Bard

Bards often serve as negotiators, messengers, scouts, and spies. They love to accompany heroes (and villains) to witness heroic (or villainous) deeds firsthand, since a bard who can tell a story from personal experience earns renown among his fellows. A bard casts arcane spells without any advance preparation, much like a sorcerer. His magic emphasizes charms and illusions, and the bard can also play an inspiring song that strengthens him and his allies. Bards also share some specialized skills with rogues, and their knowledge of item lore is nearly unmatched.

Some hold that if one had the eyes to see, the world would be revealed as a symphony of celestial music, each theme playing out its part on the stage of reality. For some bards, this intuition is true. When they let the scales slip from their eyes, they see the underlying overture of music that connects all levels of reality.

Hit Die: d6

Proficiencies: Armor (Light, Medium), Shields, Weapons (Simple)

Skill Points: 6 + INT

Class Skills: Appraise, Block, Bluff, Concentration, Craft (all), Decipher Script, Discipline, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Heal, Hide, Knowledge (all), Listen, Lore, Move Silently, Parry, Perform, Persuade, Profession (all), Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Taunt, Tumble, Use Magic Device

Spellcasting: Arcane (spell failure from armor is a factor), charisma-based (a base charisma score of 10 + the spell's level is required to cast a spell, bonus spells are based on modified charisma, and the charisma modifier affects spell difficulty class), and spontaneous cast (no spell preparation required). Bards begin the game knowing four cantrips.

Alignment: The restriction has been removed and Bard can now be chosen for any alignment.

/performance <on/off> - Toggle to gain a special color text and display your perform with every message.

Spells

Cantrips	1st level spells	2nd level spells	3rd level spells
Cure Minor Wounds Daze Flare Glow Light Open/Close Resistance	Amplify Assess Creature Balagarn's Iron Horn Charm Person Comprehend Languages Cure Light Wounds Expeditious Retreat Grease Identify Lesser Dispel Mage Armor Magic Weapon Protection From Alignment Scare Sleep Summon Creature I	Alter Self Blindness/Deafness Bull's Strength Cat's Grace Clarity Cloud of Bewilderment Cure Moderate Wounds Darkness Eagle's Splendor Explosion Fox's Cunning Ghostly Visage Glitterdust Hold Person Invisibility Owl's Wisdom See Invisibility Silence Sniloc's Snowball Storm Sound Burst Summon Creature II Tasha's Hideous Llaughter Tongues Ultravision Vocalize	Bestow Curse Beltyn's Burning Blood Charm Monster Clairaudience/Clairvoyance Confusion Cure Serious Wounds Dispel Magic Displacement Emotion: Hope Emotion: Courage Fear Find Traps Greater Magic Weapon Gust of Wind Haste Invisibility Sphere Keen Edge Magic Circle Against Alignment Major Image: Creature Protection From Arrows Remove Curse Remove Disease Slow Summon Creature III Wounding Whispers

4th level spells	5th level spells	6th level spells
Break Enchantment Cure Critical Wounds Dimension Door Dismissal Dominate Person Fly Hold Monster Improved Invisibility Legend Lore Neutralize Poison Paralytic Bolt Shadow Conjuration Shout Summon Creature IV War Cry	Ethereal Visage Greater Dispelling Healing Circle Mind Fog Shadow Evocation Summon Creature V	Dirge Energy Buffer Greater Shout Ice Storm Mass Haste Memory Wipe Summon Creature VI Trollish Fortitude

Level progression

Lvl	BAB	Saves			Feats	HP range		Base spells per day								Known spells
		Fort	Ref	Will				0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th		0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Bardic Knowledge, Vicious Mockery	3-6		2	-	-	-	-	-	-		4	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Weapon Finesse	6-12		3	0	-	-	-	-	-		5	2	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3		9-18		3	1	-	-	-	-	-		5	3	-	-	-	-	-
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Bard Song, First Verse	12-24		3	2	0	-	-	-	-		5	3	2	-	-	-	-
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4		15-30		3	3	1	-	-	-	-		5	4	3	-	-	-	-
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Second Verse	18-36		3	3	2	-	-	-	-		5	4	3	-	-	-	-
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5		21-42		3	3	2	0	-	-	-		5	4	4	2	-	-	-
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Third Verse	24-48		3	3	3	1	-	-	-		5	4	4	3	-	-	-
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6		27-54		3	3	3	2	-	-	-		5	4	4	3	-	-	-
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Fourth Verse	30-60		3	3	3	2	0	-	-		5	4	4	4	2	-	-
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7		33-66		3	3	3	3	1	-	-		5	4	4	4	3	-	-
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	First Chorus	36-72		3	3	3	3	2	-	-		5	4	4	4	3	-	-
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8		39-78		3	3	3	3	2	0	-		5	4	4	4	4	2	-
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Second Chorus	42-84		4	3	3	3	3	1	-		5	4	4	4	4	3	-
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9		45-90		4	4	3	3	3	2	-		5	4	4	4	4	3	-
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Third Chorus	48-96		4	4	4	3	3	2	0		5	5	4	4	4	4	2
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10		51-102		4	4	4	4	3	3	1		5	5	5	4	4	4	3
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	First Crescendo	54-108		4	4	4	4	4	3	2		5	5	5	5	4	4	3
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11		57-114		4	4	4	4	4	4	3		5	5	5	5	5	4	4
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	Second Crescendo	60-120		4	4	4	4	4	4	4		5	5	5	5	5	5	4

Being able to cast 0 spells of a certain level per day means the bard cannot cast spells of that level unless bonus spell slots of the appropriate level are granted by a high charisma.

As a rule of thumb, bards can cast spell levels up to a third their class level, rounded up.

Vicious Mockery 30 second cooldown, 1 minute duration:

Taunt a target, reducing their attack bonus, damage, AC, saves, and skills based on your level. At higher levels deal damage based on your performance skill.

Bard Song Bonuses

Bards are able to sing a song that can bolster their allies. Deafened creatures are not affected by the bard's singing. Once toggled, the song continuously affects all allies within 30 feet, repeating every 5 minutes with chorus and crescendos automatically playing at their point in the song.

As bards level up they'll be able to add verses, choruses, and finally crescendos to their music. Each of these three pieces of song work behaves differently from the others.

Verses play for the entire duration of the song. In this way, a verse behaves similarly to the way a normal bard might play their music. Choruses play at the start of every song, for 3 rounds at the top of every minute for the duration of the song, and the final 3 rounds of the song. Crescendo play at the start of every song, for 1 round every 90 seconds for the duration of the song, and for the final round of the song.

Verses

Low Level Bards

While below 10th level, Bards and Evangelists have their Charisma modifier capped to their Bard/Evangelist level for verses that use Charisma Modifier. For verses that use charisma, charisma is capped at twice your bard/evangelist level plus eight.

This penalty goes away with ten or more bard levels.

Verse: Heroes for the Day

Those affected by your bard song gain attack damage equal to Cha Modifier / 5 + 1 as per your weapon type.

Verse: Men of Iron

Those affected by your bard song gain dodge AC equal to your charisma / 7 + 1.

Verse: Strength to Carry On

Those affected by your bard song gain bonuses to fortitude, will, and reflex equal to your charisma / 7 + 1

Verse: The Wise Man Once Told Me

Those affected by your bard song gain bonuses to all their skills equal to your Charisma modifier.

Verse: Anarchy in the Spellbooks

Those affected by your bard song gain spell resistance equal to your bard level + 10.

Verse: Sharpest Tool in the Shed

Those affected by your bard song gain attack bonus equal to your charisma / 7 + 1.

Verse: Like the Dark Side of the Moon

Those affected by your bard song gain 40% concealment.

Verse: Sensual Healing

Those affected by your bard song gain regeneration equal to your charisma / 8.

Verse: Feel So Weightless

Those affected by your bard song gain 30% move speed.

Verse: Nor Wind Nor Sleet No Snow Could Stop Them

Those affected by your bard song gain 5/- resistance to cold, acid, electrical, and fire damage until 10 * Cha Modifier has been absorbed.

Verse: Too Hard Living but Afraid to Die

Those affected by your bard song gain temporary health equal to your performance skill.

Choruses

Chorus: Heartbeats on a Knife

During a chorus, those hearing your song gain regeneration equal to your charisma modifier.

Chorus: Let it Be

During a chorus, those hearing your song gain an extra attack.

Chorus: The Bugle Sounds The Charge Begins

During a chorus, those hearing your song gain attack bonus equal to half your charisma modifier.

Chorus: Thunder In the Skies

During a chorus, those hearing your song gain sonic damage equal to Charisma Modifier / 5 + 3;

Chorus: Talk in Song from Tongues of Lilting Grace

During a chorus, those hearing your song gain slashing damage equal to Charisma Modifier / 5 + 3.

Chorus: In The Court of the Ruby King

During a chorus, those affected by your bard song gain 10/- resistance to cold, acid, electrical, and fire damage until 20 * Cha Modifier has been absorbed.

Chorus: Never Will Surrender You

When a chorus begins, you and your party heal for health equal to your perform modifier.

Chorus: Like Smoke on the Water

During a chorus, those who can heal your song gain 60% concealment.

Crescendos

Crescendo: Through Hellfire and Flames

Gain five bonus attacks during each crecendo.

Crescendo: Ysgardian Rapsody

Gain regeneration equal to your charisma modifier every second during a crecendo.

Crescendo: Don't Fear the Reaper

During a crescendo you gain undead immunities.

Crescendo: Roundabout

During a crescendo you move extremely quickly and have uncapped movement speed.

Crescendo: Violet Haze

During a crescendo you gain 90% concealment.

Crescendo: Grant Me Shelter

During crescendo gain 100% immunity to fire, cold, electricity, and acid.

Vicious Mockery Effects

Bards are able to taunt their enemies. Deafened creatures are not affected by the bard's taunts. This effect applies to a single enemy, however the cooldown is 30 seconds and the duration is 60. The higher the bard's final perform skill and class level, the more powerful the mocking becomes. This ability is a free action.

• Players can roll will against a DC of 14 + 1/2 Bard Levels + Charisma Modifier to resist the effects and take half the damage of Vicious Mockery.

Level	Attack	Damage	Will	Fort	Ref	Sonic Damage	AC	Skills
2nd	-1	-2	-1	-1	-1	0	0	-1
4th	-2	-2	-1	-1	-1	0	-1	-1
6th	-2	-2	-1	-1	-1	0	-2	-2
8th	-2	-3	-1	-1	-1	Perform/3	-3	-2
10th	-2	-3	-2	-2	-2	Perform/3	-4	-3
12th	-2	-3	-3	-2	-2	Perform/3	-5	-4
14th	-2	-3	-3	-2	-2	Perform/2	-5	-5
16th	-2	-3	-3	-2	-2	Perform/2	-5	-6
18th	-2	-3	-3	-2	-2	Perform	-5	-7
20th	-3	-4	-4	-3	-3	Perform	-6	-8

Epic bard

The epic bard's music is beyond inspiring, beyond heartrending, beyond perfection. With just a song, the bard can weaken the cruelest creature or inspire allies to the heights of power and bravery.

Hit die: d6

Skill points: 4 + int modifier

Bonus feats: The epic bard gains a bonus feat every three levels after 20th. In other words, at levels 23, 26, 29, 32, 35, and 38.

Epic bonus feats: arcane defense, curse song, epic skill focus (all but animal empathy), epic spell focus, epic will, extra music, great charisma, great dexterity, greater spell focus, greater spell penetration, improved combat casting, lasting inspiration, lingering song

Unavailable epic feats: bane of enemies, construct shape, dragon shape, epic spell: dragon knight, epic spell: epic mage armor, epic spell: epic warding, epic spell: greater ruin, epic spell: hellball, epic spell: mummy dust, epic weapon specialization, great smiting, improved ki strike 4, improved ki strike 5, improved sneak attack, improved spell resistance, improved stunning fist, mighty rage, outsider shape, planar turning, terrifying rage, thundering rage, undead shape
These general epic feats cannot be selected when taking a level of bard.

Epic Vicious Mockery

Level	Attack	Damage	Will	Fort	Ref	Sonic Damage	AC	Skills
22nd	-4	-5	-5	-4	-4	Perform x 2	-7	-9
24th	-4	-5	-5	-4	-4	Perform x 2	-7	-11
26th	-5	-6	-6	-5	-5	Perform x 2	-8	-13
28th	-5	-6	-6	-5	-5	Perform x 2	-8	-14
30th	-6	-7	-7	-6	-6	Perform x 2	-9	-19

Epic bard level progression

Lvl	Feats	HP range
21st		63-126
22nd		66-132
23rd	bonus feat	69-138
24th		72-144
25th		75-150
26th	bonus feat	78-156
27th		81-162
28th		84-168
29th	bonus feat	87-174
30th		90-180