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Bard

Description: Bards often serve as negotiators, messengers, scouts, and spies. They love to accompany heroes (and villains) to witness heroic (or villainous) deeds firsthand, since a bard who can tell a story from personal experience earns renown among his fellows. A bard casts arcane spells without any advance preparation. His magic emphasizes charms and illusions, and the bard can also play an inspiring song that strengthens him and his allies. Bards also share some specialized skills with rogues, and their knowledge of item lore is nearly unmatched.

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Alignment restrictions: any non-lawful

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Hit die: d6

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Proficiencies: armor (light, medium), shields, weapons (simple)

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Skill points: 4 + int modifier ( (4 + int modifer) * 4 at 1st level)

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Skills: appraise, bluff, concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, discipline, heal, hide, listen, lore, move silently, parry, perform, persuade, pick pocket, spellcraft, taunt, tumble, use magic device

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Unavailable feats: divine might, divine shield, extra turning, weapon specialization 


These general feats cannot be selected when taking a level of bard.

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Primary saving throw(s): reflex, will

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Base attack bonus: +3/4 levels

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Spellcasting: Arcane (spell failure from armor is a factor), charisma-based (a base charisma score of 10 + the spell's level is required to cast a spell, bonus spells are based on modified charisma, and the charisma modifier affects spell DCs), and spontaneous cast (no spell preparation required). Bards begin the game knowing four cantrips.

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Spells

 

Cantrips

  • Cure minor wounds

  • Spell level: bard 0; cleric 0; druid 0 

  • Innate level: 0
    School: conjuration
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: touch 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: instant
    Save: none 
    Spell resistance: yes
    Additional counterspells: ghoul touch

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  • Description: The target creature is healed for 4 points of damage. Healing spells have a reverse effect on undead, harming instead of healing them. A successful touch attack must first be made when this spell is used against undead.

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  • Daze

  • Spell level: bard 0; wizard 0 

  • Innate level: 0
    School: enchantment
    Descriptor: mind-affecting
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: long (40 meters) 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: 2 rounds
    Save: will negates 
    Spell resistance: yes
    Additional counterspells: clarity

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  • Description: If the target humanoid creature has 5 hit dice or less, they are dazed for 2 rounds.

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  • Flare

  • Spell level: bard 0; druid 0; wizard 0 

  • Innate level: 0
    School: evocation
    Components: verbal
    Range: medium (20 meters) 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: 10 rounds
    Save: fortitude negates 
    Spell resistance: yes

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  • Description: A burst of hot light is fired from the caster to one target, making it suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls.

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  • Light

  • Spell level: bard 0; cleric 0; druid 0; wizard 0 

  • Innate level: 0
    School: evocation
    Components: verbal
    Range: touch 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: 1 hour / level
    Save: harmless 
    Spell resistance: no
    Additional counterspells: darkness

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  • Description: Creates a small light source above the target creature's head. The light travels with the target and is capable of illuminating a small area. It can be cast on any item the character can equip to make it glow for the spell's duration like a natural source of light.

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  • Resistance

  • Spell level: bard 0; cleric 0; druid 0; wizard 0 

  • Innate level: 0 1
    School: abjuration
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: touch 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: 2 turns
    Save: harmless 
    Spell resistance: no

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  • Description: Grants the target creature a +1 bonus to all saving throws.

 

1st level spells

  • Amplify

Spell level: bard 1 

Innate level: 1
School: transmutation
Components: verbal, somatic
Range: touch 
Area of effect: single
Duration: 1 round / level
Save: none 
Spell resistance: no

Description: The caster or a target gains a +20 bonus to listen checks.

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  • Balagarn's iron horn

  • Spell level: bard 1; /wizard 2 

  • Innate level: 2
    School: enchantment
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: personal 
    Area of effect: colossal (10 meter radius)
    Duration: instant
    Save: none 
    Spell resistance: yes

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  • Description: The caster creates a deep, resonant vibration that shakes all creatures in the area of effect from their feet if they fail a strength check (as if the caster had a strength of 20). Every creature that falls will be knocked down for one round.

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  • Charm person

  • Spell level: bard 1; wizard 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: enchantment
    Descriptor: mind-affecting
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: short (8 meters) 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: 2 rounds + 1 / 3 levels
    Save: will negates 
    Spell resistance: yes
    Additional counterspells: clarity

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  • Description: In the eyes of the target humanoid, the personal reputation of the caster is improved by 50%.

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  • Cure light wounds

  • Spell level: bard 1; cleric 1; druid 1; ranger 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: conjuration
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: touch 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: instant
    Spell resistance: yes
    Additional counterspells: ghoul touch

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  • Description: The target creature is healed for 1d8 points of damage, +1 point per caster level (to a maximum of +5). Healing spells have a reverse effect on undead, harming instead of healing them. A successful touch attack must first be made when this spell is used against undead.

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  • Expeditious retreat

  • Spell level: bard 1; wizard 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: transmutation
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: personal 
    Area of effect: caster
    Duration: 1 round / level
    Save: none 
    Spell resistance: no

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  • Description: The caster becomes 150% faster than their normal movement rate, allowing them to flee from dangerous encounters. This spell has no effect if the caster is already hasted.

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  • Grease

  • Spell level: bard 1; druid 1; ranger 1; wizard 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: conjuration
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: long (40 meters) 
    Area of effect: medium (3.33 meter radius)
    Duration: 2 rounds + 1 / 3 levels
    Save: reflex 
    Spell resistance: yes
    Additional counterspells: freedom of movement

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  • Description: A churning field of oil and grease fills the target area, causing all within to either fall down or move at a reduced speed.

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  • Identify

  • Spell level: bard 1; wizard 1; cleric with knowledge domain 1 

  • Innate level: 1 2
    School: divination
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: personal 
    Area of effect: caster
    Duration: 2 rounds
    Save: harmless 
    Spell resistance: no

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  • Description: Over the next two rounds, the caster gains a bonus of 10 +1 per caster level to their lore skill.

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  • Lesser dispel

  • Spell level: bard 1; cleric 2; druid 2; wizard 2 

  • Innate level: 1 2
    School: abjuration
    Components: somatic
    Range: medium (20 meters) 
    Area of effect: colossal (10 meter radius), or single creature
    Duration: instant
    Save: no 
    Spell resistance: yes no

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  • Description: This spell attempts to strip all magical effects from a single target. It can also target a group of creatures, attempting to remove the most powerful spell effect from each creature. To remove an effect from a creature the caster makes a dispel check of 1d20, +1 per caster level (to a maximum of +5) against a DC of 11 12 + the spell effect's caster level.

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  • Mage armor

  • Spell level: bard 1; wizard 1; cleric with magic domain 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: conjuration
    Descriptor: force
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: touch 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: 1 hour / level
    Save: harmless 
    Spell resistance: no

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  • Description: The selected target gains the following bonuses to his AC: +1 natural armor, +1 dodge, +1 deflection, and +1 enhancement. The dodge bonus stacks with other dodge bonuses to AC, but the other bonuses do not stack with bonuses of the same type.

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  • Magic weapon

  • Spell level: bard 1; cleric 1; paladin 1; wizard 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: transmutation
    Descriptor: weapon enchantment
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: touch 
    Area of effect: melee weapon or creature
    Duration: 1 hour / level
    Save: none 
    Spell resistance: no

  • Description: You empower the touched weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus.

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  • Protection from alignment 

  • Spell level: bard 1; cleric 1; paladin 1; wizard 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: abjuration
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: touch 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: 1 hour / level
    Save: harmless 
    Spell resistance: no

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  • Description: When this spell is cast, the caster chooses a target to be protected from either good or evil. The target receives a +2 deflection bonus to AC, +2 to all saving throws, and immunity to any mind-affecting spells and spell-like abilities used by creatures of the chosen alignment.

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  • Scare

  • Spell level: bard 1; cleric 1; wizard 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: necromancy
    Descriptor: fear
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: short (8 meters) 
    Area of effect: single
    Duration: 1d4 rounds
    Save: will negates 
    Spell resistance: yes
    Additional counterspells: remove fear

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  • Description: A target creature with 5 hit dice or less is afflicted with fear and suffers a -2 morale check to attack, damage and saving rolls.

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  • Sleep

  • Spell level: bard 1; druid 1; ranger 2; wizard 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: enchantment
    Descriptor: mind-affecting
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: medium (20 meters) 
    Area of effect: huge (6.67 meter radius)
    Duration: 3 rounds + 1 / caster level
    Save: will negates 
    Spell resistance: yes
    Additional counterspells: clarity

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  • Description: Causes 4 + 1d4 HD of creatures to fall into a comatose slumber, beginning with those with the fewest HD. Creatures with 5 or more HD are unaffected.

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  • Summon creature I

  • Spell level: bard 1; cleric 1; druid 1; ranger 1; wizard 1 

  • Innate level: 1
    School: conjuration
    Components: verbal, somatic
    Range: short (8 meters) 
    Area of effect: point
    Duration: 24 hours
    Save: none 
    Spell resistance: no

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  • Description: The caster summons a dire badger to be a faithful and loyal servant.

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2nd level spells

Blindness/deafness

Spell level: bard 2; cleric 3; sorcerer/wizard 2 

Innate level: 2
School: enchantment
Components: verbal
Range: medium (20 meters) 
Area of effect: single
Duration: 1 round / level
Save: fortitude negates 
Spell resistance: yes
Additional counterspells: remove blindness/deafness

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Description: The target creature is struck blind and deaf.

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Bull's strength

Spell level: bard 2; cleric 2; druid 2; wizard 2 

Innate level: 2
School: transmutation
Components: verbal, somatic
Range: touch 
Area of effect: single
Duration: 1 hour / level
Save: harmless 
Spell resistance: no
Additional counterspells: ray of enfeeblement

Description: The target creature's strength is increased by 1d4 + 1.

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Cat's grace

Spell level: bard 2; ranger 2; wizard 2; cleric with animal domain 2, war domain 2 

Innate level: 2
School: transmutation
Components: verbal, somatic
Range: touch 
Area of effect: single
Duration: 1 hour / level
Save: harmless 
Spell resistance: no

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Description: The target creature's dexterity is increased by 1d4 + 1.

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Clarity

Cloud of bewilderment

Cure moderate wounds

Darkness

Eagle's splendor

Fox's cunning

Ghostly visage

Hold person

Invisibility

Owl's wisdom

See invisibility

Silence

Sound burst

Summon creature II

Tasha's hideous laughter  

Ultravision

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3rd level spells

  • Bestow curse

  • Charm monster

  • Clairaudience/clairvoyance

  • Confusion

  • Cure serious wounds

  • Dispel magic

  • Displacement

  • Fear

  • Find traps

  • Greater magic weapon

  • Gust of wind

  • Haste

  • Invisibility sphere

  • Keen edge

  • Magic circle against alignment  

  • Remove curse

  • Remove disease

  • Slow

  • Summon creature III

  • Wounding whispers

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4th level spells​

  • Cure critical wounds

  • Dismissal

  • Dominate person

  • Hold monster

  • Improved invisibility

  • Legend lore

  • Neutralize poison

  • Summon creature IV

  • War cry

 

5th level spells

  • Ethereal visage

  • Greater dispelling

  • Healing circle

  • Mind fog

  • Summon creature V 

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6th level spells

  • Dirge

  • Energy buffer

  • Ice storm

  • Mass haste

  • Summon creature VI 

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