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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level progression
| Lvl | BAB | Saves | Feats | HP range | 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 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 2* | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | 9-18 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | 12-24 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 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 | - | - | - | - | 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 | - | - | - | 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 | - | - | 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 | - | 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 | |||
- 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
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.