Tone-deaf Bard? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Tone-deaf Bard? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
klyre
01-25-05, 03:01 PM I have just recently made a new bard character for a campaign. However, this bard has no musical talent at all. Instead, he is an expert negotiator, using Perform (Oratory) and Perform (Comedy) to keep his targets' attention. Inspire courage, for example, would be done by either a short inspirational speech, or perhaps a Braveheart-esque moon to the enemy.

I was wondering if anyone else had experience with musicless bards and what Perform skills they substituted. I'm also looking for any feedback on my particular idea.
Callista
01-26-05, 05:17 AM Perform (Bellydancing)... 'nuff said.
Saihtam
01-26-05, 07:00 AM Any verbal or dance-like perform will do. The barbarian of the game I'm currently dm'ing has ranks in Perform(Hucklebuck) :dancin:

Anything to do with bodylanguage can also help. It's like blind people who can hear very good, maybe you can be an expert at interpreting or outing body language.
Cardinal Teplin
01-26-05, 01:13 PM My girlfriend has a bard ballet dancer. Ghost sound produces the backing orchestra, illusions the set and possibly other dancers, and disguise self the tutu. Ballet does tend to specialise in the overdramatic, and the whole thing works a lot better than I ever expected it to.

The main problem is that a lot of the rules assume that bardic music is a sonic, auditory effect, so some of the spells/feats may need houseruling to really make the character work.

While I'm on the subject, I would strongly recommend the Japanese anime series Princess Tutu to anyone wanting to play a high fantasy bard. It's probably one of the best fantasy stories I've ever seen. Unfortantely, the fact that the story is, *ahem*, about a ballet dancing duck does put nearly everyone off. I'm not a ballet or opera fan, but once you get past the premise, it's astoundingly good.
Kintara
01-26-05, 01:37 PM Drums are also a possibility, really.
Psionic Brick Thrower
01-31-05, 11:09 AM Actually in the campain I'm in right now, one of the other characters is a bard who's spells come from jokes (why did the chicken cross the road?... Fire Ball, {DM Exception to allow him to cast it}). The problem is the player is a bad joke Teller, so the RP value is decreased slightly, but it makes tasha's hideous laughter more fun., Just a thought. I've also seen more serious bards that use poetry, a friend of mine's bard has poem for each spell.
Nurgan_the_drunked
02-01-05, 07:40 AM Perform (comedy) could also be constantly quipping and putting the enemy down in humourous ways from subtle to horridly crude: "What a big sword! Compensating for something?", or "I should cut your head off, but I doubt it'd affect your thinking", that sort of thing.
Psionic Brick Thrower
02-01-05, 02:07 PM Actually he was, but as I said the player wasn't all that funny so the rest of us ocasionally chimed in for him to preserve the Mood
rbingham2000
02-03-05, 12:33 AM I'm surprised no one's mentioned storytelling. That's got to be THE oldest bardic tradition anywhere, and it doesn't have to involve music at all.
Dell Kallyan
02-08-05, 08:18 PM Actually in the campain I'm in right now, one of the other characters is a bard who's spells come from jokes (why did the chicken cross the road?... Fire Ball, {DM Exception to allow him to cast it}). The problem is the player is a bad joke Teller, so the RP value is decreased slightly, but it makes tasha's hideous laughter more fun., Just a thought. I've also seen more serious bards that use poetry, a friend of mine's bard has poem for each spell.

I have to use that poem idea for the next wizard I play!

I'll take full ranks in Perform (poetry) and write a few short poems for him. You see, in real life I write poems from time to time and I study some, especially Roman poems in Latin (go Catullus!). Wow, a poem for each spell... that is something I would actually do, too. I played a character before, a sorceror, who wrote poetry... but the campaign got cut short. That is an amazing idea, though, thank your friend for me!

Anyway, about the tone deaf bard... most of the good ideas are out there already. Drums are a good instrument for those who can't hear pitches well, but have good rythm... and Perform (epic) is always nice (although it would have to be quite a long battle for you to ever finish a story). Any oratory or percussive thing could work... use your imagination.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
klyre 01-25-05, 03:01 PM	I have just recently made a new bard character for a campaign. However, this bard has no musical talent at all. Instead, he is an expert negotiator, using Perform (Oratory) and Perform (Comedy) to keep his targets' attention. Inspire courage, for example, would be done by either a short inspirational speech, or perhaps a Braveheart-esque moon to the enemy. I was wondering if anyone else had experience with musicless bards and what Perform skills they substituted. I'm also looking for any feedback on my particular idea.
Callista 01-26-05, 05:17 AM	Perform (Bellydancing)... 'nuff said.
Saihtam 01-26-05, 07:00 AM	Any verbal or dance-like perform will do. The barbarian of the game I'm currently dm'ing has ranks in Perform(Hucklebuck) :dancin: Anything to do with bodylanguage can also help. It's like blind people who can hear very good, maybe you can be an expert at interpreting or outing body language.
Cardinal Teplin 01-26-05, 01:13 PM	My girlfriend has a bard ballet dancer. Ghost sound produces the backing orchestra, illusions the set and possibly other dancers, and disguise self the tutu. Ballet does tend to specialise in the overdramatic, and the whole thing works a lot better than I ever expected it to. The main problem is that a lot of the rules assume that bardic music is a sonic, auditory effect, so some of the spells/feats may need houseruling to really make the character work. While I'm on the subject, I would strongly recommend the Japanese anime series Princess Tutu to anyone wanting to play a high fantasy bard. It's probably one of the best fantasy stories I've ever seen. Unfortantely, the fact that the story is, ahem, about a ballet dancing duck does put nearly everyone off. I'm not a ballet or opera fan, but once you get past the premise, it's astoundingly good.
Kintara 01-26-05, 01:37 PM	Drums are also a possibility, really.
Psionic Brick Thrower 01-31-05, 11:09 AM	Actually in the campain I'm in right now, one of the other characters is a bard who's spells come from jokes (why did the chicken cross the road?... Fire Ball, {DM Exception to allow him to cast it}). The problem is the player is a bad joke Teller, so the RP value is decreased slightly, but it makes tasha's hideous laughter more fun., Just a thought. I've also seen more serious bards that use poetry, a friend of mine's bard has poem for each spell.
Nurgan_the_drunked 02-01-05, 07:40 AM	Perform (comedy) could also be constantly quipping and putting the enemy down in humourous ways from subtle to horridly crude: "What a big sword! Compensating for something?", or "I should cut your head off, but I doubt it'd affect your thinking", that sort of thing.
Psionic Brick Thrower 02-01-05, 02:07 PM	Actually he was, but as I said the player wasn't all that funny so the rest of us ocasionally chimed in for him to preserve the Mood
rbingham2000 02-03-05, 12:33 AM	I'm surprised no one's mentioned storytelling. That's got to be THE oldest bardic tradition anywhere, and it doesn't have to involve music at all.
Dell Kallyan 02-08-05, 08:18 PM	Actually in the campain I'm in right now, one of the other characters is a bard who's spells come from jokes (why did the chicken cross the road?... Fire Ball, {DM Exception to allow him to cast it}). The problem is the player is a bad joke Teller, so the RP value is decreased slightly, but it makes tasha's hideous laughter more fun., Just a thought. I've also seen more serious bards that use poetry, a friend of mine's bard has poem for each spell. I have to use that poem idea for the next wizard I play! I'll take full ranks in Perform (poetry) and write a few short poems for him. You see, in real life I write poems from time to time and I study some, especially Roman poems in Latin (go Catullus!). Wow, a poem for each spell... that is something I would actually do, too. I played a character before, a sorceror, who wrote poetry... but the campaign got cut short. That is an amazing idea, though, thank your friend for me! Anyway, about the tone deaf bard... most of the good ideas are out there already. Drums are a good instrument for those who can't hear pitches well, but have good rythm... and Perform (epic) is always nice (although it would have to be quite a long battle for you to ever finish a story). Any oratory or percussive thing could work... use your imagination.