Storyteller (Wisdom based bard)

Not all bards are flamboyant, charismatic individuals that bless the world with their quick wit – some have a far more important function: they recall the great deeds of ancestors and in recounting the history of a tribe they ensure that the values and traditions of a tribe remain strong among their people. Such storytellers rely on their Wisdom and insights to inspire their comrades.

A bard that chooses to be a storyteller uses the Wisdom attribute to determine what spells she qualifies for, the Difficulty Class of saving throws of her spells and bonus spells per day – in all other ways it is the same as a normal bard’s spell casting class ability.

A storyteller does not have the skills Bluff and Sleight of Hand as part of her class skills, but gains Survival and Swim as class skills. Additionally Perform (oratory) is a Wisdom-based skill for storytellers.

A storyteller has her bardic performance class ability changed in the following way: a storyteller may use bardic performances a number of rounds a day equal to half her level + her Wisdom modifier. Should the storyteller chose to gain the Extra Performance feat she only gains 2 additional uses of bardic performance instead of the usual 6. A storyteller’s bardic performances are Wisdom based, thus the saving DCs of Fascinate and similar performances use the Wisdom modifier of the storyteller. In addition to the reduction in bardic performance uses per day a storyteller can only initiate a bardic performance, not maintain it in subsequent rounds – however the duration of a storyteller’s bardic performances is equal to her Wisdom modifier. Thus when a storyteller with a Wisdom score of 18 initiates the Inspire Courage bardic performance, then the benefits last for 4 rounds and applies to all allies that can perceive the storyteller in those rounds as well as the storyteller herself. Should a storyteller wish to use longer durations, for example Fascinate, then she needs to expend another one of her limited uses and targeted creatures roll to resist the performance again.

A storyteller’s knowledge is not quite as pronounced as a typical bard, and thus she loses the Lore Master class ability, in exchange she gains Sage Insight at level 5, which allows her to add half her storyteller level to any Wisdom based skill check.

Holy Chanter (Divine bard)

It is not surprising to find that many churches and temples rely on bards to enspell their congregation and to capture the attention of the audience, the charismatic nature and their innate ability to be knowledgeable orators almost predestines them to religious occupations. Such bards are often holy chanters – bards that make use of divine magics and can call upon some of the benefits granted by their god’s domains.

Bards who wish to be holy chanters give up their normal bard spell list, and instead make use of the cleric spell list; in all other ways spellcasting functions as normal for a bard (thus allowing the holy chanter to spontaneously cast divine magic much like a sorcerer can spontaneously cast arcane magic, albeit at a slower spell progression).

A holy chanter is not required to dedicate herself to a god, but if she does and her alignment matches that god’s alignment then she gains the following benefits: at level 1 the holy chanter may chose two of the domains of her god and gain the initial granted power of that domain – though she does not gain domain spells or domain spell slots, nor does she gain access to higher level granted powers of the domain. At level 6 and every 6 levels thereafter the holy chanter may add an additional domain of her god, gaining the initial granted power of that domain but no other benefits. Should a holy chanter lose her alignment or loyalty to her god, then she loses the benefits of domain granted powers until such time where she qualifies for them again.

Once a day a holy chanter may channel energy appropriate to their alignment using her holy chanter level as her effective cleric level; should the holy chanter be lawful neutral, true neutral or chaotic neutral she may chose whether she channels positive or negative energy each time she channels energy. A holy chanter may channel energy as part of the action to initiate or maintain a bardic performance. A holy chanter qualifies for the Extra Channel feat. Additionally, when a holy chanter would gain access to a granted domain power, she may instead chose to gain 2 additional uses of channel energy a day.

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