Bards in Player’s Option: Spells & Magic

While this book is primarily intended for players of priest and wizard characters, much of this information is relevant for bard characters, too. The chapters describing proficiencies , equipment , spells in combat , critical hits , new spells , and new magical items are all applicable to bards. In addition, the new magical system in Chapter 6 includes rules for bards and other such spellcasters. In addition, you’ll find that this chapter introduces some new variants for bardic spell ability.

The Bard’s Spell Book: Bards must keep spell books, just as wizards do, but a bardic spell book is not the same thing as a wizard spell book. When a bard discovers a spell in a wizard’s spell book or on a scroll and wishes to copy it into his own spell book, he may not be able to immediately do so. In fact, at 1st level, the bard only has a 40% chance to comprehend the wizard spell as it is written. This chance increases by 5% per level to a maximum of 85% at 10th level. If the bard is able to make sense of the wizard spell (or uses read magic to read it), he may then attempt to learn the spell and add it to his repertoire by translating the spell into bardic spell notes.

Translating a spell from wizard notation to bardic notation requires one week and 100 gp in materials. When the translation is complete, the bard attempts a learn spells check to see if he can add the spell to his spell book. If the check fails, he can always wait until he gains a level before examining his notes again.

Bards add spells to their book only through luck and happenstance. With the exception of spell translations, bards may not engage in spell research or scroll research. Bards may only gain access to new spells by using another bard’s spell book, chancing upon a wizard spell they happen to understand, or translating a wizard spell they don’t. If the DM is generous, a bardic college or hall might have bardic spell translations available for trade or purchase.

Bards and Scroll Use: Normally, bards must wait until 10th level before using wizard scrolls; spells on scrolls are recorded in a wizard’s notation, and as described earlier, a bard often can’t make sense of a wizard’s notes. As an optional rule, the DM may permit the bard character to attempt to read wizard scrolls before 10th level. His chance of success is 25% at 4th level, plus 10% for each level above 4th, to a maximum of 85% at 10th level. If the bard fails to read the spell correctly, the effect may be less (or more!) than expected, or it may affect someone or something besides its intended target. Obviously, this makes low-level spell use a very hazardous thing for a bard, but if the character’s willing to take a chance, he can try it.

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