"You have no sense of poetry. There's the truth of time and the truth of legend."
Bards are sponges of experience. Usually traveling the world to soak it all in, driven by wanderlust, though sometimes they can settle down in places that are well traveled enough to let the variety come to them. This maelstrom of chaotic knowledge within them gives rise to great artistic inspirations, and often the art ends up quite good (though not always). Bards are usually well favored by both commoners and nobles alike. Commoners want to hear tales of great deeds, and nobles want tales of their great deeds told. Nothing beats being famous, and bards are adept at making that happen.
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Jump, Knowledge, Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Swim, Tumble, and Use Magic Device.
Skill Points Per Level: 6 + Intelligence Modifier. Additionally, bards gain one free rank in perform each time they gain a bard level. 1st level bards start with maximum ranks in perform for free.
BAB: Medium
Saves: Reflex and Will Good, Fort Bad.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Bards are proficient with all simple weapons as well as 5 other weapons of the bard's choice. Bards are proficient with light armor and with shields.
Bardic Lore (Ex): Bards hear all sorts of things all sorts of places, and sometimes it's even useful things. A bard can make a Bardic Lore Check on any subject to see what they know. This uses the DCs of a Knowledge check, and the bard rolls 1d20 + Bard Level + Intelligence Modifier. If the bard also has a relevant Knowledge skill they can roll that as well, with the two checks assisting each other.
Bardic Music (Su): Once per day per bard level a bard can activate a bardic music effect. Doing so is a standard action. Though it's termed "music", the bard can do any sort of performance, including instruments, singing, recital, and so on. Some effects require concentration (a standard action each round), but even those that do not prevent the bard from casting other spells, as well as from activating command word, spell completion, or spell trigger items. As with spells having a Verbal component, a deaf bard has a 20% failure chance, and Bardic Music can't be performed within a zone of magical silence.
Bardic Music - Countersong: A bard can play a countersong for up to 1 minute at a time (though this does note require concentration). Each round of the countersong, the bard makes a Perform check. Anyone within 30ft of the bard (including the bard himself) can use the Perform check in place of their own saving throw result against any [Sonic] or [Language-Based] attack. Creatures roll their own save and then use the Perform result if it's higher after the roll. Creatures already affected by such an effect that come within range of the countersong can break free if the perform check is high enough but they don't get additional saves themselves.
Bardic Music - Fascinate: A bard can use music to fascinate an audience. All targets must be within 90ft, and must be able to see and hear the bard, as well as be able to pay attention to him. The bard must also be able to see all targets. A bard can target a number of creatures with this ability equal to his level. The bard makes a Perform check. This becomes the DC for a Will save by all targets. Creatures that save can't be targeted again for 24 hours. If the save fails the target sits quietly, Fascinated (-4 Spot/Listen), and watches the performance, taking no other actions for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (maximum of 1 round per level). Potential threats allow the target a new save, and obvious threats instantly break the effect. This is an Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] ability.
Bardic Music - Inspire Courage: A bard can inspire courage in himself and his allies. To be affected, the target must be able to hear the bard. The effect lasts as long as the bard continues to perform (no concentration), as well as for 5 rounds thereafter. Affected allies get a morale bonus on saves against charm and fear, as well as on attack and weapon damage rolls. The bonus is 2 + one fifth the bard's level (rounded down). This is a [Mind-Affecting] ability.
Armored Caster (Ex): Bards can cast their spells while wearing Light Armor and Shields without spell failure. They suffer the normal spell failure when wearing heavier forms of protection.
Spells: Bards can cast Charisma powered arcane spells drawn from the Bard Spell List. They get a number of spells per day as shown on the chart below. Entries for "0" spells allow for bonus spells if the bard's Charisma is high enough. Bardic spells can never be affected by the Silent Spell metamagic.
| Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2nd | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3rd | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4th | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 5th | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 6th | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 7th | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - |
| 8th | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 9th | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 10th | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 11th | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 12th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 13th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - |
| 14th | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - |
| 15th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 16th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 17th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 19th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 20th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Bards cast their spells spontaneously, and know a number of spells at any level as shown on the following chart:
| Level | 1st Known | 2nd Known | 3rd Known | 4th Known | 5th Known | 6th Known |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2nd | 3 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3rd | 3 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4th | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 5th | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| 6th | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| 7th | 4 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 8th | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - |
| 9th | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - |
| 10th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | - | - |
| 11th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - |
| 12th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - |
| 13th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | - |
| 14th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - |
| 15th | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - |
| 16th | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 17th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 18th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 19th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 20th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
A bard knows a number of cantrips (0th level spells) equal to the number of spell levels he can access, and they can all be cast at will.
Only the Messenger (Sp): Once per day, a 2nd level bard can cast Sanctuary (self only) with a duration of one hour per level.
Bardic Music - Inspire Competence: A 3rd level bard can inspire an ally's skills. The ally must be within 30ft, and be able to see and hear the bard. The bard must be able to see their target. The affected ally adds the bard's charisma modifier as a bonus on their skill checks for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (to a maximum of 1 minute per level). A bard can't inspire competence on themselves. This is a [Mind-Affecting] ability.
Perfect Ears (Ex): A 4th level bard has Sonic Resistance equal to their level.
Melodious Strike (Su): Whenever a 5th level bard deals damage, add their charisma modifier as bonus Sonic damage.
Bardic Music - Suggestion: A 6th level bard can create a Suggestion effect (as the spell) in a creature that has been Fascinated. This doesn't break the bard's fascination concentration, or count as an additional bardic music usage. The save DC against the suggestion is 10 + half level + Charisma modifier, and it is an Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] [Language Dependent] effect. One suggestion can be made each round against the same target or a new target, but a creature that saves cannot be targeted again for 24 hours. Use of this ability doesn't allow a new save against the Fascinate effect.
Bardic Music - Inspire Greatness: A bard of 7th level can inspire greatness in himself and up to one ally per 3 full bard levels. The bard must sing, and allies must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts as long as the bard sings (no concentration), as well as for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected creature gets +2d10 temporary hit points, +2 on attack rolls, +1 on all saves, and +1 on all saving throw DCs. This is a [Mind-Affecting] ability.
Beauty is Truth (Su): An 8th level bard can make a Perform check in place of a Craft check. They also get +3 on checks to create urns, tombstones, and any other sorts of memorial items.
Bardic Music - Song of Freedom: A 9th level bard can cast either Break Enchantment or Freedom of Movement as a bardic music effect.
Blessings of Yorick (Su): A 10th level bard, being full of infinite jest and excellent fancy, is affected as if by a permanent Death Ward effect.
Bardic Music - Inspire Heroics: A 11th level bard can inspire tremendous heroism in himself and one ally per 3 full bard levels. To inspire, the bard must sing and allies must hear him sing for 1 full round. Inspired creatures get a +4 bonus to saves and a +4 bonus to AC. The effect lasts as long as the bard continues to sing (no concentration) and for 5 rounds thereafter. This is a [Mind-affecting] ability.