Class Variant: The non-spellcasting Bard [Archive] - Wizards Community

Class Variant: The non-spellcasting Bard [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Thesion
06-01-07, 09:52 PM Alignment: Any Nonlawful
HD: d6
Skills: The bard’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope(Dex).

Skill points: 6+Int mod (x4 at first level)

Level | BAB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Special
1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge, Fascinate, Inspire Courage +1
2 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Great Ally +1, Song of Rejuvenation
3 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Inspire Competence
4 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Great Ally +2
5 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Great Ally(move action)
6 | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Suggestion
7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Bonus Language, Great Ally(automatic success)
8 | +6 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Great Ally +3, Inspire Courage +2
9 | +6 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Inspire Greatness
10 | +7 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Great Ally(swift action)
11 | +8 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Tales of Heroism
12 | +9 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Song of Solace, Great Ally +4
13 | +9 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Tales of Amazing Achievements
14 | +10 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Inspire Courage +3
15 | +11 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Inspire Heroics, Great Ally(immediate action)
16 | +12 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Great Ally +5, Song of True Strength
17 | +12 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Tales of Uncanny Feats
18 | +13 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Mass suggestion
19 | +14 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Inspire Perfection
20 | +15 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Inspire Courage +4, Great Ally +6(full-round action), Legendary Rhapsode

Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Bards are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Bardic Knowledge: As the Bard ability.

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Bardic Music

Inspire Courage: As the Bard ability

Fascinate: As the Bard ability.

Song of Rejuvenation: Beginning at 2nd level, a bard may expend a daily use of bardic music in order to perform a Song of Rejuvenation.
Whenever he does so, he may choose and apply ONE of the following effects:

-Remove fatigue from his allies(including himself). This benefit applies after the recipients have listened to the bard perform for at least one full minute without being under stress or distracted in some other way(e.g. combat, praying for spells, etc.). Exhausted allies are merely fatigued after listening to a Song of Rejuvenation.

-Allow his allies to gain the benefits of long-term care as per the Heal skill.
To do so, the bard must perform for at least one full minute at the time the ones to benefit from this ability are about to rest(for example, when the party camps and goes to sleep at night). Everyone resting after having listened to the bard perform for at least one full minute without being under stress or distracted in some other way(e.g. combat, praying for spells, etc.) receives the benefit of this ability.

-Grant his allies(including himself) Fast healing X as long as he continues to perform, up to 1 round per bard level. X equals the bonus the bard grants with his Inspire Courage ability.

Inspire Competence: As the bard ability, with the exception of the competence bonus provided being one third of the bard's level instead of a static +2(+1 at 3rd level, +2 at 6th level, +3 at 9th level, +4 at 12th level, +5 at 15th level, +6 at 18th level).

Suggestion: As the Bard ability.

Inspire Greatness: As the Bard ability.

Song of Solace: A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to create an effect equivalent to the Greater Restoration spell (caster level equals the character’s bard level). Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and music, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A bard can’t use Song of Solace on himself.

Inspire Heroics: As the Bard ability.

Song of True Strength: A bard of 16th level or higher with 19 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to allow his allies to ignore an amount of Damage Reduction(except DR/- and DR/epic) up to his bard level on all their attacks. This effect lasts as long as the bard continues to perform, and five rounds thereafter.
Song of True strength is a mind-affecting ability.

Mass Suggestion: As the Bard ability.

Inspire Perfection: At 19th level, the bard reaches his pinnacle of performances, and is capable of inspiring perfection into his allies.
A bard of 19th level or higher with 22 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to allow his allies to take 10 on one attack roll, saving throw, skill check or ability check once per round. This effect lasts as long as the bard continues to perform.

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Great Ally: A bard knows that teamplay and tactics overcome solitary strength, and as such, he strives to aid his allies and enhance their combined efforts to his best ability.
Starting at 2nd level, the bonus granted by the bard's Aid Another action increases by the indicated amount(+1 at level 2, +2 at level 4, +3 at level 8, +4 at level 12, +5 at level 16, +6 at level 20).

Furthermore, as the bard gains experience, he needs less and less time to aid an ally.
Starting at 5th level, a bard can perform the Aid Another action as a move action instead of a standard action; at 10th level, he can Aid Another as a swift action(or as a move action, or as a standard action, at his choice); at 15th level, he can Aid Another as immediate action.

At 20th level, the bard may Aid Another as full-round action, thereby doubling the benefits the ally he is aiding receives.

Also, from 7th level on, the bard need not make the DC 10 check to successfully perform the Aid Another action anymore: He has become so sure in his capabilities that he automatically succeeds.

Bonus Language: At 7th level, the bard's continued study has matured to the point where he understands a different culture to the extent that he masters its language:
He may add a single language(except druidic) to his languages known. This may be a language usually not available for an average member of his race.

Tales&Legends:

Tales of Heroism:
A bard of 11th level or higher with 14 or more ranks in a Perform skill can expend two daily uses of bardic music to tell a Tale of Heroism. Doing so takes one hour of uninterrupted performance(be it poetics, music or oratory), after which each ally who has listened to the Tale of Heroism must succeed on a DC 11 Intelligence check in order to receive a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks for the remainder of the day.

Tales of Amazing Achievements:
A bard of 13th level or higher with 16 or more ranks in a Perform skill can expend three daily uses of bardic music to tell a Tale of Amazing Achievements. Doing so takes one hour of uninterrupted performance(be it poetics, music or oratory), after which each ally who has listened to the Tale of Heroism must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence check in order to be granted the ability to take 20 on a single attack roll, saving throw, ability check or skill check on that day. The ability granted by hearing this tale may only be used once per day, even if you hear the same Tale several times.

Tales of Uncanny Feats:
A bard of 17th level or higher with 20 or more ranks in a Perform skill can expend four daily uses of bardic music to tell a Tale of Uncanny Feats. Doing so takes one hour of uninterrupted performance(be it poetics, music or oratory), after which each ally who has listened to the Tale of Uncanny Feats must succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence check in order to receive single bonus feat they qualify for for the rest of the day. Each ally listening to the tale receives the same bonus feat. An ally may only benefit from a single feat gained by hearing this tale, even if he hears the same tale several times.

Legendary Rhapsode:
At 20th level, the bard reaches his pinnacle of storytelling, and may tell a Tale in half the time normally required.
UnknownCorrespondent
06-04-07, 06:06 PM I posted a combat-oriented non-spellcasting bard (skald) class on another thread (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=857406) that had fallen off the front page when you posted this one. Doesn't seem like anyone else is interested, though.

I think you did a good job of giving the class an actual "minstrel" flavor, instead of the sorcerer/rogue hybrid of the original.
blowfish
06-04-07, 09:41 PM I love it! But you might want to re-read the description of the second "Tale" ability, seems you forgot to change a bit after copy/pasting. I was looking for a non-casting bard for a long time, this seems like it's worth using.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Thesion 06-01-07, 09:52 PM	Alignment: Any Nonlawful HD: d6 Skills: The bard’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope(Dex). Skill points: 6+Int mod (x4 at first level) Level \| BAB \| Fort \| Reflex \| Will \| Special 1 \| +0 \| +0 \| +2 \| +2 \| Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge, Fascinate, Inspire Courage +1 2 \| +1 \| +0 \| +3 \| +3 \| Great Ally +1, Song of Rejuvenation 3 \| +2 \| +1 \| +3 \| +3 \| Inspire Competence 4 \| +3 \| +1 \| +4 \| +4 \| Great Ally +2 5 \| +3 \| +1 \| +4 \| +4 \| Great Ally(move action) 6 \| +4 \| +2 \| +5 \| +5 \| Suggestion 7 \| +5 \| +2 \| +5 \| +5 \| Bonus Language, Great Ally(automatic success) 8 \| +6 \| +2 \| +6 \| +6 \| Great Ally +3, Inspire Courage +2 9 \| +6 \| +3 \| +6 \| +6 \| Inspire Greatness 10 \| +7 \| +3 \| +7 \| +7 \| Great Ally(swift action) 11 \| +8 \| +3 \| +7 \| +7 \| Tales of Heroism 12 \| +9 \| +4 \| +8 \| +8 \| Song of Solace, Great Ally +4 13 \| +9 \| +4 \| +8 \| +8 \| Tales of Amazing Achievements 14 \| +10 \| +4 \| +9 \| +9 \| Inspire Courage +3 15 \| +11 \| +5 \| +9 \| +9 \| Inspire Heroics, Great Ally(immediate action) 16 \| +12 \| +5 \| +10 \| +10 \| Great Ally +5, Song of True Strength 17 \| +12 \| +5 \| +10 \| +10 \| Tales of Uncanny Feats 18 \| +13 \| +6 \| +11 \| +11 \| Mass suggestion 19 \| +14 \| +6 \| +11 \| +11 \| Inspire Perfection 20 \| +15 \| +6 \| +12 \| +12 \| Inspire Courage +4, Great Ally +6(full-round action), Legendary Rhapsode Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Bards are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). Bardic Knowledge: As the Bard ability. --------------------------------------------------- Bardic Music Inspire Courage: As the Bard ability Fascinate: As the Bard ability. Song of Rejuvenation: Beginning at 2nd level, a bard may expend a daily use of bardic music in order to perform a Song of Rejuvenation. Whenever he does so, he may choose and apply ONE of the following effects: -Remove fatigue from his allies(including himself). This benefit applies after the recipients have listened to the bard perform for at least one full minute without being under stress or distracted in some other way(e.g. combat, praying for spells, etc.). Exhausted allies are merely fatigued after listening to a Song of Rejuvenation. -Allow his allies to gain the benefits of long-term care as per the Heal skill. To do so, the bard must perform for at least one full minute at the time the ones to benefit from this ability are about to rest(for example, when the party camps and goes to sleep at night). Everyone resting after having listened to the bard perform for at least one full minute without being under stress or distracted in some other way(e.g. combat, praying for spells, etc.) receives the benefit of this ability. -Grant his allies(including himself) Fast healing X as long as he continues to perform, up to 1 round per bard level. X equals the bonus the bard grants with his Inspire Courage ability. Inspire Competence: As the bard ability, with the exception of the competence bonus provided being one third of the bard's level instead of a static +2(+1 at 3rd level, +2 at 6th level, +3 at 9th level, +4 at 12th level, +5 at 15th level, +6 at 18th level). Suggestion: As the Bard ability. Inspire Greatness: As the Bard ability. Song of Solace: A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to create an effect equivalent to the Greater Restoration spell (caster level equals the character’s bard level). Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and music, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A bard can’t use Song of Solace on himself. Inspire Heroics: As the Bard ability. Song of True Strength: A bard of 16th level or higher with 19 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to allow his allies to ignore an amount of Damage Reduction(except DR/- and DR/epic) up to his bard level on all their attacks. This effect lasts as long as the bard continues to perform, and five rounds thereafter. Song of True strength is a mind-affecting ability. Mass Suggestion: As the Bard ability. Inspire Perfection: At 19th level, the bard reaches his pinnacle of performances, and is capable of inspiring perfection into his allies. A bard of 19th level or higher with 22 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to allow his allies to take 10 on one attack roll, saving throw, skill check or ability check once per round. This effect lasts as long as the bard continues to perform. ----------------------------------------------------------- Great Ally: A bard knows that teamplay and tactics overcome solitary strength, and as such, he strives to aid his allies and enhance their combined efforts to his best ability. Starting at 2nd level, the bonus granted by the bard's Aid Another action increases by the indicated amount(+1 at level 2, +2 at level 4, +3 at level 8, +4 at level 12, +5 at level 16, +6 at level 20). Furthermore, as the bard gains experience, he needs less and less time to aid an ally. Starting at 5th level, a bard can perform the Aid Another action as a move action instead of a standard action; at 10th level, he can Aid Another as a swift action(or as a move action, or as a standard action, at his choice); at 15th level, he can Aid Another as immediate action. At 20th level, the bard may Aid Another as full-round action, thereby doubling the benefits the ally he is aiding receives. Also, from 7th level on, the bard need not make the DC 10 check to successfully perform the Aid Another action anymore: He has become so sure in his capabilities that he automatically succeeds. Bonus Language: At 7th level, the bard's continued study has matured to the point where he understands a different culture to the extent that he masters its language: He may add a single language(except druidic) to his languages known. This may be a language usually not available for an average member of his race. Tales&Legends: Tales of Heroism: A bard of 11th level or higher with 14 or more ranks in a Perform skill can expend two daily uses of bardic music to tell a Tale of Heroism. Doing so takes one hour of uninterrupted performance(be it poetics, music or oratory), after which each ally who has listened to the Tale of Heroism must succeed on a DC 11 Intelligence check in order to receive a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks for the remainder of the day. Tales of Amazing Achievements: A bard of 13th level or higher with 16 or more ranks in a Perform skill can expend three daily uses of bardic music to tell a Tale of Amazing Achievements. Doing so takes one hour of uninterrupted performance(be it poetics, music or oratory), after which each ally who has listened to the Tale of Heroism must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence check in order to be granted the ability to take 20 on a single attack roll, saving throw, ability check or skill check on that day. The ability granted by hearing this tale may only be used once per day, even if you hear the same Tale several times. Tales of Uncanny Feats: A bard of 17th level or higher with 20 or more ranks in a Perform skill can expend four daily uses of bardic music to tell a Tale of Uncanny Feats. Doing so takes one hour of uninterrupted performance(be it poetics, music or oratory), after which each ally who has listened to the Tale of Uncanny Feats must succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence check in order to receive single bonus feat they qualify for for the rest of the day. Each ally listening to the tale receives the same bonus feat. An ally may only benefit from a single feat gained by hearing this tale, even if he hears the same tale several times. Legendary Rhapsode: At 20th level, the bard reaches his pinnacle of storytelling, and may tell a Tale in half the time normally required.
UnknownCorrespondent 06-04-07, 06:06 PM	I posted a combat-oriented non-spellcasting bard (skald) class on another thread (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=857406) that had fallen off the front page when you posted this one. Doesn't seem like anyone else is interested, though. I think you did a good job of giving the class an actual "minstrel" flavor, instead of the sorcerer/rogue hybrid of the original.
blowfish 06-04-07, 09:41 PM	I love it! But you might want to re-read the description of the second "Tale" ability, seems you forgot to change a bit after copy/pasting. I was looking for a non-casting bard for a long time, this seems like it's worth using.