Ability Scores
Bards gain a +2 class bonus to Dexterity or Charisma, as long as it isn’t the same ability you increase with your +2 racial bonus.
Backgrounds
Possible backgrounds include: wandering minstrel, cathedral musician, court jester, mercenary, tavern owner, failed hedge wizard, diplomat, spy, royal taster, caravan guide, smuggler, and battle skald.
Gear
At 1st level, bards start with non-magical musical instruments, a melee and ranged weapon of their choice, some form of light armor, and any other minor elements of gear their backgrounds suggest.
Gold Pieces
Bards may start with either 25 gp or 1d6 x 10 gp.
Armor
|
Armor Type |
Base AC |
Atk Penalty |
|
None |
10 |
— |
|
Light |
12 |
— |
|
Heavy |
13 |
–2 |
|
Shield |
+1 |
–1 |
Melee Weapons
|
|
One-Handed |
Two-Handed |
|
Small |
1d4 dagger |
1d6 club |
|
Light or Simple |
1d6 mace, shortsword |
1d8 spear |
|
Heavy or Martial |
1d8 longsword, scimitar |
1d10 (–2 atk) greatsword, dire flail |
Ranged Weapons
|
|
Thrown |
Crossbow |
Bow |
|
Small |
1d4 dagger |
1d4 hand crossbow |
— |
|
Light or Simple |
1d6 javelin, axe |
1d6 light crossbow |
1d6 shortbow |
|
Heavy or Martial |
— |
1d8 (–1 atk) heavy crossbow |
1d8 (–2 atk) longbow |
Level Progression
|
Bard Level |
Total Hit Points |
Total Feats |
Battle Cries |
Spells & Songs, 1st level |
Spells & Songs, 3rd level |
Spells & Songs, 5th level |
Spells & Songs, 7th level |
Spells & Songs, 9th level |
Level-up Ability Bonuses |
Damage Bonus From Ability Score |
|
Level 1 |
(7 + CON mod) x 3 |
1 adventurer |
2 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
ability modifier |
|
Level 2 |
(7 + CON mod) x 4 |
2 adventurer |
2, up to 1st level |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
ability modifier |
|
Level 3 |
(7 + CON mod) x 5 |
3 adventurer |
3, up to 3rd level |
1 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
|
ability modifier |
|
Level 4 |
(7 + CON mod) x 6 |
4 adventurer |
3, up to 3rd level |
— |
4 |
— |
— |
— |
+1 to 3 abilities |
ability modifier |
|
Level 5 |
(7 + CON mod) x 8 |
4 adventurer 1 champion |
3, up to 5th level |
— |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
|
2 x ability modifier |
|
Level 6 |
(7 + CON mod) x 10 |
4 adventurer 2 champion |
4, up to 5th level |
— |
— |
5 |
— |
— |
|
2 x ability modifier |
|
Level 7 |
(7 + CON mod) x 12 |
4 adventurer 3 champion |
4, up to 7th level |
— |
— |
3 |
3 |
— |
+1 to 3 abilities |
2 x ability modifier |
|
Level 8 |
(7 + CON mod) x 16 |
4 adventurer 3 champion 1 epic |
5, up to 7th level |
— |
— |
— |
6 |
— |
|
3 x ability modifier |
|
Level 9 |
(7 + CON mod) x 20 |
4 adventurer 3 champion 2 epic |
5, up to 9th level |
— |
— |
— |
4 |
3 |
|
3 x ability modifier |
|
Level 10 |
(7 + CON mod) x 24 |
4 adventurer 3 champion 3 epic |
6, up to 9th level |
— |
— |
— |
— |
7 |
+1 to 3 abilities |
3 x ability modifier |
Although not listed on the table, this class gets three talents. It does not gain more at higher levels
Stats
Initiative, AC, PD, MD, Hit Points, Recovery Dice, Feats, and some Talents are level dependent.
|
Ability Bonus |
+2 Dexterity or Charisma (different from racial bonus) |
|
Initiative |
Dex mod + Level |
|
Armor Class (light armor) |
12 + middle mod of Con/Dex/Wis + Level |
|
Physical Defense |
10 + middle mod of Str/Con/Dex + Level |
|
Mental Defense |
11 + middle mod of Int/Wis/Cha + Level |
|
Hit Points |
(7 + Con mod) x Level modifier (see level progression chart) |
|
Recoveries |
8 |
|
Recovery Dice |
(1d8 x Level) + Con mod |
|
Backgrounds |
8 points, max 5 in any one background |
|
Icon Relationships |
3 points |
|
Talents |
3 |
|
Feats |
1 per Level |
Class Features
As a bard advances in level, they have three different types of powers to choose in combat: bardic songs, battle cries, and spells.
Bardic Songs
Bardic songs last for one or more rounds and end with a final verse that carries a big payoff. Although magical, bardic songs don't count as spells; they don't force the bard to suffer opportunity attacks from engaged enemies, and they can't be canceled by effects that can cancel spells. In fact, bards can cast spells while in the middle of singing a bardic song.
Each song specifies what type of action starts it. To sustain it during the next round, it requires an action and a d20 check against its sustain target. If successful, the song can continue with its sustained effect for that round. (The next round will require another sustain check.) If your attempt to sustain a song fails, the song's final verse effect resolves immediately, and then the song's power ends. You can start another song on your next round.
You don't have to try to sustain the song at the start of your turn. If you choose not to sustain a song, its effects end immediately and you choose whether to use the song's final verse effect in the current round or to start a new song. You can't do both.
Some songs have an immediate effect that happens each time you start or sustain the song. Others have effects that continue throughout the entire round.
Most songs stop when a bard is knocked unconscious, silenced, or stunned. Having your song stopped this way prevents you from getting the final verse effect.
You can only sing one bardic song at a time. If you are singing a song (or spend an action to try to sustain a song), you can't start another song that round.
Bardic songs are loud, and cancel any of stealth effects you may have.
Your bardic songs don't stop immediately when you are knocked unconscious, stunned, or silenced. Instead, they continue for one round, giving you the chance to sustain the song on your next turn.
Bardic Spells
Bards use arcane spells that function like those of other spell-casting classes. Some spells are daily, some recharge, and others are at-will.
Unlike most character classes, bards use two different ability scores for their attacks. Their melee and ranged weapon attacks use Strength or Dexterity, while their spells use Charisma.
Battle Cries
Bards use battle cries to encourage, inspire, warn, and magically aid their allies. Battle cries are triggered by flexible melee attacks. The bard makes a melee attack and is able to use a battle cry that corresponds to the attack's natural result, sometimes whether or not the attack hits.
Bonuses provided by battle cries can help a bard's allies but not the bard.
You can generate the effect of any 1st or 3rd level battle cry you know as a standard action (instead of making a flexible melee attack to see which battle cry you are able to trigger). This allows you to choose the particular battle cry you want, at the expense of taking your standard action.
Class Talents
Choose three of the following class talents.
Balladeer
At each level, including 1st level, you may learn a great ballad of your choice. Each day you can sing one of these songs to give you a positive relationship with an icon that you would not ordinarily have…as well as increasing a negative relationship with another icon.
Song choices for the great ballad are up to the role-player.
It takes at least a few rounds to sing a great ballad, so ideally it happens outside of combat. As you sing the ballad, it's an opportunity to tell the GM what's special about the story you are telling.
Make a Charisma skill check using your best singing or musical background. If you succeed, you gain 2 points of positive relationship with the chosen icon for the rest of the day (until the next full heal-up). The DC depends on the environment:
DC 15: Adventurer environment
DC 20: Champion environment
DC 25: Epic environment
You can use these points to roll relationship dice the way you roll your normal icon relationships (see Icon Relationships). If you already have positive or conflicted dice with the icon you've sung about, add them to your new bonus dice. If you have negative dice with the icon you've sung a ballad to, they can be temporarily overruled by the ballad, but the GM should feel free to interpret any 5s rolled with a heavy hand.
When your great ballad magically compliments an icon, another icon should take a hit. As you explain the story of your ballad to the GM, you should account for at least one icon who is being mocked, vilified, or referred to in unflattering terms. You get an equal number of cursed dice for that icon. Cursed dice aren't like negative relationship dice—they never help you. At the GM's option, you'll have to roll these cursed dice at least once and interpret them as possible problems for you: rolls of 1 are a definite problem; rolls of 2 mean there are story complications connected to the temporary enemy icon.
The first time you use your ballad-created relationship, any 5s you roll become 6s. You also gain a +2 bonus to your Balladeer checks.
You can sing two great songs a day. You can't sing positively about an icon that you've already sung about as an enemy earlier in the day.
If you are willing to gain an equal number of cursed relationship dice with all of the listed enemies for a song, increase the positive bonus dice you gain from a successful ballad to 3 or 4.
Battle Skald
You cannot take this talent if you have taken the Spellsinger talent.
Increase the number of battle cries you know by one. The bonus battle cry can be from your highest possible level.
One battle per day, you can use your battle cries to help yourself.
When you use a battle cry on yourself, it also helps an ally.
Once per battle, reroll an attack that was meant to trigger a battle cry but didn't.
Jack of Spells
Choose another spell-casting character class. You can choose one spell from the spell list (but not the talent list) of that class, of your own level or lower, as an extra spell you know how to cast. You can even take its feats up to your tier, if it has any. You may only choose from the spell list—not from talents.
This spell is a bonus spell, not included in your bard class count.
You can use your Charisma as the ability score that provides spell's attack bonus and damage bonus (if any). Other ability score references remain unchanged.
If the spell is a wizard spell, you also gain three cantrips of your choice from the wizard. You can cast them like a wizard who lacks the Cantrip Mastery talent.
If you choose a spell from the sorcerer class, you also gain the sorcerer's dancing lights class feature.
Choose a second spell-casting class. Choose another spell from that class as well.
Choose a third spell-casting class. Gain a spell from that class also.
Loremaster
You cannot take this talent if you have taken the Mythkenner talent.
Choose two of the following three bonuses:
- Your bardic skills and magic are now based on your Intelligence rather than Charisma. Any time an element of the bard class refers to Charisma, you can replace that element with a reference to Intelligence.
- Take two additional points of backgrounds. You can use these additional points to raise a background that has something to do with history, bardic lore, or magical knowledge up to the usually impossible rating of +6.
- Take a single point of relationship with an icon. Add the point to a relationship you already have up to your normal maximum, or start a new one—positive, conflicted, or negative.
Mythkenner
You cannot take this talent if you have taken the Loremaster talent.
Choose two of the following three bonuses:
- Your bardic skills and magic are now based on your Wisdom rather than Charisma. Any time an element of the bard class refers to Charisma, you can replace that element with a reference to Wisdom.
- Take two additional points of backgrounds; you can use these additional points to raise a background that has something to do with religion, mythology, or history up to the usually impossible rating of +6.
- Take a single point of relationship with an icon. Add the point to a relationship you already have up to your normal maximum, or start a new one—positive, conflicted, or negative.
Songmaster
When you attempt to maintain a bardic song, if you describe it in a fashion that entertains the GM, or at least a couple of the players, you get a bonus of +1 to +3 to maintain the song.
This talent is for those that enjoy improvisation.
Spellsinger
You cannot take this talent if you have taken the Battle Skald talent.
You can choose an extra bardic song or bard spell at the highest level you know.
Storyteller
Once per scene when one of your allies rolls relationship dice for an icon, you can roleplay a one or two sentence story (usually related to the icon, but perhaps otherwise pivotal) that allows them to reroll the relationship check if they don't like the first result.
1st Level Battle Cries
Move It!
Choose either…
- One of your unengaged allies can move as a free action
- One of your engaged allies can make a disengage check as a free action.
The disengage check gains a +2 bonus.
The bonus increases to +5.
An engaged ally you target with this battle cry can pop free from one enemy as a free action before making the disengage check.
Pull it Together!
One nearby ally can heal using a recovery.
The target adds +1d4 healing per point on the escalation die.
The attack can now also trigger on any natural even roll; the extra healing is now +1d6 per point.
You can use pull it together three times per battle; the extra healing is now +1d10 per point.
Stay Strong!
Give a nearby ally a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn.
Bonus also applies to PD.
Bonus also applies to MD.
Bonus increases to +4.
We Need You!
A nearby conscious ally can roll a save against a save ends effect.
The save gains a +1 bonus.
The bonus increases to +2.
If the escalation die is 3+, two nearby conscious allies (instead of one) can each roll a save (with bonuses).
1st Level Songs
Song of Heroes
You and your nearby allies gain a +1 attack bonus until the start of your next turn.
The effect ends immediately, but one ally of your choice gains a +2 bonus to their next attack roll this battle.
Song of Spilt Blood
Any attack against you takes a penalty equal to the number of your allies in the battle who have more hit points than you.
Final Verse: The effect ends immediately, and you or one ally of your choice can heal using a recovery.
1st Level Spells
Battle Chant
When you use battle chant, you can choose any battle cry effect you know as if you were making a basic melee attack, with the battle chant attack roll taking the place of the basic melee attack roll.
Your battle chant damage dice are now d6s instead of d4s.
Once per day, you can expend one of your recoveries to reroll a battle chant attack roll.
One battle per day, your battle chant damage dice become d10s.
Befuddle
Recharge check is now 6+.
The target of the spell doesn't have to be nearby, just in line of sight.
On a hit, the confusion effect is now save ends.
Charm Person
This spell cannot be cast during combat or on a target that has rolled initiative to fight.
Soundburst
On a natural even hit, the dazed effect is now save ends.
The spell is now recharge 16+ after battle instead of daily.
You can now target 1d4 + 1 enemies in a group with the spell.
3rd Level Battle Cries
Hang Tough!
Give a nearby ally temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier.
If the ally is staggered, double the temporary hit points.
Add your level to the temporary hit points given (add before any doubling).
You can choose yourself instead of an ally as the target of the battle cry.
It's All Yours!
This battle, your next ally to attack the target you missed gains a +2 attack bonus with that attack.
That ally's attack also deals +1d6 damage.
The damage bonus increases to +3d6.
The damage bonus increases to +3d12.
Take Heart!
Choose a nearby ally. That ally can either roll a save against a save ends effect or roll a normal save against a condition that has a duration that lasts until the end or beginning of a turn.
3rd Level Songs
Song of Aid
You or a nearby ally gains 3d6 temporary hit points.
One target that gained temporary hit points can also heal using a recovery.
Song of Thunder
Make the following attack against 1d4 + 1 nearby enemies.
Make the attack again, but this time it deals half damage on a miss.
The number of targets increases to 2d4.
Two of the targets can now be far away instead of nearby.
3rd Level Spells
Vicious Mockery
On a hit, the effect that damages the target when it misses is now save ends.
Recharge check is now 6+.
A natural even miss does not expend the spell.
Wild Heal
Each target can heal using a recovery.
The spell is now recharge 16+ after battle instead of daily.
Add a third random target.
The recoveries the targets use are now free.
5th Level Battle Cries
Stay True!
A nearby ally regains the use of a once-per-battle racial ability that was expended this battle.
Victory is Ours!
A nearby ally can heal using a recovery, and three nearby allies gain a +3d6 damage bonus to their next damage roll this battle.
The battle cry can now trigger when the escalation die is 3+ instead of 5+.
The damage bonus is now +3d12.
5th Level Songs
Song of Magic
Until the start of your next turn, you and your nearby allies who cast spells that are normally expended by being cast can roll a d20 after casting the spell. On a 16+, the spell is not expended.
All spells you and your allies cast before the start of your next turn gain a +2 attack bonus.
5th Level Spells
Arrow of Verse
Recharge check is now 11+.
Bonus dice and miss dice are now d12s.
Discombobulate
7th Level Battle Cries
They Fall Before Us!
You can use this battle cry only on your turn.
A nearby ally can make a basic attack as a free action.
The battle cry can now trigger on a natural 19+.
7th Level Songs
Song of Blood & Legends
Each nearby ally who hits at least one enemy with an attack during their turn can heal using a recovery.
One nearby ally can make a basic attack as a free action and heal using a recovery if the attack hits at least one target.
Song of Victory
Each nearby enemy that has fewer hit points than you is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Each nearby enemy takes 5d6 + Charisma psychic damage.
7th Level Spells
The Overworld Two-Step
You can swap your position and the positions of all your nearby allies, even if you can't see them when you cast the spell. Each position presently occupied by you or an ally must end up occupied after the swap, but otherwise you can swap freely.
Recharge check is now 11+.
You can now also swap the positions of far-away allies you can see, up to a maximum of 9 creatures.
9th Level Battle Cries
The Time is Now!
Choose one nearby ally. That ally can expend a recovery to regain a daily power or spell.
The battle cry can now trigger on natural 18+.
9th Level Songs
Song of Destinies
Later this turn, you can add 1 to the natural result of one ally's d20 roll. Then, afterwards, you can subtract 1 from the natural result of an enemy's d20 roll.
The GM chooses an icon relevant to the situation; you choose the PC who will make an icon relationship check. That player makes the check and joins the GM in a duet of improvisation as to how the icon relationship roll has some impact on the current battle.
9th Level Spells
Inspire Legends
Escalation die must be 4+.
Each target can roll a d20 for each of its expended daily, recharge, and per battle powers and spells other than inspire legends. If the roll is 11+, the character regains the use of that power or spell.