Busker

A busker uses his dazzling physical stunts to get by on his own in the city streets. Buskers commonly use their skills to entertain for a few coins, but also pick pockets, hide in plain sight as statues, and manipulate the desperate in medicine shows. Many buskers are also jugglers.

Bardic Performance: Buskers do not gain the bardic performance ability or any of its performance types, except as noted below.

Busker Stunts (Su)

A busker knows how to magically enhance the effectiveness of his physical stunts. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. Maintaining a stunt is a free action, but it ends immediately if the busker is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round.

This ability is treated as bardic performance for the purposes of feats, abilities, and other effects that affect bardic performance. Like a bardic performance, a busker stunt cannot be maintained at the same time as other performance abilities.

Quick Hands (Su)

At 1st level as a swift action, a busker can call on his stunts to gain a +1 competence bonus on Acrobatics checks, a +1 dodge bonus to AC and on Reflex saves, and a +1 bonus on attack rolls as if from haste. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, +3 at 11th level, and +4 at 17th level. At 5th level, while maintaining this stunt the busker also gains an extra attack at his highest base attack bonus as if from haste.

Patter (Su)

A busker can engage in brisk conversation that seems innocuous, but actually encourages creatures to reveal secrets to the busker. Each round while maintaining this stunt, the busker can force one creature within 30 feet that is able to see and hear the busker and has an attitude of indifferent or better towards him to attempt a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the busker’s bard level + the busker’s Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the target must answer one yes/no question the busker asks to the best of its ability. Anyone observing this (including the creature asked, even if it succeeds at its save) must succeed at a Sense Motive check (opposed by the busker’s Bluff check) to realize the question was asked or answered.

A target that feels threatened or is in combat is immune to this ability. This is a language-dependent, mind-affecting enchantment effect.

Living Statue (Su)

At 3rd level, a busker can use this stunt to hold perfectly still. While maintaining this stunt the busker can attempt a Bluff check (opposed by all observers’ Sense Motive checks) to appear paralyzed, dead, or as a statue (this requires that the busker be disguised to look as though he were made of stone or metal, which is aided with a statue disguise kit). Even magical means of determining the true nature of the busker do not function for an observer that fails this check. If the busker takes any physical actions, this stunt ends.

Fascinate (Su)

At 6th level, the busker can fascinate creatures with his stunts, as per the bardic performance ability.

Suggestion (Sp)

At 8th level, the busker can implant a suggestion in a creature with his stunts, as per the bardic performance ability of the same name.

Inventive Juggler (Ex)

At 9th level, a busker masters unconventionally dangerous juggling techniques. While maintaining this stunt, the busker can use a thrown weapon (even an improvised one) to threaten spaces as though he were using a reach weapon. At 12th level and every 3 levels thereafter, the busker threatens squares up to 10 feet farther away with thrown weapons.

Impossible Sleight of Hand (Su)

At 15th level, a busker can store items in or retrieve them from a personal extradimensional space with a maximum capacity of 8,000 cubic feet and 8,000 pounds as a busker stunt. The item may be sent from or called to his hand or any place it fits on his person. He can access the extradimensional space only to store or retrieve a single object at a time; to retrieve or store an object larger than Fine size, the busker must expend 1 additional round of busker stunts for each size category larger than Fine. This stunt is instantaneous and must be activated again each time the busker wishes to use it. The extradimensional space empties its contents within the busker’s space if he dies.

Flexible Performer (Ex)

A busker can attempt Acrobatics, Disguise, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth checks to earn money instead of Perform checks. He can use his Bluff modifier in place of his Diplomacy modifier on Diplomacy checks.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the Street © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: John Compton, Mikko Kallio, Nicolas Logue, Michael McCarthy, Mike Myler, and David N. Ross.

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