Some warriors spend their lives honing their martial prowess, some mages spend their lives devoting themselves to their arts. Bards are neither. Through their travels and adventures bards pick up a wide variety of skills and abilities that allow them to adapt to overcome nearly any challenge and to seamlessly fit themselves into any group of would-be adventurers.
Typically masters of one or many forms of artistry, bards possess an uncanny ability to know more than they should and use what they learn to keep themselves and their allies ever one step ahead of danger. Bards are quick-witted and captivating, and their skills might lead them down many paths, be they gamblers or jacks-of-all-trades, scholars or performers, leaders or scoundrels, or even all of the above. For bards, every day brings its own opportunities, adventures, and challenges, and only by bucking the odds, knowing the most, and being the best might they claim the treasures of each.
Role
A bard is a jack-of-all-trades, able to mold their abilities to fit nearly any role in a party. Whether it be at the front lines of combat, enhancing their allies with performances from the rear, decimating their foes with potent spells and magical performances, or using their wits to solve their problems, the bard can shape themselves to fit the needed role in their own unique ways.
| Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Inspiration Auras | Arcane Spellcasting | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | |||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Bardic performance, inspiration aura +1 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Bardic knowledge, well-versed | 3 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Bardic performance | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Jack of all trades, lore master 1/day | 3 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Inspiration aura +2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Bardic performance | 4 | 4 | 3 | – | – | – | – |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Quickened performance (move action) | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Jack of all trades | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Bardic performance, lore master 2/day | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – | – | – |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Inspiration aura (second aura) | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | – |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Bardic performance, jack of all trades | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – | – |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Quickened performance (swift action) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Lore master 3/day | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Bardic performance | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Jack of all trades | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | — | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Bardic performance | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Lore master 4/day | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Inspiration aura +5, jack of all trades | 9 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level): Academics, Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidate, Linguistics, Perception, Perform, Persuasion, Profession, Stealth, and Streetwise
Starting Wealth: Respectable (3d6 × 10 gp, Average 105 gp)
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Bard is proficient with Basic weapons plus any one other weapon group of your choice. are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). A bard can cast bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass bard still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
If not using weapon groups, a Bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip.
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2nd | 5 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 3rd | 6 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 4th | 6 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| 5th | 6 | 4 | 3 | – | – | – | – |
| 6th | 6 | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | – |
| 7th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – |
| 8th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – | – | – |
| 9th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | – | – | – |
| 10th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | – | – |
| 11th | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – | – |
| 12th | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | – | – |
| 13th | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | – |
| 14th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – |
| 15th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | – |
| 16th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 17th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 18th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| 19th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 20th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
Arcane Spellcasting
A bard casts arcane spells which are drawn from the bard spell list. You need not prepare your bard spells in advance. You can cast any spell you know at any time, assuming you hace not yet used up your spells per day for that spell level. You do not have to decide ahead of time which spells you’ll cast.
To learn or cast a bard spell, you must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a bard’s spell is 10 + the spell level + your Charisma modifier.
You can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Your base daily spell allotment is given on the table. In addition, you receive bonus spells per day if you have a high Charisma score.
Spells Known
Your selection of spells is extremely limited. You begin play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new bard level, you may gain one or more new spells, as indicated on the table: Bard Spells Known.
Upon reaching 5th level, and every three levels after that (8th, 11th, and so on), you can choose to learn a new spell in place of one you already know. In effect, you “lose” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level bard spell you can cast. You may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that you gain new spells known for the level.
Cantrips
You learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Bard Spells Known. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.
Inspiration Aura
At 1st level, you learn to inspire your allies through uplifting words, upbeat music, and other acts of encouragement. You know two inspiration auras of your choice at 1st level, learning a new aura at 2nd level and every three levels thereafter (5th, 8th, and so forth).
Your inspiration auras can affect all creatures within 30 feet who can hear you, including yourself. Benefits only affect you and your allies while penalties instead affect your enemies. You may define any creature within your aura as an ally, enemy, or neither (making them unaffected by your auras) as you choose.
Manifesting an inspiration aura requires you to be able to sing, play an instrument, or otherwise use the Perform skill. An ally or enemy must be able to hear you to be affected by the inspiration aura.
The aura remains in effect until you dismiss it as a free action, become unable to take actions (such as becoming unconscious, dazed, nauseated, paralyzed, or stunned), or are slain.
Your inspiration aura bonus begins at +1 and increases by 1 for every class five levels you possess.
You may have two auras active at the same time beginning at level 11. Each aura requires a separate action to manifest or change.
Bardic Performance
Your ability to perform is so refined as to become literally magical, producing esoteric effects on those around you. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + your Charisma modifier. At each bard level after 1st, you gain 2 additional rounds per day of bardic performance each day.
Starting a bardic performance is usually a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Each round in which you use one of these abilities consumes a round of bardic performance, though some especially potent abilities may use more than one round.
Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires you to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if you are killed or become unable to take actions to maintain it each round.You cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.
You learn one new bardic performance at 1st level, 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter (6th, 9th, and so forth).
Bardic Knowledge
You add half your bard class level, rounded down, on all skill checks to Recall Information.
Well-Versed
At 2nd level, you become resistant to the bardic performance of others and to sonic effects in general. You gain a +4 bonus on saving throws made against bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects.
Jack of All Trades
Select one skill at 4th level and every four levels thereafter (8th, 12th, and so forth). You gain a +2 bonus to skill checks with the chosen skill. If it is not already a class skill, it becomes one.
Lore Master
At 4th level, you become a master of lore and can take 10 on any skill check to Recall Information, as long a you have at least one rank in that skill.
In addition, once per day, you can instead take 20 on the check as a standard action. You gain one additional daily use of this ability at 9th, 14th, and 19th level.
Quickened Performance
At 7th level, you learn to begin your performances more quickly. You can choose to start a bardic performance that requires a standard action as a move action. At 13th level, you may instead start a bardic performance using a move or swift action.