I need Ideas for a Non-Magic Bard

This class is loosely based upon the Mentats from the DUNE-iverse, the mechanations of Metternich, the skullduggery of a Secret Agent, and the disarming charm of a honey-voiced Diplomat. It is roughly based upon the Bard as presented by the PHB.
here goes:

Emissary

“The City-States of the Taleta Valley might be even more dangerous than the Abomination-haunted hinterlands that surround them. The City-States may not harbor foul beasts that rend flesh from the bones but within the city walls assassins, strange cults, mad men, and even the constabulary itself poses a threat to life and limb. In seeking to limit the anarchy and other threats to the status quo the the various Lords and other powers-that-be employ shadowy figures to sniff out dissent, uncover plots, and even to sow dissent among their enemies. To this end the need for the emissary was born. Trained at the hidden yet prestigious Academy of Nashrat Aptra in the arts of persuasion, disguise and espionage, the emissaries make admirable spies, counter-insurgents, and diplomats. An emissary's ability of persuasion is rumored to tap unknown forces making them capable of compelling their victims...or targets to perform acts they normally would not do. A hidden power dances behind their eyes often chilling even the City-State Lord's to the bone. The emissary is at once a diplomat, spy, and deep cover agent, but in ever capacity, deadly as a venemous asp. While not known for dealing death at the end of a sword or wielding the arcane power of the adept sage, the emissary is a capable combatant... if it forced to that last resort.”

GAME RULES INFORMATION
Emissaries have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence and Dexterity are most important for the Emissary’s class skills.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d6

CLASS SKILLS
The class skills of the Emissary are:
Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (Underworld, Nobility and Royalty, Religion, Local), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Speak Languages, Spot, Swim, and Use Rope.
Skill Points for 1st Level: (8+INT modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8+INT modifier

BAB: Intermediate
Saves: Ref/Will Good
BDB: Good



1: Imprint, Bonus Feat
2: Survival Training, Beguiling Speaker
3: Favor +1, Distract
4: Bonus Feat
5: Voice of Authority
6: Improved Survival Training,
7: Bonus Feat, Subliminal Suggestion
8: Favor +2
9: Worldly Knowledge
10: Bonus Feat, Special Ability
11: Survival Training Mastery
12: Perplex
13: Bonus Feat
14: Favor +3
15: Special Ability
16: Bonus Feat
17: Charming Demeanor
18: Favor +4
19: Bonus Feat
20: Special Ability
Italics indicate Spell-like ability

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies
The Emissary is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the garotte (cord and wire) long sword, rapier, sap, scourge, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Emissaries are proficient with light armours and shields (except tower shields).

Spell Like Abilities
All Spell Like Abilities are usable Once per day per Level.

These are listed all at once because all of the pertinent rules can be found in the PHB and because I am lazy
Beguiling Speaker: Functions as the Bardic Ability Fascinate]. It also counts as that ability towards PRCs.
Subliminal Suggestion:Functions as the Bardic Ability Suggestion. It also counts as that ability towards PRCs

The following abilities function in the following way (unless otherwise noted in the description):
They all have a range of 30 feet, save DCs= 10+Spell Level+Charisma Modifier, Require only verbal components, and a Duration of either one minute per point of Charisma modifier or the listed duration of the spell, whichever is shorter. All other information in the spell listing remains the same.
Distract: Temporarily Dazes an opponent as per the 0-level Sorceror Spell Daze.
Voice of Authority: Requires target to follow a short command as per the 1st level Cleric Spell Command
Perplex: Temporarily confuses target as per the 4th level Sorceror Spell Confusion
Charming Demeanor: Temporarily change the reaction of the target as per the 4th level Sorceror Spell Charm Monster This Spell-like ability differs from the others as it may be extended prior to its effects wearing off by merely re-using the ability on the same target. Its duration is also measured in hours rather than minutes unlike other Emisary Spell-Like abilities.

Imprint (Ex): An Emissary may study any printed page, spoken word, situation or other memorizable event or object for one round as a full-round action and all words and images on that surface are then stored in their mind. Later, these words and images may be repeated or transferred to another media at the Emissary’s leisure, at which time it is released from their memory. An Emissary may only memorize one such event per point of Intelligence modifier at any one time. One page of text, one peice of art, one minute of conversation, and one minute of any situation counts as an Event.
Note that magical text cannot be memorized in this manner.

Feat: At 1st level, an emissary gets a bonus feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. They gain an additional bonus feat every 3rd level thereafter (4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th). These bonus feats must be drawn from these feats: Alertness, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Investigator, Leadership, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Skill Focus, Stealthy, and Track. An emissary must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat. These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. An emissary is not limited to this list of bonus feats when choosing these feats.

Survival Training (Ex): At 2nd level, an Emissary must select one of two combat styles to pursue: stealthy or defensive combat. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way.
If the Emissary selects stealthy combat, he is treated as having the Improved Grapple feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the Emissary selects defensive combat, he is treated as having the Dodge feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
The benefits of the Emissary’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.

Worldly Knowledge: By this time in his carreer an Emissary has seen it all ( or atleastread or heard it all and Imprinted it). An Emissary may make a special worldly knowledge check with a bonus equal to his Emissary level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the Emissary has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local), he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)
A successful worldly knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. A emissary may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.
DC…..Type of Knowledge
10……….Common, known by at least a substantial minority drinking; common legends of the local population.
20……….Uncommon but available, known by only a few people legends.
25……….Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.
30……….Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don’t understand the significance of the knowledge.

Survival Training Mastery (Ex): At 11th level, an Emissary’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (stealthy or defensive combat) improves again. If he selected stealthy at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Critical feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the emissary selected defensive combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Combat Expertise feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the Emissary’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.

Favor (Ex): Emissaries have some ability to gain favors from others, coaxing them to perform tasks for them that would benefit the emissary and his party. They may do so in a variety of ways: calling in a favor, bullying a weak-willed thug, blackmailing another or bribing someone. This requires a Favor check: Roll 1d20 and add the emissaries current influence modifier. DC determined by the DM. The emissary cannot take 10 or 20 on this roll, and there are no re-tries on the same target until they gain a level. Failure indicates that the emissary does not have enough clout or influence to get what he needs, or that the person he asked the favor of was intercepted. This ability may be used a number of times per week equal to one half their character level, rounded down.
DC’s: Simple tasks such as procuring a simple item or locating an individual will carry a DC 10 or less. More difficult, illegal, expensive, distasteful or dangerous tasks might range as high as DC 20.
Examples
DC 10: Borrow a coach and horse team, get a private dining room at an inn, convince a blacksmith to forge a special sword.
DC 15: Gain entrance to an exclusive dinner, convince an innkeeper to move commoners out of a room and give it to the party instead, book passage on a smuggling ship
DC 20: Get an ally out of jail, have an enemy thrown in jail
DC 25: Gain entrance to a fortified city during times of war, bypass customs and security when entering a port
DC 30+: Get an audience with the ruler on the spur of the moment, have an enemy assassinated

Improved Survival Training (Ex): At 6th level, an emissary’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (stealthy or defensive combat) improves. If he selected stealthy at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Feint feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the emissary selected defensive combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Uncanny Dodge class ability, allowing them to react to danger before their senses would normally allow them to do so. They retain their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If an emissary already has uncanny dodge from a different class they automatically gain improved uncanny dodge (as the Rogue ability) instead.
As before, the benefits of the emissary’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.

SPECIAL ABILITIES:
On attaining 10th level, and at every five levels thereafter (15th, and 20th) an emissary gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options.
Poison Use: Poison Use: Emissaries are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade, a surface or an ingestible substance.

Defensive Roll (Ex): The Emissary can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the emissary can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the emissary must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the emissary’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.

Evasion (Ex): An Emissary can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Emissary is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless emissary does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, the Emissary can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the emissary’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even an Emissary with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.

Skill Mastery: The Emissary becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. An emissary may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.

Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the Emissary’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a emissary with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.


Ok, how she sound? I deleted the repeated ability of "Captivating Speaker" and replaced it with "Voice of Authority", thus moving "Voice of Authority" down one level from my previous table. They now have 25 Class Abilities compared to the Rogue's 24. I added "Poison Use" to the Special Abilities list gained after 10th level. I added the Weapon and Armour Proficiencies. I did not fix the Spell-like abilities descriptions (I type slowly enough that it makes it a hassle when I know I can just look it up in the PHB) but I did delete the superfluous "Captivating (now "Beguiling") Speaker" ability description in the text.

I forgot
Diplomatic Immunity: An Emissary at this level may violate laws almost at will so long as he or she remains in good standing with his or her patron. An Emissary without a patron does not gain any benefits of this Class Ability. This ability may or may not save the Emissary if he or she violates another City-state's laws.

You didn't say at least if the Sp abilities are 1/day or more. If they are 1/day the class seems pretty weak: the normal Bardic Music ability can be used 1/day/level. If they are at will it may be too much, although the class still has much less versatility than the core Bard spellcasting (but definitely he shouldn't be allowed to use those ability more than once per day on the same target).

Favor doesn't seem... well much better than simply using the Diplomacy skill, except maybe that it takes less time.

Death Attack, although you are still working on it, sounds completely out of the character , since every other ability is oriented to talking.

The rest seems ok.

Like it or not, ability in combat is a factor in balancing D&D classes, and this manages to somehow be weaker than the current bard, which was pretty damn weak. (death attack is too little, too late and out of character.) compared in combat ability to the rogue or cleric now that the bardic abilities to boost others are gone and it's well, useless. Add in the fact that a completely skill based non-combat class still has less skill points than the rogue and we have a bit of a problem.

as it stands, its either an npc class or one for specific campaigns that have a great need for its specific out of combat skills (if thats what you want it to be, great). To make it useful in a wider variety of campaigns, (without ruining the flavor) I'd give it some defensive combat abilities, like an insight or dodge bonus to ac, an initiative boost and/or the ability to flank while on full defense (call it harrying) to assist other combatants without getting killed. keep some lesser version of the bardic knowlege ability, or at least a bonus to knowlege skills. In any case I would bring it up to 8 skill points.

Kahuna Burger

HarryFlashman said:

Skill Points at First level: (8 + Int Mod) x 4
Skill Points Each Additional level: 8 + Int Mod

Click to expand...

While the range of skills of the bard is broad, they are not IMO as broad as those of the rogue, so I'd go for 6 + Int Mod

HarryFlashman said:

Rather than the normal Bardic Ability BARDIC KNOWLEDGE the Emissary recieves: RECALL
Recall works much like a photographic memory. An Emissary is able to imprint information into his memory with such precision and then instantly recall such information they make perfect couriers. Such an ability may have a calling in espionage situations.
This ability takes one round to function, both in memorization and in recitation/call-back. During such time the Emissary is open to attacks of Opportunity and takes a 3 point penalty to all Listen or Spot checks.

Click to expand...

Perhaps this (and Greater Recall) should require a skill check of some kind. Perhaps different circumstances will require specific knowledge checks (ie knowledge (nobility and royalty) for politics, knowledge (local) for local politics, knowledge (religion) for ecclesiastical affairs, etc). This would give bards areas of strength (where they have chosen to apply there skills) and weakness (where they have not). A bad failure on a skill check could in fact result in supplying incorrect information (and who knows where they might lead!). You'd have to put forward some default DCs though.

Ok, good points.

Walking the Razor's Edge: The Emissary may still threaten an Opponent while in on Full Defense. This allows the Emissary to Flank an Opponent.

Distraction:* Masters of manipulation the Emissary may temporarily distract an opponent that the Emissary is in Melee Combat with or within 30 feet (so long as the Emissary is attacking the target). The Opponent suffers a -1 to all Attack Rolls, Saves, Skill checks and Ability checks.*

Assailant's Advantage : The Emissary, through careful observation of an opponent's body language may Gain a +1 Insight Bonus to AC vs one opponent. This bonus is lost if the Emissary is Flanked.

Walking the Razor's Edge II: The Emissary may still threaten an opponent while on Full Defense. Further More onthe Second Round of Combat the Emissary may TAUNT the opponent. The Opponent may make a Will Save versus DC 12 + Half the Emissary's level + Charisma Modifier ( DC 12 due to the already taxing combat the Opponent is in) or be DAZED (DMG pp. 300).

Perplex Distraction II * Acts as Confusion ( DMG pp. 300) but lasts for 1 round + 1 round per 2 points of Charisma Modifier.*

Assailant's Advantage II Functions as Uncanny Dodge ( the Emisary Reaints his Dex Bonus to AC even if caught flat footed or attacked by an invisible opponent) plus The Emissary gains a +2 insight Bonus to AC vs one opponent.


Now. Where should I fit these abilities in?

* = Abilities denoted with an Asterisk are Emisary Abilities usuable once per day per level

Why not give them bonuses to hiding weapons and using lighter weapons

Ferret, i would not mind giving them an ability with a Garotte but I have no idea of the stats a Garotte ought to have. Fort Save vs death? What DC? Coup de grace on unexpecting opponents? too powerful. Sneak Attack? no, doesn't really fit. Death Attack? Already told that does not fit the Class Concept.

I see these guys not as assassins per se but not adverse to killing in order to fulfill their missions. In the interest of killing I do not see them challenging opponents but rather using their Fast Talk Ability to distract oponents while they wrap the piano wire around the poor unsuspecting S.O.B.'s neck.

These guys are Diplomats, Undercover Agents, Spies, Plants, Investigators, and Couriers. While not the typical Bard Jack-of-All-Trades they do have widely applicable abilities regarding social interaction and social influence.

Of those of you who have few problems withthe powers given, how would you adjust them regarding level attained, power level, or rules pertaining to use.

Of those of you who have problems with the powers given what abilities do you think would be more suitable for the Roles the Emissary plays in Society?

Oh. And what should I call this Class? the "Emissary" is a working Class name, but there are probably better titles out there (Agent, Herald Investigator, Provacateur, Envoy, Diplomat, Ambassador, Vicar, Factotum, Sleuth, etc.

HarryFlashman said:

Walking the Razor's Edge: The Emissary may still threaten an Opponent while in on Full Defense. This allows the Emissary to Flank an Opponent.

Click to expand...

?

You don't normally lose the ability to flank when in full defense, because you don't lose the ability to threaten. You are still threatening, but you cannot do attacks of opportunity, IIRC.

Well you are right. But that seems silly to me. you are only tryng to dodge and parry yet still you are a threat. I suppose in real life if you were parrying and dodging and your opponent turned around you would just stop whatever you were doing and hack him in the back.

ok...so help me out here....and where the heck do i put these Class Abilities anyhow? is my original progression fine or does it need to be adjusted??