Spectral Dancer

Whereas most bards seek the spotlight, the spectral dancer often treads in dreary locales that few dare to visit. He believes that when the living cannot defeat an enemy, one must beseech the dead for aid and guidance. The spectral dancer defies convention and adorns his face and upper torso with bone piercings and white paint, causing outsiders to gaze upon him with morbid curiosity and utter bewilderment. Even his kin perceive him as a macabre loner fascinated with spirits and the afterlife, but his relationship with the dead is more complex than mere wonderment. His spiritual connection to his departed ancestors infuses him with insight and inner strength that is beyond the understanding of living mortals. Furthermore, his link to the ghostly realm of the dead grants him newfound powers to wage war on the restless souls that rise from the grave or are reborn into twisted depravities in the foul depths of the Lower Planes. Though perceived as a ghost hunter by some, the spectral dancer believes he is a conduit that links the realms of the living and the dead.

Bardic Performance

A spectral dancer gains the following types of bardic performance.

Infuse Alignment: At 3rd level, the bard can make one weapon within 30 feet chaotic, evil, good or lawful, as he chooses. This performance functions as an align weapon spell for as long as the weapon’s wielder can see the bard. The bard cannot use this performance to affect his weapons.

This effect relies upon visual components. It replaces inspire competence.

Dead Can Dance: A bard of 6th level or higher can use his performance to give an incorporeal creature semi-physical form. The target must be within 60 feet and able to see the bard. This performance duplicates the effects of ghostbane dirge. A Will saving throw (DC 10 +1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) negates the effect.

This ability affects only a single creature.

This performance replaces suggestion.

Summon Spectral Warrior: This performance causes a humanoid-shaped incorporeal creature to appear where the bard designates. The spectral warrior can immediately act at the beginning of the bard’s next turn. The spectral warrior cannot appear more than 60 feet from the bard, and it must remain within 60 feet of the bard at all times. The spectral warrior has a fly speed of 60 feet and perfect maneuverability.

The bard telepathically communicates his commands to the spectral warrior. The bard designates the spectral warrior’s opponent, and its ghostly melee touch attack deals 1d10 points of damage on a successful hit. Each round after the first, the bard can use a move action to redirect the spectral warrior to a new target. If the bard does not, it continues to attack the previous round’s target unless the target moves out of range.

In this case, the spectral warrior returns to the bard’s side and awaits a new command.

The spectral warrior uses the bard’s base attack bonus plus his Charisma modifier as its attack bonus, though it cannot attack more than once per round. The bard’s feats or combat actions do not affect the spectral warrior. The spectral warrior has an AC of 10 + the bard’s Charisma modifier, which is treated as a deflection bonus, and half the bard’s hit points. If the spectral warrior is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed.

This performance relies on visual components.

This performance replaces inspire greatness.

Ancestral Recall (Ex)

A spectral dancer gains a bonus equal to half his level on Knowledge (planes) and Knowledge (religion) checks made to identify outsiders and undead creatures as well as their special powers or vulnerabilities. This bonus applies only to those creatures created from the bodies or souls of mortal beings.

This ability replaces bardic knowledge.

Spirit Touched (Ex)

At 2nd level, a spectral dancer gains a +4 bonus on saves against spells and spell-like abilities cast by undead creatures and outsiders formed from the bodies or souls of mortal beings.

This ability replaces well-versed.

Spectral Channel (Su)

At 5th level, a spectral dancer gains limited ability to channel energy as a cleric and Alignment Channel as a bonus feat. He can only heal undead creatures, or he can deal damage to undead creatures. A good bard must channel positive energy, which deals damage to undead creatures. An evil bard must channel negative energy, which heals undead creatures. A neutral bard must choose whether he channels positive or negative energy. Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed. The amount of damage dealt or healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every five bard levels beyond 5th (2d6 at 10th, 3d6 at 15th, up to a maximum of 4d6 at 20th). Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Charisma modifier. Creatures healed by channeled energy cannot exceed their maximum hit point total — all excess healing is lost. A bard may channel energy a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Charisma modifier.

This ability replaces lore master and jack of all trades.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Fields of Blood © 2015 Frog God Games, LLC. Author: Tom Knauss

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