Crafty Bard
Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:13 am
This is my entry for Nifty's bard contest. FBMF asked that I cross-post it here for commentary, and when the Great Fence Builder speaks, I post.
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Crafty Bard
Note: The greatest permutation of the d20 system is Spycraft 2.0, and the design methods for the Crafty Bard are taken from that system. That system eschews dead levels, provides solid choices for every character, encourages characters to remain single-classed but doesn't punish them if they don't, and recognizes that a prestige class shouldn't be a power-up but a power-narrow (letting you be better that someone else at a very specific schtick). I encourage everyone to get it. It's awesome.
The Crafty Bard is identical to that presented in the 3.5 Player's Handbook (pp. 26-30) in all cases up to Class Features (p. 28) at which point the following text is inserted. Also ignore Tables 3-4 and 3-5. They are replaced by the tables below. The crafty bard uses exclusively core rules, not drawing from any additional 3.5 sources. It replaces bardic music with better spellcasting and a host of social and skill bonuses to make the bard simultaneously more of a generalist and more useful. This should also, by the way, make the bard more fun to play.
Table 3-4: The Crafty Bard
Class Features
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: The bard is proficient with light armor. The bard is proficient with all simple weapons, any 4 martial weapons, and any 2 exotic weapons. Alternately, at level 1, the bard may choose to be proficient with medium armor or with shields (except the tower shield) instead of one exotic weapon, or proficient with both medium armor and shields (except tower shields) instead of both exotic weapons.
Bard Spells: A bard can spontaneously cast a limited number of spells in a manner identical to a sorcerer except that a bard cannot simultaneously benefit from both the Still Spell and Silent Spell metamagic feats (the bard's spells must always have either a somatic or vocal component) and all bard spells have as their focus the bard's musical instrument. No bard spells have material components--if an expensive material component would be needed, the bard doesn't need it, and instead the bard suffers an amount of Cha damage equal to the material component's value divided by 1,000 gp (round up) after the spell is successfully cast. No bard spells have expensive foci--If an expensive focus would be needed, the bard doesn't need it, and instead the bard suffers an amount of Cha damage equal to the focus's gp value divided by 1,000 gp (round up) after the spell is successfully cast; if this focus would be used to store items (e.g. Leomund's secret chest, trap the soul), the bard's current musical instrument serves as this storage device. Cha damage dealt this way cannot be healed by magical healing.
At level 2 instead of choosing a new 0th-level bard spell known, the bard may choose any 0th-level spell from any spell list as a bard spell known. This spell is permanently added to that bard's list of 0th-level spells known. At levels 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, and 20, the bard may choose a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th level spell, respectively, from any spell list instead of a new bard spell known and this is permanently added to that bard's spell list at the appropriate spell level. A bard may change his spells known as a sorcerer does.
Unlike the sorcerer, a bard wearing light armor can cast his bard spells with no arcane spell failure chance. At level 10, a bard can wear medium armor and cast his bard spells with no arcane spell failure chance. A bard always suffers the standard arcane spell failure chances in heavy armor or while using a shield.
Prestidigitation (Su): At level 1, the bard may use prestidigitation as a supernatural ability at will. His caster level is equal to his character level.
Entertainer I, II, III (Ex): At level 2, when a bard makes a Perform check to impress an audience with his talent and skill (i.e. to make money), he rolls twice and keeps the better result. Further, he earns double the amount he would normally earn. At level 11, he earns four times what he would normally earn, and, if recieving a circumstance bonus from using a masterwork musical instrument during this check, the circumstance bonus provided to the Perform check increases to the bard's Cha bonus (minimum +3). At level 19, the bard rolls thrice and keeps the best result when making a Perform check to make money, and he earns ten times what he would normally earn.
To use the entertainer class feature a bard must spend one day making the Perform check, even if the performance itself only lasts a short while (the remainder of the time is spent rehearsing, scouting locations, choosing and designing costumes, promoting, doing groupies, giving interviews, drinking heavily, taking drugs, and otherwise preparing for the performance). This class feature is language-dependent.
Bardic Knowledge (Ex): At level 3, twice per day, the bard may use his Perform skill bonus for any one ability check or one bard skill check instead of his normal ability bonus or skill bonus. The bard may use this class feature two additional times per day at levels 7, 11, 15, and 19.
Bonus Feat: At level 4, the bard gains a bonus feat from the list of bard bonus feats. The bard must meet this feat's prerequisites. The bard chooses an additional bonus feat from the list of bard bonus feats for which he meets the prerequsites at levels 8, 12, 16, and 20.
Special Ability (Ex): At level 5, the bard chooses one special ability from the list below. Unless noted, no ability may be chosen more than once. The bard selects another special ability at levels 9, 13, and 17.
Bardic Immunity (Ex): The bard's familiarity with manipulation and stagecraft enables him to resist those effects effortlessly. At level 10, the bard gains spell resistance against all spells of the Enchantment and Illusion schools equal to 10 +the bard's level +the bard's Cha modifier. At level 20, the spell resistance extends also to all spells from the Divination, Necromancy, and Transmutation schools. The bard may raise or lower his spell resistance as a free action.
Grand Performance (Su): So compelling are the bard's performances, they border on irresistible. At level 14, once per day as an immediate action the bard may cause one creature who receives a saving throw against one of the bard's spells to automatically roll a 1 on that saving throw.
Table 3-5: Bard Spells Per Day
Table 3-5-1: Bard Spells Known
Bard Spells
Note: Most core rules feats are awful. You'll want to beef up this list with whatever splat books' feats you think are appropriate. Bard bonus feats should focus on skills, flashy combat maneuvers, unusual metamagic techniques, and bizarre item creation. All feats that're semi-magical, extremely flashy, or downright odd you should probably consider making bard bonus feats.
Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Augment Summoning, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Craft Wondrous Item, Deceitful, Deflect Arrows, Deft Hands, Dodge, Extend Spell, Greater Spell Focus, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Investigator, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Magical Aptitude, Mobility, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus, Spell Focus, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse.
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Crafty Bard
Note: The greatest permutation of the d20 system is Spycraft 2.0, and the design methods for the Crafty Bard are taken from that system. That system eschews dead levels, provides solid choices for every character, encourages characters to remain single-classed but doesn't punish them if they don't, and recognizes that a prestige class shouldn't be a power-up but a power-narrow (letting you be better that someone else at a very specific schtick). I encourage everyone to get it. It's awesome.
The Crafty Bard is identical to that presented in the 3.5 Player's Handbook (pp. 26-30) in all cases up to Class Features (p. 28) at which point the following text is inserted. Also ignore Tables 3-4 and 3-5. They are replaced by the tables below. The crafty bard uses exclusively core rules, not drawing from any additional 3.5 sources. It replaces bardic music with better spellcasting and a host of social and skill bonuses to make the bard simultaneously more of a generalist and more useful. This should also, by the way, make the bard more fun to play.
Table 3-4: The Crafty Bard
Code: Select all
[br]Lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special[br] 1 +0 +0 +2 +2 Bard spells, prestidigitation[br] 2 +1 +0 +3 +3 Entertainer I[br] 3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Bardic knowledge 2/day[br] 4 +3 +1 +4 +4 Bonus feat[br] 5 +3 +1 +4 +4 Special ability[br] 6 +4 +2 +5 +5 Striking +1[br] 7 +5 +2 +5 +5 Bardic knowledge 4/day[br] 8 +6 +2 +6 +6 Bonus feat[br] 9 +6 +3 +6 +6 Special ability, striking +2[br]10 +7 +3 +7 +7 Bardic immunity (Ill/Enc)[br]11 +8 +3 +7 +7 Bardic knowledge 6/day,[br] entertainer II[br]12 +9 +4 +8 +8 Bonus feat, striking +3[br]13 +9 +4 +8 +8 Special ability[br]14 +10 +4 +9 +9 Grand performance[br]15 +11 +5 +9 +9 Bardic knowledge 8/day,[br] striking +4[br]16 +12 +5 +10 +10 Bonus feat[br]17 +12 +5 +10 +10 Special ability[br]18 +13 +6 +11 +11 Striking +5[br]19 +14 +6 +11 +12 Bardic knowledge 10/day,[br] entertainer III[br]20 +15 +6 +12 +12 Bardic immunity (Div/Nec/Trans),[br] bonus feat[br]
Class Features
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: The bard is proficient with light armor. The bard is proficient with all simple weapons, any 4 martial weapons, and any 2 exotic weapons. Alternately, at level 1, the bard may choose to be proficient with medium armor or with shields (except the tower shield) instead of one exotic weapon, or proficient with both medium armor and shields (except tower shields) instead of both exotic weapons.
Bard Spells: A bard can spontaneously cast a limited number of spells in a manner identical to a sorcerer except that a bard cannot simultaneously benefit from both the Still Spell and Silent Spell metamagic feats (the bard's spells must always have either a somatic or vocal component) and all bard spells have as their focus the bard's musical instrument. No bard spells have material components--if an expensive material component would be needed, the bard doesn't need it, and instead the bard suffers an amount of Cha damage equal to the material component's value divided by 1,000 gp (round up) after the spell is successfully cast. No bard spells have expensive foci--If an expensive focus would be needed, the bard doesn't need it, and instead the bard suffers an amount of Cha damage equal to the focus's gp value divided by 1,000 gp (round up) after the spell is successfully cast; if this focus would be used to store items (e.g. Leomund's secret chest, trap the soul), the bard's current musical instrument serves as this storage device. Cha damage dealt this way cannot be healed by magical healing.
At level 2 instead of choosing a new 0th-level bard spell known, the bard may choose any 0th-level spell from any spell list as a bard spell known. This spell is permanently added to that bard's list of 0th-level spells known. At levels 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, and 20, the bard may choose a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th level spell, respectively, from any spell list instead of a new bard spell known and this is permanently added to that bard's spell list at the appropriate spell level. A bard may change his spells known as a sorcerer does.
Unlike the sorcerer, a bard wearing light armor can cast his bard spells with no arcane spell failure chance. At level 10, a bard can wear medium armor and cast his bard spells with no arcane spell failure chance. A bard always suffers the standard arcane spell failure chances in heavy armor or while using a shield.
Prestidigitation (Su): At level 1, the bard may use prestidigitation as a supernatural ability at will. His caster level is equal to his character level.
Entertainer I, II, III (Ex): At level 2, when a bard makes a Perform check to impress an audience with his talent and skill (i.e. to make money), he rolls twice and keeps the better result. Further, he earns double the amount he would normally earn. At level 11, he earns four times what he would normally earn, and, if recieving a circumstance bonus from using a masterwork musical instrument during this check, the circumstance bonus provided to the Perform check increases to the bard's Cha bonus (minimum +3). At level 19, the bard rolls thrice and keeps the best result when making a Perform check to make money, and he earns ten times what he would normally earn.
To use the entertainer class feature a bard must spend one day making the Perform check, even if the performance itself only lasts a short while (the remainder of the time is spent rehearsing, scouting locations, choosing and designing costumes, promoting, doing groupies, giving interviews, drinking heavily, taking drugs, and otherwise preparing for the performance). This class feature is language-dependent.
Bardic Knowledge (Ex): At level 3, twice per day, the bard may use his Perform skill bonus for any one ability check or one bard skill check instead of his normal ability bonus or skill bonus. The bard may use this class feature two additional times per day at levels 7, 11, 15, and 19.
Bonus Feat: At level 4, the bard gains a bonus feat from the list of bard bonus feats. The bard must meet this feat's prerequisites. The bard chooses an additional bonus feat from the list of bard bonus feats for which he meets the prerequsites at levels 8, 12, 16, and 20.
Special Ability (Ex): At level 5, the bard chooses one special ability from the list below. Unless noted, no ability may be chosen more than once. The bard selects another special ability at levels 9, 13, and 17.
- Esoteric Knowledge: The bard's travels have taught him things others only dream of knowing. The bard chooses a number of cross-class skills equal to his Int bonus (minimum 2). These skills become bard class skills for the bard.
- Groupies: The bard has garnered a following in every city. In any small city or larger community, the bard knows the names and locations of a number of NPCs equal to his Cha bonus (minimum 2) whose disposition toward him is Helpful. The DM may change these NPCs from visit to visit or even day to day (as some leave the area, die, find other performers to worship, etc.), but the number remains constant. These NPCs have NPC class levels equal to half the bard's level. These NPCs will not die for the bard, accompany him on adventures, or give the bard all their worldly possessions, but will otherwise do anything the bard asks if it's within the NPCs' powers. This class feature is language-dependent.
- Heckler: The bard is a master of distraction. When an attempt to cast a spell with a vocal component is made within 30 ft. of the bard, he may, as an immediate action, attempt foil the spell. The bard makes a Perform check opposed by the spellcaster's Concentration check. If the bard wins the opposed check, the spellcaster cannot cast that spell this turn (the spellcaster does not lose the spell and may attempt to cast a different spell this turn). If the bard loses the opposed check, the bard becomes flat-footed and cannot use the heckle class feature against that spellcaster for the remainder of the day. This class feature may be used a number of times per day equal to 1/2 the bard's level (rounded up). This class feature is language-dependent.
- Mutual Understanding: Even the toughest of audiences intuitively grasp the bard's meaning. All of the bard's bard spells and bard class features with the language-dependent tag lose this tag.
- Odd Spectacle: The bard's performances are unusual but still impressive. The skill bonus for any of the bard's skills may be used instead of the bard's Perform skill bonus. This ability may be used a number of times per day equal to the bard's class level.
- Renown: The bard has a reputation as a master performer in settled areas. In any small city or larger community, the amount the bard earns from the entertainer class feature is doubled, and the bard may make two checks per day (or one check in half a day). This class feature is language-dependent.
- Token of Admiration: People like the bard so much they just give him things. The bard chooses one gift from among a mundane weapon, suit of armor, or shield; one item or service from among all goods and services; or one magic item. The gift may not have a gp value of more than 500 x the bard's level. This gift is added to the bard's equipment list. If the gift is destroyed, expended, lost, or stolen, upon visiting a small city or larger community, the bard may acquire another as long as it has been one week or more since the last gift was acquired. Further, the current gift may exchanged for a different gift of equal or lesser value in any small city or larger community no more than once per week. If the gift is sold, however, another isn't available for one year. This class feature is language-dependent.
- Skill Mastery: The bard is a smooth operator, rarely ruffled by distraction. The bard choose a number of bard skills equal to 3+ the bard's Int modifier. The bard may always take 10 on these skills.
- Tavern Player: The bard's constant wandering has left him with friends at every inn. The bard and his companions receive free food, drink, lodging, and stabling. This class feature applies to the bard and his mount plus a number of companions and their mounts equal to twice the bard's class level. This class feature is language-dependent.
- Winning Smile: The bard can make friends anywhere… anywhere. As a free action, the bard may improve the disposition of any NPC toward him by 1 step closer to Helpful. The bard may use this class feature a number of times per day equal to his Cha bonus (minimum 1), but never more than once per day on the same NPC.
Bardic Immunity (Ex): The bard's familiarity with manipulation and stagecraft enables him to resist those effects effortlessly. At level 10, the bard gains spell resistance against all spells of the Enchantment and Illusion schools equal to 10 +the bard's level +the bard's Cha modifier. At level 20, the spell resistance extends also to all spells from the Divination, Necromancy, and Transmutation schools. The bard may raise or lower his spell resistance as a free action.
Grand Performance (Su): So compelling are the bard's performances, they border on irresistible. At level 14, once per day as an immediate action the bard may cause one creature who receives a saving throw against one of the bard's spells to automatically roll a 1 on that saving throw.
Table 3-5: Bard Spells Per Day
Code: Select all
[br]Level 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9[br] 1st 3 - - - - - - - - -[br] 2nd 3 1 - - - - - - - -[br] 3rd 3 2 - - - - - - - -[br] 4th 3 2 1 - - - - - - -[br] 5th 3 2 2 - - - - - - -[br] 6th 3 3 2 1 - - - - - -[br] 7th 3 3 2 2 - - - - - -[br] 8th 4 3 3 2 1 - - - - -[br] 9th 4 4 3 2 2 - - - - -[br] 10th 4 4 3 3 2 1 - - - -[br] 11th 4 4 4 3 2 2 - - - -[br] 12th 4 4 4 3 3 2 1 - - -[br] 13th 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 - - -[br] 14th 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 1 - -[br] 15th 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 - -[br] 16th 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 1 -[br] 17th 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 -[br] 18th 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 1[br] 19th 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2[br] 20th 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3[br]
Table 3-5-1: Bard Spells Known
Code: Select all
[br]Level 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9[br] 1st 2 - - - - - - - - -[br] 2nd 3* 1 - - - - - - - -[br] 3rd 3 2 - - - - - - - -[br] 4th 3 2 1 - - - - - - -[br] 5th 3 2 2 - - - - - - -[br] 6th 4 2 2 1 - - - - - -[br] 7th 4 3* 2 2 - - - - - -[br] 8th 4 3 2 2 1 - - - - -[br] 9th 4 3 3* 2 2 - - - - -[br] 10th 4 3 3 2 2 1 - - - -[br] 11th 4 4 3 3* 2 2 - - - -[br] 12th 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 - - -[br] 13th 4 4 4 3 3* 2 2 - - -[br] 14th 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 - -[br] 15th 4 4 4 4 3 3* 2 2 - -[br] 16th 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 -[br] 17th 4 4 4 4 4 3 3* 2 2 -[br] 18th 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3* 2 1[br] 19th 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3* 2[br] 20th 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3*[br]
Bard Spells
- 0th: calm animals, command, dancing lights, detect magic, detect poison, doom, faerie fire, ghost sound, know direction, light, lullaby, mage hand, magic mouth, meding, message, open/close, resistance, summon instrument, unseen servant, ventrioquism.
- 1st: alarm, animate rope, bless, cause fear, charm animals, charm person, comprehend languages, detect secret doors, disguise self, erase, expeditious retreat, goodberry, grease, hypnotism, identify, jump, lesser confusion, obscuring mist, remove fear, sanctuary, shield, silent image, sleep, speak with animals, summon monster I.
- 2nd: aid, alter self, animal messenger, blindness/deafness, blur, calm emotions, cure light wounds, daze monster, eagle's splendor, glitterdust, hold person, hypnotic pattern, invisibility, levitate, locate object, make whole, minor image, mirror image, pyrotechnics, rage, remove paralysis, rope trick, scare, shatter, silence, sound burst, speak with animals, summon monster II, Tasha's hideous laughter, whispering wind.
- 3rd: blink, clairaudience/clairvoyance, confusion, cure moderate wounds, deep slumber, discern lies, dispel magic, displacement, fear, fly, glibness, good hope, haste, heroism, hold person, illusory script, imbue with spell ability, major image, prayer, sculpt sound, secret page, slow, suggestion, summon monster III, tongues.
- 4th: bestow curse, charm monster, crushing despair, cure serious wounds, dimension door, freedom of movement, greater invisibility, hallucinatory terrain, illusory wall, legend lore, lesser geas, locate creature, minor creation, modify memory, polymorph, rainbow pattern, scrying, sending, shout, summon monster IV.
- 5th: break enchantment, cure critical wounds, dominate person, dream, false vision, feeblemind, greater command, hold monster, lesser planar binding, major creation, mind fog, mirage arcana, nightmare, persistent image, prying eyes, Rary's telepathic bond, seeming, shadow evocation, summon monster V, true seeing.
- 6th: analyze dweomer, animate objects, eyebite, geas/quest, greater dispel magic, greater heroism, guards and wards, heroes' feast, legend lore, mass cure light wounds, mass eagle's splendor, mass suggestion, permanent image, planar binding, programmed image, repulsion, righteous might, stone tell, summon monster VI, veil.
- 7th: find the path, greater scrying, greater shadow conjuration, insanity, limited wish, mass cure moderate wounds, mass hold person, plane shift, power word blind, project image, summon monster VII, sympathetic vibration, vision, word of chaos, word of recall.
- 8th: cloak of chaos, discern location, earthquake, greater prying eyes, greater shadow evocation, greater shout, mass charm monster, mass cure serious wounds, mind blank, Otto's irresistible dance, polymorph any object, power word stun, regenerate, scintillating pattern, screen, summon monster VIII.
- 9th: foresight, freedom, gate, mass cure critical wounds, mass hold monster, Mordenkainen's disjunction, power word kill, shades, storm of vengeance, summon monster IX.
Note: Most core rules feats are awful. You'll want to beef up this list with whatever splat books' feats you think are appropriate. Bard bonus feats should focus on skills, flashy combat maneuvers, unusual metamagic techniques, and bizarre item creation. All feats that're semi-magical, extremely flashy, or downright odd you should probably consider making bard bonus feats.
Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Augment Summoning, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Craft Wondrous Item, Deceitful, Deflect Arrows, Deft Hands, Dodge, Extend Spell, Greater Spell Focus, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Investigator, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Magical Aptitude, Mobility, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus, Spell Focus, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse.