The Performer

About the Path:

Through cleverness, talent, and magic, this cunning few unravel the wiles of the world, becoming adept in the arts of persuasion, manipulation, and inspiration, that is the Path of the Performer, namely Bards, Musicians, Actors, Performers, Storytellers, etc. Typically masters of one or many forms of artistry, they possess an uncanny ability to know more than they should and use what they learn to keep themselves and their allies ever one step ahead of danger. The people on the Path of the Performer, are quick-witted and captivating, and their skills might lead them down many paths. For bards, every day brings its own opportunities, adventures, and challenges, and only by bucking the odds, knowing the most, and being the best might they claim the treasures of each.

Related Background: The people on the Path of the Performer, most of the times came from an urban background, having tranquil lives and wanting to shine, others came from poverty and want to succeed, others came from tribes, being the one who sings the traditions of their people

Role: The Path of the Performer is capably to confuse and confound their foes while inspiring their allies to ever-greater daring. While accomplished with both weapons and magic, the true strength of bards lies outside melee, where they can support their companions and undermine their foes without fear of interruptions to their performances.

Alignment: Any Non-Lawful, The Path of the Performer embraces the freedom that offers the chaos alignments, rejecting routine, rules and boredom

Path of the Performer Background:

The people on the Path of the Performer, have a talent for song and story, and they come to their careers by developing this talent as they pick up on a smattering of other skills.

d%	Result
1 - 10	Celebrity: In your formative years, you saw a player or troupe of players perform before an enthralled audience. That's when you decided that you wanted to be up on that stage performing for the adulation of the crowd. As a minor celebrity, you gain access to either the Charming social trait or the Influence social trait.
11 - 20	Cultural Mandate: There has always been a revered storyteller in your culture. This could be an official skald, a royal minstrel, the washerman who spins parables and folk wisdom, or the old farmer who tells tall tales at the pub. Ever since you were young, your community has groomed you to fulfill this role. As a silver-tongued storyteller, you gain access to the Fast Talker social trait.
21 - 30	Dabbler: Whether you grew up rich or poor, you refused to accept the limits imposed by your social class or means. In your youth, you determined to learn a little bit of all there was to know. You may not be the master of any one career, but the breadth of your experience is wide, textured, and diverse. You gain access to the Worldly social trait.
31 - 40	For Love: When you were young, you tried to express yourself to your beloved using song or poetry. Driven by desire, you refined your skill and learned to articulate raw emotion in story and song. You gain access to the Ear for Music religion trait and the True Love story feat. You roll a d12 instead of a d20 on the Romantic Relationships table.
41 - 50	Gift: Someone gave you a special instrument or a collection of songs and stories at a time in your life when you needed them most. You have treasured this object above all other possessions, and it started you on a path to new songs and stories. You gain access to the Seeker social trait.
51 - 60	Ongoing Patron: When you were young, a person with money or power took an interest in your art and sponsored you. Most of what you created was dictated by the patron's tastes, and you probably still work for this patron, who maintains a strong influence over your life. You gain access to the Oathbound faith trait.
61 - 70	Spy: Someone once asked you to employ your artistic talents as an excuse to observe a person, steal an object, or retrieve a piece of information. Infiltrating various houses and estates in the guise of an actor, minstrel, or storyteller, you honed your art while being paid better than most other performers. You gain access to the Criminal social trait
71 - 80	Troupe of Players: You were born into, helped found, or fell in with a troupe of traveling players. You spent your early years rambling from one place to another—from tavern to tavern, town to town, or even between countries. Long hours traveling gave you plenty of time to practice and hone your skill. You gain access to the World Traveler social trait
81 - 90	Virtuoso: One day, you picked up an instrument or told a tale, and your raw natural ability captivated everyone who saw you perform. Words and music have always come to you effortlessly, as naturally as breathing. You gain access to the Talented social trait and the Magnum Opus story feat.
91 - 100	Worldshaker: Since childhood, you've observed the world around you and translated those observations into story and song. Your unique, unabashed vision resonated with the audience, revealing new perspectives as well as simple truths. You're used to people quoting your words and looking up to you, though some authority figures deem you a rabble-rouser and troublemaker. You gain access to the Natural-Born Leader social trait

Table: The Performer

Level	Special	Reputation Bonus
Lv1	Arcane Armored Combat, Trendy Knowledge, Performance, Counter-song, Distraction, Fascinate, Inspire Courage +1, Minor Arcane Casting	+0
Lv2	Versatile Performance, Well-versed	+1
Lv3	Inspire Competence +2	+1
Lv4		+2
Lv5	Inspire Courage +3, Lore Master 1/day	+2
Lv6	Suggestion, Versatile Performance	+3
Lv7	Inspire Competence +3	+3
Lv8	Dirge of Doom	+4
Lv9	Inspire Greatness	+4
Lv10	Jack-of-all-Trades, Versatile Performance	+5
Lv11	Inspire Competence +4, Inspire Courage +4, Lore Master 2/day	+5
Lv12	Soothing Performance	+6
Lv13		+6
Lv14	Frightening Tune, Versatile Performance	+7
Lv15	Inspire Competence +5, Inspire Heroics	+7
Lv16		+8
Lv17	Inspire Courage +5, Lore Master 3/day	+8
Lv18	Mass Suggestion, Versatile Performance	+9
Lv19	Inspire Competence +6	+9
Lv20	Deadly Performance	+10

Class Features:

Recommended Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Visual Art) (Int), Craft (Writing) (Int) Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gamble (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (all) (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Recommended Good Salvations: Relex or Will

Weapons & Armor Proficiency: You are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Bards are also proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields)

Minor Arcane Casting (Sp): You start with the Minor Arcane Casting Class feat and use your Charisma Modifier to learn and cast Spells. If you had chosen the same feat thru the Spellcaster Archetype Class, or other source, you gain a +1 to your arcane caster level, affecting the range/duration/damage dealt and other effects depending on the character level

Arcane Armored Combat (Ex): You become able to cast Arcane spells while you are wearing Light Armor and/or Shields, without being subject of Arcane Failure, but not when you are wearing heavier armors

Trendy Knowledge (Ex): You can add half your class level (minimum 1) on all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained

Performance (Su): You are trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around you, including yourself if desired. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st as you can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, you can produce any one of the types of Performance that you have mastered, as indicated by your level.
Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A Performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one Performance in effect at one time.
Starting a Performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a Performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A Performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if you get killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. You cannot have more than one Performance in effect at one time.
At Lv7, you can start a Performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At Lv13, a bard can start a Performance as a swift action.
Each Performance has audible components, visual components, or both.
If a Performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear you for the performance to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in the description). if you are deaf, you have a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a Performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to Performances with audible components.
If a Performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to you for the performance to have any effect. If you get blind, you have a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a Performance with a visual component. If you fail this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.

Countersong (Su): At Lv1 you learn to counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components). Each round of the countersong you make a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 9 mts from you (including yourself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use your Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use your Perform skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components.

Distraction (Su): At Lv1, you can use your performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the distraction, he makes a Perform (act, stand-up, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 9 mts from you (including yourself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern), or illusion (figment) magical attack may use your Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform skill check proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the distraction is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the distraction, but it must use yourPerform skill check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components.

Fascinate (Su): At Lv1, you can use your performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with you. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 27 mts, able to see and hear you, and capable of paying attention to you. You must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. For every three class levels beyond Lv1, you can target one additional creature with this ability. Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your class level + Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature's saving throw succeeds, you cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on all skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.

Inspire Courage (Su): At Lv1, you can use your performance to inspire courage in your allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive your performance. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At Lv5, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at Lv17. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. Inspire courage can use audible or visual components. The bard must choose which component to use when starting his performance.

Inspire Competence (Su): At Lv3 or higher, you can use your performance to help an ally succeed at a task. That ally must be within 9 mts and be able to hear you The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as she continues to hear the your performance. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the bard has attained beyond 3rd (+3 at 7th, +4 at 11th, +5 at 15th, and +6 at 19th). Certain uses of this ability are infeasible, such as Stealth, and may be disallowed at the GM's discretion. You can't inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence relies on audible components.

Suggestion (Sp): At Lv6 or higher, you can use your performance to make a suggestion (as per the spell) to a creature he has already fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not disrupt the fascinate effect, but it does require a standard action to activate (in addition to the free action to continue the fascinate effect). You can use this ability more than once against an individual creature during an individual performance. Making a suggestion does not count against your daily use of Performance. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your class level + Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature. Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind affecting, language-dependent ability and relies on audible components.

Dirge of Doom (Su): At Lv8 or higher, you can use your performance to foster a sense of growing dread in his enemies, causing them to become shaken. To be affected, an enemy must be within 9 mts and able to see and hear your Performance. The effect persists for as long as the enemy is within 9 mts and you continue your performance. This performance cannot cause a creature to become frightened or panicked, even if the targets are already shaken from another effect. Dirge of doom is a mind-affecting fear effect, and it relies on audible and visual components.

Inspire Greatness (Su): At Lv9 or higher, you can use your performance to inspire greatness in yourself or a single willing ally within 9 mts, granting extra fighting capability. For every three levels that you attain beyond Lv9, you can target an additional ally while using this performance (up to a maximum of four targets at Lv18). To inspire greatness, all of the targets must be able to see and hear you. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability and it relies on audible and visual components.

Soothing Performance (Su): At Lv12 or higher, you can use your performance to create an effect equivalent to a mass cure serious wounds, using your class level as the caster level. In addition, this performance removes the fatigued, sickened, and shaken conditions from all those affected. Using this ability requires 4 rounds of continuous performance, and the targets must be able to see and hear the bard throughout the performance. Soothing performance affects all targets that remain within 9 mts throughout the performance. Soothing performance relies on audible and visual components.

Frightening Tune (Sp): At Lv14 or higher, you can use your performance to cause fear on your enemies. To be affected, an enemy must be able to hear you perform and be within 9 mts. Each enemy within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your class level + Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If the save succeeds, the creature is immune to this ability for 24 hours. If the save fails, the target becomes frightened and flees for as long as the target can hear your Performance. Frightening tune relies on audible components.

Inspire Heroics (Su): At Lv15 or higher, you can inspire tremendous heroism in yourself or a single ally within 9 mts. For every three class levels the character attains beyond Lv15, you can inspire heroics in an additional creature. To inspire heroics, all of the targets must be able to see and hear you. Inspired creatures gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. This effect lasts for as long as the targets are able to witness the performance. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability that relies on audible and visual components.

Mass Suggestion (Sp): This ability functions just like suggestion but allows you at Lv18 or higher, to make a suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that you have already fascinated. Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability that relies on audible components.

Deadly Performance (Su): At Lv20 level or higher, you can use your performance to cause one enemy to die from joy or sorrow. To be affected, the target must be able to see and hear you perform for 1 full round and be within 9mts. The target receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature's saving throw succeeds, the target is staggered for 1d4 rounds, and you cannot use deadly performance on that creature again for 24 hours. If a creature's saving throw fails, it dies. Deadly performance is a mind-affecting death effect that relies on audible and visual components.

Versatile Performance (Ex): At Lv2, you can choose one type of Perform skill. you can use its bonus in that skill in place of his bonus in associated skills. When substituting in this way, you use your total Perform skill bonus, including class skill bonus, in place of its associated skill's bonus, whether or not he has ranks in that skill or if it is a class skill. At Lv6, and every 4 levels thereafter, you can select an additional type of Perform to substitute.
The types of Perform and their associated skills are: Act (Bluff, Disguise), Comedy (Bluff, Intimidate), Dance (Acrobatics), Keyboard Instruments (Diplomacy, Intimidate), Oratory (Diplomacy, Sense Motive), Percussion (Handle Animal, Intimidate), Sing (Bluff, Sense Motive), String (Bluff, Diplomacy), and Wind (Diplomacy, Handle Animal)

Well-Versed (Ex): At Lv2, you become resistant to the Performance ability of others, and to sonic effects in general. You gain a +4 bonus on saving throws made against Performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects.

Lore Master (Ex): At Lv5, you become a master of lore and can take 10 on any Knowledge skill check that you have ranks in. You can choose not to take 10 and can instead roll normally. In addition, once per day, the bard can take 20 on any Knowledge skill check as a standard action. He can use this ability one additional time per day for every six levels he possesses beyond 5th, to a maximum of three times per day at 17th level.

Jack-of-All-Trades (Ex): At Lv10, you can use any skill, even if the skill normally requires you to be trained. At Lv16, you consider all skills to be class skills. At Lv19, you can take 10 on any skill check, even if it is not normally allowed.

Path Deviators:

A character who deviates the Path of the Performer by turning lawful aligned, lose their ability to use their Performance effects. But still retaining the other benefits