Labyrinths & Liontaurs
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Notes

Bard

There is a deep magic in delight and catharsis, in comedy and tragedy, in the awe-inspiring and the sublime. Bards are arcanists who reach out to the ineffable beauty of music, the wells of emotion in narrative, and then spin that power into true magic. Bards are quick-witted and captivating because they touch people's lives with their arts. That said, their skills lead them down many paths, as gamblers or jacks-of-all-trades, scholars or entertainers, leaders or scoundrels, or even all of the above. For bards, every day brings its own opportunities, adventures, and challenges, and they make a place in the world by aspiring to stardom.

Role: Bards capably confuse and confound their foes while inspiring their allies to ever-greater daring. While accomplished with both weapons and magic, the true strength of bards lies outside melee, where they can support their companions and undermine their foes without fear of interruptions to their performances.

Base Attack Bonus: +0.50 / level.

Caster Level: +0.75 / level.

Fort Save: +0.25 / level.

Reflex Save: +0.50 / level.

Will Save: +0.75 / level.

Hit Die: d6.



Table: Bard Advancement
LevelBase Attack BonusCaster LevelFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial
1st+0 (+0.50)0 (0.75)+0 (+0.25)+0 (+0.50)+0 (+0.75)Tyro Signature: Bardic Performance I
2nd+1 (+1.00)1 (1.50)+0 (+0.50)+1 (+1.00)+1 (+1.50)Versatile Performance or Skilled in Interaction
3rd+1 (+1.50)2 (2.25)+0 (+0.75)+1 (+1.50)+2 (+2.25)Thunderstoner or Countersong
4th+2 (+2.00)3 (3.00)+1 (+1.00)+2 (+2.00)+3 (+3.00)Bardic Knowledge or Easy March
5th+2 (+2.50)3 (3.75)+1 (+1.25)+2 (+2.50)+3 (+3.75)Tyro Tier Choice
6th+3 (+3.00)4 (4.50)+1 (+1.50)+3 (+3.00)+4 (+4.50)Adventurer Signature: Bardic Performance II
7th+3 (+3.50)5 (5.25)+1 (+1.75)+3 (+3.50)+5 (+5.25)Versatile Performance or Interaction Cantrip
8th+4 (+4.00)6 (6.00)+2 (+2.00)+4 (+4.00)+6 (+6.00)Instrumentalist or Whip Crack
9th+4 (+4.50)6 (6.75)+2 (+2.25)+4 (+4.50)+6 (+6.75)Lore Master or Explorers' Tales
10th+5 (+5.00)7 (7.50)+2 (+2.50)+5 (+5.00)+7 (+7.50)Adventurer Tier Choice
11th+5 (+5.50)8 (8.25)+2 (+2.75)+5 (+5.50)+8 (+8.25)Hero Signature: Bardic Performance III
12th+6 (+6.00)9 (9.00)+3 (+3.00)+6 (+6.00)+9 (+9.00)Versatile Performance or Interaction Cantrip
13th+6 (+6.50)9 (9.75)+3 (+3.25)+6 (+6.50)+9 (+9.75)Well-Versed or Bladedancer
14th+7 (+7.00)10 (10.50)+3 (+3.50)+7 (+7.00)+10 (+10.50)Jack Of All Trades or Echolocation
15th+7 (+7.50)11 (11.25)+3 (+3.75)+7 (+7.50)+11 (+11.25)Hero Tier Choice
16th+8 (+8.00)12 (12.00)+4 (+4.00)+8 (+8.00)+12 (+12.00)Legend Signature: Bardic Performance IV
17th+8 (+8.50)12 (12.75)+4 (+4.25)+8 (+8.50)+12 (+12.75)Versatile Performance or Interaction Cantrip
18th+9 (+9.00)13 (13.5)+4 (+4.50)+9 (+9.00)+13 (+13.50)Andante or Fortissimo
19th+9 (+9.50)14 (14.25)+4 (+4.75)+9 (+9.50)+14 (+14.25)Allegro or Pianissimo
20th+10 (+10.00)15 (15.00)+5 (+5.00)+10 (+10.00)+15 (+15.00)Legend Tier Choice


Skill Proficiencies

The bard's proficient skills (and the ability scores used to boost each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Wis), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Language (all) (Int), Perform (all) (Cha), Profession (all) (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Int).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

Pick three weapon groups from this list: Bows, Crossbows, Hammers, Light Blades, Spears, and Thrown. You are proficient with all simple weapons in your chosen three groups; you are proficient with martial weapons in two of the three (your choice); and you are proficient with exotic weapons in one of those two. You are proficient with light armor, light shields, and bucklers, although armor interferes with a your gestures, which can cause your spells with somatic components to fail (see Arcane Spells and Armor).

Spells and Spell Casting

At second level, when your caster level is one, you can cast arcane spells, which are drawn from the arcane spell list presented in Spell Lists. As with all characters, you follow the general magic rules for spell slots per day, based on your caster level, which advances by three-quarters of a caster level every time you gain a bard level. As an arcanist, intelligence is your spell casting ability score.

KNOWN SPELLS LIST: Each time you gain a caster level, you learn two new spells. You may not choose spells from the Necromancy school; you may only choose Evocation spells if they have the sonic descriptor. Because you are an arcanist, you may choose to pick spells from the arcane spell list. The level of the spell cannot exceed three-quarters of your new bard level (minimum 1).

When you cast spells, your somatic components are graceful and dance-like; your verbal components are sung or hummed or suggestive of performance in some way. You may use a musical instrument to create the verbal and/or somatic components of your spells. Observers can identify you as a bard when they hear you cast in this fashion with an Intelligence check or a Spellcraft check vs DC10. You gain the Eschew Materials feat as a bonus feat.

Class Abilities

TYRO TIER

Level 1 Bard Tyro Tier Signature Ability: Bardic Performance I You are trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around you, including yourself if desired. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to your odd (column A) Charisma modifier plus two rounds per character level. Temporary increases to Charisma, such as those gained from spells like Eagle's Splendor, do not increase the total number. The number of rounds of bardic performance per day is renewed after resting for eight hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive.
Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, and it can be maintained each round as a swift action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking the needed action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.
Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both. If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the bard for the performance to have any effect. A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If you fail this check, the attempt still counts against your daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components. If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If you fail this check, the attempt still counts against your daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.
Bardic Performance I grants the use of two forms of performance:

Level 2 Bard Tyro Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):

Level 3 Bard Tyro Tier Combat Ability (pick one):

Level 4 Bard Tyro Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):

Level 5 Bard Tyro Tier Choice: Select a Bard Tyro Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a gallimaufry feat from among those for which you qualify.

ADVENTURER TIER

Level 6 Bard Adventurer Tier Signature Ability: Bardic Performance II (Su): Building on your Tyro Tier ability, you can now start a Bardic Performance as a move action and maintain it as a swift action on subsequent rounds. Prerequisite: Bardic Performance I. In addition, you gain two new types of performance:

Level 7 Bard Adventurer Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):

Level 8 Bard Adventurer Tier Combat Ability (pick one):

Level 9 Bard Adventurer Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):

Level 10 Bard Adventurer Tier Choice: Select a Bard Adventurer or Tyro Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a magic feat from among those for which you qualify.

HERO TIER

Level 11 Bard Hero Tier Signature Ability: Bardic Performance III (Su): You can now start a Bardic Performance as a move action and maintain it as a free action on subsequent rounds. Prerequisite: Bardic Performance II. In addition, you gain two new types of performance:

Level 12 Bard Hero Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):

Level 13 Bard Hero Tier Combat Ability (pick one):

Level 14 Bard Hero Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):

Level 15 Bard Hero Tier Choice: Select a Bard Hero, Adventurer, or Tyro Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a teamwork feat from among those for which you qualify.

LEGEND TIER

Level 16 Bard Legend Tier Signature Ability: Bardic Performance IV (Su): You can now start a Bardic Performance as a swift action and maintain it as a free action on subsequent rounds. Prerequisite: Bardic Performance III. In addition, you gain two new types of performance:

Level 17 Bard Legend Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):

Level 18 Bard Legend Tier Combat Ability (pick one):

Level 19 Bard Legend Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):

Level 20 Bard Legend Tier Choice: Select a Bard Legend, Hero, Adventurer, or Tyro Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a combat feat from among those for which you qualify.