Bard

They say that there is magic in words, and that those with the right words could talk a fish out of the water. You happen to know that such things are true, and there is magic in words, books, and music. You are a Bard, and you have been granted a rare skill that can be used to persuade others to do as you ask and bring forth bits of ancient magic. With a silky smooth voice, clever wit, and a bit of charm, you find yourself getting what you want nearly all the time.

Primary Stats: Charisma (Charm, Diplomacy, Etc), Intelligence (Knowledge and Healing)

Bonus to Skill Checks: Bluff, Diplomacy, Concentration, Insight, Intimidate, Knowledge, Perception, Performance, Streetwise

Basic Abilities

Opening this talent tree grants you the following powers and abilities.

Likeable Fellow: You are looked upon favorably nearly everywhere you go, and people will generally treat you with respect and a good attitude. This could help you calm tense situations, help you bluff your way out of things, or even make you a diplomat if need be.

Haggle: Money doesn’t grow on trees, and you need all you can get. Merchants need to make a living, sure, but you know the tricks of the trade and you can use it to help you get the best price anywhere you go… if you’re lucky. This helps you get better deals from all types of merchants throughout the world.

Enchanted Voice: Your voice is incredible and you can use it to charm or enchant people, as well as using it to speak or sing for an audience. If you sing with your music, you can enhance your illusions and empower other spells. You can also bark out a sonic blast that does a great deal of damage in a wide range. This has limited effect at the start, but as you gain power and ability, it can become something truly incredible.

Mastery: Mastery is a measure of your overall power and ability in a given talent branch. Each rank raises your ability a bit higher, and grants you greater power and access to more abilities further down the line. You must purchase each rank in order. Each rank is explained in detail below.

Rank 1: Your powers are slightly enhanced. You gain more wisdom in trading and find it slightly easier to get better deals with merchants. Your voice takes on slightly more power. 10 points.  

Rank 2: Your powers are slightly enhanced. You gain more wisdom in trading and find it slightly easier to get better deals with merchants. Your voice takes on slightly more power. In addition, it is much easier to get the opposite sex to do what you ask of them or fall for a lie. 20 points.

Rank 3: Your powers are enhanced. You gain more wisdom in trading and find it easier to get better deals with merchants. Your voice takes on more power. You have learned that if you sing, or play an instrument, or simply recite the proper speech or story, that you can aid your allies, enhancing their abilities with a slight bit of magic. In addition you have become highly adept at boasting to intimidate people. You gain a +2 to Charisma or Intelligence. 30 points.

Rank 4: Your powers are greatly enhanced. You gain more wisdom in trading and find it much easier to get better deals with merchants. Your voice takes on a great deal more power. You have learned special words that have power in them, and when you say them, your voice becomes a devastating weapon. 40 points.

Rank 5: Your powers are greatly enhanced. You gain more wisdom in trading and find it much easier to get better deals with merchants. Your voice takes on a great deal more power. You can now perform small bits of magic by performing. The magic will be small, but can be used to enhance everything from healing, to fighting prowess, to summoning bits of lightning and fire. It can even be used to enhance the abilities of your allies, except for aiding with stealth. Making noise to conceal yourself simply won’t work. You gain a +3 to Charisma or Intelligence. 50 points.

Bardic Knowledge: You have traveled a great deal, seen, heard and read a lot, and this has granted you special knowledge. You’re more likely to recall a bit of important information or know said information when no one else does. This can be very useful in a number of situations, giving you pieces of important trivia when you need them the most. 10 points.

Geas: A few properly whispered words, a brush of magic, and you have people eating out of the palm of your hand. This lets you give people subtle commands that they are very compelled to obey. They are able to resist at this level, and will not follow commands that would force them to harm themselves in anyway. At Mastery Rank 3 you can affect more people. At Mastery Rank 5 you can affect people with a simple look and a psychic command, but the people who would follow it are very stupid people. The higher the intelligence of the person, the more difficult this is, but you no longer require verbal communication to inflict the gaes, you only need to see them. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 30 points.

Diplomatic Path

10 Points.

Opening this branch of Bard grants the following abilities.

The Open Door: Being a likeable fellow, and having stories to tell and a friendly manner can help you get into a lot of places that might otherwise bar you. This makes you a sort of diplomat, and, given the chance, you can talk your way into cities and places you might not normally be welcome. This also boosts your ability to haggle and bargain with people to get what you need, even if it doesn’t always require money.

Diplomatic Branch Abilities

Bribery: Sometimes all the words in the world won’t work, and it comes down to paying someone off. This doesn’t always have to be with money, but your ability to talk with people is going to help you get a better deal and convince those who can’t be convinced to do things in a way that is, at least, slightly more beneficial to you. 10 points.

Opportunistic: A well timed strategy allows you to redirect damage from an ally to an enemy. This takes a bit of planning and can’t be done all the time, but should prove useful quite often. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Wag the Dog: You’re exceedingly good at distraction, and you can usually keep the attention of your enemies, or whoever, on what you would like them to see rather than what they probably should see. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.

Silvered Tongue: You have an amazing way with words, and it only adds to your ability to enchant, disarm, and communicate. You almost always know what to say and when, and people are very likely to believe you, or want to believe you. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

Parlay: You have way about you and you can, sometimes, stop a battle, or prevent one by calling for a talk with various leaders and important people in the enemy camp. It might take time, but it could save you from a great deal of bloodshed. This enhances your likeable fellow as well as providing you with extra options in many situations, allowing you to more often talk your way out of situations instead of fighting. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

Sharp Tongue: Your wit is legendary, and your insults, literally, cut like a knife. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

Deductive Insight: You meet someone. Based on their walk, the way they dress, how they speak and move, you can deduce that they lived here at this time, went to this particular school, and are likely to be interested in this. Deductive Insight allows you to read people with a glance, gaining knowledge about them with a simple look. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 20 points.

Little White Lies: You’re exceptionally good at lying to people and making it seem believable. You could, conceivably, with patience and carefully chosen words, convince someone that you’re a royal, and you, of course, have access to the records or money you need. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 20 points.

Little Birds: The world is a dangerous place, and having the most current information can be the difference between life and death. To this end, you have a small series of informants who can meet with you to feed you information and help you find information when you need. As you gain in power and Mastery, you will have a network of spies to help you, and better ways of communicating with them. Each level grants you a better array of spies to aid you.

Level 1

A few spies, no more than 5 total that can get around reasonably well. They are not terribly expensive, but they’re also not the greatest spies around. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 15 points.

Level 2

A small series of spies in several large cities that can report to you through various means, but none directly just yet, unless you have the magic or ability on your own. There are around 30 total in cities you choose to have them in. They can listen to all sorts of things, are inconspicuous, but are not trained spies, only trained courtesans, workers, etc. Requires Mastery Rank 4 and 30 points.

Level 3

You have a large network of spies built of various types. You have courtesans who hear the whispers of the elite and the royal or even have the ear of said people, you have workers and common folk that no one cares about and will say anything in front of, and you have actual spies who are skilled at getting difficult information. They are everywhere and have a way to communicate with you directly when they have new information, and vice versa. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 40 points.

Legal Standing: You have a great knowledge of laws and legalities. On Earth, you would be an exceedingly brilliant lawyer along the lines of Matlock, or Perry Mason. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Writ of Silence: A bit of magic in your knowledge and ability allows you make a small area that nullifies magic. This won’t disrupt all spells, and the more powerful the spell, the more power you need to keep the magic nullified. The area lasts only as long as you have the energy and concentration to keep it up. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Allies Everywhere: You have grown enough in your power, traveled enough, and learned enough about the world to have a wide variety of allies all over the world. You have the favors of kings, the will of assassins, and more. If you need something, you are likely to know someone that can help you or get it to you. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 50 points.

Loremaster Branch

10 points.

Opening this branch of Bard grants the following abilities.

Ancient Knowledge: You’ve studied secrets in ancient tomes, knowledge thought lost to the world, and it has shown you incredible things. This grants you access to secret alchemical recipes, lost enchantments, and ancient smithing techniques. It also enhances all knowledge you might have and let’s find rare secrets that you may have heard. 

Loremaster Branch Abilities

Historical Inspiration: You’re reading has helped you to learn a massive amount of trivia. When a situation arises, there’s a good chance that you’ve read about someone who overcame it before, and how they did it. This also enhances your bardic knowledge. 10 points. 

Arcane Secrets: You know secret tips and tricks that can be used in wielding magic. You’re skill in the arcane is greatly enhanced by this knowledge, granting you greater ability and control, and perhaps abilities and spells thought lost to time. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Battle Tactics: More than just raw physical power, you know anatomy, battle strategy, coordination, and more, allowing you to not only fight with greater ability but to direct the course of battle and aid your allies enhancing their fighting prowess as well. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Martial Mastery: You know just how much you have to give, exactly how much you can take, and just how to push yourself past those limits. You are a better, stronger, faster fighter, and you can share your knowledge with your allies. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Good Night’s Rest: Drawing on your extensive knowledge, you can safeguard a camp, or anywhere you might be sleeping, to alert you quietly to danger and making it harder to find you and your camp. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.  

Lost Secrets – Ghost Steed: You have learned the secret of an ancient pact, and you can take advantage of that knowledge. It allows you to summon a ghost horse. Only you can ride it, and it moves slightly faster than a normal steed, and will never tire. It lasts as long as you will it, and disappears at your command. It is intangible to everyone but you, and cannot be used to pull anything. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

Beat the Odds: You need a push, and you recall a story that lets you gain that edge you need. This allows you re-roll a failed roll with a bonus equal to your Intelligence modifier. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 25 points.

Crack in the Armor: Your knowledge has given you a great deal, and in battle, it lets you know the weak points in armor as well as flesh, allowing you to strike with greater accuracy. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 20 points.

Traps and Secrets: You have an eye for architecture, and this gives you great advantages when looking for secret doors, extra exits, or to spot traps before someone blunders into them. You will likely even have an idea how to disarm the traps and make a safe passing. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 20 points.

Lost Secrets – Molten Steeds: You can summon a small number of ancient horses known as molten steeds. They are made of living flame, can fly, and can move with incredible speed to aid you and your allies. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Quick Study: You watch someone carefully for a moment, seeing how they do something. After a bit, you can perform the same action for a short time. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Call of the Dragon: It isn’t easy, and it takes a great deal out of you, but you have learned the secret of calling through time to summon the ancient dragons to you. They swarm over your foes, unleashing various magical attacks and pushing your enemies back, or outright destroyting them. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 50 points.

Musical Branch

10 points.

Opening this branch of Bard grants the following abilities.

The Harmonies: There is music everywhere, and you have access to it. It sings through people and tells the stories of the world if you know how to listen. This essentially allows you to ask a question and get an idea of the answer from listening to the music. It requires a bit of concentration and meditation, so it’s not something you can do on the fly. This also allows you to hear “heartsongs”, literally the music that represents a person. Playing someone’s song to them can have a number of effects, but generally if you just listen it does nothing to the subject and only allows you to glean a bit about their past, guess at their future and sort of see their current mood. It can also help you determine their goals, motives, and tell you if they’re lying to you or not.

Musical Branch Abilities

Song of Chaos: Discordant notes flow across the battlefield, confusing and disorienting your foes. They may run in terror, turn and attack each other, or simply fall, covering their ears from the terrible, painful noise. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 10 points.

Inspiring Refrain: You can use music to heal allies. You’re skills aren’t great, but they are decent and can mean the difference between a mortal wound and a minor one. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Battlecry: A stirring shout allows your allies to better use their abilities, and stuns your foes with fear for a few moments. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 20 points.

Call of Thunder: Your voice is a potent weapon, and when you call, thunder erupts as a physical force against your foes. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 20 points.

Song of Hope: A well timed speech, a stirring song, helps you and your allies carry on. This allows you to heal people, slightly, and aid in their recovery, granting them a small regeneration for a short time. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

The Voice: Using a sometimes forbidden technique, you put a great deal of magic in your voice and command someone. They are highly compelled to follow your order. This stacks with Geas. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 25 points.

Elysian Hymn: A soft, gentle song soothes your allies, allows them to sleep more soundly, recover more swiftly, and can mend wounds. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 20 points.

Word of Power: Your words are a physical force, stopping foes in their tracks and breaking bone. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 25 points.

Music, Magic, and More: You have gained great insight into the world and how various types of magic work. You now have a slightly higher magical ability. You no longer need an instrument or even to sing to bring music forth. It is in your blood and you are as tied to it as it is to you. Your bardic spells are much more powerful. You can create and sustain illusions for a much longer time now without concentrating on them, and even make them solid and give them voice without speaking for them. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Increase the Tempo: A few notes allow you and your allies to move with greater speed and agility for a short time, dealing more damage or simply running faster. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Vale Inimicus: An ancient hymn summons forth the spirits of long dead guardians. They wreath around the field, flowing through your enemies and destroying them. Requires Mastery Rank 4 and 40 points.

God Voice: Your voice is now not only one of your best qualities, but a powerful weapon. You have the voice of a god, and you may occasionally, and with a bit of luck, say something and make it reality. You must use this last ability sparingly and very carefully as it can backfire or have far reaching consequences. However, now you should be able to lie incredibly convincingly to just about anyone or anything, even someone or something that can’t really be lied to. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 50 points.