The Bard

A bard is a professional story teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, often employed by a patron, to commemorate one or more of the patron’s ancestors and to praise the patron’s own activities. Bards are steeped in the history and traditions of clan and country, as well as in the technical requirements of a verse technique that is syllabic and uses assonance, half rhyme, and alliteration, among other conventions. It was believed that a well-aimed bardic satire, a so-clled glam dicenn, could raise boils on the face of its target.

Bards see adventures as opportunities to learn. They practice their many skills and abilities, and they especially relish the opportunity to enter a long-forgotten tomb, to discover ancient works of magic, to decipher old tomes, to travel to strange places, to encounter exotic creatures, and to learn new songs and stories.

Bards begin play as fighters (and only fighters not a sub-class), and they must remain exclusively fighters until they have achieved at least the 5th level of experience. Anytime thereafter, and in any event prior to attaining the 8th level, they must change their class to that of thieves using the rules for dual-class progression.

Again, once 6th level has been achieved and before 9th level, bards must leave off thieving and begin clerical studies as druids; but at this time they are actually bards and under druidical tutelage.

Declaration

A human or half-elf character must declare their intent to become a bard before they reach 8th level as a fighter. Assuming they meet all of the bard ability score and weapon proficiency prerequisites, they may change their class to that of the thief, becoming dual-class. As a special exception, the character may become a dual-class thief even if they are a half-elf and even if their Dexterity is less than 17 (although it must be at least 15). In any case, half-elves cannot choose to progress as multi-class fighter/thieves, they must follow the same path as a human. A character becoming a bard does not need to progress past their fighter level as a thief to then become a bard.

Bard Prerequisites

Race. Human or half-elf

Minimum Ability Scores. Strength (15), Intelligence (12), Dexterity (15), Constitution (10), and Charisma (15)

Alignment. Any Neutral

Class and Level. Dual-classed Fighter (levels 5th to 7th) and Thief (levels 6th to 8th)

Weapon Proficiencies. A bard character cannot have taken a weapon proficiency in any weapon other than the following: club, dagger, dart, javelin, sling, scimitar, spear, staff, or sword (bastard, broad, long, short)

Once becoming a bard, the character will always engage in combat at the level he or she attained as a fighter. Thus, they will never progress past this point on any attack matrix.

A bard is able to function as a thief of the level previously attained.

At the first level of bardic ability, the character does not gain a hit die for additional hit points. After this, at 2nd level and beyond, the bard gains hit dice (and hit points, including adjustments for Constitution although with any bonus for being a fighter) and hit points normally (added to his or her existing hit points).

All saving throws are made on the most favorable table, fighter, thief or bard—with the actual bard level considered as that of a druid.

A bard must always have a stringed instrument to use their special bardic abilities.

Bards will never serve another as a henchman for longer than 1 to 4 months.

Prime Requisite. None
Minimum Ability Scores. See prerequisites above.
Hit Dice. d6; Maximum 22d6 added to their previous hit dice
Alignment. Any Neutral
Player Character Races. Human (U), Half-elf (U)
Armor. Leather or magical chain mail only
Shield. None
Initial Weapon Proficiencies. None additional
Non-proficiency Penalty. -2
Added Weapon Proficiencies. None
Weapons Allowed. See above
Use of Poison. Never (unless Neutral Evil)

Druidical powers

Druidic. Druids have their own secret language, and all speak it in addition to their other tongues (alignment, Common, and others known). Bards share this language as well. The specialty tongues of Druidic are designed to handle conversations pertaining to things druidical—Druids could discuss at length and in detail the state of the crops, weather, animal husbandry and foresting; but warfare, politics, adventuring, and like matter would be impossible to detail with the language.

Druidic Languages. Upon becoming a 3rd level bard, and with each level increase thereafter, a bard gains a language of his choice: centaur, dryad, elvish, faun, gnome, green dragon, hill giant, lizardman, manticore, nixie, pixie, sprite, treantish. Note this ability is in addition to the bards “additional languages” ability below.

Resistances. Bards gain a +2 to saving throws versus all forms of fire and lightning (or electrical) attacks.

Advancement. At 3rd level, a bard gains the following abilities:

Identification of plant type
Identification of animal type
Identification of pure water
Power to pass through overgrown areas (undergrowth of tangled thorns, briar patches, etc.) without leaving a discernible trail and at normal movement rate.

At 7th level, the following additional powers are gained:

Immunity from charm spells cast by any creature basically associated with the woodlands, i.e. dryads, nixies, sylphs, etc.
Ability to change form up to three times per day, actually becoming, in all respects save the mind, a reptile, bird or mammal. This is a major action that takes 1 segment.

Changing Form

Each type of creature form can be assumed but once per day. The size of creature form assumed can vary from as small as a bullfrog, bluejay, or bat to as large as a large snake, an eagle, or a black bear (about double the weight of the druid). Changing form requires 1 segment of action.
Bards are limited to one mammal, one bird, and one reptile form per day; three of a kind (for example) isn’t allowed. Bards are limited to the shapes of animals whose normal forms (no giant-form versions) are within the weight limits.
Each assumption of a new form removes from 10% to 60% (d6, multiply by 10) of the hit points of damage, if any, the character has sustained prior to changing form.
The bard’s equipment changes along with him or her.
Bards cannot cast spells while in a form other than their original but could maintain a spell cast previously.
Resistance to Polymorph Other. Shape changers (such as a 7th level or higher bard) will be affected for but 10 segments, then will return to their former form.

Bard Abilities

Inspire

The bard’s poetic ability raises the morale of associated creatures by 10%. It likewise can inspire ferocity in attack, so hit probability die rolls are given a bonus of +1. Both of these characteristics require 2 rounds of poetics to inspire the desired effect, i.e. 2 rounds of poetics will raise morale and cause ferocity, but 1 round will do neither. The effects last for one complete turn. Note that while engaged in this activity over the 2 rounds, the bard can engage in melee combat but not in any singing or spell casting. This activity is otherwise considered a minor action (no time required in segments).

Counter Singing

A bard’s singing and playing negates the song effects of harpies and prevents similar attacks which rely upon song. It will likewise still the noise of shriekers, for these creatures are soothed by the vibrations of the bard’s instrument. This activity is a major action requiring at least 1 segment of playing.

Charming and Suggestion

The singing and playing of the bard likewise has a chance of charming most creatures. This activity is a major action requiring at least 1 segment of playing. This chance is listed as “chance of charming” in Bards Table II. Creatures within 4” of the bard must be diced for if they are not already associated with the bard and those possibly affected must save vs. Spell or be charmed and sit entranced while the bard sings. Note that if the charm percentage is successful, even those creatures making their save will listen to the bard’s singing and playing for 10 segments. Charmed creatures are subject to suggestion (as if it were the spell of that name) from the bard, and if the bard implants a suggestion in his singing, the charmed creatures must save vs. Spell at -2 on their dice rolls or be subject to the full impact of the suggestion. However, those which save against the bard’s suggestion ability are totally free of the bard’s musical charming. The charming can be attempted on the same creature but once per day. Loud noise or physical attack will immediately negate charming, but not a suggestion being acted upon. A suggestion effect lasts 1 hour plus 1 hour per level of the bard (in bard levels).

Spells

The bard selects which spells he or she wishes to have for that day (praying to see if his god will grant them) and casts them exactly as a druid of that level would, but never beyond the 12th level of druid ability until the 23rd level is reached. 23rd level bards cast their spells at 13th level druid ability. Bards can read scrolls which contain druid spells.

Mistletoe. Bards must harvest mistletoe (or holly or oak leaves) to use as material components as a druid must.

Legend Lore

Due to training, a bard has knowledge of many legendary and magical items after 1st level of experience, and this knowledge increases as the bard progresses upwards in level. If some legendary knowledge is appropriate and the dice score indicates that the bard has knowledge in the area, then his or her ability will deliver information similar to the magic-user spell, legend lore.

Identify Magic Items

Without actually touching an item, the bard also has a like chance of determining its magical properties and alignment. This latter ability is limited to:

armor
misc. weapons
misc. magic items—if usable by a druid, fighter or thief *
potions
rings
rods et al.—if usable by a druid, fighter or thief*
scrolls
swords

* unless inscribed with magical writing, in which case the bard can read what is written at the very least. (All all bards know runes, glyphs, characters, symbols, etc.)

Artifacts and relics are legendary in nature and not considered as miscellaneous magic items.

Notes Regarding Bards Table II

College is the important distinction to a bard, and he or she will not associate with a bard of a lesser college. The exception to this rule are the Magna Alumnae who will happily aid (by advice and suggestion) any other bard of any level.

Additional languages Known shows the number of new languages the character gains upon achieving each level. Unlike other characters, the bard need not study to learn these new tongues—this is subsumed as previous work. Of course, the character already knows certain languages from previous classes.

Chance of Charming. See Charming and Suggestion above.

Legend lore and Identify. See Legend Lore and Identify Magic Items above.

Magic Item Use

Except as previously noted, bards are able to use magic items which are permitted to druids, fighters and thieves. Magical books/librams/tomes which pertain to druids, fighters, or thieves are also beneficial (or baneful) to bards, and these items can raise fighting or thieving ability of a bard beyond the norm. (If a writing is baneful, treat the bard as the least favorable of his three classes.) Miscellaneous magic items of a musical nature are superior when employed by a bard:

Drums of panic—Saving throw is made at a -1 on the die
Horn of blasting—50% greater damage
Lyre of building—Double effects
Pipes of the sewer—Double number of rats in one-half the usual time

Henchmen

Bards are unable to employ henchmen other than-druids, fighters or thieves of human, half-eleven, or elven race. It is possible for a bard to have one henchman upon attaining 5th level, two henchmen can be maintained upon reaching 8th level, three at 11th, four at 14th, five at 17th, six at 20th and any number at 23rd. This is subject to the bard’s Charisma rating, of course.

Stronghold

Only bards of 23rd level will settle down and construct a stronghold of any sort.