D&D 3E/3.5 Bardic Agitation as per 3.5

[two]

3.5 rules now state:

"Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action."

A player of mine is agitating to get this reduced to a free action like is was, sort of, quasi, in 3.0.

Bard logic argument goes like so: "if it's a standard action, I'll never end up taking it, as I'll cast spells or attack instead." [meaning it is a class benefit that, unlike rage or whatnot, won't be used much because of penalty for use]

Sort of makes sense, but sort of does not.

Is this reasonable, to downgrade it to "free action" to open up your mouth and start singing?

Opinions?

 

[Ferret]

Does it take 6 seconds to sing a verse from a song? I think it might...

 

[Christian]

Actually, that was the letter of the rule in 3.0 as well. It wasn't explicitly stated in the bardic music description-but neither was it stated that bardic music was an exception to the general rule that supernatural abilities require a standard action to use ...

IMO, this isn't a serious problem, especially with the power-up that bardic music has gotten. A bard could never cast spells with verbal components while singing anyway; but now that Inspire Courage bonuses scale with levels and take effect immediately (rather than after one round), that's often a better option than any of the bard's spells, and is certainly worth sacrificing an attack for. Especially as pathetic as most bards' attacks are.

 

[two]

Well you can move 30' and do a standard action

So it's more like:

6 seconds - [the time it takes to move 30'] = time left to do a standard action.

Since you can do a double move (2 30'moves in 6 seconds) I suppose that implies each takes 3 seconds, so a standard action also takes 3 seconds.

So, to reformulate, does it take 3 seconds to sing a verson from a song?

It might. Or might not. It's magic. I dunno.

Is the "make it a free action as per 3.0" request too much?

 

[youspoonybard]

I'd think so.

Perhaps you could make a feat for that?

 

[Caliban]

I don't believe it takes a full round for bardic music to take effect anymore either, which makes it worth a standard action to activate.

 

[two]

feat it is

I think a feat sounds good, thanks for the suggestion.

"Surge of Emotion," "Instant Inspiration," or some such garbage name, allowing inspire courage to be a free action to start. OK. Works for me.

 

[Wippit Guud]

Heh... call the feat Allegro, it's the music term for going fast (if I remember high school music right)

 

[Anubis the Doomseer]

Bard logic argument goes like so: "if it's a standard action, I'll never end up taking it, as I'll cast spells or attack instead." [meaning it is a class benefit that, unlike rage or whatnot, won't be used much because of penalty for use]

Sort of makes sense, but sort of does not.

It doesn't.
BTW, if his argument works can I play in your campaign? I have a mage that uses on one-word commands to activate his spells, I think he could pull off 6 or more spells per round. [j/k]

Maintaining the song I can see as a free action (keep singing, make Concentration checks as needed) but I don't think I'd let them start as a free action.

As for being useless... what giving all your allies bonuses right at first level is "useless"? A bard is (almost) a must for any party as far as I'm concerned - good skills, good magic, pretty good combat, plus the singing part. Very versatile.

- Ma'at

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I'm surprised to find people believing that it'd unbalance the game to allow bards to sing as a free action. Nearly anyone asked will agree that bards are the weakest class with regards to direct combat. Yet allowing Bardic Music as a free action will make them too strong?