1.5.3 The Bard

Bards are those who have an uncanny ability to move others through the power of their performance.

Benefits Of The Bard

The Bard is a partial Expert class that must be joined with a second partial class by an Adventurer. A Partial Warrior/Bard might be a martial skald, a Partial Expert/Bard might be a light-fingered troubadour, while a Partial Mage/Bard might mix true magic in with their artful performances.

All Bards gain Perform-0 during character creation. Their abilities hinge on their power to move a listener, whether that is by song, musicianship, or stirring oratory.

Unlike the normal Partial Expert class, Bards do not get a bonus non-combat Foci at first level, nor do they get a Partial Expert’s bonus skill point when advancing a character level. One who takes the standard Partial Expert for their other class gains these things normally.

1.5.2.1 Bard Arts

A Bard has an Effort score equal to their Perform skill level plus their Charisma modifier, to a minimum of one point. Bard arts may be used in or out of armor, and do not count as magical effects for the purposes of abilities that counter or detect magic. Unless specified otherwise, their range is out to normal unaided voice range.

Every Bard gains A Thousand Tongues as a starting art, plus one more of their choice. As they advance in levels, they can pick additional arts.

  • A Thousand Tongues: Your arts that require communication are intuitively understood by all intelligent creatures, whether or not you speak their language. You can learn a new language with no more than a week of study with a native speaker.
  • Battle Cry: Commit Effort for the day as an On Turn action to bolster your allies. They gain +1 to hit, saving throws, and damage, including Shock, for one round per level. At 4th level this bonus increases to +2, and at 9th, to +3.
  • Cursed Tune: Commit Effort for the scene as a Main Action while targeting an intelligent creature. Your imprecations cause them to falter, inflicting a -1 penalty to their hit, damage, and saving throw rolls for one round per level. At 4th level this penalty becomes -2, and at 9th it becomes -3.
  • Deft Fingers: You’re accustomed to juggling your belongings while holding an instrument. Your maximum Readied item count increases by two.
  • Entangle Incantation: Commit Effort for the scene as an Instant action when an foe within 60’ incants a spell. Your voice tangles with their words, forcing them to make an opposed Int/Magic vs Cha/Perform skill check against you, with a +2 bonus to your roll. If you tie or succeed, the spell fizzles and is wasted. This art can be used only once per round.
  • Evoke Emotion: Commit Effort for the day as a Main Action while performing. You evoke a desired emotion in listeners, whether intelligent or animal, granting a +1 bonus to relevant social skill checks for the scene for you and your allies. If desired, you can force a new Reaction Roll, taking it if it’s more favorable than the original. This art does not work in combat and can be used only once per scene.
  • Inspire Dread: Commit Effort for the day as an Instant action when your enemies are forced to make a Morale check. You goad their fears, forcing them to make two Morale checks instead of one. Those who succeed on both must still make an Instinct check immediately after.
  • Keen Senses: This art gives you the equivalent of sight out to 60’ even if blinded. You cannot distinguish colors, but you can perceive physical details as readily as if with your eyes. Physically-invisible creatures and objects are obvious to you.
  • Liberating Song: You are immune to mind- or emotion-controlling effects. You can Commit Effort for the scene as an Instant action to grant any ally in range a Mental saving throw to throw off such effects, assuming they allowed a save to begin with. If the second save is failed, this art cannot help them.
  • Rally: Commit Effort for the day as a Main Action to exhort a wounded or fallen ally, removing any Frailty. The target regains 2d6 plus your level in hit points, but you incur one System Strain.
  • Soothe the Savage: Commit Effort for the day as a Main Action. For as long as you keep spending a Main Action performing each round, animals and other living bestial creatures will not attack you or your allies unless commanded by their masters or threatened by the party. This art can’t be triggered once actual combat has begun.
  • Soothing Graces: Your arts restore and hearten those with you. You and your allies lose an extra point of System Strain after each night’s comfortable rest. This does not stack with similar rest-aiding powers.
  • Swift Misdirection: Commit Effort for the scene as a Main Action and target one intelligent creature within earshot. Tell them something in no more than one sentence; unless what you say is physically impossible or emotionally unendurable, they must make a Mental save or believe it for one round. After that, they can judge your words with their normal reason. This art can affect a creature only once per scene.

Partial Expert / Bard

Level Hit Dice Attack Bonus Focus Picks
1 1d6 +0 +1 Expert
+1 Any
2 2d6 +1 +1 Any
3 3d6 +1  
4 4d6 +2  
5 5d6 +2 +1 Any
6 6d6 +3  
7 7d6 +3 +1 Any
8 8d6 +4  
9 9d6 +4  
10 10d6 +5 +1 Any

Partial Mage / Bard

Level Hit Dice Attack Bonus Focus Picks
1 1d6 +0 1 Any
2 2d6 +1 +1 Any
3 3d6 +1  
4 4d6 +2  
5 5d6 +2 +1 Any
6 6d6 +3  
7 7d6 +3 +1 Any
8 8d6 +4  
9 9d6 +4  
10 10d6 +5 +1 Any

Partial Warrior / Bard

Level Hit Dice Attack Bonus Focus Picks
1 1d6+2 +1 1 Warrior
+1 Any
2 2d6+4 +2 +1 Any
3 3d6+6 +2  
4 4d6+8 +3  
5 5d6+10 +4 +1 Any
6 6d6+12 +5  
7 7d6+14 +5 +1 Any
8 8d6+16 +6  
9 9d6+18 +6  
10 10d6+20 +7 +1 Any

Bard Art Progression

Level Arts Gained at This Level
1 A Thousand Tongues and Any One
2 Any One
3  
4 Any One
5  
6 Any One
7  
8 Any One
9  
10 Any One