Firstly my preamble:
- I am committed to the camp that the PHB bard is too weak in rollplaying matters.
- I am cognizant that the bard is an interesting class to roleplay, but uphold that roleplaying is exclusive from the mechanic components of a class, and that roleplaying is based on the person not on rules, so that rule changes, generally and specifically the ones I will present, have no bearing on roleplaying.
- I am looking for mechanical criticism, posts that claim I am rollplaying and not roleplaying will be ignored (btw, bolding those two concepts, as if often done by those who invoke them, is incredibly irritating and condescending, as if I can't tell the difference).
- if your main grievance is with the semi-spontaneous system, I've started other threads about it pros/cons, so don't worry too much about it, my world will make it more difficult to learn new spells to compensate).
Now that that's out of the way a quick summary of my changes:
Bard
As PHB except…
6+int skill points, same skill list.
Semi-Spontaneous Casting – Memorize one spell for every spell slot (spells must be of equal or lesser level than slot); cast spontaneously from that more limited group; learn spells as Wizard does in PHB; metamagic as Wizard.
Bardic Knowledge – Add (Bard Level/2) to all knowledge checks
Bardic Casting – Bards subtract 20% casting failure because their casting relies more on sound than somatics. Every bard spell has a verbal component, this overrides the spells entry. Bards are arcane casters (and thus use the semi-spontaneous casting technique). Bards know 2+INT Modifier cantrips to at level one, and then gain 2 extra spells every level thereafter. Bards may only select spells of spell levels they can cast. Bards can also learn new spells as wizards do, but the dynamic is a bit harder (this is balanced by my homebrew not offering too much opportunities/making it more difficult to learn new spells; this is tied into balancing the semi-spontaneous casting)
Bardic Music Changes/Clarifications – Inspire Courage, Inspire Competence, and Inspire Greatness can all affect the bard who sings them
Bardic Spell Changes – Strike Mage Armour (lvl 1 conjuration) from spell list, add Shield (lvl 1 abjuration) and add True Strike (lvl 1 divination).
Bardic Ability – Gain a Bardic Ability at levels 5, 10, 15, 20; Select from: Evasion, Extra Feat*, Improved Bardic Knowledge, Magical Traps, Sneak Attack +1d6*, Uncanny Dodge*. * - may be selected multiple times. Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Sneak Attack, Magical Traps, all as Rogue abilities of the same name. Improved Bardic Knowledge changes Bardic Knowledge formula to Add Bard Levels to all knowledge checks.
Mostly, I'm perfectly happy with my changes, the main one I'm questioning is the Bardic abilities, are they too strong? are there others I could add to the list? should I change levels at which they are gained?
Thank you for assistance and non-role/rollplay haggling.
- I am committed to the camp that the PHB bard is too weak in rollplaying matters.
- I am cognizant that the bard is an interesting class to roleplay, but uphold that roleplaying is exclusive from the mechanic components of a class, and that roleplaying is based on the person not on rules, so that rule changes, generally and specifically the ones I will present, have no bearing on roleplaying.
- I am looking for mechanical criticism, posts that claim I am rollplaying and not roleplaying will be ignored (btw, bolding those two concepts, as if often done by those who invoke them, is incredibly irritating and condescending, as if I can't tell the difference).
- if your main grievance is with the semi-spontaneous system, I've started other threads about it pros/cons, so don't worry too much about it, my world will make it more difficult to learn new spells to compensate).
Now that that's out of the way a quick summary of my changes:
Bard
As PHB except…
6+int skill points, same skill list.
Semi-Spontaneous Casting – Memorize one spell for every spell slot (spells must be of equal or lesser level than slot); cast spontaneously from that more limited group; learn spells as Wizard does in PHB; metamagic as Wizard.
Bardic Knowledge – Add (Bard Level/2) to all knowledge checks
Bardic Casting – Bards subtract 20% casting failure because their casting relies more on sound than somatics. Every bard spell has a verbal component, this overrides the spells entry. Bards are arcane casters (and thus use the semi-spontaneous casting technique). Bards know 2+INT Modifier cantrips to at level one, and then gain 2 extra spells every level thereafter. Bards may only select spells of spell levels they can cast. Bards can also learn new spells as wizards do, but the dynamic is a bit harder (this is balanced by my homebrew not offering too much opportunities/making it more difficult to learn new spells; this is tied into balancing the semi-spontaneous casting)
Bardic Music Changes/Clarifications – Inspire Courage, Inspire Competence, and Inspire Greatness can all affect the bard who sings them
Bardic Spell Changes – Strike Mage Armour (lvl 1 conjuration) from spell list, add Shield (lvl 1 abjuration) and add True Strike (lvl 1 divination).
Bardic Ability – Gain a Bardic Ability at levels 5, 10, 15, 20; Select from: Evasion, Extra Feat*, Improved Bardic Knowledge, Magical Traps, Sneak Attack +1d6*, Uncanny Dodge*. * - may be selected multiple times. Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Sneak Attack, Magical Traps, all as Rogue abilities of the same name. Improved Bardic Knowledge changes Bardic Knowledge formula to Add Bard Levels to all knowledge checks.
Mostly, I'm perfectly happy with my changes, the main one I'm questioning is the Bardic abilities, are they too strong? are there others I could add to the list? should I change levels at which they are gained?
Thank you for assistance and non-role/rollplay haggling.
