| Halflings still tell the tales of Big Brody the Bold, Sammi the Lass, and Half- Mad Hobb. For elves, there's Sirunaevel of the Silver Tongue, Glorious Paluviar, Moon-Eyed Laarethiel, and Zastaviir the Dastardly, while dark elves remember the efforts and exploits of Loremaster Malikal. Gnomes celebrate the memory of Jobin Baashir the Revolutionary. Amongst humans, Laughing Leon de'Vordeaux and Ishimuri Isuna are still spoken of in many circles, while Gildens recognize the deeds also of Vesalias Talian de'Marcos the Merry and his rival Zachyr the Grim. Tribal humans and many Rizan peasants speak fondly of Sardanna the Wanderer. These are epic bards of the past, whom Rhunarian peoples today still speak of, often and fondly. Some wrote great symphonies, others told the most fantastic tales, and some just had the most deeply moving voices. Some were pirates and vagabonds, others were heroes and entertainers, and some were just wandering minstrels with a talent for mischief and derring-do, while a few were actually respected and vaunted scholars and magi of their communities. Their memories may well never die, such was the epic and widespread impact they had. Few bards have the guts, panache, and determination to achieve such grand status as immortal legends, and only unusually-difficult circumstances give rise to these epic bards. Hit Die: d6 Alignment: Any nonlawful Class Skills: Alchemy, Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intuit Direction, Jump, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Pick Pocket, Profession, Scry, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device Skill Points Per Level: 6 + Intelligence modifier Weapon And Armor Proficiency: No additional free proficiencies are gained at epic levels. Bards And Rhunarian Epic Bards: This is merely an epic-level extension of the Bard class, so Rhunarian Epic Bard levels are truly just Bard class levels. Spells: Each epic level of Rhunarian Epic Bard grants +1 effective level of Bard spellcasting. Each of these effective levels of spellcasting affect spells known, spells per day, caster level, and so on, as normal for the Bard class. Once a Bard eventually acquires spells of 10th-level or higher, which are collectively known as epic spells, he or she begins developing their own spells rather than merely learning pre-existing bardic spells. These custom spells are devised through a mixture of epic spell bases and epic spell tapers, and with significant research or ritual sacrifice, various epic spell augmentations might be added for more potent results. Bards are slightly limited in the spell bases and spell tapers they can utilize in creating their epic spells. Their magic tends to be more focused on conjuration, divination, enchantment, illusion, and transmutation, so they have access to only a few spell bases and tapers of other spell schools. Charts and rules for epic Bard spellcasting are detailed separately in the Rhunarian Epic Rules. Bardic Music (Sp/Su): A Rhunarian Epic Bard continues to advance in their Bardic Music special ability. Each epic level in this class thus grants 1 additional daily use of that ability. Bardic Knowledge: Levels of Rhunarian Epic Bard count normally towards the character's total Bard level for purposes of the Bardic Knowledge ability. Thus, each epic level in this class grants +1 to Bardic Knowledge checks. Lifechord Rhythms (Su): Once a Bard starts gaining Rhunarian Epic Bard levels, they discover for themselves the Lifechord of Rhunaria, the pulse and rhythm of harmonies that hold reality together, and can just as easily tear it apart. The Rhunarian Epic Bard's mastery of pitch, tone, rhythm, and melody allows them to directly harness the Lifechord, more intimately than their bardic music and spells already do. With the proper musical notes in the right forms, he or she can attune themselves to the Lifechord, heartbeat of the world, and conduct some of its infinite music as he or she pleases, maestro of an otherworldly orchestra. The melodies and songs that a Rhunarian Epic Bard can orchestrate may generally be referred to as Lifechord Rhythms. Lifechord Rhythms are all epic supernatural abilities, but their use and effects cannot be suppressed or dispelled by non-epic spells, powers, or abilities; only epic effects, major artifacts, epic special abilities of epic magic items, or the divine powers of divine entities (only those of demigod status or greater) can suppress or dispel Lifechord Rhythms. Using a Lifechord Rhythm is a function of Bardic Music, so each Lifechord Rhythm expends a number of daily Bardic Music uses, as specified in each Rhythm's description. Rhunarian Epic Bards learn their first Lifechord Rhythm at 21st-level in this class, and they learn an additional Lifechord Rhythm at every third epic level in this class beyond that, such as 24th, 27th, 30th, 33rd, 36th, and 39th-level. The Bard chooses which Rhythm to learn each time, and no particular Rhythm can be learned more than once. Also, each Lifechord Rhythm requires a certain number of Perform skill ranks, a certain number of Rhunarian Epic Bard levels, and a certain performance type learned through the Perform skill, before it can be chosen and learned. No Lifechord Rhythm may be used if the character does not meet those prerequisites for the individual Rhythm. The potency and breadth of a Rhythm's effect is based on the character's number of Perform ranks, one or more actual Perform skill checks, and sometimes their Bard level, Charisma modifier, or in rare cases, other statistics and abilities. Some Rhythms may require a certain type of instrument or performance in order to be effective, or may simply be more powerful or broad in effect when used with certain instruments or performances. The Bard cannot take 10 or take 20 on any Perform checks that are part of Lifechord Rhythms, regardless of any feats or abilities; the sole exception is that a divine entity (only of demigod status or greater) can gain that capacity, through their divine abilities and traits, in the same way as with any other skill. Specific descriptions of Lifechord Rhythms are detailed separately in the Rhunarian Epic Rules. Secret Knowledge (Su): Rhunarian Epic Bards have delved so far into obscure lore, rumors, and stories that they gain a sort of divinatory prescience for secretive knowledge. As a supernatural ability, the Bard may use their Bardic Knowledge ability to see if they know anything that would normally be secret knowledge, such as the password to a villain's front door (after the villain just changed the password and didn't tell anyone!), the true name of a very obscure demon, or where an enemy hid their great treasure (after the enemy had done so under magical invisibility and silence!). The character must be at least 22nd-level as a Rhunarian Epic Bard in order to use this ability, and they must apply it to certain specific categories of lore. At 22nd-level and every six additional levels in this class, the Rhunarian Epic Bard chooses one category of lore to apply Secret Knowledge with (in addition to all previously- selected categories of Secret Knowledge). Each time, they choose a field of lore covered by any Knowledge skill, even nonstandard Knowledge skills such as Knowledge (astrology), Knowledge (art), Knowledge (music), Knowledge (undead), Knowledge (elves), Knowledge (human tribes), Knowledge (swords), Knowledge (one specific region), Knowledge (cults), Knowledge (outlaws), Knowledge (laws), or Knowledge (history of magic). Secret Knowledge is up to DM adjudication for determining the Difficulty Class of any Bardic Knowledge checks with it. Bardic Spell Failure Reduction: Levels of Rhunarian Epic Bard count normally towards the character's total Bard level for purposes of their reduction in arcane spell failure, exclusively for casting Bard spells. Thus, at 22nd-level in this class and again every six additional Rhunarian Epic Bard levels, the character reduces their total arcane spell failure chance by a further 5% when casting Bard spells. Epic Feats: At 23rd-level in this class, and again at every sixth epic level in this class beyond that, the Rhunarian Epic Bard gains a bonus feat of their choice, chosen from amongst any Epic feats they meet the prerequisites for (if any). The normal restrictions and requirements of these bonus feats apply, except that they don't count against character level feat progression. Recount (Sp): Rhunarian Epic Bards of 25th-level and higher have learned how to delve into the past with a combination of their Bardic Music and Bardic Knowledge. Recount is a spell-like ability that requires a full-round action to activate, provokes attacks of opportunity, and can be interrupted like a spell. Recount demands concentration each round to maintain, like concentrating on a spell. This ability utilizes the divination school of magic, though its end result is an illusion effect that has nothing to do with resisting or avoiding it, and is treated as a 9th-level spell effect, based on Charisma, as cast by a character of the Bard's total character level, for any purposes where it would matter. Activating Recount requires expending at least one of the Bard's uses of Bardic Music for the day, and rolling a Bardic Knowledge check, neither of which requires any separate action for this purpose. To use Recount, the Bard must speak aloud, inquiring to the Lifechord about some event, person, place, or thing, similar to trying Bardic Knowledge about the subject, except that the Bard need not be completely specific, and even secret events and such can be Recounted as long as the Bard has some suitable reference to base his question on. After speaking the inquiry, the Bard must chant a quiet mantra for as long as he or she maintains the Recount. Recount cannot be defeated or misdirected by spells and effects of 8th-level or lower. Recount cannot divine anything from the creation of the world the character is on, or earlier. Recount cannot be attempted more than once per week at 25th-level, though it can be attempted an additional time each week per six Rhunarian Epic Bard levels beyond 25th. Each activation of Recount has a 20% chance of failure. Each use of Recount has a maximum duration of 1 round per Bard level, starting at the end of the round in which it was activated. To successfully activate Recount, the character must succeed at a Bardic Knowledge check against a DC of 35 - 1 per copy of Recount gained through this class + 1 per 100 years since the beginning of the moment, event, or happening that is being Recounted, rounded up. If the Recount is chiefly regarding a person or creature, further increase the DC by one-quarter that person's or creature's total hit dice (rounded up), as of the moment in time that is being Recounted. The successful activation of Recount also requires a Perform (chant) or Perform (singing) check against the same DC. Finally, activating Recount expends one use of Bardic Music for the day per 15 points of the DC, rounded up. Each copy of Recount beyond the first also reduces the number of Bardic Music uses expended by 1, though there is still a minimum of 1 expended per use of this ability. Recount does not itself count as part of Bardic Music nor Bardic Knowledge, and it does not create a magical sensor, so its use cannot be detected by such means as a Scrying spell could be. If Recount is successfully activated, it generates a steady, illusory scene before the Bard, which can be as small in diameter as the Bard's head or as large in diameter as the Bard's body height or length (whichever is greater). The Recount displays the event, person, place, or thing that was inquired about, starting from the most relevant time regarding the Bard's inquiry (if too vague, then the Recount will show as recent a picture as possible, but the Lifechord will understand at least partially the Bard's intent, so it is unlikely to show a Recount that is irrelevant to the intent of the Bard's inquiry). A Recount includes sound, smell, and thermal effects along with the image, albeit mitigated, so as not to be dangerous or terribly uncomfortable for the Bard and any viewers within 10 feet. The illusion is obvious as such, though it projects an almost perfect representation of the Recounted scene. Recount presents the scene exactly as it happened, so if anyone in the scene was invisible for instance, they will be invisible in the Recount as well (since such effects do not defeat the Recount itself, they bypass its defense against 8th-level and lower effects defeating it). Any senses or detection items, spells, or abilities of the viewers function normally with regards to the Recount, as do any sensory-impairing or sensory- enhancing effects in the scene Recounted, except those that would require actual interaction with the viewers (such as any spell effect in the Recounted scene that would otherwise be attempting to affect the viewers if they had actually been there). Foretell (Sp): Upon reaching 26th-level in this class, the Rhunarian Epic Bard gains the ability to foretell the future. Doing so is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity and can be interrupted like a spell could. Foretell is a spell-like ability that can be attempted once per week at 26th- level onward, plus an additional once per week for every six epic levels gained in this class beyond 26th. Each use of Foretell has a 20% chance of failure to activate. When the Bard chooses to use Foretell, he or she enters a trance for a few moments while murmuring a question about the near future. They can Foretell the future up to 1 year ahead. To successfully use Foretell, the character must make a Bardic Knowledge check against a DC of 50 - 1 per copy of the Foretell ability gained through this class + 1 per month of time between the present moment and the future event to be foretold, rounded up. In case it matters at some point, Foretell is a divination magic effect and is equivalent to a 9th-level spell, based on Charisma, as per a caster of the Bard's total character level. Foretell cannot be defeated or misdirected by spells and effects of 8th-level or lower. When Foretell is successfully used, the Bard remains in their trance for several more moments, speaking out loud the most significant details of their vision, as they see vague, distorted flashes of sensory information from the likely future. Their trance beyond the initial activation action will last for 2d4+2 rounds, during which time they are otherwise insensate and oblivious to the world around them, effectively helpless and immobilized. However, their prescient vision will show them a brief flash of the present if they are under immediate danger, so any real threat to the Bard during their trance allows them a Will save against DC 25. On a successful Will save, he or she exits the trance just before the threat is carried out, at which point they are allowed to roll Initiative, but are considered flat-footed until their turn in the Initiative count. If the trance is ended prematurely, the Bard simply gets less information out of it. Each round of the trance, beyond the initial activation action, provides half a minute's worth of description about future events, as appropriate to the question that was posed by the Bard. Foretell tends to be much less precise and much more cryptic than Recount, since it does not provide a single clear scene and does not project any external representation. The Bard generally remembers little about the visions besides what they speak during the trance. Class Base Fort Ref Will Special Level Attack Save Save Save Abilities 21 +15/+10/+5 +7 +12 +12 Spells, Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge, Lifechord Rhythm 22 +16/+11/+6/+1 +7 +13 +13 Bardic Spell Failure -20%, Secret Knowledge 23 +17/+12/+7/+2 +7 +13 +13 Epic Feat 24 +18/+13/+8/+3 +8 +14 +14 Lifechord Rhythm 25 +18/+13/+8/+3 +8 +14 +14 Recount 26 +19/+14/+9/+4 +8 +15 +15 Foretell 27 +20/+15/+10/+5 +9 +15 +15 Lifechord Rhythm 28 +21/+16/+11/+6/+1 +9 +16 +16 Bardic Spell Failure -25%, Secret Knowledge 29 +21/+16/+11/+6/+1 +9 +16 +16 Epic Feat 30 +22/+17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +17 +17 Lifechord Rhythm 31 +23/+18/+13/+8/+3 +10 +17 +17 Recount 32 +24/+19/+14/+9/+4 +10 +18 +18 Foretell 33 +24/+19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +18 +18 Lifechord Rhythm 34 +25/+20/+15/+10/+5 +11 +19 +19 Bardic Spell Failure -30%, Secret Knowledge 35 +26/+21/+16/+11/+6/+1 +11 +19 +19 Epic Feat 36 +27/+22/+17/+12/+7/+2 +12 +20 +20 Lifechord Rhythm 37 +27/+22/+17/+12/+7/+2 +12 +20 +20 Recount 38 +28/+23/+18/+13/+8/+3 +12 +21 +21 Foretell 39 +29/+24/+19/+14/+9/+4 +13 +21 +21 Lifechord Rhythm 40 +30/+25/+20/+15/+10/+5 +13 +22 +22 Bardic Spell Failure -35%, Secret Knowledge 41+ etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. RHUNARIAN EPIC BARD SPELLCASTING Class Spells Known/Per Day (By Spell Level) Level 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 21 7/5 6/5 6/4 5/4 5/4 5/4 5/4 22 8/6 6/5 6/5 6/5 6/4 5/4 5/4 23 8/7 7/5 7/5 6/5 6/5 6/5 6/4 24 8/8 7/6 7/6 7/6 7/5 6/5 6/5 25 8/8 8/6 8/6 7/6 7/6 7/6 7/5 26 8/8 8/7 8/7 8/7 8/6 7/6 7/6 27 8/8 8/8 8/7 8/7 8/7 8/7 8/6 28 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/7 8/7 8/7 29 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/7 30 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 8/8 Class Spells Known/Per Day (By Spell Level) Level 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 2*/0 - - - - - - 22 3/1 - - - - - - 23 3/2 - - - - - - 24 4/3 2*/0 - - - - - 25 4/4 3/1 - - - - - 26 5/4 3/2 - - - - - 27 5/4 4/3 2*/0 - - - - 28 6/4 4/4 3/1 - - - - 29 6/5 5/4 3/2 - - - - 30 7/5 5/4 4/3 2*/0 - - - 31 7/6 6/4 4/4 3/1 - - - 32 8/6 7/5 5/4 4/3 2*/0 - - 33 8/7 7/5 5/4 4/3 2*/0 - - 34 8/7 7/6 6/4 4/4 3/1 - - 35 8/8 8/6 6/5 5/4 3/2 - - 36 8/8 8/7 7/5 5/4 4/3 2*/0 - 37 8/8 8/7 7/6 6/4 4/4 3/1 - 38 8/8 8/8 8/6 6/5 5/4 3/2 - 39 8/8 8/8 8/7 7/5 5/4 4/3 2*/0 40 8/8 8/8 8/7 7/6 6/4 4/4 3/1 * At these class levels, the only spell slots the bard gains of these particular spell levels are their bonus spells for high Charisma, if any. If they do not have any bonus spell slots of this spell level, then they do not yet learn any spells of this spell level. RHUNARIAN EPIC FEATS Ancient Recount (Epic, General) Your bardic magic has developed in such a way that you have found the control to recall ancient events more easily with your magic. Prerequisites: Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Music, Recount, Rhunarian Epic Bard level 25+. Benefits: When you use the Recount ability of the Rhunarian Epic Bard class, the increase in DC based on length of time since the Recounted event is henceforth based on increments of 500 years, instead of 100-year-increments. Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, but its effects do not quite stack. Instead, the second copy of this feat increases the increment from 500 years to 1,000 years, while the third copy increases the increment from 1,000 years to 5,000 years, and the fourth copy increases the increment from 5,000 years to 25,000 years, and the fifth copy increases the increment from 25,000 years to 500,000 years. This feat cannot be gained more than five times. Also, each copy of this feat beyond the first requires an additional 4 levels of Rhunarian Epic Bard beyond the previous copy's level prerequisite. Bardic Knowledge Emphasis (Epic, General) You have focused an inordinate amount of time studying and gossiping for obscure, trivial, and odd lore, tales, and rumors. Prerequisites: Bardic Knowledge, Rhunarian Epic Bard level 21+. Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus on all Bardic Knowledge checks. Additionally, once per day you may gain a separate +2 bonus on any one Bardic Knowledge check or any one Knowledge skill check, which stacks with the aforementioned bonus when applied to a Bardic Knowledge check. Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, and its effects stack. The second benefit of the feat is still only useable once per day. Persistant Bardic Knowledge (Epic, General) Your vast talents and experiences as a long-time bard allow you to handily discover lore you might otherwise have overlooked or forgotten. Prerequisites: Bardic Knowledge, Rhunarian Epic Bard level 21+. Benefits: Whenever you fail a Bardic Knowledge check or roll less than a natural 10 on the d20 for it, you may choose to retry the check once with a -5 penalty on the retry roll. You retain the knowledge from the original check, but the new check may yield superior or more correct information. Such a retry requires the same amount of time as the initial check, in addition to the time spent on the original check. If the retry provides a lower total result than the original, just keep the original result. Additionally, each time you gain a new character level, you may later retry any one previous Bardic Knowledge check you had failed or rolled less than a natural 10 with, if you have such a result recorded and the DM confirms it. This particular sort of re-roll does not suffer the -5 penalty. Normal: Bardic Knowledge checks normally cannot be retried. Disclaimer: 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons, Oriental Adventures, feat types, bardic knowledge, bardic music, take 10, take 20, check, ability scores, skill checks, skill names, fort save, ref save, will save, fortitude save, reflex save, base attack bonus, attacks of opportunity, AC, Armor Class, DC, and Difficulty Class are, so far as I know, property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., which is a division of Hasbro Corporation. All other content on this webpage is copyright (c) 2004-2005, property of John J. Korsog, Jr., internet aliases Arkhandus and Mist Phantom. This material free for personal use but not for commercial distribution. |
| RHUNARIAN EPIC BARDS |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|