Bard

Class Summary
Alignment: Any Non-Lawful Hit die: d8

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies



 * Feat simpleweaponproficiency.png‎
 * Simple weapons
 * Feat martialweaponproficiency.png‎
 * Select Martial weapons: Longsword, Rapier, Short Sword, Shortbow
 * Feat armorproficiency light.png‎
 * Light armor
 * Feat shieldproficiency general.png‎
 * Shields (except tower shields).
 * }
 * Feat shieldproficiency general.png‎
 * Shields (except tower shields).
 * }

Past Lives
+2 to saves vs. enchantments and illusions; +1 bard song usage.

Paths

 * Spellsinger
 * Virtuoso of the Sword
 * Warchanter

Prestige Enhancements

 * Spellsinger
 * Warchanter
 * Swashbuckler

Level 1

 * Arcane Lore (passive): Represents your knowledge of the arcane. This feat is received once for every bard level.


 * Dismiss Charm (active): Activate this short-ranged ability while targeting a charmed, commanded, controlled, or dominated enemy that is under your control to dispel the controlling effect.


 * Fascinate (active, requires a minimum of 3 skill ranks in Perform): This feat forces the enemy to sit quietly and take no action for a short period of time or until it is attacked.


 * Bardic Ballad (passive): You are constantly surrounded by a faint aura of Bardic Music, and it benefits you and your nearby allies in combat. You and all nearby allies receive the benefits of Inspire Courage as long as you are alive and not incapacitated, providing a +1 music bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws versus fear, as well as +3 universal Spell Power.


 * Religious Lore (passive): This feat grants represents your knowledge of religion. Obtain at level 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. of bard taken.


 * Wilderness Lore (passive): This feat grants represents your knowledge of the wilderness. Obtain at level 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. of bard taken.


 * Unlisted in game but useful to know attribute of Bards that pertains to Bardic Music: Bards gain +1 Bard song use per Bard level. This can be further increased by enhancements and gear.

Level 3

 * Bardic Inspiration (active): Activate this ability to Inspire a single target ally or yourself. Future abilities can modify or increase the effect of your Inspiration, and gaining more effective Bard levels will increase your duration of this ability. At Bard Level 3, this automatically includes Inspire Competence, providing a +4 Music bonus to all skill checks.

Level 6

 * Suggestion Song (active, requires a minimum of 9 skill ranks in Perform): A bard of 6th level or higher with 9 or more ranks in the Perform skill can make a Suggestion (as the Suggestion spell) to a creature that he has already fascinated. Using this ability does not break the bard’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect.

Level 8

 * Soothing Song (active: Sing a song to apply a small positive energy heal to your target and nearby party members. In addition, your Inspire Courage becomes Improved Inspire Courage and now gives an additional +1 bonus to attack, damage, and fear saves, and +3 Universal Spell Power.

Level 9

 * Ballad Melody: Greatness (passive: Adds the effects of Inspire Greatness to your Bardic Ballad, providing allies a +20 Temporary Hit Points, +3 Physical Resistance Rating, an +10 Healing Amplification as long as your are not incapacitated and they are within the Ballad.

Level 12

 * Song of Freedom (active, requires a minimum of 15 skill ranks in Perform): A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use its music or poetics to break all enchantments affecting an ally. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally. This ability is equivalent to the Break Enchantment spell.

Level 14

 * Improved Inspire Courage (+2) (Passive, requires Inspire Courage): This feat increases the bonuses of the Inspire Courage feat (i.e., attack and damage bonuses, and saving throws vs. charm and fear effects) by an additional +1, for a total of +3.

Level 15

 * Inspiration Melody: Heroics (passive): Adds the effects of Inspire Heroics to your Bardic Inspiration, providing a +4 Music Bonus to Armor Class, +4% Music Bonus to Dodge, and a +4 Music bonus to all saves.

Level 18

 * Mass Suggestion (active, requires a minimum of 21 skill ranks in Perform): A bard of 18th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in a Perform skill can activate this bard ability to charm multiple fascinated foes for a short time.

Level 20

 * Improved Inspire Courage (+3) (Passive, requires Inspire Courage): This feat increases the bonuses of the Inspire Courage feat (i.e., attack and damage bonuses, and saving throws vs. charm and fear effects) by an additional +1, for a total of +4.

Spells

 * A bard casts spells from a selection of arcane and divine spells, which are drawn from the bard spell list. The casting ability of a bard is his Charisma.
 * Like sorcerers, bards do not have to prepare spells. Instead they can learn a limited number of spells which are always available to be cast.
 * The number of known spells a bard receives is given on above Table: The Bard: Spells Known.
 * A bard also gets bonus spell points from his Charisma modifier.
 * The Arcane Spell Failure from light armor (but not shields) is ignored by Bards when casting Bard spells. The Warchanter Tier IV enhancement extends this benefit to medium armor. Note that even nominally divine spells, such as Cure Light Wounds and Soundburst, are considered to be arcane spells for bards. As such, bards are subject to arcane spell failure when using heavier armors or shields; however, this also means bards are not subject to the Intercession effect from Quells.
 * * See also spell usefulness.