Bard 2

Class Group	Rogue
Ability Score Requirements	Dexterity 12 Intelligence 13 Charisma 15
Prime Requisites	Dexterity, Intelligence, Charisma
Races Allowed	Aquatic Half-Elf Dark Elf Dark Half-Elf Deep Half-Elf High Elf High Half-Elf Human Mirage Half-Elf Rock Gnome Humanoids Lagi Puffed Felarid
Allowed Alignments	All

The Bard					Spell	Slots	per	Spell	Level
Level	XP Needed	Hit Dice (d6)	THAC0/BAB	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	0	1	20/+0	—	—	—	—	—	—
2	1,250	2	20/+0	1	—	—	—	—	—
3	2,500	3	19/+1	2	—	—	—	—	—
4	5,000	4	19/+1	2	1	—	—	—	—
5	10,000	5	18/+2	3	1	—	—	—	—
6	20,000	6	18/+2	3	2	—	—	—	—
7	40,000	7	17/+3	3	2	1	—	—	—
8	70,000	8	17/+3	3	3	1	—	—	—
9	110,000	9	16/+4	3	3	2	—	—	—
10	160,000	9+2	16/+4	3	3	2	1	—	—
11	220,000	9+4	15/+5	3	3	3	1	—	—
12	440,000	9+6	15/+5	3	3	3	2	—	—
13	440,000	9+8	14/+6	3	3	3	2	1	—
14	880,000	9+10	14/+6	3	3	3	3	1	—
15	1,100,000	9+12	13/+7	3	3	3	3	2	—
16	1,320,000	9+14	13/+7	4	3	3	3	2	1
17	1,540,000	9+16	12/+8	4	4	3	3	3	1
18	1,760,000	9+18	12/+8	4	4	4	3	3	2
19	1,980,000	9+20	11/+9	4	4	4	4	3	2
20	2,200,000	9+22	11/+9	4	4	4	4	4	3

Class Features

Hit Points

Hit Dice (Levels 1-9): 1d6 + HP Adjustment per level
Hit Dice (Levels 10+): +2 HP per level

Starting Equipment

Start with a spellbook and 2d6 x 10 gp to purchase starting equipment with. Can keep left over money.
Using the Alternate Starting Wealth house rule, the bard can instead begin play witha spellbook and 70 gp or the following pre-selected equipment:

Combat Proficiency

• Fights as a rogue
• Can use any weapon
• Can wear any armor up to, and including, chain mail, but cannot use a shield
• All bards are proficienct singers, chanters, or vocalists and can play a musical instrument of their choice.

Proficiencies

Non-Weapon Proficiencies

• Starts with 3 Non-Weapon Proficiencies
• Gains a Non-Weapon Proficiency every multiple of 4 levels (level 4, 8, 12, 16, 20)
• Can chose a Non-Weapon Proficiency at normal cost in the General and Rogue categories
• Can choose a Non-Weapon Proficiency at +1 cost from any other category.
• Starts play being proficient in a musical instrument.
• Can learn two instruments for every proficiency slot spent

Weapon Proficiencies

• Starts at Level 1 with 2 Weapon Proficiency Slots
• -3 Penalty to hit with weapons without proficiency
• Gains a Weapon Proficiency Slot every multiple of 4 levels (level 4, 8, 12, 16, 20)
• Can spend Weapon Proficiency Slots to gain a Non-Weapon Proficiency instead.

Spellcasting

• Starting at 2nd-Level, Bards gain the ability to cast arcane spells.
• The bard's caster level is equal to their current level.
• Intelligence determines the number of spells he or she can know, as well as alter the spell learning chance.
• Uses a spell book like a wizard.
• Cannot specialize in a school of magic.
• A 2nd-level bard begins play with knowledge of two Primary Subjects from which four spells are randomly rolled. The bard must then make check to determine if he or she can learn each of those four spells.)
• Not guaranteed to know read magic. Read magic is not required to read the writings in a bard's spell book.
• Does not automatically gain additional spells at level up.

Rogue Abilities

Base Bard Abilities

	Climb Walls	Detect Noise	Pick Pockets	Read Languages
Base Score	50%	20%	10%	5%

To determine the initial value of each skill, start with the base scores listed above then:

• Adjust by Race
• Adjust by Dexterity
• Adjust for Armor Worn
• Bracers of Defense or a cloak do not count toward armor.
• At first level, Bards get 20 points to distribute.
• The bard can distribute all 20 as theywish, including all into a single ability.
• At level up, a bard gains 15 points to distribute.
• No skill can be raised above 95 percent, including all adjustments.
• Bard abilities are subject to modifiers for situation and armor as per the thief.

• Climb Walls enables the bard to climb near sheer surfaces without the aid of tools.
• Detect Noise improves the bard's chances of hering and interpreting sounds. He or she may be able to overhear parts of a conversation on the other side of a door or pick up the sound of something stalking the party. To use the ability, the bard must stand unhelmeted and concentrate for one round. During this time, all other party members must remain silent. The GM secretly makes the check and informs the player of the result.
• Pick Pockets enables the bard to both steal and to perform small feats of sleight-of-hand.
• Read Languages allows the bard to have some ability to read documents written in languages they do not know, relying on words and phrases they have picked up in their studies and travels. GM can rule that a language is too rare or unfamiliar and thus the bard is not allowed to make a check. The amount understood is roughly approximate the the bard's total chance to read languages.

Bardic Influence

By performing, telling tales, or some other form of entertaining, the bard is able to alter NPC Encounter Reaction by 1 (positive or negative).

• Each NPC rolls a saving throw vs. paralyzation.
• With a large crowd, make a saving throw for groups of people using average hit dice.
• The die roll is modified by -1 for every three experience levels of the bard.
• If the NPCs pass their saving throw, the Encounter Reaction moves the opposite direction to what the Bard wanted.
• This ability only works on an audience that has time to listen, and can understand the language being used.

Bardic Inspiration

Bardic inspiration can grant either:

• +1 bonus to attack rolls
• +1 bonus to saving throws.
• +2 bonus to morale.

Specifications:

• The bard must know what the threat is to inspire others against it.
• A target in combat must make a successful save vs. paralyzation to be affected.
• This affects those within a range of 10 feet per experience level of the bard.
• The bard must spend at least three full rounds singing, reciting, or otherwise performing.
• The effect lasts one round per level
• Can't be recast on someone unless they face the threat inspired against or one hour passes
• A creature can only gain one bonus from bardic inspiration at a time.

Counter Song

A bard performing a Counter Song (or poem etc.) can grant immunity against the effects of songs and poetry used as magical attacks against them, if the bard passes a saving throw vs. spell.

• This immunity extends to characters within 30 feet.
• While performing a Counter Song, a bard cannot do anything else except slow walk (30 ft./round maximum)
• Counter Song is interrupted if the bard is struck or fails a saving throw.
• The bard can use this ability once per encounter or battle.
• Not effective against verbal spell components or command words.
• Is effective against spells that involve explanations, commands, or suggestions as well as sound based dagers such as the song of a harpy.

Jack of All Trades

Gains: Reading/Writing and Local History proficiencies without cost.
Bards have a 5% chance per experience level to identify the general purpose and function of any magical item from knowing the lore and history about said item.

• The bard need not handle the item but must examine it closely.
• Even if successful, the exact function of the item is not revealed, only its general nature.

Stronghold & Followers

A bard can build a stronghold and attract followers upon reaching 9th level.

• The bard attracts 10d6 0th-level soldiers into their service.
• They arrive over a period of time, but they are not automatically replaced if lost in battle.

Using Magical Devices

At 10th level a bard can attempt to use magical devices of written nature (scrolls, books, etc.).
There is a 15% chance that any written item he uses is read incorrectly.

• When this happens, the magical power works the opposite of what is intended.

Saving Throws

Experience Level	Paralyzation, Poison, or Death Magic	Rod, Staff, or Wand	Petrification or Polymorph1	Breath Weapon2	Spell3
1-4	13	14	12	16	15
5-8	12	12	11	15	13
9-12	11	10	10	14	11
13-16	10	8	9	13	9
17-20	9	6	8	12	7
21+	8	4	7	11	5

¹Excluding polymorph wand attacks.
²Excluding those that cause petrification or polymorph.
³Excluding those for which another saving throw type is specified, such as death, petrification, polymorph, etc.