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.
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[]
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[]
- Bards are best suited to become shadowdancers or harper scouts.
- Combat-oriented bards may enjoy becoming a red dragon disciple, champion of Torm or eventually an arcane archer.
- The pale master prestige class provides defensive abilities, undead summons, and access to epic spells (despite the lack of level 9 spells).
External Links[]
- Bard on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.