Mourner (Bard Archetype)

Beyond their duties to the community, helping them to cope with the deaths of loved ones, mourners can put their skills to terrifying effect in combat. Their woeful dirges and steely gazes strike fear into the living and dead alike.

Inured to Death (Su)

At 1st level, the mourner may use his bardic performance to protect himself and his allies from death effects, as the spell death ward.

This ability replaces distraction and fascinate.

Inspire Vengeance (Su)

At 1st level, the mourner can call on his allies to avenge a fallen friend. Whenever an ally of the mourner falls unconscious or dies in battle, he may begin this performance as an immediate action. For as long as it persists, the mourner and his conscious allies gain a +2 competence bonus on damage rolls. This bonus increases by +2 at 6th level and every five levels thereafter.

Inspire vengeance is a mind-affecting ability with either audible or visual components. (The mourner must choose which component to use when starting this performance.) This ability replaces inspire courage.

Unnerving Presence (Ex)

At 2nd level, the mourner gains a +2 competence bonus on all Intimidate skill checks. When he successfully uses Intimidate to influence an opponent’s actions or attitude, the effect lasts twice as long as usual.

This ability replaces well-versed.

Gravespeak (Sp)

At 6th level, the mourner may use his bardic performance to speak with dead, as the spell, asking a corpse one question per round during the performance.

This ability replaces suggestion.

Doomsayer (Su)

Starting at 8th level, the mourner’s dirge of doom bardic performance can affect undead as well as any other valid targets. Intelligent undead receive a saving throw against this effect, but other undead do not.