Skald
"Where war stirs the blood, look for me. For there, in the front lines, you will find me." Wolfram Chathers, Dwarven Skald.
Alignment: Any nonlawful.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills: The skald's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha, exclusive skill).
Skalds receive 4 + Int Mod. skill points per level.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Skalds gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
The Skald
BAB: As fighter
Good Saves: Fort and Will
Level...............Special
1....................Tunes of the Skald, Rage
2....................Level Head
3....................Marching Tune
4
5....................Rage
6
7....................Battle Hymn
8
9....................Rage
10...................Inspire Glory
Requirements:
Perform: 7 ranks.
Feats: Skill Focus: Perform, Weapon Focus (any martial melee weapon)
Spellcasting: Must be capable of casting 2nd level arcane spells.
Special: Must have the Bardic Music class ability and either the Rage class ability OR Weapon Specialization in a martial melee weapon.
Spells per Day
When a new, even-numbered Skald level is gained (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th levels), the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic or item creation feats, bard or assassin abilities, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the level of Skald to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class before he became a Skald, he must decide to which class he adds each level of Skald for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Tunes of the Skald
A Skald adds his Skald class levels to his bard levels for determining his usages of Bardic Music per day.
Rage
The Skald can rage as a barbarian does 1/day at 1st level. This ability increases to 2/day at level 5 and 3/day at level 9. This stacks with the Rage ability from all other sources.
Level Head
A Skald is so in tune with the enhancing power of his songs that he may use the Bardic Music ability to perform any ally-enhancing song even while raging. He may even begin a performance while raging. This is an Extraordinary ability.
Marching Tune
A Skald of at least 3rd level can strike up an inspiring marching tune, aiding himself and his allies over a long march. To be affected, an ally must hear the Skald perform for a full round. The effect lasts as long as the Skald performs and for 5 rounds after the Skald stops performing (or 5 rounds after the ally can no longer hear the Skald). All allies within 30 feet + 10 feet/level of the Skald are affected. While the Skald plays, all allies receive +10 feet per round to their base movement, before any movement-limiting effects (such as armor or encumbrance) are applied. Marching Tune is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability that consumes one use of Bardic Music.
Battle Hymn
A Skald of at least 7th level can chant a hymn of glory and battle that allows he and his allies to fight long past their normal endurance. To be affected, an ally must hear the Skald perform for a full round. The effect lasts as long as the Skald performs and for 5 rounds after the Skald stops performing (or 5 rounds after the ally can no longer hear the Skald). All allies within 30 feet of the Skald are affected. While the Skald performs, all allies are under the effects of a Regenerate Light Wounds spell. (They regain 1 HP per round and do not heal wounds gained before the Skald began performing.) Also, any raging barbarians that hear the song can lengthen their rage duration by a number of rounds equal to half the character level of the Skald. Battle Hymn is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability that consumes one use of Bardic Music.
Inspire Glory
A Skald of at least 10th level can inspire glory in himself or another creature. For every four character levels of the Skald, he can inspire glory in one additional creature. (Thus a 4th bard/6th barbarian/10th Skald can inspire glory in 5 people). To inspire glory, the bard must sing and the creature must hear the bard sing for a full round, as with inspire courage. The creature must also be within 30 feet. A creature inspired with greatness gains temporary Hit Dice, attack bonuses, and saving throw bonuses as long as he or she hears the bard continue to sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. (All these bonuses are competence bonuses.)
The target gains the following boosts:
* +(Skald Level/2) Hit Dice (d10s that grant temporary hit points).
* +(Skald Level) competence bonus on attacks.
* +(Skald Level/2) competence bonus on damage.
* +(Skald Level/2) competence bonus on Fortitude and Will saves.
Apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to each bonus Hit Die. These extra Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining effects such as the sleep spell. Inspire glory is a supernatural, mind-affecting enchantment ability that consumes two uses of Bardic Music.
==========================
This is intended to be a Bard/Barbarian PrC, but it makes sense for Bard/Fighters as well. I'm looking for comments on the mechanical balance of the class -- I think it's an idea that's been missing from D&D for a while now.
"Where war stirs the blood, look for me. For there, in the front lines, you will find me." Wolfram Chathers, Dwarven Skald.
Alignment: Any nonlawful.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills: The skald's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha, exclusive skill).
Skalds receive 4 + Int Mod. skill points per level.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Skalds gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
The Skald
BAB: As fighter
Good Saves: Fort and Will
Level...............Special
1....................Tunes of the Skald, Rage
2....................Level Head
3....................Marching Tune
4
5....................Rage
6
7....................Battle Hymn
8
9....................Rage
10...................Inspire Glory
Requirements:
Perform: 7 ranks.
Feats: Skill Focus: Perform, Weapon Focus (any martial melee weapon)
Spellcasting: Must be capable of casting 2nd level arcane spells.
Special: Must have the Bardic Music class ability and either the Rage class ability OR Weapon Specialization in a martial melee weapon.
Spells per Day
When a new, even-numbered Skald level is gained (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th levels), the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic or item creation feats, bard or assassin abilities, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the level of Skald to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class before he became a Skald, he must decide to which class he adds each level of Skald for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Tunes of the Skald
A Skald adds his Skald class levels to his bard levels for determining his usages of Bardic Music per day.
Rage
The Skald can rage as a barbarian does 1/day at 1st level. This ability increases to 2/day at level 5 and 3/day at level 9. This stacks with the Rage ability from all other sources.
Level Head
A Skald is so in tune with the enhancing power of his songs that he may use the Bardic Music ability to perform any ally-enhancing song even while raging. He may even begin a performance while raging. This is an Extraordinary ability.
Marching Tune
A Skald of at least 3rd level can strike up an inspiring marching tune, aiding himself and his allies over a long march. To be affected, an ally must hear the Skald perform for a full round. The effect lasts as long as the Skald performs and for 5 rounds after the Skald stops performing (or 5 rounds after the ally can no longer hear the Skald). All allies within 30 feet + 10 feet/level of the Skald are affected. While the Skald plays, all allies receive +10 feet per round to their base movement, before any movement-limiting effects (such as armor or encumbrance) are applied. Marching Tune is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability that consumes one use of Bardic Music.
Battle Hymn
A Skald of at least 7th level can chant a hymn of glory and battle that allows he and his allies to fight long past their normal endurance. To be affected, an ally must hear the Skald perform for a full round. The effect lasts as long as the Skald performs and for 5 rounds after the Skald stops performing (or 5 rounds after the ally can no longer hear the Skald). All allies within 30 feet of the Skald are affected. While the Skald performs, all allies are under the effects of a Regenerate Light Wounds spell. (They regain 1 HP per round and do not heal wounds gained before the Skald began performing.) Also, any raging barbarians that hear the song can lengthen their rage duration by a number of rounds equal to half the character level of the Skald. Battle Hymn is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability that consumes one use of Bardic Music.
Inspire Glory
A Skald of at least 10th level can inspire glory in himself or another creature. For every four character levels of the Skald, he can inspire glory in one additional creature. (Thus a 4th bard/6th barbarian/10th Skald can inspire glory in 5 people). To inspire glory, the bard must sing and the creature must hear the bard sing for a full round, as with inspire courage. The creature must also be within 30 feet. A creature inspired with greatness gains temporary Hit Dice, attack bonuses, and saving throw bonuses as long as he or she hears the bard continue to sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. (All these bonuses are competence bonuses.)
The target gains the following boosts:
* +(Skald Level/2) Hit Dice (d10s that grant temporary hit points).
* +(Skald Level) competence bonus on attacks.
* +(Skald Level/2) competence bonus on damage.
* +(Skald Level/2) competence bonus on Fortitude and Will saves.
Apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to each bonus Hit Die. These extra Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining effects such as the sleep spell. Inspire glory is a supernatural, mind-affecting enchantment ability that consumes two uses of Bardic Music.
==========================
This is intended to be a Bard/Barbarian PrC, but it makes sense for Bard/Fighters as well. I'm looking for comments on the mechanical balance of the class -- I think it's an idea that's been missing from D&D for a while now.
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