Comment on this bard prestige class I wrote 7 years ago (D&D 3.5)

[J1M]

I found a bloodsong bard prestige class I wrote over 7 years ago for 3.5. Never tested it in a game, but thought it would be interesting to discuss now. I'm sure it would be completely destroyed in terms of power by splat books, but I don't remember a heavy sonic theme explored in any of the official prestige classes other than maybe the Dragonsong Lyrist.

As such, this class was designed to allow for a [Bard 5 / Bloodsong Bard 10 / Dragonsong Lyrist 5] build for thematic reasons. Everything after this point is the original text file.

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The goal of this class was to provide bards with a real option to explore their potential draconic heritage that doesn’t force them to be melee characters or destroy their musical abilities the way the dragon disciple class does. It’s possible for a multiclass character to get into this prestige class with only one level of bard, but they may not find anything useful to them. Finally, a sonic breath weapon was also an important goal.

The strengths of this prestige class are song and knowledge. It does not excel in traditional combat or spell casting, but has a few abilities to get around traditional combat and spell defenses. Overall, a character with 10 levels of bard and 10 levels of this class should have slightly more power than a vanilla 20 bard while still feeling like a bard, similar to the way prestige classes like the archmage and dwarven defender work.


Bloodsong Bard

Flavor Text
Unlike the Dragon Disciple, a bloodsong bard that is not already a dragon or half-dragon does not trace his lineage back to a specific breed of dragon. Some say their blood is simply too diluted to do so, while others suggest this indicates that the bloodsong bard lays claim to multiple draconic bloodlines.

Also unlike the Dragon Disciple, the bloodsong bard does not begin to manifest wings, scales, or many physical signs of draconic heritage. His transformation is more cerebral, eventually being capable of tapping into the immense font of lore that all dragons are born with.

All bloodsong bards have some form of vocal talent. The vast majority are also powerful bards, as their name suggests. Dragon Disciples and Sorcerers also sometimes occasionally get sidetracked into the bloodsong bard class for a few levels by a phenomenon similar to wanderlust brought about by close contact with a true dragon.

Hit Die
d6


Requirements
Race:
Any (Even true dragons may take this class)

Skills:
4 Ranks in Knowledge (History)
8 Ranks in Knowledge (Arcana)
8 Ranks in Perform (Oratory or Song)

Feats:
Dragonsong (This requirement can also be met by taking the Dragonsong feat at the same level (ex. 6, 9, 12) as a character's first level in the bloodsong bard class. This is a special exception that does not apply to feat requirements for other prestige classes or other requirements for this class.)

Dragonsong​

Your song or poetics echo the power of the dragonsong, an ancient style of vocal performance created by dragons of the distant past.​

Prerequisites: Cha 13, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Perform 6 ranks, Speak Language (Draconic).​

Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Perform checks involving song, poetics, or any other verbal or spoken form of performance.​

In addition, the DC of any saving throw required by mind-affecting effects based on your song or poetics (such as bardic music) is increased by +2.​

Languages:
Draconic

Special:
Must have the Bardic Knowledge special ability or some other ability that functions the same way (such as the loremaster’s lore ability)


Class Skills
Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at Each Level:
4 + Int modifier

Table: Bloodsong Bard

Lvl    BAB    Fort    Reflex  Will    Special                                    Spells per Day
1      +0      +2      +0      +2      Ancient Melodies, Draconic Lore            -
2      +1      +3      +0      +3      Blindsense 30ft                            +1 existing class
3      +2      +3      +1      +3      Sonic Dampening, Draconic Knowledge +1      -
4      +3      +4      +1      +4      Ability Boost (CHR +2)                      +1 existing class
5      +3      +4      +2      +4      Breath Weapon (2d8), Reverberation          -
6      +4      +5      +2      +5      Draconic Knowledge +2                      +1 existing class
7      +5      +5      +2      +6      Breath Weapon (4d8), Blindsense 60ft        -
8      +6      +6      +2      +6      Ability Boost (INT +2)                      +1 existing class
9      +6      +6      +3      +6      Breath Weapon (6d8), Draconic Knowledge +3  -
10     +7      +7      +3      +7      Sonic Suppression                          +1 existing class

Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the bloodsong bard prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Bloodsong bards gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Bonus Spells:
At bloodsong bard levels 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spell casting class in which he could cast spontaneously before he added the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one arcane spell casting class in which he could cast spontaneously before he became a bloodsong bard, he must decide to which class he adds each level of bloodsong bard for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Ancient Melodies
Whenever a bloodsong bard performs using the draconic language he may add his class level to his bard class level for all intents and purposes regarding bardic music. This includes uses per day and the effects possible.

Draconic Lore
A 1st level the bloodsong bard gains the ability to add his class level to his bard level when making bardic knowledge checks. Additionally, when attempting to discern information about an item the bloodsong bard gains knowledge as if an identify spell had been cast in addition to the normal result of the knowledge check if his DC result is 25 or higher. Only one attempt may be made per item.

Blindsense (Ex)
At 2nd level a bloodsong bard's ears begin to grow and eventually strongly resemble the external ear frills of the dragon types that have them. The frills remain the same color or a slight variation of the rest of the bloodsong bard's skin. This newly improved hearing grants him blindsense up to 30 feet. At 7th level the ears are finished growing and are not only very distinctive (with a DC 18 knowledge (arcana) check to know that only bloodsong bards have such a feature), they also improve his blindsense ability to 60 feet. Due to the way the ears swoop up and back it is possible to hide them with a cloak. They are large but not floppy, composed primarily of stiff cartilage and skin. If the bloodsong bard ever loses his ears for any reason he also loses his blindsense ability. Unlike human ears they will grow back eventually, but it takes 6 months for them to regain 30 foot blindsense and double that time for 60 foot blindsense.

Fortunately for the bloodsong bard, his normal hearing is not impacted by the loss of his draconic ears. The ears of bloodsong bards are sometimes sought as an alchemical ingredient or for the crafting of a wondrous item that grants the user blindsense. It is also possible for a bloodsong bard to willingly cut off his own ears and sell them for a total of 1,000 gp (500 gp if they only grant 30ft blindsense) to a black-market vendor or an alchemist, but such an act would likely only occur under extreme duress.

Draconic Knowledge (Ex)
At 3rd level the bloodsong bard gains a bonus of +1 to all knowledge skills. This bonus increases at 6th level to +2 and at 9th level to +3. This bonus stacks with all others and may result in several skill synergies. Draconic Knowledge also allows the bloodsong bard to make DC checks above 10 in all knowledge skills, avoiding the standard untrained knowledge check limitation that applies to knowledge skills with zero ranks.

Sonic Dampening (Ex)
At 3rd level the bloodsong bard can shunt off the harmful effects of sonic most attacks. He gains resistance 10 sonic and is immune to deafness.

Ability Boost (Ex)
At 4th level the bloodsong bard gains an ability boost of +2 charisma. The bloodsong bard has an exotic and majestic presence. Treat the increase as if it were gained through level advancement. [Note: the choice of the word majestic in this description is likely a result of lurking the Codex prior to 2005. ]

Reverberation (Ex)
At 5th level the bloodsong bard gains the ability to have his or her weapon attacks deal sonic damage instead of their normal type. This ability works for all metal weapons including fired arrows and thrown weapons if the tips are made of metal. The decision to do this must be made prior to any attacks and remains in effect until the start of the bloodsong bard's next turn. It is not possible to transfer this ability to someone else by trading your weapon away.

Breath Weapon (Su)
At 5th level the bloodsong bard gains a minor breath weapon. The breath weapon is cone-shaped and has a range of 30 feet. It deals 2d8 points of sonic damage. This damage can be halved with a reflex save (DC 10 + class level + CON modifier). The sonic damage is treated normally and can be absorbed or reduced by spells like resist energy. All creatures damaged by this ability (including allies) must make a fortitude check (DC 10 + class level + CON modifier) or be deafened for a number of rounds equal to the damage they take. The breath weapon may be used once per day and increases in damage at 7th (4d8) and 9th (6d8) levels.

Ability Boost (Ex)
At 8th level the bloodsong bard gains a +2 intelligence bonus. This bonus is a result of the bloodsong bard's dedication to inner transformation and reclamation of ancient draconic knowledge. Treat the increase as if it were gained through level advancement.

Sonic Suppression (Su)
At 10th level the bloodsong bard begins to radiate an aura that protects his companions from harmful sonic attacks. His allies within 30 feet gain immunity to deafness and resistance 5 sonic. This aura disappears whenever the bloodsong bard is denied his blindsense ability, such as when unconscious or if his ears are damaged. This aura does not stack with the sonic resistance granted to the bloodsong bard by his sonic dampening ability.

 

[J1M]

Over 50 views and nobody bothers to tell me how many cocks it sucks and why? I thought this was the Codex.

 

[Random]

It sucks THIS MANY cocks.

 

[Ulminati]

It's crap. But it's a 3.5 bard, so it's hardly surprising.

 

[rashiakas]

Sonic Breath is strange. Also, the ear thing and any race don't go well together imho.

 

[hello friend]

FUS RO DAH!

 

[tuluse]

This seems p. weak for a prestige class.

At Dragon Disciple lvl 4 you have +3 BAB, +4 Str, 3 bonus spells, +2 Natural Armor, a breath attack, and claws and bite.

At the same level, you offer +3 BAB, +2 Chr, Blindsense, Sonic dampening, and 2 bonus spells.

You also don't give very many skill points, and it doesn't seem to fit what most Bards are there for, group support.

My probably shitty suggestions:

Since he's a bard ostensibly singing or chanting or something, the breath attack should be a radius around him I think. Maybe he can choose either cone or circle as he likes.

Make sonic dampening/suppression suppress verbal components of spells, now that has some use. It shouldn't be OP because a wizard should be able to move out of range easily (make it like 10' for dampening and 30' for suppression).

And this one is a little out there. Since he has dragon blood, and it's giving him a *presence* how about this for more bonus spells, at 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th levels he can cast an additional spell that is in the charm or compulsion sub schools.

Addendum: I just noticed that you gain as many spells as if you leveled up a spell casting class. That is significantly better than a single bonus spell as I had originally read it, but I'm not going to change the rest of my post.

 

[J1M]

This seems p. weak for a prestige class.

At Dragon Disciple lvl 4 you have +3 BAB, +4 Str, 3 bonus spells, +2 Natural Armor, a breath attack, and claws and bite.

At the same level, you offer +3 BAB, +2 Chr, Blindsense, Sonic dampening, and 2 bonus spells.

You also don't give very many skill points, and it doesn't seem to fit what most Bards are there for, group support.

My probably shitty suggestions:

Since he's a bard ostensibly singing or chanting or something, the breath attack should be a radius around him I think. Maybe he can choose either cone or circle as he likes.

Make sonic dampening/suppression suppress verbal components of spells, now that has some use. It shouldn't be OP because a wizard should be able to move out of range easily (make it like 10' for dampening and 30' for suppression).

And this one is a little out there. Since he has dragon blood, and it's giving him a *presence* how about this for more bonus spells, at 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th levels he can cast an additional spell that is in the charm or compulsion sub schools.

Addendum: I just noticed that you gain as many spells as if you leveled up a spell casting class. That is significantly better than a single bonus spell as I had originally read it, but I'm not going to change the rest of my post.

You are right that it is on the weaker end of classes. I didn't want to make something that was clearly overpowered. (That doesn't mean it isn't too weak though.)


RE: Spell slots, you mean from the attribute bonuses?

I like the idea of suppressing verbal spell components. I think I toyed with a silence aura back then but thought it would be too powerful. That's probably also why I also only gave it a shitty resist 5 sonic. Interesting idea on how to keep it in check.

You are correct that the skill points are stingy. Should be changed to at least +5/lvl, possibly +6/lvl. (Although keep in mind you also get +2 INT which results in extra skill points and +3 to ALL knowledge checks. This will result in many +2 competency bonuses to other skills if you can get your knowledge checks to rank 5 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/knowledge.htm )

The class could be better front-loaded by swapping Reverberation with an another earlier ability. I think Reverberation is my favorite idea from this class. I'd want to put any combat improvements into that or the breath weapon rather than casting.

Another idea I toyed with for the aura at the last level was for it to grant Reverberation (aka sonic damage from metal weapons) to nearby party members or even to have it forcibly change the damage type of the metal weapons of all characters, including enemies near the bard, to sonic damage. This would of course make the sonic protection the class provides much more valuable. I figured both of those ideas would be too powerful, partly due to the low number of enemies in the game with sonic resistance.

 

[Syl]

By Wizards standards, it's pretty good, but it's a prestige class so it sucks. Prestige classes are the DLC of pen&paper games . Everything a prestige class does should be done with skills & feats or better customization of base classes. It would sell less books though.

Anyway, you asked for feedback.

Draconic Knowledge (Ex)
At 3rd level the bloodsong bard gains a bonus of +1 to all knowledge skills. This bonus increases at 6th level to +2 and at 9th level to +3. This bonus stacks with all others and may result in several skill synergies. Draconic Knowledge also allows the bloodsong bard to make DC checks above 10 in all knowledge skills, avoiding the standard untrained knowledge check limitation that applies to knowledge skills with zero ranks.

Synergies don't work like that. You have to spend 5 points in a skill to qualify, bonuses never count. You can delete the whole sentence (since unnamed bonuses always stack).

 

[Gregz]

tl;dr

 

[J1M]

By Wizards standards, it's pretty good, but it's a prestige class so it sucks. Prestige classes are the DLC of pen&paper games . Everything a prestige class does should be done with skills & feats or better customization of base classes. It would sell less books though.

Anyway, you asked for feedback.

Draconic Knowledge (Ex)
At 3rd level the bloodsong bard gains a bonus of +1 to all knowledge skills. This bonus increases at 6th level to +2 and at 9th level to +3. This bonus stacks with all others and may result in several skill synergies. Draconic Knowledge also allows the bloodsong bard to make DC checks above 10 in all knowledge skills, avoiding the standard untrained knowledge check limitation that applies to knowledge skills with zero ranks.

Synergies don't work like that. You have to spend 5 points in a skill to qualify, bonuses never count. You can delete the whole sentence (since unnamed bonuses always stack).

The wording isn't the best, but the intention was for the ranks you gain from Draconic Knowledge to be treated the same as skill ranks invested from levelling.

 

[Syl]

So it's free skill points.

"At 3rd, 6th and 9th level, the bloodsong bard gains one rank in every knowledge skills."

Probably OP.

 

[meh]

5/10 caster progression. next please.

 

[Regdar]

I think you should sue Bethesda for royalties.

 

[Xor]

Yeah, 5/10 spellcasting progression makes it too weak for caster-oriented bards, and melee-oriented bards wouldn't take it because there are much better options out there. I think the overall flavor is interesting, but it's a pretty weak prestige class, probably in the -1 tier. Not sure what I'd recommend to fix it.

Also, the Dragonsong feat is probably too powerful.

 

[J1M]

So it's free skill points.

"At 3rd, 6th and 9th level, the bloodsong bard gains one rank in every knowledge skills."

Probably OP.

Yes, it's essentially 30 skill ranks if you play with the 10 base knowledge skills. This is why I reduced the skill points from the bard's standard +6 to only +4. It's more total skill ranks, but they are less flexible. I still think +6 skill points per level is probably better.