Bardic Performances Overview
A bard’s ability to perform is so refined as to become literally magical, producing esoteric effects on those around them. Starting a bardic performance is usually a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Each round in which a bard uses 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 a free action to maintain it each round.
A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.
Prerequisites
Most bardic performances have minimum prerequisites which must be met before they can be learned. This is most often a minimum number of ranks in Perform.
Components
Each bardic performance relies on audible components, visual components, or both in order to produce their effects. Some performances have additional components, such as having descriptors that can affect how they function. An example would be a performance that has the Mind-Affecting descriptor, noting that creatures who are immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to the performance.
You can use any Perform skill for any of your performances, however there are some cases where your choice of skill will change the performance’s components. If a performance says it relies on either audible or visual components, the components depend on the Perform skill used for the performance. For example, Perform (dance) produces visual components, Perform (keyboard, oratory, percussion, string, wind, sing) produces audible components, and Perform (act, comedy) produces both audible and visual components.
If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear you for the performance to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in the description). A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If you fail this check, the attempt still counts against your daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components.
If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to you for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If you fail this check, the attempt still counts against your daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.
The Bardic Performances
A bard may select from the following bardic performances.
Alacritous Allegro
Prerequisite: Bard level 6, Perform 6 ranks.
Components: Audible or visual
You can use this performance to infuse your body with alacrity, allowing you to move and attack more quickly. You gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls, a +1 dodge bonus to AC and on Reflex saves, and a +10 enhancement bonus to your land speed. At 9th level, and every three bard levels thereafter, your enhancement bonus to land speed increases by +5, to a maximum of +30 at 18th level.
Additionally, when making a full attack, you may make an extra attack with any weapon, as though under the effects of the haste spell. bonuses do not stack with the haste spell.
Aria of Animal Empathy
Prerequisite: Natural Lore 1 rank
Components: Audible or visual
You can use this performance to influence the attitude of animals. This performance functions as the ranger’s wild empathy ability, except you expend 1 round of bardic performance and make a Perform check in place of the normal check made using the skill. If you already have wild empathy from another class, you add your class levels that provide wild empathy to the results of the Perform check to influence an animal.
Ballad of the Breeze
Prerequisite: Bard level 7, Perform 7 ranks
Components: Audible or visual, Air
You can utilize this performance to manipulate and control the air around you into bursts of powerful wind. This performance functions as the control winds spell with a caster level equal to your bard level. This performance costs 1 round of bardic performance for each minute it is performed (spent at the beginning of each minute).
Charming Performance
Prerequisite: Bard level 3, Perform 4 ranks
Components: Audible and visual, mind-affecting, enchantment (charm)
You learn a performance that charms the mind of a single creature. The target of this performance must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear you, and be capable of paying attention to you. You must be able to see the target.
The creature is charmed as the charm person spell, except that the Will save DC is 10 + 1/2 your bard level + your Charisma modifier. The target creature remains charmed for as long as you continue this performance. This performance costs 1 round of bardic performance for each minute it is performed (spent at the beginning of each minute).
On a successful save, the target creature becomes immune your use of this performance for 24 hours.
Charming Performance, Mass
Prerequisite: Perform 9 ranks, Charming Performance
When you use Charming Performance, you target one additional creature for every two additional rounds of bardic performance you spend up to a maximum number of creatures equal to half your bard level, rounded down.
Deadly Performance
Prerequisite: Bard level 18, Perform 18 ranks
Components: Audible and visual, death, mind-affecting
You can use your performance to cause one creature to become so overwhelmed with joy or sorrow that they die. To be affected, the target must be able to see and hear you perform for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The target receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your bard level + the your Charisma modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the target is staggered for 1d4 rounds, and you cannot use deadly performance on that creature again for 24 hours. If a creature’s saving throw fails, it dies.
Deceptive Tale
Components: Audible, language-dependent
You learn a performance that weaves magic into your lies and imbues the most fantastic claims with the semblance of truth. While you maintain this performance, you take half the normal penalty on Deception checks for unlikely lies (rounding down to -2). At 6th level, this effect also applies to Deception checks for far-fetched lies, and at 12th level, it applies to Deception checks for impossible lies.
Discordant Orchestra
Prerequisite: Perform 6 ranks
Components: Audible, sonic
You can use this performance to cause damaging resonant vibrations within the foes who perceive it. Choose a single creature you can see within 30 feet of you each round. That target must make a Fortitude saving throw or take 4d6 points of sonic damage plus your ranks in Perform. A successful save halves this damage. This performance cannot be affected by effects that allow you to continue a performance after you stop maintaining it.
With precise care, you can increase the resonant damage of this performance. Each round that you maintain this performance after the first, you can create an additional damaging vibration by spending a number of additional rounds of bardic performance equal to the number of vibrations you already maintain. For example, if you have already created three damaging vibrations, you will need to spend 1 round to maintain this performance plus an additional three rounds to create a fourth vibration.
You can have a maximum of one damaging vibration for every four ranks in the Perform skill used. Each damaging vibration must target a different creature, but you may change the target for each vibration as normal. Maintaining additional vibrations you have already created do not cost additional rounds of performance beyond the normal number needed to maintain the performance.
Enhancing Clarion
Prerequisite: Perform 3 ranks
Components: Audible or visual
You can use this performance to enhance an ally’s weapon as with the magic weapon or magic fang spell for as long as you maintain this performance. This performance can target one weapon, one natural weapon, one end of a double weapon, or up to 50 pieces of ammunition of the same type.
You every 4 additional ranks in Perform (7 ranks, 11 ranks, etc.), this enhancement bonus increases by +1 to a maximum of +5 at 19th level.
Enhancing Clarion, Mass
Prerequisite: Perform 7 ranks, Enhancing Clarion
When you use Enhancing Clarion, you can target additional weapons. The enhancement bonus is reduced by 1 for each additional target weapon. For example, if you have 11 ranks in Perform, you would normally grant a +3 enhancement bonus with Enhancing Clarion. By targeting 2 weapons, each would instead gain a +2 enhancement bonus.
If you target enough weapons to reduce the enhancement bonus to +0, the weapons provide no bonus to attack or damage but still count as magical for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Fortissimo of Flames
Components: Audible or visual, fire
This performance ignites your allies’ weapons with magical flame. To be affected, each ally must be able to hear or see you perform and be within 30 feet. An affected creature’s successful weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4 points of fire damage. This bonus fire damage increases by 1d4 for every 5 ranks of Perform you possess to a maximum of 5d4 at 20th level. These flames do not harm the affected weapons or their wielders.
Incite Violence
Prerequisite: Perform 6 ranks, Inspire Fascination aura
Components: Audible, enchantment (compulsion), language-dependent, mind-affecting
With a few choice words, you inflame passions and distract from reason, driving those who hear you into a violent riot. This performance only affects creatures you have fascinated, such as by using your Inspire Fascination aura. Using this performance does not end the fascinated condition.
As a full-round action, select a number of fascinated creatures up to a maximum equal to your ranks in Perform. They must make a successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your bard level + your Charisma modifier) or be affected as by the rage spell for a number of rounds equal to your bard level.
When you use this performance, you must indicate the intended target of violence. Enraged members of the crowd immediately attack the target if possible. The target does not need to be present (e.g. “kill the king” is a suitable choice) and can be an object instead of a person (e.g. “destroy the prison!” is likewise appropriate). Other members of the crowd may follow suit, though they do not gain the benefits of rage.
If two or more bards are attempting to direct the crowd against different targets, they must make opposed Charisma checks, with the crowd following the directions of the winner.
Multiplicity of Masks
Prerequisite: Bard level 9, Perform 9 ranks
Components: Audible and visual, Illusion (glamer)
You can use this performance to cause any number of allies to appear as if they were you or another ally within 60 feet. To be affected, an ally must be within 60 feet of you and able to see you. As long as you maintain this performance, enemies perceive all affected allies as the chosen character. If an affected ally is a different size or creature type than the chosen character, enemies can attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your bard level + your Charisma modifier) to disbelieve. Otherwise, there is no saving throw.
A successful attack against a disguised ally automatically reveals the ally’s true form. If an ally moves out of range, that ally reverts to their original form, and the entire effect ends if the ally providing their appearance to the others moves out of range.
Piper’s Calling
Prerequisite: Perform 6 ranks
Components: Audible or visual
This performance calls upon swarms of rats to attack your foes. Starting this performance summons 1d3 rat swarms in squares adjacent to you. These rat swarms are under your mental control and act on your initiative. These swarms immediately disappear when you end the performance.
For every 6 additional ranks of Perform that you possess, you may summon 1d3 additional rat swarms (2d3 at 12 ranks, 3d3 at 18 ranks).
Relax Tensions
Components: Audible or visual, mind-affecting
You can soothe your allies to relax the fatigue and tension of regular hardships. Each ally within 30 feet of you (including yourself) ignores the fatigued and shaken conditions for as long as you maintain this performance.
Rallying Performance
Components: Audible, mind-affecting
An invigorating performance can quickly rally dispirited allies. You make a Perform check each round of this performance. Any ally within 30 feet (including yourself) may use this check in place of their own saving throw against fear effects. Those already under a fear effect can attempt a new save each round using your Perform check at the beginning of their turn. Rallying performance does not work on effects that don’t allow saves.
Serenade of Healing
Prerequisite: Perform 4 ranks
Components: Audible and visual, mind-affecting
Music is known to have soothing and restorative properties, and this performance enhances that to magical levels. Each round you perform the serenade of healing, you may target a single creature within 30 feet, healing them for a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + your bard level.
You can provide greater healing as your Perform skill improves. For every 4 ranks you possess in the Perform skill used, this performance can heal 1d8 damage (1d8 at 4 ranks, 2d8 at 8 ranks, and so forth).
If serenade of healing is extended using the Lingering Performance feat or a similar effect, the amount of healing provided is halved in each round you don’t spend any rounds of bardic performance to maintain it. For example, when a 10th-level bard with 8 ranks in Perform uses Serenade of Healing with Lingering Performance, he would heal for 2d8 + 10 normally or half that amount—that is (2d8+10)/2—in any lingering rounds.
Serenade of Healing, Mass
Prerequisite: Perform 8 ranks
Components: Audible and visual, mind-affecting
When you use Serenade of Healing, you can target additional creatures. The healing is reduced by 1d8 for each additional target creature. For example, if you have 12 ranks in Perform, you would normally heal one creature for 3d8 + your bard level. By targeting 2 creatures, each would instead be healed for 2d8 + your bard level.
If you target enough creatures to reduce the number of dice 0, each creature is only healed for a number of hit points equal to your bard level.
Mass Serenade of Healing cannot be extended using the Lingering Performance feat or similar effects.
Shattering Crescendo
Components: Audible or visual, sonic
You can use this performance to augment your current performance without stopping its effects. By creating a rising crescendo of shattering force, you can spend 1 round of bardic performance as a standard action to direct a sonically charged burst at a creature or object. This performance deals 1d4 points of sonic damage plus your bard level to the target and deals full damage to objects.
Unlike a normal bardic performance, you can perform a shattering crescendo while maintaining another bardic performance without disrupting its effects.
The action cost of using this performance cannot be reduced in any way.
Sonata of Stone
Components: Audible or visual, Earth
Your performance shakes the very earth beneath your feet. Enemies within 30 feet of you struggle to maintain balance due to the rumbling of the earth, giving them a -1 penalty to AC and Reflex saves while they are within the area. This penalty increases by 1 for every 5 ranks you possess in the Perform skill used to a maximum of -5 at 20 ranks.
Creatures who are flying or levitating above the ground are unaffected by this ability.
Song of Growth
Components: Audible or visual
You can use this performance to promote spontaneous growth. While you maintain this performance, you can spend a standard action to select one side of a square within 30 feet of yourself and instantly grow an opaque barrier of plant matter to block that face, providing total cover. The side you select must be supported by the ground, and the growth itself cannot support more than 5 pounds of weight.
The conjured barrier has hardness 0, AC 5, and 2 hit points per bard level. You can maintain a number of plant growths equal to your Charisma modifier + 1/2 your class level.
These barriers immediately crumble to dust when the performance ends.