The Bard's Handbook

[Optimator]

Fuck yeah, Bards.  One feat that may be worth mentioning is the Versatile Performer from CV.  Also, Inspire Awe is missing it's superscript.  Where's it from?

[McPoyo]

Perform (Oratory) and recite the epics of old.  That is an excellent way to justify keeping the "song" up all day.

That's okay, except when your party doesn't necessarily want to listen to you recite doggerel all day long (or you're wanting to be quiet, such as at night, or when you're traveling through enemy territory, or when you're in a dungeon sneaking past guardians, and whatnot).

"This is the song that doesn't end, it just goes on and on my friend! Some people started singing it..."

[wotmaniac]

Fuck yeah, Bards.  One feat that may be worth mentioning is the Versatile Performer from CV.  Also, Inspire Awe is missing it's superscript.  Where's it from?

Inspire Awe is an ACF found in Dragon Magic.  replaces IC.

[Optimator]

Ah, thanks.

[Amechra]

Question: is Words of Creation applied before or after bonuses from items and Song of the Heart?

If so, my Silverbrow Human Paladin 5/Bard 10/Evangelist 5 build, using Initiate of Milil or From Smite to Song, combined with Song of the Heart, Dragonfire Inspiration, and Words of Creation, can add at least 10d6 fire damage to every member of the party.

I mixed in some weapon Proficiency (Mandolin) for extra fun. It was never stated that it gives the benefit only to song bards.

He has the best battlecry ever.

"If I can not convert you through my voice, then I shall convert you with my instrument."

Speeches that make your friends' weapons burst into flames? Priceless.

[Shadowhunter]

RAW yes, RGW (real games-wise) it's a DM call.

[Lycanthromancer]

Sound of Silence is indeed awesome, but bards get blindness/deafness on their list, and feats tend to be far more useful, because they're far rarer.

[Amechra]

THere is a reason to take Seeker of the Song; they have a class ability that lets you use 2 different bardic music abilities at the same time.

[Endarire]

Breaking Down Inspire Courage

[zaulsiin]

Slight necro here, but this seems like the best place to ask this question:

Is there ever a reason for a character with maxed Diplomacy to use the Virtuoso's ^(CAdv) "Persuasive Song"? I understand that you're going to be pretty focused on your Perform skill(s), but if you keep Diplomacy maxed and take the synergies into account, it seems as though Diplomacy will almost always be the higher skill check. Am I overlooking some sort of options or the like that the song gives that the Diplomacy skill doesn't already have?

[Amechra]

Bards can sacrifice spell levels to boost Perform checks.

Arcane Performance, I believe it's called.
It's from Complete Arcane.

[wotmaniac]

I assume it's about skill point utilization and flexibility.  Since your perform is gonna be maxed anyway, this gives you additional flexibility with your skill points.  It's also one less "competence bonus" item that you need.
While, yes, you can typically get your bonus to diplomacy higher than for perform (thanks to synergies), by 10th level, this difference should be negligible.

Compare this ability with Melodic Casting .... it takes a whole feat to move a partial use of concentration to your perform skill.
Persuasive Song only uses virtuoso uses.

But, yeah, you're right.
(I'm only trying to explain the thought process behind the ability)


... oh, and +1 to what Amechra said.
(f'n ninjas)

[Epimetheus]

Does Healing Hymn work with Cure Minor Wounds? Complete Champion mentions the bonus is to a 'roll', so wouldn't it not work? I guess it wouldn't work with Heal or Vigor, but would for Lesser Restoration and CLW.

Which one's better then? Healing Hymn + 2 Eberron Bard feats OR Fascinate, Suggestion, and Suggestion,Mass?
With limited healers in a dark campaign, I'm leaning for the former. What do you think?

[Dictum Mortuum]

I've used healing hymn and it sure works fine. Doesn't work with cure minor RAW, but you should ask your DM, especially if you're the only one doing the healing.

[bananaphone]

I've used healing hymn and it sure works fine. Doesn't work with cure minor RAW, but you should ask your DM, especially if you're the only one doing the healing.

I saw that you revisited your opinion on Healing Hymn and colored it blue, but I was curious if you were taking into account the Complete Champion errata which limits the bonus healing to the caster level on the spell.
Ex.)  A 3rd level Cleric casting Cure Light Wounds would normally heal 1d8 + 3, with a maximum of 1d8 + 5
Under the effect of a Healing Hymn (with 6 ranks in Perform), it would not be 1d8 + 9, but only 1d8 + 5 since the Cure Light Wounds spell has a maximum of +5.
I can see it being effective if you cast the Mass versions of the Cure spells, since those spells have maximums of +25 to +40.
The errata seems to hurt this otherwise very useful ability.

(BTW, your avatar is waaaaaaay too distracting!     I <3 RLC)

[Solo]

Who is that?

[Gods_Trick]

  Theres a spell out there that lets you use Perform instead of Concentrate. Is there one that does the reverse? Or feat, class feature, random synergy, what have you.

[snakeman830]

  Theres a spell out there that lets you use Perform instead of Concentrate. Is there one that does the reverse? Or feat, class feature, random synergy, what have you.

Undersong, from Spell Compendium is a 2nd level Bard spell that lets you use Perform instead of Concentration for all purposes.  The feats only let you do it for casting/manifesting.

[Endarire]

Breaking Down Inspire Courage, Handbook Edition

Please include this.

[Dictum Mortuum]

I've used healing hymn and it sure works fine. Doesn't work with cure minor RAW, but you should ask your DM, especially if you're the only one doing the healing.

I saw that you revisited your opinion on Healing Hymn and colored it blue, but I was curious if you were taking into account the Complete Champion errata which limits the bonus healing to the caster level on the spell.
Ex.)  A 3rd level Cleric casting Cure Light Wounds would normally heal 1d8 + 3, with a maximum of 1d8 + 5
Under the effect of a Healing Hymn (with 6 ranks in Perform), it would not be 1d8 + 9, but only 1d8 + 5 since the Cure Light Wounds spell has a maximum of +5.
I can see it being effective if you cast the Mass versions of the Cure spells, since those spells have maximums of +25 to +40.
The errata seems to hurt this otherwise very useful ability.

(BTW, your avatar is waaaaaaay too distracting!     I <3 RLC)

Then it would be crap
Sorry for the late answer, I'm having RL issues.

Who is that?

That's Rachel (or Rachael, English suck) Leigh Cook and she's quite a looker