New Bard kits...

[Andyr]

At present, there are four new bard kits available in this mod. These are as follows:

 

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ACROBAT: As entertainers, most Acrobats are typically found accompanying carnivals or circuses, although a troupe of Acrobats can put on a remark­able show all by themselves. The often perform in large taverns or in clubs, using their arts to draw in the crowd and captivate them long enough for the proprietor to drain their purses. Acrobats are flashy and love to show off their skills; whatever they do, they like to do with a sense of style and a flair for the dramatic. Acrobats sometimes become cat burglars extraordinaire, and they are also useful adventuring allies, as they can squeeze into places where others cannot go without the aid of magic. Their skill at avoiding traps and other dangers also makes them excellent scouts.

Advantages:
- +1 bonus to Armor Class
- +1 bonus to Armor Class vs. missiles every 8 levels
- May place up to 2 proficiency points in slings, darts and daggers

Disadvantages:
- May only place proficiency points in weapons a thief can use
- May not wear armor heavier than Studded Leather
- Only has one-half normal lore value

 

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CHORISTER: Music, whether hymn, symphony or dark chanting intonation, plays an important part in the services of most deities. For aiding in performing rituals or just leading the faithful in worship, most holy places have at least one bard, known as a Chorister.

Choristers are not only to be found within temple walls, however; many faiths use them as missionaries, helping to bring new worshippers into the fold. Many an adventuring bard with a religious bent can also end up as a Chorister, finding their prayers answered by the deity they venerate.

Advantages:
- Knows a small selection of divine spells. These are accessed and memorized as Mage spells:
Level 1: Armor of Faith, Cure Light Wounds, Doom
Level 2: Chant, Draw Upon Holy Might, Slow Poison
Level 3: Cure Medium Wounds, Glyph of Warding
Level 4: Defensive Harmony, Holy Power
Level 5: Mass Cure
Level 6: Bolt of Glory

Disadvantages:
- Only has one-half normal Lore value
- Only has one-half Pick Pockets percentage

 

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DIRGESINGER: Dirgesingers voice melodies not of celebration and joy, but of sorrow and grief. They seek to spread this melancholy outlook far and wide, believing that only those who give in to their sadness can truly understand the world.

These sad wanderers seek to express their grief through songs that teach the hearts of their listeners the meaning of true sorrow. Some of these fallen bards want nothing more than for others to understand the depths of their loss. A few are sinister creatures who believe that, since joy has been extinguished for them, they must in turn extinguish the joy of others by using their powers to teach the folly of love, the futility of hope, and the finality of the grave. Dirgesingers of this last sort often associate themselves with powerful undead; serving in the courts of vampire lords or lich-kings.

Dirgesingers are limited to non-good alignments.

Advantages:
- Song Curses enemies, giving them a -1 penalty to saves and THAC0
- From level 5 may use a Song of Horror 1/day. This has the same effects as the level 2 Wizard spell, Horror
- From level 7 may use a Song of Grief 1/day. This has the same effects as the level 4 Wizard spell, Confusion
- From level 9 may use a Song of Awakening 1/day. This has the same effects as the level 5 Wizard spell, Animate Dead

Disadvantages:
- Song does not improve with level
- Only has one-half normal Lore value

 

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LURING PIPER: Luring Pipers are often employed as rat-catchers or similar vermin control specialists by townsfolk or farmers. By using their enchanting song they are able to charm their foes into traps or away from the town or farmland. However it unwise to cross a luring piper as their song can affect more than just vermin.

Advantages:
- Song charms enemies unless they save vs. spells at +2, with a -1 penalty per 5 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

Edited November 3, 2021 by CamDawg

[Galactygon]

Are these actual PnP kits or are they ones taken from various other sources, or ones made up by the imaginations of the modders? Curiosity caught me here.

 

-Galactygon

[NiGHTMARE]

Several pnp books feature an Acrobat, but IIRC we decided on this one's abilities ourselves. The Chorister is a new kit, but inspired by the 3rd Edition version of the Bard (which can cast healing spells, etc).

 

I'm not sure whether the Diresinger is made up, or taken from the book this mod is named after, i.e. Song and Silence. The Gypsy is from The Complete Bard's Handbook, though with quite a lot of modifcation .

Edited December 22, 2004 by NiGHTMARE

[jester]

I cannot see the describtion of the acrobat matching his actual pro/cons. :-/

 

Acrobats sometimes become cat burglars extraordinaire, and they are also useful adventuring allies, as they can squeeze into places where others cannot go without the aid of magic. Their skill at avoiding traps and other dangers also makes them excellent scouts.

 

Otherwise interesting takes on the bard trade. The pickpocker downside is a bit tricky as it doesn't really hinder much (potion/gloves/level), but I see where you are coming from. I'll be back in Jan. Please have a link to the mod ready by then.

[Andyr]

You think Acrobats should get a save vs. death/breath bonus or something too?

 

The Dirgesinger is adapted from the 3.5E book Libris Mortis, which deals with undead.

 

And Jes, if you were on IRC I could send you a working copy now.

[lennon]

These look good, I especially like the Gypsey's charm as this is what the 1E bard did.

 

I am toying with the idea of implementing a 1E bard, but its not very high up on my list of things to do.

 

The charming you propose does not (IMO) scale faster enough against the enemies you meet, altough you may not want the bard singing all the time. I have been persauded that unless a bard sings, they are a poorer version of the FMT. Also a sucessfull resistance to a charm lasts the whole encounter.

 

I'd consider decreasing the saving throws faster, say -1 / 8 levels, or offer the charm as an inante earned before L20, with reduced saving throws.

 

I suggest some of these classes should also get degraded theiving/sneaking skills.

[jester]

Are you aware that ther is a bardic shopkeeper from ClanDlan which I did not have the time to translate yet. He also recharges wands. The mod is called 'La musica de los reinos' (The music of kings)

[Rastor]

Both the Chorister and the Acrobat seem overpowered. I'd suggest adding a disadvantage that actually matters to both of them.

[NiGHTMARE]

Acrobat: I'd say being limited to studded leather and not being able to place any proficiency points in certain weapons more than compensates for +1 AC and +1 AC vs. missiles per 8 levels

 

Chorister: I don't see how he's overpowered. Those aren't innate abilities, only spells available in his spellbook.