Nifft
Penguin Herder
Here are some untested modifications to the Bard variant found in the Book of Eldrich Might II. I really like the Spellnote/chord/melody system, but don't feel the spell list represents the 3E Bard's abilities.
First, I eliminated all direct damage spells, except for a few Sonic spells (specifically Shout and Great Shout). Then, I added back some of the more interesting standard 3E Bard spells. (What's a 3E Bard without Modify Memory?)
Since the BoEM2 allows Spellnotes to be freely converted into Spellchords and Spellmelodies, it's silly to measure Bard power in three different quanta. I've made a less-jumpy progression of Snotes and noted the levels at which conversion into Schords and Smelodies become possible.
Okay, here goes:
Bards gain the class skills: Spot (Wis) and Heal (Wis). They lose the
class skill Spellcraft (Int).
Spellnotes per level:
Level Spellnotes per Day
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 5
5 8
6 11
7 14
8 19
9 24
10 29
11 34
12 41
13 48
14 57
15 67
16 78
17 90
18 103
19 117
20 132
Bards receive bonus Spellnotes equal to double thier Charisma bonus.
Starting at level 6, a Bard can trade 5 Spellnotes for 1 Spellchord.
Starting at level 13, a Bard can trade 15 Spellnotes for 1 Spellmelody.
A Bard of any level can contribute Notes to another Bard's Chord or Melody.
The spellnote, spellchord and spellmelody list is drastically altered: (+ indicates originally in BoEM2, * indicates my addition)
*** Spellnotes: move-equivalent actions
+ Burst of Speed
+ Cushion Fall
+ Deflect Blow
+ Momentary Charm
* Shatter (1d4 / two levels vs. brittle objects)
* Suggestion
* Ghost Sound
* Stupify (1 creature: Will save or flat-footed for 1 round)
* Startle (1 creature: Will save or Shaken for 1d4+2 rounds)
* Open / Close
* Deafen (1 creature: Fortitude save or Deafened for 2d4 rounds)
* Message
* Detect Magic
* Detect Poison
* Read Magic
* Remove Deafness
* Evoke Magical Device (add Bard levels to next Use Magic Device check)
*** Longnotes: multiple rounds, uses move actions, uses Spellnote slot
Duration: 2 rounds/level, thereafter every round make a Perform check vs. number of elapsed rounds
* Minor Healing (1 HP/round, up to 1d6 + (Heal/2, max +5)) takes full-round actions and Heal skill
+ Inspire Courage
* Mend (1 sq. yard per round)
* Clean / Polish (1 sq. yard per round)
* Prestidigitation
* Countersong
* Mage Hand
* Calm Animal (2d4 + Cha bonus HD of animals)
* Light
* Resistance
* Inspire Competence (1 ally / 3 levels: +2 Competence bonus to specific skill, or +1 competence bonus to-hit, damage, and all saves)
* Lulabye (1 sleeping creature will not awaken despite minor disturbances)
* Delay Poison
* Purify Food & Drink (1 cubic foot / round)
* Entropic Shield (1 ally / 2 levels)
* Endure Elements
* Detect Lie
*** Spellchords: standard actions
Duration: 1 hour / 2 levels or as noted
Save: DC 13 + Cha bonus or as noted
+ Alter Sounds
+ Channel Sound (1 round / 2 levels)
+ Charm
+ Slumber
* Dischord (1 foe; Will; or become confused for 1d4+2 rounds)
* Disguise (Change Self with any one ally as subject)
* Enhance Physique (1 ally: bonus 1d4+1 to one physical ability: Str, Dex, Con)
* Fumble (instant; foes within 25'; Reflex or drop weapons, fall, etc.)
* Shout
* Taint Liquid (See Below)
* Gust of Wind
* Pyrotechnics
* Invisibility Purge
* Calm Emotions
*** Longchords: multiple rounds, uses move actions, uses Spellnote slot
Duration: 5 rounds / level, thereafter every 5 rounds make a Perform check vs. (number of rounds / 5)
* Healing (2 HP/round, up to 3d6 + (Heal/2, max +10)
+ Levitation (100 lbs + 20 lbs/level)
* Blur (1 ally)
* Soften Earth and Stone (100 cubic feet per round)
* Shield Other
* Resist Elements
* Hold Animals (2d4 +Cha bonus HD of animals)
* Haste (1 ally)
* Wind Wall (1 round / 2 levels)
* Detect Thoughts
*** Spellmelodies: full-round actions
Duration: 10 minutes / level or as noted
Save: DC 13 + Cha bonus or as noted
+ Ultrasonic Shatter
+ Disrupt Magic
+ Great Sound Channel
* Break Enchantment
* Great Shout (50' cone; 5d6 damage, Fort save or stun for 2d4 rounds)
* Mass Suggestion
* Modify Memory
* Silence 15' Radius (1 round / 2 levels)
* Dismissal (1 creature / 4 levels)
* Geas / Quest
* Mirror Image
* Neutralize Poison (1 creature / 4 levels)
* Quench Fires
* Heat Metal (Range 150'; Area 30'; 2 rounds / level)
* Chill Metal (Range 150'; Area 30'; 2 rounds / level)
* Emotion (5 rounds / level)
* Hold Monster (1 round / level)
* Mass Haste (1 ally / 4 levels; 1 round / 2 levels)
* Inspire Greatness (1 ally / 4 levels; +2 HD, +2 to-hit, +2 all saves)
* Detect Scrying
* Repel Vermin
*** Longmelodies: long duration, takes 1 minute of continuous singing to start (standard action to extend, Perform check every 10 minutes), uses Spellmelody slot
Save: DC 13 + Cha bonus or as noted
* Mass Heal (1 target / 4 levels; heals 2 HP / round, up to 5d6 + (Heal/2, max +15))
* Harmony of Flight (10 minutes / level)
* Stone Shape (1 cubic foot of stone / round)
* Veil (1 ally / 2 levels)
* Lead Vermin (10d6 + 10x Cha Bonus HD of specific vermin follow you)
* Mind Fog (500 cubic feet + 100 cubic feet / level)
* True Sight
* Spell Resistance (1 ally / 4 levels; 12 + level SR)
* Comprehend Languages
* Otto's Irrisistible Dance
* Enlarge
* Reduce
* Magic Circle Against Evil / Good / Law / Chaos
* Zone of Truth
* Animate Objects
* Corrosive Harmonics (render 1 cubic inch of metal brittle per 10 minutes)
*** New Spellchords:
* Taint Liquid:
Transmutation [Sonic]
Range: Touch
Area: 10 gallons + 2 gallons / level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates [DC 13 + Cha bonus]
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)
The Bard infuses a liquid with a mild poison. The caster chooses what type of poison to taint the liquid with at the time of casting. Drinkers suffer different effects depending on the type of toxin:
- Intoxicant: drunkenness (+2 morale; -1 to all other rolls)
- Irritant: nausea (-2 morale; -2 Fortitude; -4 balance, climb, jump)
- Soporific: fatigue (-2 Str, Dex; -2 Reflex)
- Halucinogen: minor halucinations (-2 Will; -4 spot, listen, search, track)
The poison's effect lasts 1d4+1 hours.
..... whew, that's a lot.
-- Nifft
First, I eliminated all direct damage spells, except for a few Sonic spells (specifically Shout and Great Shout). Then, I added back some of the more interesting standard 3E Bard spells. (What's a 3E Bard without Modify Memory?)
Since the BoEM2 allows Spellnotes to be freely converted into Spellchords and Spellmelodies, it's silly to measure Bard power in three different quanta. I've made a less-jumpy progression of Snotes and noted the levels at which conversion into Schords and Smelodies become possible.
Okay, here goes:
Bards gain the class skills: Spot (Wis) and Heal (Wis). They lose the
class skill Spellcraft (Int).
Spellnotes per level:
Level Spellnotes per Day
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 5
5 8
6 11
7 14
8 19
9 24
10 29
11 34
12 41
13 48
14 57
15 67
16 78
17 90
18 103
19 117
20 132
Bards receive bonus Spellnotes equal to double thier Charisma bonus.
Starting at level 6, a Bard can trade 5 Spellnotes for 1 Spellchord.
Starting at level 13, a Bard can trade 15 Spellnotes for 1 Spellmelody.
A Bard of any level can contribute Notes to another Bard's Chord or Melody.
The spellnote, spellchord and spellmelody list is drastically altered: (+ indicates originally in BoEM2, * indicates my addition)
*** Spellnotes: move-equivalent actions
+ Burst of Speed
+ Cushion Fall
+ Deflect Blow
+ Momentary Charm
* Shatter (1d4 / two levels vs. brittle objects)
* Suggestion
* Ghost Sound
* Stupify (1 creature: Will save or flat-footed for 1 round)
* Startle (1 creature: Will save or Shaken for 1d4+2 rounds)
* Open / Close
* Deafen (1 creature: Fortitude save or Deafened for 2d4 rounds)
* Message
* Detect Magic
* Detect Poison
* Read Magic
* Remove Deafness
* Evoke Magical Device (add Bard levels to next Use Magic Device check)
*** Longnotes: multiple rounds, uses move actions, uses Spellnote slot
Duration: 2 rounds/level, thereafter every round make a Perform check vs. number of elapsed rounds
* Minor Healing (1 HP/round, up to 1d6 + (Heal/2, max +5)) takes full-round actions and Heal skill
+ Inspire Courage
* Mend (1 sq. yard per round)
* Clean / Polish (1 sq. yard per round)
* Prestidigitation
* Countersong
* Mage Hand
* Calm Animal (2d4 + Cha bonus HD of animals)
* Light
* Resistance
* Inspire Competence (1 ally / 3 levels: +2 Competence bonus to specific skill, or +1 competence bonus to-hit, damage, and all saves)
* Lulabye (1 sleeping creature will not awaken despite minor disturbances)
* Delay Poison
* Purify Food & Drink (1 cubic foot / round)
* Entropic Shield (1 ally / 2 levels)
* Endure Elements
* Detect Lie
*** Spellchords: standard actions
Duration: 1 hour / 2 levels or as noted
Save: DC 13 + Cha bonus or as noted
+ Alter Sounds
+ Channel Sound (1 round / 2 levels)
+ Charm
+ Slumber
* Dischord (1 foe; Will; or become confused for 1d4+2 rounds)
* Disguise (Change Self with any one ally as subject)
* Enhance Physique (1 ally: bonus 1d4+1 to one physical ability: Str, Dex, Con)
* Fumble (instant; foes within 25'; Reflex or drop weapons, fall, etc.)
* Shout
* Taint Liquid (See Below)
* Gust of Wind
* Pyrotechnics
* Invisibility Purge
* Calm Emotions
*** Longchords: multiple rounds, uses move actions, uses Spellnote slot
Duration: 5 rounds / level, thereafter every 5 rounds make a Perform check vs. (number of rounds / 5)
* Healing (2 HP/round, up to 3d6 + (Heal/2, max +10)
+ Levitation (100 lbs + 20 lbs/level)
* Blur (1 ally)
* Soften Earth and Stone (100 cubic feet per round)
* Shield Other
* Resist Elements
* Hold Animals (2d4 +Cha bonus HD of animals)
* Haste (1 ally)
* Wind Wall (1 round / 2 levels)
* Detect Thoughts
*** Spellmelodies: full-round actions
Duration: 10 minutes / level or as noted
Save: DC 13 + Cha bonus or as noted
+ Ultrasonic Shatter
+ Disrupt Magic
+ Great Sound Channel
* Break Enchantment
* Great Shout (50' cone; 5d6 damage, Fort save or stun for 2d4 rounds)
* Mass Suggestion
* Modify Memory
* Silence 15' Radius (1 round / 2 levels)
* Dismissal (1 creature / 4 levels)
* Geas / Quest
* Mirror Image
* Neutralize Poison (1 creature / 4 levels)
* Quench Fires
* Heat Metal (Range 150'; Area 30'; 2 rounds / level)
* Chill Metal (Range 150'; Area 30'; 2 rounds / level)
* Emotion (5 rounds / level)
* Hold Monster (1 round / level)
* Mass Haste (1 ally / 4 levels; 1 round / 2 levels)
* Inspire Greatness (1 ally / 4 levels; +2 HD, +2 to-hit, +2 all saves)
* Detect Scrying
* Repel Vermin
*** Longmelodies: long duration, takes 1 minute of continuous singing to start (standard action to extend, Perform check every 10 minutes), uses Spellmelody slot
Save: DC 13 + Cha bonus or as noted
* Mass Heal (1 target / 4 levels; heals 2 HP / round, up to 5d6 + (Heal/2, max +15))
* Harmony of Flight (10 minutes / level)
* Stone Shape (1 cubic foot of stone / round)
* Veil (1 ally / 2 levels)
* Lead Vermin (10d6 + 10x Cha Bonus HD of specific vermin follow you)
* Mind Fog (500 cubic feet + 100 cubic feet / level)
* True Sight
* Spell Resistance (1 ally / 4 levels; 12 + level SR)
* Comprehend Languages
* Otto's Irrisistible Dance
* Enlarge
* Reduce
* Magic Circle Against Evil / Good / Law / Chaos
* Zone of Truth
* Animate Objects
* Corrosive Harmonics (render 1 cubic inch of metal brittle per 10 minutes)
*** New Spellchords:
* Taint Liquid:
Transmutation [Sonic]
Range: Touch
Area: 10 gallons + 2 gallons / level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates [DC 13 + Cha bonus]
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)
The Bard infuses a liquid with a mild poison. The caster chooses what type of poison to taint the liquid with at the time of casting. Drinkers suffer different effects depending on the type of toxin:
- Intoxicant: drunkenness (+2 morale; -1 to all other rolls)
- Irritant: nausea (-2 morale; -2 Fortitude; -4 balance, climb, jump)
- Soporific: fatigue (-2 Str, Dex; -2 Reflex)
- Halucinogen: minor halucinations (-2 Will; -4 spot, listen, search, track)
The poison's effect lasts 1d4+1 hours.
..... whew, that's a lot.
-- Nifft
