Bard

Untold wonders and secrets exist for those skillful enough to discover them. Through cleverness, talent, and magic, these cunning few unravel the wiles of the world, becoming adept in the arts of persuasion, manipulation, and inspiration. 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.

Bards capably confuse and confound their foes while inspiring their allies to ever-greater daring. While accomplished with both weapons and magic, the true strength of bard’s lies outside melee, where they can support their companions and undermine their foes without fear of interruptions to their performances.

Armor: Due to the difficulty heavy armors can imposing on singing and playing most instruments; Bards can only wear up to Light Armor.

Weapon Proficiencies: Bards are skilled with the following weapons: Short Weapon, Medium Weapon, Bow, Thrown, and gain the Florentine Power for free. As well can use instrument based/shaped weapons or the correct sizes.

Energys: Bards get ?? Energy.

Additional Note:

               The first 2 Knowledge (Area) skills the characters purchases are considered Basic Class skills, and do not require an instructor. These can not be Rare Knowledge (Area)’s.

Class Features

Hidden Lore: As a master of the road, the character has learned much about the world; in every town they travel to, they pick up a little more. This allows the character to summon up some small bit of information from a Knowledge (Area) without need of having that skill, and the information that can be garnered is equivalent to rank 4 in that Knowledge (Area). This skill can be used once each reset.

Perform: This gives the character the ability to affect more targets by giving an extended performance. For reasons dealing with combat safety, in combat this skill can be a 30 counted action, so as not to damage actual instruments. While performing the character must maintain concentration and interruption or stopping before the time is reached will prevent the skill from having affect and will waste the energy for the skill. When this skill is used the player must announce it before the skill to be affected, IE Perform Song of Healing. At the end of the performance the character will announce, in a tone no louder than the noise generated by the performance, “All Allies Voice <Effect>”, paying the Energy cost only once but still affecting many targets. If this skill is used with Dirges, then the attack becomes delivered as “<Target> Voice <Effect>”, this will only affect a single target but greatly improves the range at which it can be used. This skill can be used 3 times each reset, and an additional time for each 5 character levels (5^th, 10^th, 15, etc.). Using this skill in conjunction with a performance art outside of combat; instrument, singing, prose, etc; will waive the times per day usage.

Bard: Basic Skills
Skill	Cost	Prerequisite	Special Attacks	SP Cost	Use Cost
Precision +2	20		Mobility	3	1 Energy
Precision +4	20	Precision +2	Silence Strike	3	1 Energy
Precision +6	20	Precision +4	Song of Healing	3	1 Energy
			Charm Strike	4	2 Energy
			Roll	4	2 Energy
			Song of Purity	4	2 Energy
			Dirge of Command	5	3 Energy
			Escape	5	3 Energy
			Sleep Strike	5	3 Energy
Knowledge (Common)	3	1st Choice	Dodge	6	4 Energy
Knowledge (Common)	3	2nd Choice	Song of Resistance	6	4 Energy
Bard: Advanced Skill
Skill	Cost	Prerequisite	Special Attacks		Prerequisite
Encore	4		Song of Guidance		1 Energy
Stash	3		Dirge of Harm		2 Energy
Dirge of Wipe Mind	3		Song of Inspiration		3 Energy
Song of Mental Focus	3		Dirge of Slow		4 Energy
Song of Fluidity	7		War Cry		4 Energy
Strike a Chord	8

Song of Fluidity (Mastery)

This skill allows the character to give a quick performance that affects up to 3 targets, within melee weapon range, excluding the performer. During the next 1 hour or Module, the targets can cast a spell that consumes a Spell Slot up to two levels lower (minimum 1^st level), and that spell additionally has its Delivery Type changed to Magic.

Song of Guidance (Utility

This skill allows the character to give a quick performance that affects up to 3 targets, within melee weapon range, excluding the performer. The targets will gain 1 Temporary Common Knowledge Point; or grant the target +1 Bonus on their next Contested Roll. This effect lasts for the next Hour or Module, or until used.

Song of Healing (Utility)

This skill allows the character to give a quick performance that affects up to 3 targets, within melee weapon range, excluding the performer. This skill will Heal the targets for up to 5 Body Points.

Song of Inspiration(Utility)

This skill allows the character to give a quick performance that affects up to 3 targets, within melee weapon range, excluding the performer. The targets will gain +1 Permanent Weapon Damage or 25 points of Spell Pool for 5 minutes or an Encounter.

Song of Resistance (Defensive)

This skill allows the character to give a quick performance that affects up to 3 targets, within melee weapon range, excluding the performer. This grants the character 20 points of damage negation, which cannot be readjusted, does not stack with other armor buffs, and are the first points lost. This effect last for an Encounter or up to 5 minutes.

Song of Mental Focus (Utility)

This skill allows the character to give a quick performance that affects up to 3 targets, within melee weapon range, excluding the performer. This allows the character to reduce a targets next counted action, which must be used within the next 5 minutes. The time for the counted action is reduced by 50%, additionally the target gains the benefits of the Improved Concentration power during the action. This cannot be stacked with itself or other Temporary Reduction effects.

Song of Purity (Defensive)

This skill allows the character to give a quick performance that affects up to 3 targets, within melee weapon range, excluding the performer. This skill will affect the targets with the Purify effect.