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Bard icon

Description: Bards often serve as negotiators, messengers, scouts, and spies. They love to accompany heroes (and villains) to witness heroic (or villainous) deeds firsthand, since a bard who can tell a story from personal experience earns renown among his fellows. A bard casts arcane spells without any advance preparation, much like a sorcerer. His magic emphasizes charms and illusions, and the bard can also play an inspiring song that strengthens him and his allies. Bards also share some specialized skills with rogues, and their knowledge of item lore is nearly unmatched.

Alignment restrictions: any non-lawful

Hit die: d6

Proficiencies: armor (light, medium), shields, weapons (simple)

Skill points: 4 + int modifier ( (4 + int modifer) * 4 at 1st level)

Skills: appraise, bluff, concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, discipline, heal, hide, listen, lore, move silently, parry, perform, persuade, pick pocket, spellcraft, taunt, tumble, use magic device

Unavailable feats: divine might, divine shield, extra turning, weapon specialization
These general feats cannot be selected when taking a level of bard.

Primary saving throw(s): reflex, will

Base attack bonus: +3/4 levels

Spellcasting: Arcane (spell failure from armor is a factor), charisma-based (a base charisma score of 10 + the spell's level is required to cast a spell, bonus spells are based on modified charisma, and the charisma modifier affects spell DCs), and spontaneous cast (no spell preparation required). Bards begin the game knowing four cantrips.

Bard

Spells[]

Cantrips 1st level spells 2nd level spells 3rd level spells


4th level spells 5th level spells 6th level spells


Level progression[]

Lvl BAB Saves Feats HP range   Base spells per day   Known spells
Fort Ref Will 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1st +0 +0 +2 +2 bardic knowledge, bard song 3-6 2 - - - - - - 4 - - - - - -
2nd +1 +0 +3 +3   6-12 3 0 - - - - - 5 2 - - - - -
3rd +2 +1 +3 +3   9-18 3 1 - - - - - 5 3 - - - - -
4th +3 +1 +4 +4   12-24 3 2 0 - - - - 5 3 2 - - - -
5th +3 +1 +4 +4   15-30 3 3 1 - - - - 5 4 3 - - - -
6th +4 +2 +5 +5   18-36 3 3 2 - - - - 5 4 3 - - - -
7th +5 +2 +5 +5   21-42 3 3 2 0 - - - 5 4 4 2 - - -
8th +6/+1 +2 +6 +6   24-48 3 3 3 1 - - - 5 4 4 3 - - -
9th +6/+1 +3 +6 +6   27-54 3 3 3 2 - - - 5 4 4 3 - - -
10th +7/+2 +3 +7 +7   30-60 3 3 3 2 0 - - 5 4 4 4 2 - -
11th +8/+3 +3 +7 +7   33-66 3 3 3 3 1 - - 5 4 4 4 3 - -
12th +9/+4 +4 +8 +8   36-72 3 3 3 3 2 - - 5 4 4 4 3 - -
13th +9/+4 +4 +8 +8   39-78 3 3 3 3 2 0 - 5 4 4 4 4 2 -
14th +10/+5 +4 +9 +9   42-84 4 3 3 3 3 1 - 5 4 4 4 4 3 -
15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +9   45-90 4 4 3 3 3 2 - 5 4 4 4 4 3 -
16th +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +10   48-96 4 4 4 3 3 2 0 5 5 4 4 4 4 2
17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +10   51-102 4 4 4 4 3 3 1 5 5 5 4 4 4 3
18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +11   54-108 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 5 5 5 5 4 4 3
19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +11   57-114 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 5 5 5 5 5 4 4
20th  +15/+10/+5  +6 +12 +12   60-120 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 4

Being able to cast 0 spells of a certain level per day means the bard cannot cast spells of that level unless bonus spell slots of the appropriate level are granted by a high charisma.

As a rule of thumb, bards can cast spell levels up to a third their class level, rounded up.

Epic bard

Epic bard[]

The epic bard's music is beyond inspiring, beyond heartrending, beyond perfection. With just a song, the bard can weaken the cruelest creature or inspire allies to the heights of power and bravery.

Hit die: d6

Skill points: 4 + int modifier

Bonus feats: The epic bard gains a bonus feat every three levels after 20th. In other words, at levels 23, 26, 29, 32, 35, and 38.

Epic bonus feats: arcane defense, curse song, epic skill focus (all but animal empathy), epic spell focus, epic will, extra music, great charisma, great dexterity, greater spell focus, greater spell penetration, improved combat casting, lasting inspiration, lingering song

Unavailable epic feats: bane of enemies, construct shape, dragon shape, epic spell: dragon knight, epic spell: epic mage armor, epic spell: epic warding, epic spell: greater ruin, epic spell: hellball, epic spell: mummy dust, epic weapon specialization, great smiting, improved ki strike 4, improved ki strike 5, improved sneak attack, improved spell resistance, improved stunning fist, mighty rage, outsider shape, planar turning, terrifying rage, thundering rage, undead shape
These general epic feats cannot be selected when taking a level of bard.

Epic bard level progression[]

  Lvl   Feats HP range
21st   63-126
22nd   66-132
23rd bonus feat 69-138
24th   72-144
25th   75-150
26th bonus feat 78-156
27th   81-162
28th   84-168
29th bonus feat 87-174
30th   90-180
31st   93-186
32nd bonus feat 96-192
33rd   99-198
34th   102-204
35th bonus feat 105-210
36th   108-216
37th   111-222
38th bonus feat   114-228
39th   117-234
40th   120-240

Prestige class tips[]

External Links[]

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