Bardic music

Bards receive a series of active abilities collectively called "bardic music", "bardic songs" or "bard songs". A Bard may perform one song per rest period per level of Bard. Bards can take enhancements to use their music more times per rest. The Tier 1 Spellsinger enhancement Lingering Songs extends the duration of beneficial songs.

Bard songs are not spells: they can naturally be played while moving at full speed; they are not subject to Spell Resistance; and a Bard who is hit while playing does not need to make a Concentration check to avoid being interrupted. However, swimming, tumbling or climbing a ladder interrupts the performance, and so does being crowd-controlled (for example tripped).

List of songs
The primary bardic songs are:
 * Fascinate (requires Bard level 1 and 3 ranks of Perform)
 * Inspire Courage (requires Bard level 1 and 3 ranks of Perform)
 * Inspire Competence (requires Bard level 3 and 6 ranks of Perform)
 * Suggestion (requires Bard level 6 and 9 ranks of Perform)
 * Inspire Greatness (requires Bard level 9 and 12 ranks of Perform)
 * Song of Freedom (requires Bard level 12 and 15 ranks of Perform)
 * Inspire Heroics (requires Bard level 15 and 18 ranks of Perform)
 * Mass Suggestion (requires Bard level 18 and 21 ranks of Perform)

Spellsingers can gain:
 * Enthrallment (tier 3)
 * Song of Arcane Might (tier 4)
 * Song of Capering (tier 5)
 * Spell Song Trance (tier 3)
 * Spell Song Vigor (tier 5)
 * Sustaining Song (tier 4)

Warchanters can gain:
 * Song of Heroism (requires tier 2 of Warchanter specialty)

Fatesingers can gain:
 * Dirge (tier 1)
 * Siren's Song (tier 3)
 * Reign (tier 3)
 * Aria (tier 3)
 * Turn of the Tide (tier 5)

An epic feat allows bards to access another song:
 * Inspire Excellence - requires Inspire Heroics (effectively requiring 15 Bard levels) and 20 ranks of Perform

Perform rank requirement
The listed number is the needed Perform rank required in order to gain access to the specified song, which can only be increased by spending skill points. Having an item increasing your Perform score, skill boost, or any other artificial method of boosting your Perform skill will not give access to a song if you do not have enough ranks in the first place.

Equipment
The following equipment affects bardic music:
 * and Tower of Despair Bard Set Bonuses increase the amount of songs per rest
 * Anthem enchantment on various items regenerates songs over time (Anthem items)
 * causes Inspire Heroics, Inspire Competence and Song of Freedom affect multiple allies
 * Items that provide bonus to the Perform skill can help bards to land their crowd control songs (Perform items)

Update 41 changes
As of Update 41, there are two types of bard songs:


 * Active, single target song: The bard sings a single-target song, target (or singer) benefits from all effects at once. Costs a song to activate. Duration: one minute, plus 30 seconds per Bard level.


 * Passive, mass song aura: Every 9 (?) seconds, all nearby allies benefit from bard AoE songs. Does not consume songs.

Single target song:
 * Inspire Competence: Bard 3 with 6 ranks of Perform: +4 Music bonus to all skills
 * Inspire Heroics: Bard 15 with 18 ranks in Perform. +4 Music bonus to all saves, +4 Music bonus to Armor Class, and +4% Music bonus to Dodge.
 * Spell Song Vigor: restoring spell points over time.
 * Sustaining Song: restoring health
 * Music of the Dead adds to this, applying a negative energy heal to undead characters.
 * Music of the Makers applies a Repair heal to Constructs and Living Constructs, and all scale with Positive, Negative, and Repair spell power.
 * Spell Song Trance: +1 Music bonus to all DCs, and a 10% Music bonus spell discount.
 * Song of Arcane Might: +1 Music bonus to caster levels
 * Song Fragments from Fatesinger now apply when you use your Bardic Inspiration, and are otherwise unchanged.

Mass aura:
 * Inspire Courage: Bard 1 with 3 ranks of Perform: Music bonus to Attack, Damage, saves versus Fear, and Universal Spell Power.
 * Inspire Greatness: Bard 9 with 12 ranks of Perform: Music bonus to Physical Resistance Rating and Healing Amplification, as well as 20 temporary hit points
 * With Warchanter 4th core, Inspire Greatness uses Charisma score for temporary hit points, doubled in Epic levels
 * Arcane Shield Chant is now part of the Aria, providing 2/4/6 to Elemental Resistance.
 * Ironskin Chant is now part of the Aria, providing DR 2/4/6 and adds 2/4/6 to the Physical Resistance Rating granted from Inspire Greatness.
 * Reckless Chant is now part of the Aria, providing 2/4/6 Doublestrike, Doubleshot, and adds 2/4/6 to the Universal Spell Power of Inspire Courage.
 * Expeditious Chant is now part of the Aria, providing a 5/10/15% Action Boost bonus to Movement Speed.
 * Chant of Power is now part of the Aria, providing a 2/4/6% melee and ranged damage and spell critical chance for all spells.
 * Inspire Excellence is now part of the Aria, providing a +2 Music bonus to each ability score.