8 replies to this topic

[Andyr]

At present, there are four new bard kits available in this mod. These are as follows:

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ACROBAT: As entertainers, most Acrobats are typically found accompanying carnivals or circuses, although a troupe of Acrobats can put on a remark­able show all by themselves. The often perform in large taverns or in clubs, using their arts to draw in the crowd and captivate them long enough for the proprietor to drain their purses. Acrobats are flashy and love to show off their skills; whatever they do, they like to do with a sense of style and a flair for the dramatic. Acrobats sometimes become cat burglars extraordinaire, and they are also useful adventuring allies, as they can squeeze into places where others cannot go without the aid of magic. Their skill at avoiding traps and other dangers also makes them excellent scouts.

Advantages:
-  +1 bonus to Armor Class
-  +1 bonus to Armor Class vs. missiles every 8 levels
-  May place up to 2 proficiency points in slings, darts and daggers

Disadvantages:
-  May only place proficiency points in weapons a Thief can use
-  May not wear armor heavier than Studded Leather
-  Only has one-half normal lore value

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CHORISTER: Music, whether hymn, symphony or dark chanting intonation, plays an important part in the services of most deities. For aiding in performing rituals or just leading the faithful in worship, most holy places have at least one bard, known as a Chorister.

Choristers are not only to be found within temple walls, however; many faiths use them as missionaries, helping to bring new worshippers into the fold. Many an adventuring bard with a religious bent can also end up as a Chorister, finding their prayers answered by the deity they venerate.

Advantages:
-  Knows a small selection of divine spells. These are accessed and memorised as Mage spells:
Level 1: Armor of Faith, Cure Light Wounds, Doom
Level 2: Chant, Draw Upon Holy Might, Slow Poison
Level 3: Cure Medium Wounds, Glyph of Warding
Level 4: Defensive Harmony, Holy Power
Level 5: Mass Cure
Level 6: Bolt of Glory

Disadvantages:
-  Only has one-half normal Lore value
-  Only has one-half Pick Pockets percentage

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DIRGESINGER: Dirgesingers voice melodies not of celebration and joy, but of sorrow and grief. They seek to spread this melancoly outlook far and wide, believing that only those who give in to their sadness can truly understand the world.

These sad wanderers seek to express their grief through songs that teach the hearts of their listeners the meaning of true sorrow. Some of these fallen bards want nothing more than for others to understand the depths of their loss. A few are sinister creatureswho believe that, since joy has been extinguished for them, they must in turn extinguish the joy of others by using their powers to teach the folly of love, the futility of hope, and the finality of the grave. Dirgesingers of this last sort often associate themselves with powerful undead; serving in the courts of vampire lords or lich-kings.

Dirgesingers are limited to nongood alignments.

Advantages:
-  Song Curses enemies, giving them a -1 penalty to saves and thac0
-  From level 5 may use a Song of Horror 1/day. This has the same effects as the level 2 Wizard spell, Horror
-  From level 7 may use a Song of Grief 1/day. This has the same effects as the level 4 Wizard spell, Confusion
-  From level 9 may use a Song of Awakening 1/day. This has the same effects as the level 5 Wizard spell, Animate Dead

Disadvantages:
-  Song does not improve with level
-  Only has one-half normal Lore value

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GYPSY:Gypsies are often called "travelling people" or "forest nomads," typically wandering the lands in caravans comprising of brightly painted carts or wagons.  These people are well-known for their strange music and dances, typically surviving in their wandering lifestyle by entertaining villagers and folk in the places they roam.  Gypsies wander the land, experiencing life as they go.  They travel until they find something of interest, where they establish a temporary camp and remain until the urge to see more of the world over­powers their desire to stay.  Adventuring gypsies may be on a personal quest to locate some unique place or thing or may simply be out to experience the great wonders that appear along the adventuring path.

Gypsies are often misunderstood by others, who classify them as thieves, beggars, carnival people, nomads, or any number of other erroneous names.  They are also very open and welcoming to those who seek to learn their ways and join them in their wan­dering, garnering for them a reputation for steal­ing children in the night and then spiriting them off into the wilderness.  It should be noted that not all Gypsies are bards or have bardic abilities; Gypsy bards, known among Gypsy clans as "rawuns," func­tion as the chief storytellers, lore-keepers, fortune tellers, and spiritual advisers of their Gypsy clans.

Advantages:
-  Song will charm enemies instead of giving bonuses to allies. A save vs. spells with a -1 penalty per 10 levels of the bard grants immunity for the duration of the song
-  Has a +1 bonus to saves vs. spells per 8 levels
-  Can cast Curse once per day. The opposite of a Bless spell, this gives foes a -1 penalty to thac0 and saves

Disadvantages:
-  Cannot learn mage spells from the schools of Conjuration, Invocation or Transmutation

[Galactygon]

Are these actual PnP kits or are they ones taken from various other sources, or ones made up by the imaginations of the modders? Curiosity caught me here.

-Galactygon

[NiGHTMARE]

Several pnp books feature an Acrobat, but IIRC we decided on this one's abilities ourselves. The Chorister is a new kit, but inspired by the 3rd Edition version of the Bard (which can cast healing spells, etc).

I'm not sure whether the Diresinger is made up, or taken from the book this mod is named after, i.e. Song and Silence. The Gypsy is from The Complete Bard's Handbook, though with quite a lot of modifcation .

Edited by NiGHTMARE, 21 December 2004 - 06:07 PM.

[jester]

I cannot see the describtion of the acrobat matching his actual pro/cons. :-/

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Acrobats sometimes become cat burglars extraordinaire, and they are also useful adventuring allies, as they can squeeze into places where others cannot go without the aid of magic. Their skill at avoiding traps and other dangers also makes them excellent scouts.

Otherwise interesting takes on the bard trade. The pickpocker downside is a bit tricky as it doesn't really hinder much (potion/gloves/level), but I see where you are coming from. I'll be back in Jan. Please have a link to the mod ready by then.

[Andyr]

You think Acrobats should get a save vs. death/breath bonus or something too?

The Dirgesinger is adapted from the 3.5E book Libris Mortis, which deals with undead.

And Jes, if you were on IRC I could send you a working copy now.

[lennon]

These look good, I especially like the Gypsey's charm as this is what the 1E bard did.

I am toying with the idea of implementing a 1E bard, but its not very high up on my list of things to do.

The charming you propose does not (IMO) scale faster enough against the enemies you meet, altough you may not want the bard singing all the time. I have been persauded that unless a bard sings, they are a poorer version of the FMT. Also a sucessfull resistance to a charm lasts the whole encounter.

I'd consider decreasing the saving throws faster, say -1 / 8 levels, or offer the charm as an inante earned before L20, with reduced saving throws.

I suggest some of these classes should also get degraded theiving/sneaking skills.

[jester]

Are you aware that ther is a bardic shopkeeper from ClanDlan which I did not have the time to translate yet. He also recharges wands. The mod is called 'La musica de los reinos' (The music of kings)

[Rastor]

Both the Chorister and the Acrobat seem overpowered. I'd suggest adding a disadvantage that actually matters to both of them.

[NiGHTMARE]

Acrobat: I'd say being limited to studded leather and not being able to place any proficiency points in certain weapons more than compensates for +1 AC and +1 AC vs. missiles per 8 levels

Chorister: I don't see how he's overpowered. Those aren't innate abilities, only spells available in his spellbook.