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Bard Powers

Use of bard powers abides by the following rules, except where the power indicates otherwise (Morale, for instance):

Due to the nature of their powers, bards may only use or sustain one power at a time, and while doing so, must concentrate such that they may engage in no other significant action (although simple actions, such as moving no faster than a walk, are permissible).
A victim must be visible to the bard in order to be initially affected by a power (or else a -50 penalty to the power activation roll is incurred). Once targetted, however, victims remain affected until they can move from the area of effect (usually earshot) as long as the bard sustains the power.
In addition, many powers require the bard to have either Musical Instrument or Entertainment to be effective (the skill will be named in the Power description if it is required). If the bard does not have the proper skill, he may not use the power in question. If the bard does have the skill, then take the average of their MA and skill total for purposes of activating that power (that is, instead of rolling on plain MA, the roll is made on (MA+[Musical Instrument or Entertainment])/2. This limit applies before any listed "MA Bonus" of the power, which adds directly to the result regardless. For powers not requiring a skill, base MA is used as normal.
Magical musical instruments may confer bonuses to bard powers, but the appropriate Musical Instrument Skill must be used.

Calm

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus
White	2 Power per target	Special	One target per 2 power spent	+20

The Bard uses his powers of oratory persuasion to sooth and calm. He is able to direct this soothing power at one person per level of experience. If those affected fail a save vs. Will/2, then they will find the bard's calming words to make sense, and their hostile intentions will be quenched, angry crowds will be mollified, and those in distress will temporarily forget their problems. The effect will last as long as the bard continues his soothing ministrations.

Note: This power will not affect those already engaged in combat, although it can be used to avert combat. The bard should roleplay what he says to activate this power, and the PGM may apply bonuses or penalties to the target's save based on how effective the bard's words are. This power can be used on animals or creatures who do not speak the bard's language, but the bard is then limited to making soothing gestures and crooning sounds, and the targets are automatically at a +20 to save.

Read Reaction

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus
White	5	Special	One expression	+15

The first trick a novice bard learns is how to read her audience. By concentrating on facial expression, voice and body language, the bard can ascertain limited information about a single person. Only one piece of information, or one subject, can be affected per Power use. For example, the bard might attempt to determine whether the subject is lying (only one statement at a time can be tested), whether the subject is feeling any concealed emotion, what type of argument seems likely to be most persuasive to a person, and so on. Each time, the bard must roll vs. IQ to correctly interpret the subtle cues. Failure indicates no information gained or an incorrect result (at PGM discretion).

Morale

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus
Gray	2 Power per target	Length of Combat	One target per 2 power spent	+15

The bard rallies his comrades for battle, inspiring them with a courageous song (Musical Instrument skill). The Bard expends two Power points per person he wishes to affect. Those affected gain +10 CA and MA for the remainder of the battle, plus NPCs affected by this spell have a better chance to resist fleeing from overwhelming odds.

Song of Pain

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus
Gray	3 Power per target per round	Special	One creature per 3 Power spent	+10

To use this power, the bard must either sing or play on an instrument (Musical Instrument skill) harsh, dissonant tones, which are empowered by the bard to cause actual physical pain to those it is directed against. Targets suffer BC6 points of damage, and a penalty of -10 to CA, MA, and Speed, as the song causes them physical and mental anguish. The damage will be applied at the end of every round through which the bard maintains the song.

Emotive Influence

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus	Save
Red	2 Power per target per round	1 (+1)	One creature per 2 Power spent	+10	Will/2 for no effect

A bard using Emotive Influence attempts to sway the emotions of an audience (willing or not). The bard tells a story or performs in some other way (Entertainment skill) that will evoke the emotion desired (such as telling jokes to lighten the mood, sword-swallowing to evoke awe, heckling to produce anger, or whatever). As with Calm, the attempt must be roleplayed out, and penalties or bonuses to the save may be applied based on the form of Entertainment chosen and the PGM's discretion. Victims must save vs. Will/2, or become overwhelmed with the emotion the bard choses to instill.

Silver Tongue

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus	Save
Red	3 Power per target per round	Special	One creature per 3 Power spent	+10	Will/2 for no effect

This power allows the Bard to speak with unnatural persuasiveness. The bard makes a convincing argument to a person (or group of people), which must be roleplayed out (as with Calm, save bonuses or penalties may be applied based on this roleplay, at the PGM's discretion). When the bard has made this argument, all those affected must make a save versus Will/2 or else find themselves swayed by the bard's words. Almost any course of action can be suggested, save that which is clearly against the interests of the target, or which goes against the target's inherent beliefs. This power will not function on animals or other creatures unable to understand the bard's words.

Discord

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus	Save
Orange	1 Power per target/-10 penalty applied	1(+1)	Special: see cost	+5	Perc/2 for half penalties

To use this power, the bard plays or sings (Musical Instrument skill) a discordant melody which causes extreme disorientation and vertigo in those it is directed against. This confusion inflicts a -10 penalty to CA, MA, and Initiative per point of Power spent, with a -50 maximum. These penalties take effect at the end of the round in which Discord is initiated. (Example: To cause -50 penalties in two targets would cost 10 Power per round.) Once initiated, the level of penalty cannot be changed, and new targets cannot be added (targets may be dropped from the effect in subsequent rounds, though not later re-added) without stopping the power and re-initiating it. Victims receive a save vs. Perc/2 to halve the penalties incurred from this power.

Song of Sleep

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus	Save
Orange	5 Power per target	Special	One creature per 5 Power	+5	Will/2 for no effect

This magically soothing lullaby (Musical Instrument skill) allows a bard to put her audience to sleep. Targets may save vs. Will/2 to resist the effects of the song; those who fail drop into a light, enchanted slumber. The Song of Sleep must be played over several minutes without interruption and cannot be used in combat. Loud noises or hard physical contact (being shaken, kicked, etc.) will awaken the sleepers. If left in peace, those affected by the Song of Sleep will awaken on their own in an hour.

Enthralling Performance

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus	Save
Yellow	6 Power per target	Special	One creature per 6 Power	None	Will/2 for no effect

Bards with this power are able to perform with spectacular flair, above and beyond even what their normal skill levels would represent. Even common tales become fresh and new when retold by the bard, and simple tunes become something truly grand. To use this power, the bard chooses a mode of performance (either Entertainment or Musical Instrument, which becomes the limiting skill) and roleplays it out. The performance is imbued with so much of the bard's power that it can even be done in completely inappropriate situations. Those targetted by the bard must save vs. Will/2 or stop whatever else they are doing and watch the bard's performance, enthralled. Those not targetted will not notice anything out of the ordinary in the bard's performance. Enthralled victims may take no action until the bard ceases performing, unless they are attacked or threatened, in which case the bard's enchantment is automatically broken and the victim may act normally once again. They may also receive additional saves in subsequent rounds if something important to them is calling for their attention (such as a companion being attacked), with bonuses to the roll up to +50, at the PGM's discretion.

Tongues

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus
Yellow	15	Special	Special	None

By traveling extensively, exchanging tales with people from farflung lands, and collecting songs in archaic verse, an experienced bard acquires a smattering of many different languages. This Power allows the bard to try his hand at communication in virtually any humanoid spoken language. An IQ roll is required to translate correctly, and a failed roll indicates a misunderstanding -- which may be harmlessly amusing or disastrous. Languages of nonhumanoid creatures (including most innately magical beings) cannot be translated by means of this Power. Additionally, the bard may attempt to decipher written languages. However, in this case the IQ check is made with a -50 penalty, mitigated by 1 point per level of the bard (i.e., a Level 15 bard has a -35 penalty to the IQ check). If the attempt fails, the bard must gain a level before he can attempt to translate that particular writing sample again.

Lore

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus
Green	15	Special	Special	None

The bard is at this level able to tap into wells of knowledge gleaned from his travels, ancient songs and stories. This power can be used to recall legends and prophecies, or just about any other bit of history or archived knowledge the bard wishes to know. To use this power, the bard meditates for no less than five minutes, and then makes an IQ roll. If the roll succeeds, the bard will receive the information he desires; the actual amount and detail of the information will depend on PGM Discretion. If the roll fails, then the bard simply knows nothing about the given subject, and may not make another attempt to gain that knowledge.

Song of Healing

Band	Cost	Duration	Area of Effect	MA Bonus
Blue	10 Power per BC6 healed	Three minutes	25' radius	None

This gentle, uplifting song (Musical Instrument skill) is imbued with healing magic. For every 10 Power spent, the bard may heal BC6 damage on all creatures within a 25' radius. The effects can be made selective within that range, but the only limit to the number of beings that may be affected is how many of them can be crowded into the audience. This Power requires several minutes of uninterrupted playing and cannot be used in combat.

Parthos Wiki : BardPowers

Bard Powers