Bard (Skills and Powers)

Bard

Ability Requirements:	Dexterity 12
	Intelligence 13
	Charisma 15
Prime Requisite:	Dexterity, Charisma
Allowed Races:	Human, half-elf

AD&D game bards are loosely derived from Celtic poets who sang their tribes’ histories. Examples include the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Alan-a-Dale, Will Scarlet, and Homer. A bard should be glib of tongue, light of heart, and fleet of foot.

A bard is a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none. He fights as rogue, but he can use any weapon. A bard can wear any armor up to, and including, chain mail, but he cannot use a shield.

All bards are skilled singers, vocalists, and musicians. A bard character automatically begins play with the proficiencies of Singing and Musical Instrument, in the instrument of the player’s choice. The character does not have to expend character points for these bonus proficiencies, but he may choose to use CPs to increase his level of skill by raising his proficiency scores or acquiring the appropriate traits (see Chapter Six).

Bards have 70 character points to spend on skills from the following list. Skills costs 5 to 15 points. Any unspent points can be used to acquire nonweapon proficiencies or saved for use during the game. Many of the skills can be improved as bards advance levels. This is explained after the skill section.

Skills marked with an asterisk (*) can be improved as a bard advances in level.

Alter moods (5): When performing before a non-hostile group, the bard can alter the group’s mood. This can be achieved via an inspiring poem, a tragic tale, a collection of jokes, or a lively tune. Everyone hearing the bard’s performance must make a saving throw vs. paralyzation. For every three experience levels the bard possesses apply a –1 modifier to each roll. If the save fails, the group’s current attitude can be shifted one level in the direction chosen by the bard. See the reactions section of the Dungeon Master Guide for more details.

Animal friendship (10): Once a day, the bard can cast the equivalent of an animal friendship spell by singing a soothing song.

Charm resistance (5): Bards with this ability gain a +1 bonus to all saving throws versus charm-like spells and effects.

Climb walls* (5): This skill lets bards climb smooth or vertical surfaces.

Counter effects (10): Bards are able to counter the effects of songs and music used as magical attacks by performing a counter song. All characters within 30' of the bard are immune to such attacks. For example, the bard’s adventuring party would be immune to the effects of a harpy’s song. The bard can perform no actions other than a slow walk while countering magic with his music. If he is struck in combat or fails any saving throw, the effect of his counter song ends. More details of this power can be found in the Player’s Handbook.
Detect magic* (10): Bards can spot magical radiations within their line of sight, up to 60 feet away. They can determine the intensity of the magic—dim, faint, moderate, strong, and overwhelming.

Detect noise* (5): This is the ability to hear sounds others usually can’t.

History (10): In his travels, a bard learns a great many things. The bard can read and write his native language and knows his area’s local history. In addition, a bard has a 5% chance per level to identify the general purpose, function, and history of any magical item he comes across. The bard need not touch the item, but he must examine it closely.

Pick pockets* (10): A bard uses this skill to pilfer small items from the pouches, pockets, belts, sleeves, packs, etc. of others. A failed attempt means the bard did not come away with an item, but it does not indicate the bard was caught in the act. To determine if a bard’s attempt was noticed, subtract three times the victim’s experience level from 100. If the bard’s roll was equal to or higher than this number, the attempt was noticed. For example, if the thief tried to pick the pocket of a 7th level wizard and failed—and the thief’s roll was 79 or higher—the thief is noticed. (7x3 = 21. 100–21 = 79.)

Rally friends (5): The bard can inspire his compatriots who are about to enter battle. If the bard knows the nature of the threat they face, the bard can spend three full rounds rallying his friends with one of the following effects: a +1 bonus on attack rolls, a +1 bonus to saving throws, or a +2 bonus on Morale rolls during the upcoming battle. The range is 10' per level of the bard, and the duration is one round per level of the bard.

Read languages* (5): A bard needs every edge he can get, and the ability to read languages could put him ahead of his competitors.

Sound resistance (5): Bards gain a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. sound-based magical attacks such as: harpy’s song, dragonne’s roar, sphinx’s roar, the shout spell, yeth hound howl, and sirine song.

Scroll use (5/10): At 10th level, any bard can use magical spell scrolls. By purchasing this skill as a 10-point ability, he has a chance to read scrolls at any level. If a bard fails to accurately read the scroll, usually something detrimental occurs, such as the spell backfiring. Consult Table 31 for the bard’s chance to read a scroll.

Weapon specialization (10): This bard can specialize in a particular weapon. The character point cost must be met in addition.

Wizard spells (10): Bards are dabblers in magic, studying it in a rather disorganized fashion. They cannot specialize in a school of magic. They can cast spells once they reach 2nd level, and they begin with one to four spells in their spell books. A bard’s spell-casting level is equal to his actual experience level. The bard’s spell progression chart follows.

After a bard’s skills are selected, consult the table below to determine base scores. If the bard has skills from the table, record the appropriate scores. These skills can improve as the bard gains levels.

Skill points: Next, allocate 20 discretionary points among the bard’s “scored” skills. If the bard possesses only one of those skills, all 20 points are allotted to it. If the bard did not select any of those skills, the 20 points can be spent on nonweapon proficiencies or saved for use during the game.

Each time a bard advances a level, he is awarded 15 discretionary points to divide among those abilities.

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