Bards and Tricks [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bards and Tricks [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Karadur
02-21-04, 10:58 AM Curiosity has just hit me and I wonder how you would have handled what my Bard "attempted" to do at our last session. His performance skills are Juggling and Poetic Storytelling. At the Inn he tumbled out of his chair (Check of 17) and in the process of his landing wanted to pull out his first to juggling balls (Sleight of hand 18) He gets out all the balls and juggles for a while (perform of 20) and then says he wants to switch a ball for a concealed dagger.
Okay, sleight of hand (only gets a 13). In the 3.5 phb and dmg I havn't found really good rulings on how to use sleight of hand for more than 3-4 things.
I had previoiusly set the DC at 15 but since all of his other rolls were so good I said his mistake was so slight that nobody in the audience was likely to have noticed it.

What would you do and what do you think the DCs should be for future such performances? should it all be part of the perform check?
Karadur
02-21-04, 12:32 PM ...
Serath_Aunik
02-21-04, 12:38 PM I play bards often and make frequent use of vartious performance styles. i would recomend that you ask for a check at ever point where it turns into a new trick.

for example if you are jsut going to sing for the night well that'll be just one check but if you are going to do singing tumbling jugling, i'd say each is its own check. As for your case i'd say you asked for checks in the right places and the DC's seem reasonable, though maybe for pulling things out while tumbling or already juggling you might want to apply a circumstance penalty.
Karadur
02-21-04, 12:41 PM yeah, he asked if he should make seperate perform checks but I thought one would pretty much cover it.
Karadur
02-21-04, 03:45 PM any other thoughts?
Aucturos
02-21-04, 05:04 PM I usually DM it at every major difference in the performance... If he starts off singing a long romantic song of two star-crossed lovers, fine. He won't be able to switch to juggling in the same performance, because he's doing something different.

I guess the general rule of thumb for MC would be that anytime the performer has to do a major physical or mental shift, have them roll a check.

Juggling? Okay... Replacing one of the balls with a knife? Hmmm... I'd say include it in the previous check. He's still juggling, but just juggling something different. Now if he wanted to stand on a chair and juggle, I'd call for a check since he has to shift positions.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Karadur 02-21-04, 10:58 AM	Curiosity has just hit me and I wonder how you would have handled what my Bard "attempted" to do at our last session. His performance skills are Juggling and Poetic Storytelling. At the Inn he tumbled out of his chair (Check of 17) and in the process of his landing wanted to pull out his first to juggling balls (Sleight of hand 18) He gets out all the balls and juggles for a while (perform of 20) and then says he wants to switch a ball for a concealed dagger. Okay, sleight of hand (only gets a 13). In the 3.5 phb and dmg I havn't found really good rulings on how to use sleight of hand for more than 3-4 things. I had previoiusly set the DC at 15 but since all of his other rolls were so good I said his mistake was so slight that nobody in the audience was likely to have noticed it. What would you do and what do you think the DCs should be for future such performances? should it all be part of the perform check?
Karadur 02-21-04, 12:32 PM	...
Serath_Aunik 02-21-04, 12:38 PM	I play bards often and make frequent use of vartious performance styles. i would recomend that you ask for a check at ever point where it turns into a new trick. for example if you are jsut going to sing for the night well that'll be just one check but if you are going to do singing tumbling jugling, i'd say each is its own check. As for your case i'd say you asked for checks in the right places and the DC's seem reasonable, though maybe for pulling things out while tumbling or already juggling you might want to apply a circumstance penalty.
Karadur 02-21-04, 12:41 PM	yeah, he asked if he should make seperate perform checks but I thought one would pretty much cover it.
Karadur 02-21-04, 03:45 PM	any other thoughts?
Aucturos 02-21-04, 05:04 PM	I usually DM it at every major difference in the performance... If he starts off singing a long romantic song of two star-crossed lovers, fine. He won't be able to switch to juggling in the same performance, because he's doing something different. I guess the general rule of thumb for MC would be that anytime the performer has to do a major physical or mental shift, have them roll a check. Juggling? Okay... Replacing one of the balls with a knife? Hmmm... I'd say include it in the previous check. He's still juggling, but just juggling something different. Now if he wanted to stand on a chair and juggle, I'd call for a check since he has to shift positions.