D&D 3E/3.5 Half-Elf Bard Substitution Levels [3.5]

[Jacob Marley]

My Google-fu is weak.

I have a player who is playing a half-elf bard and is taking the racial substitution levels from Races of Destiny. Among the abilities gained is the following:

Secrets of the Diplomat: At 8th level, a half-elf bard adds the following spells to her spells known: 1st - command; 2nd - zone of truth; 4th - sending.

This benefit replaces the 4th-level spell learned by a standard bard at 8th level. And so on.

The problem is that a standard bard does not learn a 4th-level spell at 8th level. I have been unable to find any errata or FAQ advice that clarifies this discrepancy. I am inclined to just rule that sending is a 3rd-level bard spell and all other references here to 4th-level are replaced by 3rd-level. However, I would appreciate it if anyone had any official information concerning this. Or, if anyone had any opinions on why sending would be broken as a 3rd-level spell.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Huh. Good eye catching the discrepancy. I have no idea what that's about.

I have no issues with a Bard casting Sending as a 3rd level spell. Yeah, it's level 5 for Wis/Sor, level 4 for Clerics, but it's an out-of-combat spell that is communication-oriented, right up the Bard's alley. The Cleric is casting this as a level 7 character, the Wis/Sor at level 9, with Bard's slow casting progression, they can use all the help they can get.