Untold wonders and secrets exist for those skillful enough to discover them. Through cleverness, talent, and magic, these cunning few unravel the wiles of the world, becoming adept in the arts of persuasion, manipulation, and inspiration. Typically masters of one or many forms of artistry, bards possess an uncanny ability to know more than they should and use what they learn to keep themselves and their allies ever one step ahead of danger. Bards are quick-witted and captivating, and their skills might lead them down many paths, be they gamblers or jacks-of-all-trades, scholars or performers, leaders or scoundrels, or even all of the above. For bards, every day brings its own opportunities, adventures, and challenges, and only by bucking the odds, knowing the most, and being the best might they claim the treasures of each.

<php>echo “<b>Hit Dice:</b>”;</php> d6
<php>echo “<b>Alignment:</b>”;</php> Any nonlawful
<php>echo “<b>Armor Proficiencies:</b>”;</php> Light armor and all shields (except tower shields)
<php>echo “<b>Weapon Proficiencies:</b>”;</php> All simple weapons, plus the longbow, longsword, rapier, sap, shortsword, shortbow, and whip
<php>echo “<b>Skill Points/Level:</b>”;</php> 6 + Int
<php>echo “<b>Class Skills:</b>”;</php> Acrobatics (Dex), Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con), Cosmology (Int), Deception (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Dungeoneering (Int), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Linguistics (Int), Nature (Wis), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Religion (Int), Stealth (Dex), Streetwise (Cha), Thievery (Dex), Trade (Int), Warfare (Int)

<php>echo “<b>Songs:</b>”;</php> Unlike traditional arcane spellcasters, the bard is able to wield magic trough the power of his performances. A bard’s songs are considered arcane spells and drawn from the songs list presented in the Magic chapter of this book. He can perform any song he knows without preparing it ahead of time. Every bard song has a verbal component (singing, recitation, or music). Songs are treated as arcane spells for determining how they interact with other magic and spell resistance. Similar to other spellcasters, a bard can only perform a limited number of songs per day. The amount of performances a bard can deliver in a day is equal to 1 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Charisma modifier. Song levels determine what songs a bard is able to learn at a given level, as shown on the table above. However, whenever the bard performs a song, it is considered to be a level equal to the highest song level the bard can learn. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a bard’s song is 10 + the effective song level + the bard’s Charisma modifier. The bard’s selection of songs is limited. A bard begins play knowing two 1st-level songs of the bard’s choice. As he levels he will learn new songs, as shown on the previous table. Whenever the bard learns a new song, it must be of a level equal to or less than the highest level of song the bard is able to learn. The maximum level of song that a bard can learn is shown on the Song Level column on the table above. Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third bard level thereafter (8th, 11th, and so on), a bard can choose to learn a new song in place of one he already knows. The new song’s level must be the same as that of the song being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level bard song the bard can perform. A bard may only swap a single song at any given level and must choose whether or not to swap the song at the same time that he learns a new song for that level. A bard need not prepare his songs in advance. He can perform any song he knows at any time, assuming he has not used up his allotment of performances per day.

<php>echo “<b>Bardic Melodies (Su):</b>”;</php> A bard can use his musical and oratory talents to perform bardic melodies that both inspire his allies (himself included) and distract and demoralize his foes. Activating a bardic melody is a move action, bit it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic melody from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous melody and start a new one as a move action. A bard can use songs during the performance of a bardic melody without interrupting it. A bardic melody cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic melody in effect at a time. There is no limit to the amount of bardic melodies a bard can perform in a day. Every bardic melody has an audible component, while some melodies have both audible and visual components. Targets of a bardic melody must be able to hear the bard for the melody to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in their description). A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic melody. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic melodies. If a bardic melody has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the melody to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. Blind creatures are immune to bardic melodies with visual components. At 1st level, a bard can perform the following four bardic melodies:

• <php>echo “<i>Anthem of Battle:</i>”;</php> The bard plays an inspiring melody that emboldens his allies, making them more effective in combat. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard’s melody. 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 5th level, and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. This is a mind-affecting ability.
• <php>echo “<i>Countersong:</i>”;</php> The bard learns how to counter magical effects that rely on sound (but not spells that have verbal components). Each round of the countersong he makes a Perform skill check. Any creature within 60 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 non-instantaneous 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 does not work of effects that don’t allow saves.
• <php>echo “<i>Hypnotic Ballad:</i>”;</php> The bard plays a mesmerizing tune that causes one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. For every three levels the bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability. Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + ½ the bard’s level + the bard’s Charisma modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If it’s saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty on all skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. This is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability that relies on both audible and visual components in order to function.
• <php>echo “<i>Song of the Hearth:</i>”;</php> The bard plays a calming tune which allows him and his companions to rest better at night. When played during an 8 hour rest for at least 10 minutes, the bard and his allies can treat the 8 hour rest as if it were a full day of bed rest.

<php>echo “<b>Multitalented (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 1st level, the bard can choose three different categories of the Perform skill (Act, Comedy, Dance, Keyboard, Oratory, Percussion, Sing, String, and Wind). Whenever the bard puts a rank into one of these Perform skills, all three skills gain the rank instead.

<php>echo “<b>Lore (Ex):</b>”;</php> Bards are collectors of stories, rumors, and legends, and learn a great many things on their travels. Whenever the bard makes an Arcana, Cosmology, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, or Religion check pertaining to recalling a piece of knowledge or lore, he may roll twice and take the more favorable result.