Arcane Bard
Arcane bards use the power of music and sound to manipulate the mana stream and cast arcane spells.
Arcane Bards use music and sound to activate the Mana Stream and cast Spells. Because of this an arcane Bard can achieve their Archetype through various avenues and there is no one true path to becoming an Arcane Bard, they can be taught, trained or even self-discovered.
Arcane Bard Type
Choose one during character creation or archetype selection.
Brainiac Bard
XP Cost: 4 Prerequisites: Intellect of 14 or higher
Intellectual Mana Pool You consider your Brainstorms to be Mana for the purpose of Casting Spells.
Silver-Tongued Bard
XP Cost: 4 Prerequisites: Charisma of 14 or higher
Socialite Mana Pool You consider your Panache to be Mana for the purpose of Casting Spells.
Storyteller Bard
XP Cost: 4 Prerequisites: Wisdom of 14 or higher
Meditative Mana Pool You consider your Willpower to be Mana for the purpose of Casting Spells.
Playing an Arcane Bard
Choosing this Archetype and paying its XP cost grants you the following:
Training
Gain Training in Arcane, Charm any 2 of the following Skills: Engineering, Knowledge, Debate, Intimidate, Insight, Perception, Medicine or Investigation. Gain Training in the use of 1 Musical Instrument.
Gain Training in the use of 1 Melee Ranged or Thrown Weapon Type.
Gain the Ability to understand, speak, read and write the Language known as Elder-Tongue.
Equipment
Acquire a Musical instrument of your Choice. You cannot cast magic without the aid of your voice, a musical instrument or musical device.
Acquire a Common Suit of Light Armor of your choice to your Inventory.
Acquire a Common Weapon of your choice to your Inventory.
Ability
Bardic Magic You can cast any Arcane Spell you come across or learn. You may use your voice or music to activate your spells. You possess a collection of sheet music which contains all your spells. If your collection of spells is lost or destroyed you will need to create or acquire another in order to cast again. An Arcane Bard can create a song spell collection by paying 1,000 Silver or copying or stealing another mages spell collection.
Trait
Spell Collection Gain the Arcane Spell “Mana Bolt” and any Tier I Arcane Spell of your choice.
Archetype Ability
Musical Defense When you Roll Initiative you may use your Reaction to Reduce your Mana Maximum by -1 to gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Casting Modifier until the end of Active Combat. You may use a Motion or Reaction to Drop this Magic Defense and Immediately Regain the Mana Used to Initiate this Ability. You may never gain the benefit of more than 1 Magic Defense type at any time.
Traits and Abilities
Purchase with XP
Traits
Mental Fortitude
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Gain Training in Intellect Saving Throws. You may now add your Training Bonus to Intellect Saving Throws.
Strong Willed
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Gain Training in Wisdom Saving Throws. You may now add your Training Bonus to Wisdom Saving Throws.
Emotional Awareness
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Gain Training in Charisma Saving Throws. You may now add your Training Bonus to Charisma Saving Throws.
Sheet Music
(This Trait may be Acquired Multiple times)
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You may choose one of the three options:
Gain three Tier I Arcane Spells from any Schools,
Or Gain one Tier I Arcane Spell and one Tier II Arcane Spell from any schools,
Or Gain one Tier III Arcane Spell from any school.
Memorized Spell Song
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Choose a Tier I Arcane Spell you currently possess. From now on, you can Cast the chosen spell for 0 Mana. You can change which spell this is any time you gain new spells.
Well Spoken
XP Cost : 2 Prerequisites : Arcane Bard
Gain 2 Tier I Panache Maneuvers.
Wordsmith
XP Cost : 2 Prerequisites : Arcane Bard, Well Spoken
Gain 1 Tier II Panache Maneuver.
Silver Tongued Devil
XP Cost : 3 Prerequisites : Arcane Bard, Wordsmith
Gain 1 Tier III Panache Maneuver.
Sustainer
XP Cost: 1 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You can sustain one Tier I Spell at no Mana cost. Any additional sustained spells will require the expenditure or Mana as normal.
Quick Stitch
XP Cost: 1 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Add +2 HP to any Healing you grant via Spells.
Arcane Recovery
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Add 1d6 HP to any Healing you grant via Spells.
Favored School of Magic
(This Trait may be Acquired Multiple times)
XP Cost: 1 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Choose a favored school of Magic from the following: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy or Transmutation. You gain a number of Tier I Arcane Spells of the chosen School equal to half your Intellect, Wisdom or Charisma Modifier.
School of Magic Focus
(This Trait may be Acquired Multiple times)
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard, Favored School of same type.
Choose a focused school of Magic from the following: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy or Transmutation. You gain a number of Tier II Arcane Spells of the chosen School equal to half your Intellect, Wisdom or Charisma Modifier.
School of Magic Specialist
(This Trait may be Acquired Multiple times)
XP Cost: 4 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard, Favored School of same type, School Focus of same type.
Choose a school of Magic to specialize in from the following: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy or Transmutation. You gain a number of Tier III Arcane Spells of the chosen School equal to ½ your Intellect, Wisdom or Charisma Modifier.
Battle Casting
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You can now choose to exclude any tiles in the area of your spell effects. Items and Creatures in those excluded tiles are not targeted and do not receive damage or effects from the spell.
Mana Recycling
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You have learned to reabsorb the energy from spells that do not connect with their intended target.
You do not spend the Initial Mana when your Targeted Spells Miss, only when they Hit. Any Mana used to Overpower a Spell is still considered to have been spent. This effect only applies to spells that have an attack roll and/or require a Spell Attack Action to Cast.
Emergency Mana Reserves
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Whenever you start a turn with zero Mana you may use a Motion to roll 1d6 on a result of 5 or 6 you regain 1 Mana.
Wound Healer
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
When you cast a Spell that grants healing you may also remove one Wound from a creature that gained HP from the Spell.
Magical Resilience
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Your Musical Instrument cannot be destroyed unless you have been dead for an hour or longer.
Unlocked Potential
(This Trait may be Acquired Multiple times)
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You have unlocked new potential within yourself. Choose one of the following. Each Trait may only be acquired once.
Arcane Setlist - Gain 3 Tier I Arcane Spells of your Choice or gain 2 Tier II Arcane Spells of your Choice.
Danger Sense- You cannot be surprised and Roll Initiative normally when ambushed. In addition, you gain +1 to both Perception and Investigation Skill Rolls.
Deadly Instrument - When firing through your Musical Instrument your Targeted Spell Attacks gain + 2 to hit and + 2 damage per hit.
Spell Echo
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
Gain 1 additional Spell Attack Action.
Spell Reverberation
XP Cost: 3 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard, Spell Echo
Gain 1 additional Spell Attack Action.
Cantrip
XP Cost: 3 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You know one Tier I spell that you can Cast for Zero Mana, once per turn. You can change which spell this is any time you gain new spells.
Mana Reserves
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You gain deeper reserves of mana.
Gain + 1 to your Mana Pool.
Mana Well
XP Cost: 3 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You have gained access to a deep well of Hidden Mana.
Gain + 2 to your Mana Pool.
Abilities
Bardic Influence
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You have learned that you have the power to magically and bardically influence those around you in times of need.
Turn Portion: Action
Mana Cost: 1
Range: 10 Meters
Effect: Target a sapient creature within range. The targeted creature acquires a Destiny d6*, or a Fate d6**. If they were given a Destiny d6, they may use it on any roll they choose within the next hour. If they were given a Fate d6 the caster may decide which roll it is used on within the next hour. The caster must be aware that the creature is making a roll in order to impose the fate d6.
*Destiny d6 is 1d6 that may be added to any d20 roll.
**Fate d6 is 1d6 that must be subtracted from the imposed d20 roll.
Overpower: The caster may spend 1 additional mana to increase the Range of this ability by 10 Meters,
Or target 1 additional creature within range with this ability's effect.
Superior Bardic Influence
XP Cost: 4 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard, Bardic Influence
You have learned that you have the power to magically and bardically influence those around you in times of need.
Turn Portion: Action
Mana Cost: 2
Range: 10 Meters
Effect: Target a sapient creature within range. The targeted creature acquires a Destiny Die or Fate Die. If they were given a Destiny Die, they may use it on any roll they choose within the next hour. If they were given a Fate Die the caster may decide which roll it is used on within the next hour. The caster must be aware that the creature is making a roll in order to impose the fate die.
Overpower: The caster may spend 1 additional mana to increase the Range of this ability by 10 Meters,
Or spend 2 additional mana to target 1 additional creature within range with this ability's effect.
Spell Adjustment
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You can make small alterations to your spells at the Cost of 1 Mana. These alterations can do things such as: change the damage type of a spell or spell attack to another type of spell damage you are capable of dealing, add an additional target to a spell attack and split the damage(roll two attack rolls and 1 damage roll) or substitute Dazed, Slowed or Enraged, until end of next turn for the damage of a targeted spell attack.
Spell Empowering
XP Cost: 2 Prerequisites: Arcane Bard
You have gained the ability to empower your spells to increase their lethality.
When you pay a spell’s Overpower Mana Cost you have the option to deal an additional set of damage dice equal to the initial spell Effect. Any non-damage dice related effects are not doubled.
