Bard Class Ability (1st level)
Once per day per bard level, a bard can use his song or poetics to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). While these abilities fall under the category of bardic music and the descriptions discuss singing or playing instruments, they can all be activated by reciting poetry, chanting, singing lyrical songs, singing melodies, whistling, playing an instrument, or playing an instrument in combination with some spoken performance. Each ability requires both a minimum bard level and a minimum number of ranks in the Perform skill to qualify; if a bard does not have the required number of ranks in at least one Perform skill, he does not gain the bardic music ability until he acquires the needed ranks.
Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using bardic music that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), or activate magic items by magic word (such as wands). Just as for casting a spell with a verbal component, a deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use bardic music. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his daily limit.
Countersong (Su): A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to counter magical effects that depend on sound (but not spells that simply have verbal components). Each round of the countersong, he makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Countersong has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. The bard may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds.
Fascinate (Sp): A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and able to pay attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.
To use the ability, a bard makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the song, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (up to a maximum of 1 round per bard level). While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the bard to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result.
Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Courage (Su): A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Competence (Su): A bard of 3rd level or higher with 6 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to help an ally succeed at a task. 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.
The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he or she continues to hear the bard’s music. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. A bard can’t inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence is a mind-affecting ability.
Suggestion (Sp): A bard of 6th level or higher with 9 or more ranks in a Perform skill can make a suggestion (as the spell) to a creature that he has already fascinated (see above). 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.
Making a suggestion doesn’t count against a bard’s daily limit on bardic music performances. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language dependent ability.
Inspire Greatness (Su): A bard of 9th level or higher with 12 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting him or her extra fighting capability. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally with a single use of this ability (two at 12th level, three at 15th, four at 18th). To inspire greatness, a bard must sing and an ally must hear him sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Consitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependant. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability.
Song of Freedom (Sp): A bard of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to create an effect equivalent to the break enchantment spell (caster level equals the character’s bard level). Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and music, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A bard can’t use song of freedom on himself.
Inspire Heroics (Su): A bard of 15th level or higher with 18 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet. For every three bard levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, a bard must sing and an ally must hear the bard sing for a full round. A creature so inspired gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for up to 5 rounds thereafter. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability.
Mass Suggestion (Sp): This ability functions like suggestion, above, except that a bard of 18th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in a Perform skill can make the suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated (see above). mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability.
Eberron Rules; MUSIC OF CREATION
Bards have a unique way of tapping into the magic that pervades Eberron: through music. Some bards claim that the Dragon Above sang the world into being at the dawn of time, and that their music is an echo of that powerful tune of creation.
Reflecting this connection to the forces of creation, bards have access to a number of feats that extend the powers of their bardic music. A bard can take these feats any time she would normally gain a feat, or can choose one of them as a bonus feat instead of gaining a new form of bardic music at 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, or 18th level.
These bard feats are Haunting Melody, Music of Growth, Music of Making, Song of the Heart, and Soothe the Beast.
Alternate Rules
Racial Substitution Levels (Gnome)
Races of Stone
A gnome can swap out certain levels of bard for levels in Gnome Bard, which changes some of the songs they have available
1st Level
Counter Fear (Su): is given instead of Countersong; A gnome bard who takes the 1st-level racial substitution level and has 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to counter magical effects that cause fear. In each round when the bard uses his counter fear ability, he makes a Perform check. Any ally within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a fear effect can use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the counter fear effect is already under the influence of a fear effect, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the bard perform, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Counter fear has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. The bard can keep up the counter fear ability for 10 rounds.
This substitution feature replaces the base bard’s countersong bardic music ability.
3rd Level
Inspire Defiance (Su): is given instead of Inspire Competence; A gnome bard who takes the 3rdlevel racial substitution level and has 6 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to help his allies (including himself) resist outside control and discern truth from illusion. To be affected, an ally must be within 30 feet and able to hear the bard perform. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard perform and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +2 circumstance bonus on saving throws against illusions and mind-affecting spells and effects.
This benefit replaces the standard bard’s inspire competence bardic music ability.
6th Level
Phantasmal Song (Su): is given instead of Suggestion; A gnome bard who takes the 6th-level racial substitution level and has 9 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to create an eerie melody with phantasmal echoes in the minds of those who hear it. While the music itself is unsettling, the phantasmal component is downright terrifying, with effects that build as the bard continues to play. Enemy creatures within 30 feet of the bard who can hear the music become shaken (Will negates; DC 10 + 1/2 bard’s level + bard’s Cha modifier). Any creature affected by phantasmal song (that is, who failed the initial Will save) that remains within range and hears the song for at least 3 consecutive rounds becomes frightened instead of shaken. The effect lasts as long as the bard performs and for 1 round after he stops, or until the affected creature moves more than 30 feet from the gnome bard.
The effects of multiple phantasmal songs do not stack with one another. Thus, a creature within the area of two phantasmal songs must save against both, but can still only become shaken on the first round even if it fails both saves. However, a phantasmal song’s effect can stack with other fear effects (such as from the cause fear spell). See page 294 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more information on fear effects. Phantasmal song is an illusion (phantasm), mind-affecting fear effect.
This benefit replaces the standard bard’s suggestion bardic music ability.
Racial Substitution Levels (Half-Elf)
Races of Destiny
Source: Player's Handbook, Eberron Campaign Setting, Races of Stone
