Battle Commander Bard
Build:
Ancestry Background
Bard 20th Archetype Archetype

Description:




Optional Rules:

Free Archetypes: The only difference between a normal character and a free-archetype character is that the character receives an extra class feat at 2nd level and every even level thereafter that they can use only for archetype feats

Gradual Ability Boosts: In this variant, a character gains ability boosts more gradually as they level up, rather than receiving four ability boosts at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels. Each character gains one ability boost when they reach each of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th levels. These are collectively a single set of ability boosts, so a character can’t boost the same ability score more than once per set; players can put a dot next to each boosted ability score or otherwise mark it to keep track. PCs also receive an ability boost at 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th level (a second set); at 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th level (a third set); and at 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th level (the fourth and final set).


Backstory

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AC HP Initiative
{} () +??
Strength: 10 (+?)
Dexterity: 10 (+?)
Constitution: 10 (+?)
Intelligence: 10 (+?)
Wisdom: 10 (+?)
Charisma: 10 (+?)
Fort Reflex Will Perception
? +(??) ? +(?) ? +(??) ? +(??)


Proficiencies

Traits:
Type Humanoid
Ancestry
Alignment
Base Speed (??)ft
Size [M]
Hero Points [3]
Focus Points [1]
Invested (?) /10
Bulk
Trained
?? +(?)
Expert
?? +(?)
?? +(?)
?? +(?)
Trained Expert Master Legendary
?? +(?) +() +() +()
Common (Taldane)

Skill Feats

?? Background Bonus, ??, 1st


General Feats

?? - General, 3rd


Ancestry Features

?? Versatile Heritage
Starting Hit Points: Human characters start play with (8) Hit Points
Size: Humans are Medium size
Base Speed: Human base speed is (25)ft per round
Ability Boosts - [Intelligence & Wisdom]: Humans gain Two free ability boosts

Ancestry Feats

?? - Ancestry, 1st


Background Features

??
Ability Boosts - [?? & ??]: Choose two ability boosts. One must be to ?? or ??, and one is a free ability boost.
Training:
Background feat:


Class Features

Bard
Key Ability - {Charisma}: .
Hit Points: [8] plus your Constitution modifier - You increase your maximum number of HP by this number at 1st level and every level thereafter.
Initial Proficiencies: At 1st level, you gain the listed proficiency ranks in the following statistics. You are untrained in anything not listed unless you gain a better proficiency rank in some other way.
Composition Spells: You can infuse your performances with magic to create unique effects called compositions. Compositions are a special type of spell that often require you to use the Performance skill when casting them. Composition spells are a type of focus spell. It costs 1 Focus Point to cast a focus spell, and you start with a focus pool of 1 Focus Point. You refill your focus pool during your daily preparations, and you can regain 1 Focus Point by spending 10 minutes using the Refocus activity to perform, write a new composition, or otherwise engage your muse. Focus spells are automatically heightened to half your level rounded up, much like cantrips. Focus spells don't require spell slots, and you can't cast them using spell slots. Taking feats can give you more focus spells and increase the size of your focus pool, though your focus pool can never hold more than 3 Focus Points. The full rules for focus spells are found here. You learn the counter performance composition spell, protecting against auditory and visual effects.
Composition Cantrips: Composition cantrips are special composition spells that don't cost Focus Points, so you can use them as often as you like. Composition cantrips are in addition to the cantrips you choose from the occult list. Generally, only feats can give you more composition cantrips. Unlike other cantrips, you can't swap out composition cantrips gained from bard feats at a later level, unless you swap out the specific feat via retraining. You learn the inspire courage composition cantrip, which boosts your allies' attacks, damage, and defense against fear.
Muses: As a bard, you select one muse at 1st level. This muse leads you to great things, and might be a physical creature, a deity, a philosophy, or a captivating mystery.
Occult Spellcasting: You draw upon magic from esoteric knowledge. You can cast occult spells using the Cast a Spell activity, and you can supply material, somatic, and verbal components when casting spells (see Casting Spells). Because you're a bard, you can usually play an instrument for spells requiring somatic or material components, as long as it takes at least one of your hands to do so. If you use an instrument, you don't need a material component pouch or another hand free. You can usually also play an instrument for spells requiring verbal components, instead of speaking. Each day, you can cast up to two 1st-level spells. You must know spells to cast them, and you learn them via the spell repertoire class feature. The number of spells you can cast each day is called your spell slots. As you increase in level as a bard, your number of spells per day increases, as does the highest level of spells you can cast, as shown on Table 3–6: Bard Spells per Day Some of your spells require you to attempt a spell attack roll to see how effective they are, or have your enemies roll against your spell DC (typically by attempting a saving throw). Since your key ability is Charisma, your spell attack rolls and spell DCs use your Charisma modifier. Details on calculating these statistics are found under Spell Attack Rolls.
Heightening Spells: When you get spell slots of 2nd level and higher, you can fill those slots with stronger versions of lower-level spells. This increases the spell's level to match the spell slot. You must have a spell in your spell repertoire at the level you want to cast in order to heighten it to that level. Many spells have specific improvements when they are heightened to certain levels. The signature spells class feature lets you heighten certain spells freely.
Cantrips: Some of your spells are cantrips. A cantrip is a special type of spell that doesn't use spell slots. You can cast a cantrip at will, any number of times per day. A cantrip is automatically heightened to half your level rounded up, which equals the highest-level of bard spell slot you have. For example, as a 1st-level bard, your cantrips are 1st-level spells, and as a 5th-level bard, your cantrips are 3rd-level spells.
Spell Repertoire: The collection of spells you can cast is called your spell repertoire. At 1st level, you learn two 1st-level occult spells of your choice and five occult cantrips of your choice. You choose these from the common spells from the occult list or from other occult spells to which you have access. You can cast any spell in your spell repertoire by using a spell slot of an appropriate spell level. You add to this spell repertoire as you increase in level. Each time you get a spell slot (see Table 3–6), you add a spell to your spell repertoire of the same level. At 2nd level, you select another 1st-level spell; at 3rd level, you select two 2nd-level spells, and so on. When you add spells, you might add a higher-level version of a spell you already have, so you can cast a heightened version of that spell. Though you gain them at the same rate, your spell slots and the spells in your spell repertoire are separate. If a feat or other ability adds a spell to your spell repertoire, it wouldn't give you another spell slot, and vice versa.
Bard Feats: At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain a bard class feat.
Skill Feats: At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain a skill feat. Skill feats can be found in Chapter 5 and have the skill trait. You must be trained or better in the corresponding skill to select a skill feat.
General Feats: At 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter, you gain a general feat. General feats are listed in Chapter 5.
Lightning Reflexes: Your reflexes are lightning fast. Your proficiency rank in Reflex saves increases to expert.
Signature Spells: Experience allows you to cast some spells more flexibly. For each spell level you have access to, choose one spell of that level to be a signature spell. You don’t need to learn heightened versions of signature spells separately; instead, you can heighten these spells freely. If you’ve learned a signature spell at a higher level than its minimum, you can also cast all its lower-level versions without learning those separately. If you swap out a signature spell, you can choose a replacement signature spell of the same spell level at which you learned the previous spell. You can also retrain specifically to change a signature spell to a different spell of that level without swapping any spells; this takes as much time as retraining a spell normally does.
Skill Increases: At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain a skill increase. You can use this increase either to increase your proficiency rank to trained in one skill you’re untrained in, or to increase your proficiency rank in one skill in which you’re already trained to expert. At 7th level, you can use skill increases to increase your proficiency rank to master in a skill in which you’re already an expert, and at 15th level, you can use them to increase your proficiency rank to legendary in a skill in which you’re already a master.
Ability Boosts: At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, you boost four different ability scores. You can use these ability boosts to increase your ability scores above 18. Boosting an ability score increases it by 1 if it’s already 18 or above, or by 2 if it starts out below 18.
Ancestry Feats: In addition to the ancestry feat you started with, you gain an ancestry feat at 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter. The list of feats is in your ancestry’s entry in Chapter 2.
Expert Spellcaster: Your proficiency ranks for occult spell attack rolls and spell DCs increase to expert.
Great Fortitude: Your physique is incredibly hardy. Your proficiency rank for Fortitude saves increases to expert.
Resolve: You’ve steeled your mind with resolve. Your proficiency rank for Will saves increases to master. When you roll a success at a Will save, you get a critical success instead.
Bard Weapon Expertise: You have become thoroughly adept with bardic weapons. You gain expert proficiency in simple weapons and unarmed attacks, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, shortbow, shortsword, and whip. When you critically succeed at an attack roll using one of these weapons or an unarmed attack while one of your compositions is active, you apply the critical specialization effect for that weapon or unarmed attack.
Vigilant Senses: Through your adventures, you’ve developed keen awareness and attention to detail. Your proficiency rank for Perception increases to master.
Light Armor Expertise: You’ve learned how to dodge while wearing light or no armor. Your proficiency ranks for light armor and unarmored defense increase to expert.
Weapon Specialization: You’ve learned how to inflict greater injuries with the weapons you know best. You deal 2 additional damage with weapons and unarmed attacks in which you are an expert. This damage increases to 3 damage if you’re a master, and 4 damage if you’re legendary.
Master Spellcaster: You’ve mastered the occult. Your proficiency ranks for occult spell attack rolls and spell DCs increase to master.
Greater Resolve: Your unbelievable training grants you mental resiliency. Your proficiency rank for Will saves increases to legendary. When you roll a success on a Will save, you get a critical success. When you roll a critical failure on a Will save, you get a failure instead. When you roll a failure on a Will save against a damaging effect, you take half damage.
Legendary Spellcaster: Your command of occult magic is the stuff of legends. Your proficiency ranks for occult spell attack rolls and spell DCs increase to legendary.
Magnum Opus: You have tuned your spellcasting to the highest caliber. Add two common 10th-level occult spells to your repertoire. You gain a single 10th-level spell slot you can use to cast one of those two spells using bard spellcasting. You don’t gain more 10th-level spells as you level up, unlike other spell slots, and you can’t use 10th-level slots with abilities that give you more spell slots or that let you cast spells without expending spell slots.
Muse Maestro
Your muse is a virtuoso, inspiring you to greater heights. If it's a creature, it might be a performance-loving creature such as a choral angel or lillend azata; if a deity, it might be Shelyn. As a bard with a maestro muse, you are an inspiration to your allies and confident of your musical and oratorical abilities
Muse Feat: You gain the Lingering Composition feat
Muse Spell: You add Soothe to your spell repertoire.

Archetype Features

Class Feats

?? - Class, Source, Level
Lingering Composition - By adding a flourish, you make your compositions last longer. You learn the lingering composition focus spell. Increase the number of Focus Points in your focus pool by 1. Bard, 1st, Muse Bonus
Martial Performance - Your muse has taught you how to handle a wider variety of weapons than most bards, empowering you to effortlessly blend your performance into combat even with the most inelegant tools. You become trained with all martial weapons. If you gain the bard weapon expertise class feature, your proficiency rank with martial weapons increases to expert.. Bard, 1st, Muse Bonus
Multifarious Muse - [Warrior] - Your muse doesn’t fall into a single label. Choose a type of muse other than that of your own. You gain a 1st-level feat that requires that muse, and your muse is now also a muse of that type, allowing you to take feats with the other muse as a prerequisite. You don’t gain any of the other effects of the muse you chose. Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you do, you must choose a different type of muse other than that of your own. Bard, 2nd
Inspire Defense - You learn the inspire defense composition cantrip, which protects you and allies. Bard, 4th
Harmonize [>] Metamagic You can perform multiple compositions simultaneously. If your next action is to cast a composition, it becomes a harmonized composition. Unlike a normal composition, a harmonized composition doesn’t end if you cast another composition, and you can cast another composition on the same turn as a harmonized one. Casting another harmonized composition ends any harmonized composition you have in effect. Bard, 6th
Inspire Heroics - Your performances inspire even greater deeds in your allies. You learn the inspire heroics metamagic focus spell. Increase the number of Focus Points in your focus pool by 1. Bard, 8th
Courageous Assult [>] Metamagic With a mighty shout, you can stir an ally to attack. If your next action is to cast the inspire courage composition cantrip, one ally who gains a status bonus from the spell can immediately use a reaction to make a melee Strike. Bard, 10th
Inspirational Focus - Your connection to your muse has granted you unusual focus. If you have spent at least 2 Focus Points since the last time you Refocused, you recover 2 Focus Points when you Refocus instead of 1. Bard, 12th
Courageous Advance [>] Metamagic With a rousing call, you exhort an ally to advance. If your next action is to cast the inspire courage composition cantrip, one ally who gains a status bonus from the spell can immediately use a reaction to Stride. Bard, 14th
Courageous Onslaught [>] Metamagic You use your performance to orchestrate an onslaught against your enemies. If your next action is to cast the inspire courage composition cantrip, one ally who gains a status bonus from the spell can immediately use a reaction to Stride and then make a melee Strike. Bard, 16th
Eternal Composition - The world is a stage upon which you are always playing. You are permanently quickened; you can use your extra action only to cast a composition cantrip that requires 1 action to cast. While in exploration mode, you can declare that you are performing an eligible composition cantrip while using any exploration tactic. Even before your first turn in a combat encounter, that cantrip is active as if you had cast it on your previous turn. Bard, 18th
Symphony of the Muses - You are able to weave countless performances together into a solo symphony. You are no longer limited to a single composition each turn or a single composition at a time; when you use a new composition, all previous compositions’ effects continue for their remaining duration. Bard, 20th


Spell Casting

Spell Preparation
Cantrips 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

Focus Spells
Counter Performance [R] Trigger: You or an ally within 60 feet rolls a saving throw against an auditory or visual effect. Area: 60-foot emanation Your performance protects you and your allies. Roll a Performance check for a type you know: an auditory performance if the trigger was auditory, or a visual one for a visual trigger. You and allies in the area can use the better result between your Performance check and the saving throw.
Inspire Courage [>] Cantrip Area: 60-foot emanation; Duration: 1 round You inspire your allies with words or tunes of encouragement. You and all allies in the area gain a +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects.
Lingering Composition [F] - You add a flourish to your composition to extend its benefits. If your next action is to cast a cantrip composition with a duration of 1 round, attempt a Performance check. The DC is usually a standard-difficulty DC of a level equal to the highest-level target of your composition, but the GM can assign a different DC based on the circumstances. The effect depends on the result of your check. Critical Success: The composition lasts 4 rounds. Success: The composition lasts 3 rounds. Failure: The composition lasts 1 round, but you don't spend the Focus Point for casting this spell
Inspire Defense [>] Cantrip Area: 60-foot emanation; Duration: 1 round You inspire your allies to protect themselves more effectively. You and all allies in the area gain a +1 status bonus to AC and saving throws, as well as resistance equal to half the spell's level to physical damage.
Inspire Heroics [F] - You call upon your muse to greatly increase the benefits you provide to your allies with your inspire courage or inspire defense composition. If your next action is to cast inspire courage or inspire defense, attempt a Performance check. The DC is usually a very hard DC of a level equal to that of the highest-level target of your composition, but the GM can assign a different DC based on the circumstances. The effect of your inspire courage or inspire defense composition depends on the result of your check. Critical Success: The status bonus from your inspire courage or inspire defense increases to +3. Success: The status bonus from inspire courage or inspire defense increases to +2. Failure: Your inspire courage or inspire defense provides only its normal bonus of +1, but you don't spend the Focus Point for casting this spell.

Relic Powers

Item Spells
Spell Level Source Usage Spell Level Source Usage
?? [?] (??) ?? [?] (??) (??) ??

Alchemy

Formula Item level Prepared Formula Item level Prepared
?? [?] (??) ?? [?] (??)

Special Abilities & Actions


Familiars & Animal Companions

Companion Items



Magical & Invested Items


Other Items, Gear & Equipment

Coin Pouch
0gp, 00sp


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