Sunday, March 18, 2012

Basic DnD Bard Class

Here's what I came up with, using Erin Smales' class construction kit:

Conceptually, this bard has 3.x-style abilities.  He's a face-man, a tale-teller, and repository of knowledge.  Top that off with musical inspiration and fascination abilities; enchantment, auditory illusion, buffing, and healing spells; and fair combat abilities, he's a true jack-of-all-trades that complements the party without stealing anyone else's thunder.  The cleric will always be a better healer, the thief will still have his unique skills, and the magic-user will have a greater spell selection and much more damage capability.  As a support character, he most resembles the cleric.
Bard (Prime Requisite: Charisma)
  • Hit Die: d6
  • Save: as Cleric
  • Combat Progression: as Cleric/Thief
  • Armor Restriction: restricted leather or magic chainmail, no shield
  • Weapon Restriction: restricted to sword, dagger, club, light crossbow, sling, shortbow
  • Spell Ability: Cleric/M-U blend (I priced this at cleric level) 
  • Special Ability Rank II: Bardic Music (1/day, +1/day per 3 levels after 1st): Inspiration (+1 to hit and damage (+2 at 6th level, +3 at 12th level; Fascination (as Hypnotism)
  • Weapon Mastery: non-fighter
  • Skills (priced at 2:1, as per Thief): Music, Singing, Persuasion, Acting, Deception, Read Normal Languages, Knowledge: History,  Knowledge: Legends
  • Level Limit: Unlimited
  • XP Progression: 2000 xp to 2nd level (as Fighter)
Spell List (progression and spells/day similar to cleric, but spell level capped at 6.  Learns spells and has a spell book like a magic-user and can copy any spells on the spell list (even from cleric scrolls) as a magic-user)

1: remove fear, light, detect magic, read languages, charm person, faerie fire, sleep, read magic, ventriloquism, auditory illusion, hypnotism, identify


2: silence 15' radius, speak with animal, hold person, cure light wounds, protection from evil, snake charm, deafness, magic mouth, amnesia, scare


3: locate object, hold animal, striking, fear, invisibility, clairaudience, fumble, suggestion


4: dispel magic, charm monster, confusion, tongues, emotion, heroism, feeblemind


5: cure serious wounds, protection from evil 10' radius, hold monster, geas, lore, charm plant


6: find the path, cure critical wounds, maze, antipathy/sympathy, power word stun, mass charm

*Spell notes: some of the spells are cribbed from 1st edition.  Heroism is taken from 3.x; it's a single-target buff spell; I'm thinking it should be around +2 to hit, 2d8 temporary hit points, and fear immunity, say for a duration of one round/level.

Your feedback would be welcome.

2 comments:

  1. I ended up downloading the Barrataria Companion Expansion from rpg.net, which is chock full of 1st Edition style classes for BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia games. The Bard in the Companion Expansion is close to what I came up with. I particularly like what they did with Bards and Druids, though certain other classes (Paladin and Ranger) need to be added.

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