Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ravenwoode 08-04-06, 06:05 PM	I’m playing a Bard in our current campaign, and started to wonder about other possible applications of the Bard’s countersong ability. I like the idea of a Bard being able to counter certain effects “through the magic of song”, (as sappy as that sounds...) and was wondering about tinkering with that ability. I came up with a couple of ideas to replace the countersong as written.. Countersong (Su): A bard can use his music or poetics to counter certain effects. Each round of the countersong, he makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself ) may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Countersong has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. The bard may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds. Once a bard uses his countersoung, the effects from other bardic music, such as inspire courage, ceases. 2nd level Fear: A Bard may use his countersong to counter fear effects. 4th level Charm: A Bard may use his countersong to counter the effects of Charms 5th level Compulsions: A Bard can use his countersong to negate the effects of mind-affecting compulsion effects, such as Dominate Person, or Confusion. 7th level Conditions: A Bard can use his countersong to temporarily remove these conditions: Dazed, Exhausted, Fatigued, Nauseated or Sickened 10th level,Immediate Coutnersong: the Bard may perform a countersong as an immediate action. (doing so immediately disrupts any other bardic music effect) Also thinking about changing the inspire competence ability—this just seems kinda silly (pick that lock! Pick that lock...gooooo lockpicker!) Any suggestions on that? Anyone else tinker with the Bard?
Angel Black 08-07-06, 06:48 PM	Guess most of that Countersong stuff must be put into a Exalted-Vow-feat like. I think one bardic feat must be enough to replace any bard feature.
CaoSlayer 08-07-06, 07:00 PM	you know that most charms and compulsion are language dependent so can be countered already?
Elora_Gwyre 08-07-06, 07:17 PM	Hmmm...goodpoint CaoSlayer. I'm glad you pointed that out, because I had forgotten about the language-dependent aspect of countersong -- it's more powerful than I remembered, and will be quite useful in the next part of the campaign my bard is in! ravenwoode -- cool name, btw. My bard has a lot of close ties to ravens -- funny. Anyway, I like your ideas. But in light of CaoSlayer's point, I don't know if messing with countersong would be that worthwhile. Personally, I think it would be a good idea to drop inspire competence completely, and replace it with a more powerful/rapid progression for inspire courage. Really, I think there should be a built-in ability to inspire courage as preparation for battle, rather than during battle. It makes much more sense to me for a bard to sing a heroic battlesong or use an inspiring speech before heading into a challenge, and have that bolster everyone's spirits and abilities for the whole encounter.