Musicology questions

[Scharlata]

Hail to the bards out there!

My bard player has some ideas that have to be addressed. I think it's best to ask the bards out there in the field.... Anyone?

1.) Who are the allies of Aryah Lightasafeather, the bard, at the start of her bardic music ability (i.e. Inspire Courage)? Can allies be designated at that very moment?

2.) Are allies-turned-enemies (as by Dominate Person) still allies or are they now enemies and are coerced to forfeit the morale bonus? Can allies be dismissed by Aryah to be her allies or are they her allies as long as her currrent bardic music ability runs its course?

3.) Just how long can Aryah perform her bardic music? Does she get tired of singing, dancing, joking etc.? Is she really able to play an instrument for over 3 hours and then the morale bonus from Inspire Courage lasts even another 5 rounds? Are there any Constitutions checks required after performing any given amount of considerable time?

4.) Do all allies (the ones that Aryah considers to be allies) have to be in hearing range at the moment in which the standard action (i.e. Inspire Courage) takes place? Can allies who are not affected in the first place enter the hearing range after Aryah has established her bardic music ability and gain the morale bonus?

5.) Can an ally who leaves his hearing range of the bardic music ability (i.e. Inspire Courage), and has now 5 rounds to be affected by the morale bonus from Aryah, reenter the hearing range and, as long as Aryah continues her performing, regain the morale bonus? Is the ally able to do this multiple times?

Kind regards

 

[Thanee]

1) I don't think you can leave any allies out, it just affects all allies. Allies are those on your side. I suppose that's kinda selfexplanatory.

2) No, I don't think a dominated person counts as an ally. A charmed person maybe.

3) That's simply up the the DM. After a while some kind of fatigue should be considered. The Endrucance feat might be handy here.

4-5) I guess, that it works as long as the ally hears the bard, whenever that might be, and once this stops, the 5 round duration kicks in. Of course, if the bard is heard again, it restarts, everytime. Don't see why not.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Scharlata]

1) I don't think you can leave any allies out, it just affects all allies. Allies are those on your side. I suppose that's kinda selfexplanatory.

2) No, I don't think a dominated person counts as an ally. A charmed person maybe.

3) That's simply up the the DM. After a while some kind of fatigue should be considered. The Endrucance feat might be handy here.

4-5) I guess, that it works as long as the ally hears the bard, whenever that might be, and once this stops, the 5 round duration kicks in. Of course, if the bard is heard again, it restarts, everytime. Don't see why not.

Bye
Thanee

Hi, Thanee!

OK, let's see...

1.) If, for instance, Rufus the evil rogue in Aryahs party is scheming against her since the last days and Aryah got some intuition (from Sense Motive) that Rufus may stab her back in a fight ahead, does Aryah have to have him allied? Can she leave him out of the allliance? Does Rufus get her morale bonus to help him stab her in her back? That kind of question was intended.....

2.) If Argos the cleric of justice - trusted ally of Aryah the bard - was successfully inspired by the bard and later dominated by an evil sorcerer in the middele of the fight, does he still count as allly and does he get her morale bonus to fight against her. Even if she discontinues her bardic music ability, there are still 5 rounds to go and that may be just the time to get her killed....

3.) On your side but still looking for clues....

4.-5.) I could accept that interpretation.

Thanx and kind regards

 

[Lord Pendragon]

1.) Who are the allies of Aryah Lightasafeather, the bard, at the start of her bardic music ability (i.e. Inspire Courage)? Can allies be designated at that very moment?

Aryah decides who her allies are. I would allow her to make that designation once a round on her turn, if there were changing factors in combat.

2.) Are allies-turned-enemies (as by Dominate Person) still allies or are they now enemies and are coerced to forfeit the morale bonus? Can allies be dismissed by Aryah to be her allies or are they her allies as long as her currrent bardic music ability runs its course?

Again, I'd rule that Aryah's point-of-view determines who her allies are. If on her turn she decides that for the moment the Dominated fighter is not her ally, he loses the bonus. Note also that if Aryah is dominated, she can be commanded to boost the morale of the bad guys.

3.) Just how long can Aryah perform her bardic music? Does she get tired of singing, dancing, joking etc.? Is she really able to play an instrument for over 3 hours and then the morale bonus from Inspire Courage lasts even another 5 rounds? Are there any Constitutions checks required after performing any given amount of considerable time?

There are no rules regarding this. I might start requiring constitution checks after hours of playing, though it's never come up in-game for me, so I can't say. I've never witnessed a bard that needed to sing for that long of a continuous duration.

4.) Do all allies (the ones that Aryah considers to be allies) have to be in hearing range at the moment in which the standard action (i.e. Inspire Courage) takes place? Can allies who are not affected in the first place enter the hearing range after Aryah has established her bardic music ability and gain the morale bonus?

They must be within hearing range to begin to receive the bonus, and for 5 rounds after they stop hearing it. If they reenter hearing range before the 5 rounds are up, they never lose the bonus. If the 5 rounds expire, they will start to get the bonus again once they enter hearing range.

5.) Can an ally who leaves his hearing range of the bardic music ability (i.e. Inspire Courage), and has now 5 rounds to be affected by the morale bonus from Aryah, reenter the hearing range and, as long as Aryah continues her performing, regain the morale bonus? Is the ally able to do this multiple times?

I would rule yes.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

1.) If, for instance, Rufus the evil rogue in Aryahs party is scheming against her since the last days and Aryah got some intuition (from Sense Motive) that Rufus may stab her back in a fight ahead, does Aryah have to have him allied? Can she leave him out of the allliance? Does Rufus get her morale bonus to help him stab her in her back? That kind of question was intended.....

If Aryah doesn't consider him an ally, he doesn't get the bonus.

2.) If Argos the cleric of justice - trusted ally of Aryah the bard - was successfully inspired by the bard and later dominated by an evil sorcerer in the middele of the fight, does he still count as allly and does he get her morale bonus to fight against her. Even if she discontinues her bardic music ability, there are still 5 rounds to go and that may be just the time to get her killed....

As I mentioned in the previous post, I'd rule that she can discontinue granting him the bonus on her turn, but there's no clear rule on this. This is just how I'd treat it as a DM.

 

[Darklone]

Cleric gets dominated and suddenly fights for the team that gets no applause. Why should he still get encouraged?

 

[Scharlata]

Hi!

Aryah decides who her allies are. I would allow her to make that designation once a round on her turn, if there were changing factors in combat.

Count me in.

Again, I'd rule that Aryah's point-of-view determines who her allies are. If on her turn she decides that for the moment the Dominated fighter is not her ally, he loses the bonus. Note also that if Aryah is dominated, she can be commanded to boost the morale of the bad guys.There are no rules regarding this.

Good point.

I might start requiring constitution checks after hours of playing, though it's never come up in-game for me, so I can't say. I've never witnessed a bard that needed to sing for that long of a continuous duration.

It's just because if Aryah decides to not let go the effects of her bardic music ability [BMA] the duration may last as long as multiple combats. In the meantime she may go fishing, cook lunch, clean her many boots, braid her hair, go swimming etc., all during ONE single application of her BMA. Bur I side with you and would call for CON checks like in forced marching.

They must be within hearing range to begin to receive the bonus, and for 5 rounds after they stop hearing it. If they reenter hearing range before the 5 rounds are up, they never lose the bonus. If the 5 rounds expire, they will start to get the bonus again once they enter hearing range.

OK!

I would rule yes.

Dito.

Thanx and kind regards

 

[Scharlata]

Cleric gets dominated and suddenly fights for the team that gets no applause. Why should he still get encouraged?

Hi Darklone!

Yes, that is my question... Why? I was looking for crunchy official stuff

Kind regards

 

[Lord Pendragon]

It's just because if Aryah decides to not let go the effects of her bardic music ability [BMA] the duration may last as long as multiple combats. In the meantime she may go fishing, cook lunch, clean her many boots, braid her hair, go swimming etc., all during ONE single application of her BMA. Bur I side with you and would call for CON checks like in forced marching.

Interesting. I'd never really considered the potential to min/max bardic music in that fashion. Still, I'm not sure it'd prove too much of a problem, since Aryah would be unable to spellcast or even hold a normal conversation while maintaining her bardic music. If her player started to abuse this, I'd start enforcing the "no talking while singing" rule.

 

[Scharlata]

Interesting...

It never struck me before neither....

[...] I'd start enforcing the "no talking while singing" rule.

Aryah dances instead of singing, but the rule seems applicable in any other way.

Kind regards