Bard

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

Selectable Class Feats: ambidexterity, Arcane Defense, Brew Potion, Craft Wand, Curse Song, Deflect Arrows, Extra Music, Greater Spell Penetration, Lingering Song, quicken spell, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Use Magic Device), Spell Focus, Two-Weapon Fighting, weapon proficiency (exotic), weapon proficiency (martial)

Primary Saving Throw(s): Reflex, Will

Base Attack Bonus: +3/4 levels

Spellcasting: Arcane (Charisma-based, no spell preparation, spell failure from armor is a factor). Bards begin the game knowing four cantrips. Must have a charisma score of 10 + the spell's level to cast a spell.

Spells

Cantrips	1st level spells	2nd level spells	3rd level spells	4th level spells	5th level spells	6th level spells
Cure minor wounds Daze Flare Light Resistance	Amplify Balagarn's iron horn Charm person Cure light wounds Expeditious retreat Grease Identify Lesser dispel Mage armor Magic weapon Protection from alignment Scare Sleep Summon creature I	Blindness/Deafness Bull's strength Cat's Grace Clarity Cloud of bewilderment Cure moderate wounds Darkness Eagle's splendor Fox's Cunning Ghostly visage Hold person Invisibility Owl's wisdom See invisibility Silence Sound burst Summon creature II Tasha's hideous laughter Ultravision	Bestow curse Charm monster Clairaudience/Clairvoyance Confusion Cure serious wounds Dispel magic Displacement Fear Find traps Greater magic weapon Gust of wind Haste Invisibility sphere Keen edge Magic circle against alignment Remove curse Remove disease Slow Summon creature III Wounding whispers	Cure critical wounds Dismissal Dominate person Hold monster Improved invisibility Legend lore Neutralize poison Summon creature IV War cry	Ethereal visage Greater dispelling Healing circle Mind fog Summon creature V	Dirge Energy buffer Ice storm Mass haste Summon creature VI

Level progression

Lvl	BAB	Saves			Feats	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	2	-	-	-	-	-	-		4	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3		3	-	-	-	-	-	-		5	2*	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3		3	1	-	-	-	-	-		5	3	-	-	-	-	-
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4		3	2	-	-	-	-	-		5	3	2*	-	-	-	-
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4		3	3	1	-	-	-	-		5	4	3	-	-	-	-
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5		3	3	2	-	-	-	-		5	4	3	-	-	-	-
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5		3	3	2	-	-	-	-		5	4	4	2*	-	-	-
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6		3	3	3	1	-	-	-		5	4	4	3	-	-	-
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6		3	3	3	2	-	-	-		5	4	4	3	-	-	-
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7		3	3	3	2	-	-	-		5	4	4	4	2*	-	-
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7		3	3	3	3	1	-	-		5	4	4	4	3	-	-
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8		3	3	3	3	2	-	-		5	4	4	4	3	-	-
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8		3	3	3	3	2	-	-		5	4	4	4	4	2*	-
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9		4	3	3	3	3	1	-		5	4	4	4	4	3	-
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9		4	4	3	3	3	2	-		5	4	4	4	4	3	-
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10		4	4	4	3	3	2	-		5	5	4	4	4	4	2*
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10		4	4	4	4	3	3	1		5	5	5	4	4	4	3
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11		4	4	4	4	4	3	2		5	5	5	5	4	4	3
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11		4	4	4	4	4	4	3		5	5	5	5	5	4	4
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12		4	4	4	4	4	4	4		5	5	5	5	5	5	4

• Only if the character meets the charisma requirements

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, Improved Combat Casting, Lasting Inspiration, Lingering Song

Epic Selectable Class Feats: automatic quicken spell, automatic silent spell, automatic still spell, Blinding Speed, Epic Spell Penetration

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.