New Proficiencies

Acting

Acting enables a character to skillfully portray various roles. Acting is most often used as a form of entertainment; it can also be useful in aiding a disguise. If both acting and disguise are known, the proficiency check for either is made with a +1 bonus.

Proficiency checks are required only if the actor must portray a particularly difficult character or is attempting an "ad lib" role (i.e., a nonrehearsed role or on short notice).

Chanting

The character is an accomplished chanter and can use this ability to help fellow workers or soldiers keep pace. Proficiency checks are used to determine the effectiveness of the chanting.

On a successful proficiency check, those who can hear the chanter become slightly hypnotized by the rhythmic sound, causing the time spent on arduous, repetitive tasks to pass quickly. The DM can, at his option, adjust results for forced marching, rowing, digging, and other such tasks accordingly.

Craft Instrument

Those who take this proficiency must specify whether they are skilled at crafting wind, stringed, percussion, or keyboard instruments. It takes an additional proficiency slot to gain one of the other skills. Three additional slots allow the character to take the title "master craftsman" as he is able to craft instruments of all forms.

A craftsman must buy materials equal to a quarter of the instrument's sale value. It then takes 1d6 days to craft a wind or percussion instrument, 2d8 days to form a stringed instrument, and 3d10 days to create a keyboard instrument. These times assume that the craftsman is spending 10 hours a day working on the instrument. If craftsman tools (cost 25 gp, weight 5 pounds) are not available, all times are doubled.

The quality of an instrument is determined by a final proficiency check. Failure results in an instrument of poor quality, while success indicates good quality. A natural 20 indicates that the instrument is nonfunctional, while a natural 1 results in a masterpiece worth twice the normal value.

Simple repairs take only 1d4 hours and require no proficiency check unless the proper tools are not available. However, repairing severe damage requires 1d8 hours and a check is mandatory for success.

Crowd Working

Almost every bard is familiar with the ways of a crowd. However, those who take crowd working learn all the tricks of the trade. Such bards are skilled at observing crowds and adjusting their performances accordingly.

Any bard who is using a special ability to adjust the encounter reactions of a crowd (e.g., influence reactions) can make a crowd working proficiency check. If this check is successful, the bard can alter the reactions of the crowd by two levels instead of the typical one.

If the bard or his group is soliciting money from a crowd, a successful proficiency check indicates that the bard is particularly appealing and the crowd willingly donates twice as much money as it normally would (or conditions improve one category if using the performance rules earlier in this handbook).

Poetry

Proficiency in poetry includes the skills of reciting poetry and judging its quality. It also indicates that the character has a repertoire of poems memorized for recital at any time. No proficiency check is required for a normal recital.

If the character can read and write, original poems can be written. A successful proficiency check indicates that the poem is of above average quality.

Whistling/Humming

Almost anyone can whistle or hum. Those who take this proficiency are exceptional whistlers and hummers. They can produce tunes as captivating as most songs. A person with this proficiency is a true master whistler and hummer.

It is so easy to learn a new tune to whistle or hum that characters with this proficiency can learn numerous tunes. In fact, if a proficiency check is made, a whistler or hummer knows any particular tune in question. In addition, a character with both this proficiency and the animal lore proficiency can mimic any bird call he has heard.

However, most adventurers do not take whistling just for the entertainment value. Instead, they are looking for its uses in communication. This communication is possible only among those who know this proficiency. If both characters succeed with their proficiency checks, a single concept can be communicated. Some examples are "Go around to the side door," "I hear them coming," "Slowly reach out now, the guard doesn't see you."

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