Bard's without music...??

WanderingSkeptic · May 25, 2010

One of my players has had a good idea for a character but we're having trouble getting the class to fit.

A bard (as the title suggests) whose performace is fire beathing/fire dancing.

Am trying to work out how some of the Bardic Music, would fit with that type of performance.

Facinate would work as normal save there would be no need to be able to hear him.

Inspire Courage would be based on the character breathing a huge gout of fire to urge on his comrades. It would not be maintainable like normal so would only last 5 rounds.

There would also be a fire component to all spells, rather than a vocal one. This would be a simple as a lit tindertwig at low levels.

I am also trying to work out the rules for using his perform as an attack.
Perform check in place of Base Attack against Touch AC, 15' Cone, 1d6 damage and REF save for half.

However this is as far as I've got and so far it leaves the class weak.

Any suggestions welcomed.

Wandering_Skeptic

Dannyalcatraz · May 25, 2010

So many of a fire-breather's stunts involve controlling his breath that I'd argue that the V is still technically accurate.

For Inspire Competence, the bard creates a low-heat (IOW, will not light other combustibles) flame that consumes a special (fantasy) herb-infused oil, giving off a faint, pleasant scent and a low blue light.

For Suggestion, the bard uses a similar low-heat flammable oil to light his fingertips and gesture at the intended target.

For Inspire Greatness, the bard does a dance with fire involving multiple passes over his flesh with his baton.

For Insprire Heroics, the bard does a full-body "Burning Man" type thing with flames that last but a couple of rounds, inspiring the intended target.

Juomari Veren · Jun 10, 2010

Technically speaking, everything a bard does with Bardic Music EXCEPT Suggestion and Mass Suggestion is possible with something like fire-breathing/dancing, just needs plausible explanation.

Also, every time he uses a bardic music skill, he should take internal fire damage. I mean, Fire breathing may or may not actually hurt, but I think it's safe to rule that it is possible to hurt your insides, even if you're professional.

Eldritch_Lord · Jun 11, 2010

Chaosvii7 said:
Also, every time he uses a bardic music skill, he should take internal fire damage. I mean, Fire breathing may or may not actually hurt, but I think it's safe to rule that it is possible to hurt your insides, even if you're professional.

If you do it properly the risks are almost nonexistent, and a bard would certainly know how to do it right.

slwoyach · Jun 28, 2010

I don't see why any of that would be a problem. Why would he need to breathe a gout of flame to inspire his comrades, it seems to me an aggressive dance while spinning a flaming baton would work fine.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpW2sOYqLW8&feature=related"]firedancing[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbymrmNErBc&feature=related"]firedancing[/ame]

Dandu · Jul 3, 2010

We need Dragonfire Inspiration on this bard.

We need Dragonfire Inspiration on all bards, really...

Dannyalcatraz · Jul 4, 2010

To quote Richard Pryor, "Fire is inspirational..."

MythMage · Jul 5, 2010

One thing worth noting about the firebreathing/firedancing is that it must be seen by those to be affected, rather than heard as bardic music is normally required to be. As currently written, bardic spellcasting (which is also a variation of magical music) always requires a verbal component. Instead, it should always require the somatic component of fire-dancing/fire-breathing for this variant bard.