The Completed Bard's Handbook
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Player's Handbook L— Edition Rules Supplement The Complete Bard's Handbook Sample file by Blake Mobley TSR Inc. Table of Contents Introduction 5 Chapter Four: Optional Rules 5 Proficiencies 64 The Other Complete Books 5 New Proficiencies 64 How to Use This Handbook 7 Compiled Proficiencies 65 Chapter One: Chapter Five: Character Creation Bard Abilities 68 Qualifications Pick Pockets 68 Core Abilities Detect Noise 68 Generating Ability Scores Climb Walls 69 Reading, Writing, and Speaking ... 72 Chapter Two: Chapter Six: Bard Kits 15 Magic 74 Kit Subsections 15 Spell Books 74 List of Kits 15 Musical Components 74 True Bard ... 16 New Spells 75 Blade 18 Alter Instrument 75 Charlatan 21 Sound Bubble 75 Gallant 25 Instant Audience 75 Gypsy-bard 28 Silence 15' Radius 77 Herald 31 Improved Magic Mouth 77 Jester Sample34 fileWall of Sound 78 Jongleur 36 Conjure Cabinet 78 Loremaster 38 Magical Items 78 Meistersinger 41 New Magical Items 78 Riddlemaster 44 Old Magical Items 81 Skald 47 New Twists on Old Items 81 Thespian 49 Creating New Kits 52 Acquiring, Dropping, and Changing Kits 52 Chapter Seven: Music 84 Throughout History 84 Chapter Three: Instruments 84 Demi-, Multi-Classed, and Musical Proficiency 85 Dual-Classed Bards 53 Cost and Weight 85 Demihumans as Bards ... 53 Glossary of Musical Instruments 92 Demihuman Kits 54 Glossary of Sound 96 Dwarven Chanter 54 Fundamentals of Music 96 Elven Minstrel ... 56 Common Musical Terms 97 Gnome Professor 58 Musical Items 98 Halfling Whistler 61 Types of Songs 98 Multi-Classed Bards 63 Sample Songs 99 Dual-Classed Bards 63 2 • Table of Contents Chapter Eight: Tables Role-Playing Bards 101 1: THE COMPLETE PHBR LINE 6 A Bard's Mind Isn't Barred 101 2: CLASS QUALIFICATIONS 8 Experience 101 3: ARMOR ALLOWED 8 Reputation 102 4: EXPERIENCE LEVELS 9 Following a Performer 102 5: LEVEL IMPROVEMENTS 9 Local Reputation 105 6: SPELL PROGRESSION 10 Benefits of a Good Reputation 105 7: BASE THIEF ABILITIES 10 The Performer 106 8: BARD AVERAGE THIEF SKILLS 10 The Effect on Role-Playing 106 9: THIEF SKILL ADJUSTMENTS 11 Defining Your Bard's Personality 107 10: ILLEGAL ARMOR ADJUSTMENT 12 Performances 110 11: PREGENERATED ABILITY SCORES 13 12: LEGEND LORE RESULTS 18 Chapter Nine: 13: DEMI-BARDS 53 Comrades 115 14: NONWEAPON PROFICIENCIES 64 15: DETECT NOISE MODIFIERS 69 Bard Colleges 115 16: CLIMBING MODIFIERS 70 Common Events 115 Patrons 117 17: BARD CLIMBING RATES 71 Initial Patrons 118 18: VERBAL COMPONENT 74 Gaining and Losing Patrons 118 19: ERAS 85 20: MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 86 Followers 120 21: BARD EXPERIENCE 101 Appendix: 1st Edition Bards 121 22: COMPLETE BARD EXPERIENCE 102 23: INITIAL REPUTATION 102 24: REPUTATION LADDER 103 Bard Character Record Sheet 123 Sample25: REPUTATIO file N MODIFIERS 103 Bard Kit Record Sheet 126 26: FAME AND INFAMY 104 27: PRECEDING REPUTATION 105 Index 127 28: BARD TRAITS 108 29: HOURLY STREET-SIDE INCOME Ill 30: BOOKED INCOME 112 TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd. 31: CARNIVAL SHARES 113 POB756 120 Church End, Lake Geneva, Cherry Hinton 32: NIGHTLY ATTENDANCE Wl 53147 Cambridge CB13LB PER PERFORMER 114 U.S.A. United Kingdom 33: NUMBER OF PATRONS 119 34: TYPE OF PATRON 119 35: FOLLOWERS BY KIT 120 Thie book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. Random House and Its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the CREDITS book trade tor English language products of TSR,lnc. Distributed to the book and Design: Blake Mobley hobby hade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by fSQiooH distributors. Design Resource: Tim Beach ADVANCED) CDUNGEONS & DRAGONS and AD&D are registered trademarks owned by Editing: Mike Breault TSR, Inc. The TSR logo Is a trademark ownedbyTSR, Inc. Black and White Art: Terry Dykstra, Valerie Valusek Printed In the U.S.A. Color Art: Carol Heyer, John and Laura Lakey, Glen Orbik, Clyde Caldwell • 1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Typography: Angelika Lokotz ISBN 1-S607&4604 2127 Production: Paul Hanchette Table of Contents • 3 Sample file In every era and every region throughout the Nearly half of these kits entertain through mu- world, traveling musicians wandered sic in one form or another: poetry, song, in- throughout the land. They moved from town struments, etc. But some present such diverse to town, making a living by plying their trade new kits as the Blade, who entertains through as artists of sound and motion. In the AD&D® creative weapon displays, knife throwing, game, adventurers who do this are called and sword swallowing. Read on and enjoy. bards. Historically, bards were the poet-musicians Optional Rules of the Celtic peoples living in the British Isles (the Irish, Welsh, and Scots). Bards composed Within this book are many new rules, bard music, sang songs, and entertained their mas- kits, suggestions on role-playing, details of in- ters. Usually they worked for noblemen and struments, and new proficiencies. This infor- spent their time honoring these noblemen and mation adds to the rules presented in the their families in song and music. Bards often Player's Handbook. accompanied their songs on the crwth, a type It is important to note that this book is a of lyre. Since their music wasn't written supplement to the Player's Handbook. All of down, most of it has vanished. the rules presented here are optional. As a During the early Middle Ages, bards had player, you must have your Dungeon Master's considerable political power and influence in consent before using any of these new rules. the royal houses. However, in 1284 A.D., The Complete Bard's Handbook is a book Edward I conquered Wales; the resulting tur- of supplemental rules for adding depth, spice, moil reduced the importance of bards. Noble- and life to the bard character class. However, men had more pressing concerns, and bards even if your Dungeon Master should decide were left to fend for themselves. A few lin- that none of the rules within this book can gered on, into the 17th and 18th centuries in used in his campaign, you can still gain a lot Ireland and Scotland as folk singers and musiSample- by readin fileg the pages that follow. Most of the cians, but they eventually vanished along important tables from the Player's Handbook with their music. (e.g., level advancement, bard abilities, etc.) During the 19th century, a determined ef- are compressed into one convenient section fort was made to revive the bardic tradition. within this book. It is also possible to mimic Folk music gatherings took place in and near most of the new bard kits within the existing Wales. These neo-bardic activities caught on bard class. This book answers many questions among the public, and today the annual Eis- about bardic abilities and presents an exten- teddfod folk festival is a popular and growing sive list of instruments available to medieval event in this region of the world. bards, along with illustrations. And, finally, Thus, bards have shown a cunning knack to this book has a lot of good information to survive through the ages. In one form or an- help gamers to better role-play their bard other, bards have been around for nearly characters. 1,000 years. Besides the Eisteddfod festival, the bard has been immortalized in the genre of The Other Complete Books fantasy. Now you have a chance to continue the bardic tradition. This book covers not on- The Complete Bard's Handbook is the sixth ly the traditional bard, but expands the class book of the PHBR series. If you find this book with new and unique character kits. All of useful in your gaming, you may want to look these kits involve some form of live entertain- into the other PHBRs. ment, as all bards are entertainers at heart. Introduction • 5 of which could be adopted by bard characters. Since some bards are adept with numerous weapons, the section on combat rules applies to certain bards (particularly the expanded weapon proficiency rules, which allow a char- acter to learn multiple weapons while expend- ing only a few proficiency slots). Fighting styles, martial arts, and other odd combat rules are also presented here. Even jousting tournaments are covered (ideal for the Gallant kit). Within the "Equipment" section is a siz- able collection of new weapons, new armor, and new magical items. The Complete Thief s Handbook: As you might expect, this handbook has a great deal of useful information for the bard class. With- in are more useful rules than can be listed here. However, general topics you may find helpful include the following: role-playing thieves, new proficiencies, guilds (construc- tion, maintenance, and types), thief tools, thief equipment, new magical items, classic cons (especially good for the Charlatan), new thief rules, and a description of the thief-based campaign. Table 1: THE COMPLETE PHBR LINSampleE fileThe Complete Priest's Handbook: There is little information in this handbook that is per- Designator Topic Stock # tinent to the bard character class. PHBR1 Fighter's 2110 The Complete Wizard's Handbook: Chap- PHBR2 Thief's 2111 ter 4 discusses campaign worlds with varying PHBR3 Priest's 2113 levels of magic. Chapter 5 covers wizards and PHBR4 Wizard's 2115 combat. Chapter 6 describes spell casting un- PHBR5 Psionics 2117 der water, spell functioning on various planes, PHBR6 Bard's 2127 and impaired casting. Chapter 7 presents a commentary on new applications for old All of these books contain much informa- spells, adjudicating illusions, spell research, tion that can enhance your bard.