become spell chords, and generally require a standard action to cast (likewise with exception as with the spell notes, except regardless of the casting time, they would be spell chords in power level). Bard spells level 5 and 6 become spell melodies, taking a full round action to cast. -Bard spellsongs would require only verbal components, regardless of what the spells normally demand. -Bards can weave spell notes and spell chords into normal bardic music, meaning they could cast these while maintaining a normal bard song. However, Spell Melodies are too complicated to simply weave into normal bardic music. Bardic music that requires concentration also requires a standard action each round, so only spell notes can be weaved into bardic music like this. -A New class of metamagic feats would be created to modify spellsongs. The metamagic would not increase the casting time as it normally would for a spontaneous caster. Casting times would be determined by the number of notes, chords, or melodies added into the spell song. -Bards get a bard feat at 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter. This feat must be a feat which modifies bardic music, requires bardic music uses to activate, or bardic spell songs. -Because spell songs only have verbal components, bards do not risk arcane spell failure. However, bards remain proficient in only light armor and shields. What ya guys think?