New Bard kit for v2: Charlatan

[Andyr]

I'd like to add a new Bard kit, and trying to find one that's not too samey compared to the others... This is from the Complete Bard's handbook, modified in mechanics (it is much more an RP kit) though not so much ethos.

 

I'd plan to kit Eldoth with it as an option in Tutu, too.

 

Anyway, about the only thing that is settled is the description. I don't know about abilities, they are tough.

 

CHARLATAN: Charlatans are masters at manipulating people. Using their high intelligence and understanding of human nature, Charlatans prey upon the foolish, overconfident, and greedy people around them. Charlatans often seem bold and boisterous, but they always maintain self-control. The profession of swindling others and making them feel good about it is an age-old practice and none are better at it than Charlatans. The Charlatan's profession has its downside, too. When a Charlatan's facade is pierced, he is in grave danger, for no one likes to be conned. Then his quick feet may serve him better than his quick wit.

 

Charlatans are wanderers. They go from town to town, switching from one identity to

another, always a step ahead of the last person they swindled. In large cities, Charlatans may be able to live out most of their lives moving from one quarter to the next. When times are tough and no great con comes to mind, Charlatans sometimes perform sleight-of-hand tricks just to get by. Charlatans also have a knack for acquiring jobs that allow them to bluff their way through each day. They can sometimes be found masquerading as priests, healers, sages, diplomats, powerful mages, and retired heroes.

 

Charlatans may not be of Lawful alignments.

 

 

Advantages:

 

- 5% bonus to Pick Pockets. Taken from pnp.

- Song will Charm enemies instead of aiding allies. Or, Charm Person once per day per x levels.

- May cast Friends and/or Know Alignment once per day per x levels. They're meant to be able to con merchants (hence Friends) and be good judges of others (hence Know Alignment).

- Maybe be able to try and mimic the abilities of other kits? They're meant to be able to masquerade as other types of character. So they'd have an ability once per day per x levels that lets them choose to try and do something like Poison Weapon, Enrage, Offensive Spin, Defensive Stance, Called Shot etc with a certain chance of success.

 

Disadvantages: Hard to think of.

 

- Only 3 lore per level like a thief instead of 10? This is because I get the impression they mostly study human behaviour rather than books and plays.

- Stunted Bard Song progression? If they don't get a song to Charm others.

[BigRob]

You might want to stunt their wizard spells slightly, since they concentrate on learning how to replicate all the feats around, assuming they get access to almost all class abilities.

 

 

A song that constantly charms enemies could be very powerful... depending on who it affects. Is it intended to be able to work on mindflayers, for instance?

[Andyr]

I thought about stunting wizard spells, but I thought I read somewhere that Charlatans made excellent spellcasters, so I abandoned the idea. I was just looking again now and see no reference to that, so I must've been looking at a different kit... Perhaps imposing a penalty of 1 less spell per level?

 

Also, the Charm song would work in the same way the Gypsy's does at the moment. So it only works on humanoids (humans, elves etc and not monsters such as Mind Flayers).

[BigRob]

Only working on humanoids does at least keep the charlatan from getting too crazy in certain high-level encounters. I think losing 1 spell per level would be OK, especially if their ability to replicate other kit powers is fallible.

[Domi]

How about severely restricting some of the magical schools for them, like for specialist mages? Say let them only be able to cast Divination and Illusion, as those are their primarily interests?

[Andyr]

I'd suggest they should be allowed to keep Enchantment too, at least. Interesting idea though. Hmmm. Though, that's giving more similarities to the Gypsy, which was:

 

Advantages:

-  Song charms enemies unless they save vs. spells with a -1 penalty per 10 levels of the bard

-  Has a +1 bonus to saves vs. spells per 8 levels

-  Can cast Curse once per day. The opposite of a Bless spell, this gives foes a -1 penalty to thac0 and saves

 

Disadvantages:

-  Cannot learn mage spells from the schools of Conjuration, Invocation or Transmutation

[Domi]

That sort if makes sense, since your folk Gypsies are often associated with being charlatans

[Andyr]

Ok, how about this:

 

CHARLATAN: Charlatans are masters at manipulating people. Using their high intelligence and understanding of human nature, Charlatans prey upon the foolish, overconfident, and greedy people around them. Charlatans often seem bold and boisterous, but they always maintain self-control. The profession of swindling others and making them feel good about it is an age-old practice and none are better at it than Charlatans. The Charlatan's profession has its downside, too. When a Charlatan's facade is pierced, he is in grave danger, for no one likes to be conned. Then his quick feet may serve him better than his quick wit.

 

Charlatans are wanderers. They go from town to town, switching from one identity to

another, always a step ahead of the last person they swindled. In large cities, Charlatans may be able to live out most of their lives moving from one quarter to the next. When times are tough and no great con comes to mind, Charlatans sometimes perform sleight-of-hand tricks just to get by. Charlatans also have a knack for acquiring jobs that allow them to bluff their way through each day. They can sometimes be found masquerading as priests, healers, sages, diplomats, powerful mages, and retired heroes.

 

Charlatans may not be of Lawful alignments.

 

Advantages:

- Gains a 5% bonus to Pick Pockets per 8 levels

- May use Charm Person, Friends and Know Alignment once each per day per 5 levels. These abilities represent the Charlatan's skill at knowing and manipulating others, hence they have zero casting time and ignore magic resistance

 

Disadvantages:

 

- Memorises one less spell of each level

[Hendryk]

I heartily agree that limiting spell schools rather than number of spells cast is the way to go. For advantages, could there be a "spell" that temporarily increases party REP? That would simulate the Charlatan's ability to con better prices out of merchants. It would be even better if the "spell" could set a local variable for the store area or the merchant. That way, if the Charlatan tries the same trick twice on one merchant, party REP would be penalized by 4; permanently for that area or shopkeeper.

 

For disadvantages, how about -1 to REP each time a Charlatan levels up?

[Andyr]

The CHR increase given by Friends would allow better prices at stores; the reputation idea is an interesting one. However, a decrease on levelling would mean as the character perfects their abilities their cover is blown more...

 

What spell schools would people have restricted, then - the same as the gyspy?

[Belanos]

For disadvantages, how about -1 to REP each time a Charlatan levels up?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think that would be rather drastic. If you have a 30th level Charlatan, the party would have a -30 to their rep, making them extemely unpopular. In fact, a Charlatan, being a con man, would be more popular than most characters. A con man that everyone hates wouldn't be very effective.

[Belanos]

The CHR increase given by Friends would allow better prices at stores; the reputation idea is an interesting one. However, a decrease on levelling would mean as the character perfects their abilities their cover is blown more...

 

What about Eagle's Splendour rather than Friends?

[Andyr]

That's a 3E spell which doesn't exist in 2E and is very similar to Friends... So I'd suggest Friends should be stuck with.

[Belanos]

One disadvantage you should have is that a Charlatan needs a much higher Charisma score than any other Bard. Minimum 16 - 17 maybe?

[Andyr]

That's not a disadvantage in the BG2 engine, since it will boost your stats to fit the kit...

 

And the 15 that bards already require is I think classified as 'exceptional'.