Giving Bard Disable Device

[LogantheBard]

I've got a player that wants to play a bard with a sort of Indiana Jones feel, very adventurous and specializing in dungeon crawling. The party is also lacking a "rogue" type. What would be a balanced way to give bard Disable Device as a class skill and Trapfinding as the rogue ability? I know Bards are generally considered the low man on the power-totem pole, so I want to throw my player a bone. His eventual goal is the Pathfinder Savant prestige class.

 

[SteelDraco]

The archeologist bard archetype is exactly what you want. It's from Ultimate Combat. Hat not included, but barely.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/archaeologist

 

[LogantheBard]

We looked at that, and he was interested in it, but wasn't too keen on giving up his Bardic Performance. It doesn't give Disable Device as a class skill though, so he'll always be behind a rogue. I'll suggest it to him again.

We thought about giving up Well Versed, Versatile Performance, Distraction, and Countersong

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Is averse to dipping a level of Ranger? He could also just dip Rogue, but Ranger means no loss of BAB if that was an issue...

 

[Anguish]

There are traits that make pretty much everything else a class skill, so why not Disable Device? In fact, a quick check at archivesofnethys.com reveals that there already are a couple. So that's that half.

To the second part, it probably wouldn't be too unbalanced to give the bard trapfinding. You could just as easily make it a feat and call it a day.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Trapfinding isn't a balance issue; it doesn't even affect combat. Bards aren't exactly overpowered. If you just gave this bard a trait or something that let him find traps and get DD I don't think it would be problematic. Even if you just gave it to him out of the goodness of your heart it would be fine.

 

[IronWolf]

I agree with several of the others. Just give it to him. Cover it with a feat you make up if you can't find one that already does or track down one of the traits that lets him have it as a class skill and just have him take the trait. Seems a small concession and certainly a case where as GM I would let the fun aspect override the rules as written aspect of the game.

 

[LogantheBard]

Awesome, thanks for the replies! I'll probably make him use a feat to get it, that seems to make the most sense. I don't want to start a precident of "you gave Johnny trapfinding for free, so can I get XXX for free?" Unfortunately, some of my group are that childish.

 

[SteelDraco]

Do you guys use the trait rules? That has the best precedent for adding a new class skill - a number of traits do that.

 

[jreyst]

Yeah there are two traits that specifically give Disable Device as a class skill:

Vagabond Child
Nimble Fingers

I wouldn't make it cost an entire feat because traits are generally "half the power of a feat" you may consider that as well. Have him either use one of his existing traits (if you use them) or use the Additional Traits feat to get two bonus traits, one of which he can burn on one of the above.