Musical raging bard?

[Cygnus]

What about circumstantial minuses or other such things? What if the character is affected by some magics and has a bunch of minuses to Perform checks? Bardic Music doesn't care... because there is no Skill check involved at all. It isn't using a skill.

It is covered. The Bard's actions must be observable in order to be effective; i.e., song/chant negated by silence...character affected by some magics.

 

[Cygnus]

It's the difference between writing and using calligraphy. One is simply writing, the other is using a skill.
Using an instrument, singing a song, etc doesn't equal a perform check. Just like with Ride... riding a horse under normal circumstances doesn't call for a Ride check. If you're riding a horse under normal circumstances and doing nothing special, it doesn't matter if you have 0 ranks in ride or 100. It isn't using the skill because it doesn't call for a Ride check (either by rolling, taking 10, or 20).

You are actually going to compare someone clinging with a white-nuckled death grip to the back of a horse to someone who has mastered his/her art to such an extent that witnesses to its demonstration are able to improve or alter their usual abilities?

 

[DamionW]

I'd allow it. Reading the description of the Half-Orc Bard in the hero-builder's guidebook, you can imagine a feral bard, pounding out rhythms to drive his allies into a frenzy. I think it would be way more interesting than the typical whimsical sly-talking minstrel. If it adds depth to the game and the rules are ambiguous, I say run with it, but that's just me.

 

[Cygnus]

I am not familiar with that particular scenario, so I may be missing something. But here goes: The half-orc is driving his alies into a frenzy, a calculated intent and one on which he would be focused...as a goal to achieve. It doesn't seem to be the same thing as a raging bard using Bardic Music.

 

[IanB]

With a narrow reading of the rules, it should be allowed. Using inspire courage is activating a class feature that does not require a skill check. It merely has ranks in perform as a prerequisite. The class feature does not explicitly call for a Perform skill check, nor does the wording of the barbarian rage class feature prohibit the use of inspire courage explicitly.

Note also that some bardic music abilities do call for a Perform check or for concentration. The fact that inspire courage does not contain any wording to this effect is another piece of evidence in favor of allowing it, I think.

 

[lukelightning]

I have no problem with this. What is more inspiring than a raging bardbarian "performing" percussion on enemies' heads with a greataxe?

And remember that the rage ability is not a crazy berzerk frenzy...you just get worked up a lot.

 

[Stalker0]

I don't see it being imbalanced in the least....you got to have the scald man

 

[Taloras]

No problem. Just go into Rage AFTER starting the bard song.

Continuing a use of bardic music that does not require concentration is not an action. Entering Rage is not listed as one of the actions that causes a use of bardic music to end.

You need to pick the right chant, though...

Lo there do I see my father.
Lo there do I see my mother, my sisters, and my brothers.
Lo there do I see the line of my people, back to the beginning.
Lo they do call me.
They bid me take my place among them in the Halls of Valhalla.
Where the brave may live forever....

I used to have a human fighter that went into battle with this prayer. Human fighter/linguist(Cosmopolitan-Speak Langauge(3E), high int, 4 languages at first level.....) With ranks in Perform as well.

 

[Hypersmurf]

-Hyp.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Hyp wins.