Bard Variant Ideas

**shameless plug**

You could also look at the Enchiridion of Mystic Music, available at RPGNow.com - has (literally) over a hundred new ways for bards to use their music, and doesn't attempt to re-work the bard completely - just to add new abilities to select from.

**end plug**

--The Sigil
 

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Divine Bard!

"And the Lard shall smite thee! And He shall fill thee with horror! For there is nowhere thou canst hide! Thy doom has come upon thee!"

...and the party yells "AMEN!"
 


The only player I had who ever made a bard in 3e came up with an interesting concept, her performances were based on dance and she waded into combat with a Scimtar holding it close to her form arm as she danced causing it to lash out when a foe got too close. In all honesty I loved the idea so I didn't care if it wasn't exactly singing, or epic poetry. It was impressive to watch sonic effects turned back by a graceful spin.
 

This is stuff from my own campaign guide...

Battle-Dancer
A battle-dancer is someone skilled in a martial art style that combines dancing into its style. They’re fighting style is often flashy and deceptive in nature. Many battle-dancers are also skilled in music, though percussion tends to be favoured do the fact that most fight with a rhythm.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Battle-dancers are proficient with simple weapons only. They aren’t skilled with any armour.
Base Skill Points: 4
Base Saves: Reflex (Good); Fort, Will (Bad).
Unarmed Strike: At first level a battle-dancer has improved unarmed strike as a bonus feat. They can inflict 1d6 points of lethal damage (or whatever based on their size).
Flurry of Blows: With a full attack a battle-dancer can make an extra unarmed attack at their highest attack bonus. All attacks for that round are at a -2 penalty, at 7th level this is reduced to -1, and at 13th level this penalty disappears. They can also use flurry of blows with any weapon a martial artist can use flurry of blows with (except for shurikens). In every other way it’s like the martial artist ability.
Bardic Performance: Battle-dancers lose countersong, suggestion, song of freedom, and mass suggestion. They must use perform (dance), (sing) or (percussion) for their bardic performances.
Uncanny Dodge: At 5th level as the rogue or barbarian ability of the same name.
Improved Uncanny Dodge: At 9th level as the rogue or barbarian ability of the same name.
Bonus Feat: At 6th and 12th level a battle-dancer gains a bonus martial arts feat.

Ghandarvas
The ghandarvas are sacred musicians whose purpose is to sing the praises of the gods and the divine. Ghandarvas are bards who our well respected through out the Swargamara Empire (or other Indian cultures). In the Empire they are members of the Brahmin caste, outside the Empire their divine music is also well-cherished and looked at with curiosity and reverence despite the cultural differences
Alignment: any non-evil
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Ghandarvas are proficient with all simple weapons and light armour only.
BAB: Bad.
Spells: A ghandarvas spells are considered divine spells rather than arcane spells, and they are also subject to alignment restrictions on spells. A Ghandarvas can pick two clerical or shamanic domains and gets the appropriate abilities of both domains. The spells from those domains are bonus spells known. They get a bonus domain spell at each spell level added to their spells per day.
Divine Grace: At 7th level a Ghandarvas adds their charisma bonus to all saving throws.

{This variant was actually taken from the original document that Nyambe existed as}
Ngoma
A Ngoma is a tribal storyteller, dancer or musician. Their name originally meant drummer. Ngoma invoke the gods and the orishas rather than their own inner powers. Ngoma tend to come from African cultures such as the Ashantai and Shongomire Empires.
Alignment: any
Spells: A ngoma’s spells are considered divine spells rather than arcane spells, and select their spells known from the list of Druid or Shaman spells (pick one), but aren’t permitted to learn Heal or Harm from the later list. They are also subject to alignment restrictions on spells.

Skald
A skald is a warrior-bard whose songs of battle can raise spirits and push their fellow warriors to fight better. Skalds love the thrill of battle as it gives them more inspiration for their songs and poems. Skalds tend to come from Scandinavian cultures such as the Republic of Sturmgaard or from Hobgoblin and Orcish cultures.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Skalds are proficient with all simple weapons and martial weapons.
Base Skill Points: 4
Bardic Performance: Skalds lose suggestion and mass suggestion. They must use perform (sing), (oration), (comedy), (wind) or (stringed) for their bardic performances.
Bonus Feat: At 5th and 10th level a skald gains a bonus fighter feat.
 
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An interesting idea that I've seen suggested is to allow the Bard to disparage rather than inspire, and instead of giving bonuses to his allies, he gives equivalent penalties to his enemies (assuming they understand him).

A nice twist to existing songs.

As to replacing songs entirely - I think that could make quite a good illusionist class; perhaps removing all bardic songs and give them +1 spell known per spell level and +1 spell castable per spell level?
 

I've had bards who are members of the church and rush into battle singing battle hymns, I've had a bard who was a juggler (perform: juggle) and knife thrower - he would juggle his knives before throwing them for deadly effect, and I've had a bard with perform: Rhetoric who gave stirring speeches to inspire his allies but who couldn't sing to save himself:)

I also once did a high int, high wis goblin bard who was a master spy. His 'perform' skill was Perfrom:Mumble -actually a form of heuristics in which his constant mumbling allowed his brain to process information at super high speeds and then give hints and commands to allies even before their opponents acted! (based partially on the Brain/Brian character from Dark Angel)
 

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