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The info from this post has been expanded, updated, and made into a handbook! Clicky and go there now!Intro
For our purposes, I only care about getting bonuses to accuracy and damage with a Bard's Inspire Courage. I know there are threads on this, but they lack math.
Math
ClassesBARD LEVELS: +1 @1, +2 @8, +3 @14, +4 @20. You can usually get by with 1-4 Bard levels and Inspire Courage enhancers.
Dread Pirate Levels (Complete Adventurer 39): +1 and 1/day @3, +2 and 2/day @7. Honorable Dread Pirates effectively get Inspire Courage (usable as a free action) that stacks with Inspire Courage. Becoming a Dread Pirate is impractical for a typical Bard, though.
Feat For ClassesSong of the White Raven Feat (Tome of Battle 32): Crusader and Warblade Levels stack with Bard levels to determine Inspire Courage's +. Debatably also grants extra Bardic Music uses per day, if only for Inspire Courage. Finally, you can activate Inspire Courage as a swift action if in a White Raven stance, but most likely you'll use your swift actions for
inspirational boost and a Badge of Valor.
From Smite to Song (Champions of Valor 29): A Paladin may convert a Smite Evil attempt into Inspire Courage with a "Bard" level equal to his Paladin level. (Assumedly, Bard and Paladin levels stack for the total bonus.) Perform becomes a Paladin class skill and your DM wonders why your class went up a tier.
FeatsSong of the Heart Feat (Eberron Campaign Setting 60): +1. Other feats get bonuses too, but those don't matter for our purposes. Nyah.
Words of Creation Feat (Book of Exalted Deeds 48): DOUBLES your Inspire Courage bonus with any instrument. Saner interpretations say this is only from levels, but RAW says 'doubles.' You also take icky subdual damage unless you're immune. Hello,
Warforged Bard!
Words of Creation - The Relevant Bits[spoiler]You can use Words of Creation to enhance bardic music. A Bard who has the Words of Creation feat can use these powerful words to enhance his bardic music ability as detailed below. When a bard uses the Words of Creation in this manner, it is extremely draining, and the bard takes
1d4 points of nonlethal damage for each rank in Perform required to produce the bardic music effect he is enhancing. (You suffer this damage on activation, not per round.) For example, if Jack Black uses the Words of Creation to double an
Inspire Courage effect (minimum 3 ranks in Perform),
he takes 3d4 points of nonlethal damage. For Inspire Courage,
double the morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear and the morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls (+2 at 1st level, +4 at 8th level, +6 at 14th level, +8 at 20th level).[/spoiler]
*Dragonfire Inspiration Feat (Dragon Magic 17): Doesn't give a straight +, but does d6 fire damage per Inspire Courage +. If you have Draconic Heritage: Sonic Dragon, this damage becomes sonic. Casting the
creaking cacophony spell (
Spell Compendium 55) on your foes gives them sonic vulnerability (+50% sonic damage) with no save. Dragonfire Inspiration's energy damage stacks with normal Inspire Courage but normally requires another Bardic Music use to activate.
SpellsInspirational Boost (Spell Compendium 124): +1 on next Inspire Courage started within 1 round.
ItemsBadge of Valor Item (1400G, Magic Item Compendium 208): +1 on current Inspire Courage. Activate immediately after the round you use Inspire Courage.
Vest of Legends Item (16,000G, Dungeon Master's Guide II 272): Your Bardic Music is treated as being 5 levels higher. (There are some other, less important effects.) Non-Bards debatably gain a Bard5's Bardic Music abilities, including Inspire Courage +1.
Masterwork Horn, Natural (100G/3 lb, Song and Silence 46): +1 on accuracy/damage, -2 on fear saves. Put a thin cord through this horn and hang it from your neck. Nothing in the rules states you must use your hands for this. Hold the horn with enough of your teeth to keep it in your mouth and speak with the rest of your mouth!