New Twists on Old Items

(Optional Rules)

This optional section contains suggested special effects that occur when various bard kits use the instruments and other magical items listed above. All of these suggestions are optional, but will make for a lot of added flavor and fun in your campaign.

Because bards are so musically inclined, their understanding of all musical instruments, including magical items, is such that they gain certain special benefits. This is also true of several other magical items that are specially related to bards.

Elven Minstrels: Because these special demi-bards understand the union of magic and music better than anyone, they gain a special benefit. Any time a hazardous magical effect based on music occurs, an elven Minstrel gains a +2 bonus to the saving throw. Success indicates that the hazardous effect is avoided. If no saving throw is allowed, this allows one at the normal chance for success.

Philter of Glibness: If a Charlatan imbibes this potion, even detect lie will have only a 5% chance to note any "stretching of the truth."

Philter of Stammering and Stuttering: This potion functions as a philter of glibness or persuasiveness when imbibed by a Jester and has no ill effects.

Boots of Dancing: These boots have no effect upon a Jester.

Helm of Comprehending Languages and Reading Magic: When worn by a bard, this helm grants the ability to understand 95% of strange writings and 90% of magical writings. If the bard is 10th level or higher, the chance to understand magical writings rises to 95%.

Tome of Leadership and Influence: When this is read by a bard, the character increases by one level. His experience points become equal to the minimum required to attain the new level.

Unless stated otherwise, the following notes apply only to bard kits that have Musical Instrument listed as a bonus proficiency. Those kits that have Musical Instrument listed as a suggested proficiency are also affected, but only if the bard in question is proficient with the particular instrument.

Chime of Hunger: When struck by a bard, this chime's cursed powers radiate out 60 feet + 10 feet per level of the bard.

Chime of Interruption: When this is used by a bard, affected spellcasters must roll their saving throws with a -1 penalty per three levels of the bard. Elven Minstrels disrupt any spell that they can themselves cast.

Chime of Opening: Bards can attempt to destroy locks, lids, doors, valves, and portals with this chime (in addition to its normal functions). The chance to destroy is equal to 5% per level of the bard. Thus a 6th-level bard would have a 30% chance to destroy such an item. The maximum chance is 95%. Of course, if the bard doesn't want to destroy the item, he can use the chime normally.

Drums of Deafening: These drums are a pair of kettle drums, but bards can invoke the magic in each drum separately. If the left drum is struck, it causes those within 10 feet to be stunned for 2d4 rounds. If the right drum is struck, it causes all within 70 feet to be permanently deafened (a heal spell or similar magic is needed to regain hearing). Dwarven Chanters can double all areas of effect.

Drums of Panic: If these drums are struck by a bard, the radius of the inner "safe zone" can be reduced to any desired measurement. Affected creatures suffer a saving throw penalty of -1 penalty per three levels of the bard.

Harp of Charming: Once per turn a bard is able to cause the harp to cast a command spell as a caster equal to the bard's level.

Harp of Discord: Unfortunately for bards, their greater musical talents cause the effects of this instrument to last for 2d4+2 rounds after the music stops. Jesters cause the effect to last for 2d4 turns.

Horn of Blasting: Bards are better able to play this instrument, so that there is only a 5% cumulative chance per day that the horn will explode. Furthermore, the listed "2% cumulative chance of the instrument self-destructing" is reduced to 1%.

Horn of Bubbles: Bards are actually able to use this cursed magical item to their advantage (once they determine what the horn is). When properly blown by a bard, the horn emits a cone of bubbles 30 feet long with a 30-foot diameter end. Anyone caught in the bubbles is effectively blinded for 2d10 rounds unless he rolls a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon. However, there is a 5% chance that the horn backfires and sucks the bard through it, emitting him as a mass of bubbles. Once all of the bubbles pop (taking 2d10 rounds), the bard is irrevocably dead. Jesters have only a 1% chance of being turned to bubbles.

Horn of Collapsing: Bards have only a 5% chance of sounding the horn improperly. Dwarven Chanters never use this instrument improperly once they know the command word.

Horn of Fog: When this horn is blown, bards are able to create the typical fog, or they can create a region of magical rain. Rain can be very useful as a source of water, to put out fires, or to fill the bottom of a room with water. The rain will accumulate 1 inch of water per round in a 10-foot square.

Horn of Goodness (Evil): Unfortunately for many bards, sounding this instrument might produce an alignment change. There is a 50% chance that the bard becomes neutral evil, otherwise he becomes neutral good. If the bard is already one of these two alignments, the horn functions normally.

Horn of the Tritons: Bards are able to sound this horn even though it isn't normally usable by rogues. Meistersingers and halfling Whistlers are able to use this magical horn twice per day.

Horn of Valhalla: At 5th level bards can sound the brass horn, at 10th level the bronze horn, and at 15th level the iron horn. Skalds can play any of these horns without penalty.

Lyre of Building: A bard can negate the effects of a horn of blasting, a disintegrate spell, or the effect of up to three rounds of attack from a ram or similar siege item. This works once per day for every three levels of the bard. When the lyre is used to perform work, a bard is able to achieve the work of 100 men + 10 men per level of the bard. If a bard should happen to fail the false chord check, a saving throw vs. paralyzation is also allowed. Success indicates that the bard recovered from his mistake without mishap.

Pipes of Haunting: When these powerful pipes are blown by a bard, those who fail their saving throws vs. spell are affected as if subject to a fear spell. Those who succeed on the roll still suffer the -2 penalty to morale checks and a -1 penalty to surprise rolls. The bard can choose to use the pipes normally.

Pipes of Pain: Because of the musical skills of bards, all within 60 feet are subject to the magic of these pipes when played by a bard. Saving throws are rolled with a -1 penalty per three levels of the bard.

Pipes of Sounding: Bards are able to generate any sound with these pipes, up to and including the volume of eight yelling men. The only limit is that the sound can't imitate any form of understandable verbal communication. Charlatans, however, can generate understandable communication.

Pipes of the Sewers: When played by bards, these pipes actually teleport the rats from some unknown location. Thus, a bard can summon rats even if he is in an area completely devoid of rats. Meistersingers can select whether giant or normal rats arrive, and have a +10% bonus to any control rolls.

Armor of Command: Bards wearing this armor are able to speak one command a day with the effects of the first level priest spell, command .

Sword of Dancing: Bards can release a sword of dancing on any round in which its plus isn't a 1 (e.g., round 2,3,4,6,7,8, etc.). Blades of 5th level or higher can release the weapon after the first round; it will fight on its own for a number of rounds equal to the Blade's level before returning for one round.

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