Bards: Bards are the jacks of all trades in Aabahran. Dabbling in several professions but excelling in none. With a no holds bar style of fisticuffs, capable skills as thieves, and rudimentary spell casting bards are able to make a living as rogues, minstrels, explorers, court jesters, story tellers or guides. They also possess the ability to weave powerful magical enchantments that have been passed down through the guild in the form of song. Their melodies can quicken ones feet for battle, provide nourishment and drink for gatherings, or strike down their enemies with crippling weakness and powerful magic.
Although they lack the specialized abilities of other professions, the Bard's diversity and flexibility makes them an easy class to survive with and perfect for those whom have just begun to get their feet wet in the PK environment.
Races: Avian, Dwarf, Elf, Faerie, Gnome, Half-Elf, Halfling, Human
Skills
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Dagger, Sword, Mace, Staff, Hand to Hand, Parry, Scrolls, Create Torch, Recall
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Dirt Kick, Kick
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Ventriloquate
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Lore
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Trip
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Haggle
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Dodge
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Fast Healing, Meditation
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Second Attack
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Analyze
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City Dweller: Wands/Weary Traveler: Staves
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Panhandle
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Disarm
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Duet
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Defuse
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City Dweller: Pick Lock/Weary Traveler: Tame
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Edge Craft, Throw
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Uppercut
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Refrain
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Fired Weapons
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City Dweller: Detect Hidden, Hide/Weary Traveler: Keen Sight, Camouflage
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Peek
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Third Attack
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City Dweller: Sneak/Weary Traveler: Quiet Movement
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Steal
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City Dweller: Dual Wield/Weary Traveler: Pugil
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Disguise
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Taunt
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Brawl
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Knockout
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City Dweller: Dual Parry/Weary Traveler: Two Handed
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Tarot Cards
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Enhanced Damage
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Tune
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Field Dressing
Spells
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Detect Magic
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Identify
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Locate Object
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Comprehend Languages
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Detect Invis
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Magic Missile
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Invisibility
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Blur
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Word of Recall
Songs
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Rest Thy Feet
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Water to Wine
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Good Tidings
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Leviathans Passing
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Herald of the Sky
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Shield of Words
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Lullaby
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Might of the Giants
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Battle Hymn
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A Kings Feast
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Let It Be Known
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Clash of the Titans
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Flight of the Condor
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Remembrance
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Rest In Peace
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Weak of Mind and Body
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Four Seasons
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Mystery of the Unicorn
Skills/Songs revamped or renamed
Ventriloquate: This little talent was first discovered by means of entertainment, but knowing how to throw your voice soon became quite the useful tool to deceive as well. More than a few tales of haunted places can be contributed to this skill and far more petty squabbles between unsuspecting victims besides.
[i think this skill needs to be expanded upon firstly by allowing the ventriloquist to remain hidden/camouflaged on a successful execution, secondly by allowing the ventriloquate to work in conjoining rooms. My idea for the uses of ventriloquate are as follows (syntax: ventriloquate ) for rooms in which there is nothing or no one other than the intended victim and it would show up something like this (Seemingly from the air, a voice says ) if failed at the attempt then you will step out of your hiding spot and the message will come directly from you. To effect someone in a conjoining room that you can’t or would prefer not to enter (syntax: ventriloquate ) to show up like the aforementioned example or (syntax: ventriloquate ) to make it appear as though a person or object in that room spoke your message if the attempt fails you will step out and the occupants in the other room will hear your message along with knowing the direction it came from. Now, both types of bards have a great use of this skill, be it to scare away unwanted visitors, lead unsuspecting pests away from the area, avert the attention of a watchful merchant or merely entertain.]
Brawl: Having been involved in many fights from their travels or in local bars, the Bard has learned to adapt to their environment. Whether they are using limbs or props, ducking and weaving through the hustle and bustle of city life, or taking a tactical approach to the outdoors they gain a fighting advantage and may strike more often than normal.
[Of course this skill would take affect for City Dwellers while they are in cities (places they can hide) and Weary Travelers while they are in the woods (places they can camouflage)]
Knockout: Bards usually have a way with the masses, but that is not always the case. Due to this poor unfortunate fact, bards have picked up a few tips for fighting. Knowing how to end a fight by putting your opponent to rest, happens to be one of them. With timing and luck for key factors, a hit on the right spot will render their foe unconscious. Due to a low success rate and the severity of the blow, bards are only inclined to attempt it as a last resort.
[instead of having this skill function like blackjack, I thought it would be more interesting and make more sense for it to function like (special trait with prayer beads) and be automatic. With as much success as (special trait with prayer beads) or with as much success as it already has]
Herald of the Sky: This song is rumored to be so powerful that it will travel into the subconscious of all who hear it, instantly awakening them, no matter what has put them to sleep.
[This song would function as an area spell, though only affecting people asleep, be it of their own free will or not. For RP purposes the song, when heard by those already awake, would be absolutely dreadful.]
Lullaby: A bard can sing a song so soothing that all who hear it want to sleep. While slumbering under the lullaby, those affected by it will sleep peacefully until it wears off. Those having slept undisturbed wake feeling rejuvenated. Those that are forcibly awakened however, feel like they haven’t slept in days.
[This song would function like the camp skill but as an area affect with an accumulative chance of success the more often it is sung. So, the bard could still use this for ill, however trying to do it to someone that you didn’t convince to let you wouldn’t be very wise. For every failed attempt the intended parties would receive a message like “This lullaby is making you sleepy.” though, it wouldn’t initiate battle. For a successful attempt you would receive a message like “You feel so relaxed, a few hours of sleep couldn’t hurt…” “You go to sleep.” This song wouldn’t work on anyone whose adrenaline was rushing also it would incur a bit of lag for the bard after each use.]
Might of the Giants: Bards often sing about the great deeds of heroes past. This song in particular is about mighty giants who used their sheer strength to overcome tremendous odds. The lyrics are so inspiring that it persuades those that travel with the bard, that they are as strong as any giant.
[it would work exactly like Legend of Hercules but pull us away from using actual mythological figures. If we have rules that prohibit us to use such names for characters I don’t see why we would reference RL, seems a bit too much OOC.]
Flight of the Condor: When bards have need of transportation they often rely on the mighty condor. This song summons the condor to aid the bard in their travels.
[The Condor would work as a mount for 24 hours before it departs to rest. The bard would then have to wait 8 hours before calling the condor again.]
Reasons for adding/removing skills, spells, or songs
City Dweller/Weary Traveler: From my perspective of a bard nothing could really do them justice, of all the classes in Aabahran bards should be the most diverse with the widest range of different skills and spells only sharing a few songs that have been passed down by oral tradition. However, certain perspectives of the bard from an rp/pk point of view really stick out. One being a bard that frequents the cities more often than not. Whether they are known at the local pub, panhandle through the streets, or attend social gatherings where they entertain the masses, they are a city dweller. Second being a bard consumed by wanderlust and a sense of adventure only stopping off at towns to sale their finds as they pass through. These bards often spread rumor of buried treasures, hidden ruins, or ancient secrets long forgotten, but always remaining a weary traveler.
Removal of Cure Serious/Addition of Field Dressing: Personally I don’t feel cure spells should be made arcane and field dressing seemed like the next logical choice. Given that field dressing would provide the bard with the healing that it would need at the cost of a penalty, it makes the skill useful enough depending on the circumstance but not something the bard would use as a crutch.
Alteration in Spell Selection: I thought the bard would gain the most benefit from spells that aided in gaining knowledge/made them more alert/or fooled their opponents senses. Magic Missile is such a staple spell in the Bards repertoire that I didn’t want to change it, though the other spells fit the mold of what a bard is all about.
This is just a quick overview of how I would like to see a bard...
Honestly, trying to give bards assassinate. 