Ren-Era Bard Varient: Artist

[Khorod]

Of course these effects work only if the artwork is visible and nearby (immagine attacking a prince in his room where all the portraits of elder members of his family watch you: you have at least a -1 to hit), or for a small time (after looking at that inspiring tapestry the guards felt ready to fight for the honor of their house). ...

A good idea, but I think this should really give the prince a circumstance bonus to Intimidation. The effect against npc's might be -1 to attack, or more severe. But PC's should not be be affected by Intimidation less than actual magic.

 

[gpetruc]

But PC's should not be be affected by Intimidation less than actual magic.But PC's should not be be affected by Intimidation less than actual magic.

My idea actually was: that form of art reaches the level of "true" magic (and thus have effect also on the PCs); same as the fact that Bard's songs can have the power of a real suggestion even if ordinary bluff skills have not.

(The fact that Intimidate is a skill usable only on NPCs actually seems unfair to me, but this is simply a rant and I know that finding a way to handle PC indimidation is not easy)

 

[Stalker0]

I think Crothian had an excellent suggestion with what you create comes to life.

What about instead of (or including) enchantment spells, use illusion spells. That allows an artist to creates illusions of artwork that come to life. At high levels they could get shadow spells.

I think that would be a neat class.

Also, lower the casting time to like a minute. That insures that your unlimited spellcasting ability doesn't effect combat, but doesn't mean the character has to take forever just to cast a spell.

 

[Ace]

I think this class should be able to make magic items, at elast if they have the proper feat

Portait of Dorian Grey anyone

There is also a decent (and thick) fantasy novel out there that deals with magic art and is set in pseudo Rennisance. I just can't remember the title

 

[Jeph]

I think this class should be able to make magic items, at elast if they have the proper feat

What here stops them from making magic? They have spells, caster level, everything.

Maybe, at some low level (1st? 2nd? 3rd?), they could get the Craft Artwork feat. Basically, it would be a craft wondrous item-ish thing, limited to art. Like the portrait that fixes you with a paralyzing gaze (Hold Monster), the grand statue that agitates the hairs on the back of your neck (Scare), the harp that plays irresistably soothing tones (Sleep). Sound good? Basically, it would be Craft Wondrous Item, but the character has to justify it's artinessishness.

As for casting time . . .

I liked the idea of 2 minutes, +2 minutes per spell level. Allows a simple Charm Person or Sleep with a relatively short song. Spells with a higher casting time than 1 round would increase the casting time as follows: 1 full round, +2 minutes; 1 minute, +4 minutes; 10 minutes, +10 minutes; higher than 10 minutes, +14 minutes. Sound good?

And, on the note of spells, I might want to add in that the Artist can not cast a spell of a level higher than the highest level spell that they know. No human 1st level bards casting maxamized, empowered Sleep spells, thankyouverrymuch!

It's seeming more and more like he needs a spell list. Oh well, I'll get back to you in a minute with that. It will be mostly enchantments, with a bunch of illusions and a couple non-combat transmutations thrown in.

 

[Jeph]

Right, spell list

level 0:
Daze, Ghost Sound, Arcane Mark, Distract (as Psionic power)

level 1:
Comprehend Languages, Charm Person, Hypnotism, Sleep, Silent Image, Ventriloquism

level 2:
Detect Thoughts, asha's Hideous Laughter, Hupnotic Pattern, Minor Image

level 3:
Tongues, Hold Person, Suggestion, Illusory Script, Major Image, Secret Page

level 4:
Locate Creature, Charm Monster, Confusion, Emotion, Lesser Geas, Illusory Wall, Rainbow Pattern

level 5:
Telepathic Bond, Dominate Person, Feeblemind, Hold Monster, Mind Fog, Dream, Mirage Arcana, Nightmare, Persistant Image, Seeming

level 6: Repulsion, Legend Lore, Geas/Quest, Mass Suggestion

Okeydokey. Any suggestions for additions to the list?

 

[Jeph]

I was thinking, that it didn't all make sense with the Perform skill. Maybe, the Enchantment skills would be based off of Perform, the Divination and Illusion spells based off of an appropriate Knowledge skill, and the Transmutations based off of Craft?

 

[Khorod]

What was that item, Nolzur's Fabulous Pigments?

Whatever you painted became real. I always wanted to create a rogue that had a wand-paintbrush with 50 charges of that and a magical pallette that could recharge it once per day... I would have given him a french accent and a berret.

Those were the days when everyone played a CN Bard with homicidal obsessions. Ah...

***

I think Illusion, as a manifestation of the painter's art, should really be craft. Divination could either be a Knowledge skill (for expanding the mind around the topic), Perform (for calling on spirits throughout the world to give you a progress report), or Scry (for extending the artists more magical perceptions out into the world.

Transmutations would definitely be Craft or Alchemy.


Breaking up the spells by skill would also allow different types of artists (or a virtuoso) to better demonstrate how their particular art has power.

 

[Stalker0]

I think Illusion, as a manifestation of the painter's art, should really be craft. Divination could either be a Knowledge skill (for expanding the mind around the topic), Perform (for calling on spirits throughout the world to give you a progress report), or Scry (for extending the artists more magical perceptions out into the world.

Transmutations would definitely be Craft or Alchemy.

In Mongoose Publishing's Encyclopedia Arcana: Illusionism it describes a school of illusionism that uses the craft that actually make your own custom illusions

 

[gpetruc]

I tried a little different variant of the same concept, with spells keyed to arts (music, singing, lyric poetry, epic poetry, oratory, juggling and tubling, dance and acting, and maybe joking). A bard can create magical effects only from the choosen arts (starts with one, gets the second at lvl 2 and then the others slower in the later levels). Arts can be based on different skills (perform, diplomacy and tumble, maybe add bluff for comedy).

For the "Create Artwork" I'm still undecided on what to do (probably I'll simply create a feat that works just like Craft Wondrous Item that requires level 3 and that does the job as suggested by Jeph)

I've putted back in the Bardic Knowledge (renamed Curiosity) and some bardic music effects (keyed to arts and limited with skill checks), removed lucky (but I'm still undecided on it)

I thought it could be interesting to make the difference between a prepared spell (for example if I compose the song before) and an improvised one, the first requiring less time to cast (only one minute) but it must be memorized (limit 2 x level + 2 x int bonus) and the generic target must be choosed before (I compose a march for soldiers, or a love poem for a princess ....).

you can check the draft at
http://digilander.iol.it/gpetruc/crystaldawn/artist.html

(and there are also other custom classes at
http://digilander.iol.it/gpetruc/crystaldawn/classes.html )