Unorthodox Bards

[TheLe]

[IMaGer]http://www.thele.com/thelegames/images/tn/unorthodoxbards_tn200w.jpg[/IMaGer]
Why does the Bard have limited casting abilities? Why does the Bard cry like a little girl in a bar fight? Why do so few people play a Bard? Why ask why?

The Le Games would like to announce the release of UNORTHODOX BARDS!

This 45 page pdf contains 5 New Bard classes for you to use in any d20 fantasy world. Each Class comes as a full 20-level write-up that will give you a new respect for the Bard (each one comes with a detailed background, new abilities, and new progression charts). That's not all though -- included in this book are 2 new Bard Prestige Classes, and over a dozen artifacts for your d20 fantasy campaign. Cover your ears Simon Cowell, because these Bards are going to take you for a wild ride!

Written by Jourdan Hamerly and The' Le (and fantastic cover by Tom Miskey), this book details the following:
The Minstrel - With their Enchanted Instrument in hand, they can create over a dozen spell-like effects with just a song. This is in addition to their normal Bardic Music!
The Skald - With their magical abilities at hand, they can inscribe runes onto objects and people for different magical effects.
The Soothsayer - Fortunetellers, tarot readers, and diviners -- the Soothsayer is known by a number of names.
The Spellsinger - Many sages theorize that the true language of magic is music. Certain races such as the elves also believe in the link and have used the power of music for centuries in their most potent magic. A few very talented musicians have dedicated their lives to studying the link between music and magic -- the Spellsinger is such an individual.
The Troubad’war - A Troubad’war is the ultimate contradiction to himself, often referring to himself as a lover and a fighter. While some Troubad’wars fight for the purity of love or to prove their worth to a damsel they are eager to impress, there are those that have also loved and lost. These Troubad’wars know there is a dark side to love and use their abilities to gain vengeance against whatever has caused them to lose their loves, or maybe they are just itching for a good fight.
The Muse (Prestige class) - The Muse is a Bard who specializes in enhancing the abilities in others, for good or bad. He does this through his Bardic Music, with songs passed down by the Bards of old. The Muse’s greatest strength is the ability to Inspire others; but unlike the common Bard, the Muse’s music is far more potent.
The Protectorate (Prestige class) - The Protectorate is a Bard who specializes in aiding his allies in time of need. He does this by learning powerful Bardic Songs that have been passed down from the heavens.
Baubles and Urus of Ancient Power (Artifacts) - 15 artifact items that can be infused into your existing items for devestating effects!
Johansson’s Song (Artifacts) - This artifact set consists of an Amulet, Cape, and Ring. Each one has fantastic powers, but as the set becomes more complete, the wearer gains even more powers. But the true powers and abilities only surface if the wearer is a Bard!

This zip file contains a fully illustrated Landscape PDF for easy online reading, A fully illustrated Portrait PDF for printing, and our standard no-image Rich-Text-Format version so that you can cut/copy/paste to your hearts content (and print without wasting alot of ink)! Each pdf is fully bookmarked for easy viewing.

Still not sure? Well stop by and pick up the Free Demo!

 

[Crothian]

Unorthodox Bard

The Bard is my favorite class. It has been that way since first edition though back then it was much more difficult to be one. Then in second edition they made the bard a regular class and the best supplement the Complete Bard’s Handbook. Now that third edition is out I’ve had the opportunity to play a single calls bard from first to twentieth level. I am one of the few to do this and have gained some great insight into the class and its strengths and weaknesses. May people say the Bard is a weak class and I reply that the Bard is strong but it’s tough to play. Most people seem to want the Bard to be something it is not. There is a series of books out now in the Unorthodox series. I have reviewed a fair amount of them and I have been pretty critical on them. So I have been waiting to see what they do with my favorite class for a little while. The Bard does not get enough support and I have made attempts to get everything that expands the class.

The Unorthodox series by The Le Games is a series of class books. Unlike other class books they usually only consist of new variants of the core classes. I say usually because the Unorthodox Bard is the one that breaks that. It does have the five new bard variants but it also has two new prestige classes and two artifacts. Unorthodox Bards comes in a zip file a little under five megs in size. Inside is a read me file, a PDF for on screen viewing and a PDF for printing, and a rich text version of the book. The art in the book is pretty average for the series but the layout has more white spaces then I remember in the others. The book is well book marked.

Unorthodox Bard starts with the five variant classes. The new classes are always very close to original; they rarely change hit die, skills or skill points, base attack, or saves. Usually it is the special abilities that are altered.

The Minstrel is a typical archetype of the Bard. Many people have complained that the Bard is too Minstrel oriented, but this alternate core class really shows the true differences. And the difference is the spells. Instead of getting the traditional bard spells the Minstrel gets spell like abilities that use its music. The class is not going to be more combat oriented then the Bard but its abilities are very much in line with the ideas behind the class.

The Skald is another great Bard archetype. They get better hit points and good fort save instead of a good reflex save. They also don’t have the bard like spells. They get the ability to inscribe magic runes. It is a great detail that really fits the archetype.

Soothsayer has more powers that deal with divination. They get the Bard spell casting as well as the knowledge domain. As they gain levels they get some really good divination powers. This seems like a better way to do traditional divinations.

The Spellsinger takes the idea that a Bard needs a verbal component to cast spells and runs with it. They don’t get bardic knowledge or the bard songs but they do get the spell casting as well as additional musical spell powers.

Toubad’war is a lover and a fighter. It gets a mix of love and war abilities along with the traditional bard spells. IT does get less skill points and a good fort save instead of a good will save.

The Muse is a prestige class that is very easy to gain. All one needs is Bardic music ability and some ranks in the perform skill, any perform skill. Each level they can choose a different song that inspires allies in a different way. There are only five levels and only five different options.

The Protectorate is another prestige class. It has the exact same requirements as the Muse. It is another five level prestige class that gains abilities but not spells as one takes levels in it.

The book is a definite improvement over the other books in the series. I found the classes and prestige classes very fitting in the theme of bards and that abilities these classes gain cannot be gained through multi classing or feats.