Bard's Fascinate - Ever used it?

[Schmoe]

I've not played one as a PC, but as a DM I've often had bards use fascinate. The DC can be almost impossible to resist!

That's awesome! I'm going to have to start using this on my PCs. What is the response of the players to this? I imagine that most players have never, ever had a PC fascinated by an NPC bard.

 

[Plane Sailing]

That's awesome! I'm going to have to start using this on my PCs. What is the response of the players to this? I imagine that most players have never, ever had a PC fascinated by an NPC bard.

One of the main benefits is that it forces the PCs to listen to some exposition, rather than try to kill the opponent as soon as possible!

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

IME, players keep misreading the ability.

Fascinate (Sp): A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and able to pay attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.
To use the ability, a bard makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the song, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (up to a maximum of 1 round per bard level). While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the bard to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result.
Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.

It's a distraction, not a combat ability, but players keep thinking they can gut the villain's buddies while the effect is going on. Furthermore, the targets take -4 penalties to skill checks; this doesn't mean they're going to sit numbly while you commit robbery, murder, or what not in their presence. (Any obvious direct threat automatically breaks the effect, and any witnessed obvious threat entitles the NPC to a re-roll.)

 

[lukelightning]

I said never but that's 'cuz I've never played a bard. If I did then I would.

I was thinking of making an "alternative" bard. He'd have the same abilities as a regular bard, just described differently: Instead of being a happy-cheer-you-up-la-la-la bard he'd be a morose performance artist. His perform (performance art) skill could "enthrall" people, but only because it is so weird that people are transfixed, like looking at an accident. His "suggestion" ability would be equally strange: You watch him eat a shoe while singing "good morning to you" and clutching a painting of a samurai, and then when he says "hand over your vault keys" you are so confused by what's going on you do so (or are willing to hand them over you can to get him to stop and shut up).

 

[Eltharon]

Whenever a Bard is played, fascinate is used at least twice a session. Its one of their best abilities (and it can be pretty funny)

 

[VirgilCaine]

Sounds like an excellent way to stall mooks from sounding an alarm and letting the entire party get inside a dungeon, castle, etc.

I'll have to use it against my PCs sometime...and show my Bard what's what!

 

[6pakofdwarves]

Like the examples here, it is very good for a distraction. It is also good for info gathering, fascinate and then suggest to someone to tell the truth.