Virtuoso

Compatible Classes: Cantor, Maestro.

Bardic Performance: A virtuoso is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st, a virtuoso can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the virtuoso can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his 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 virtuoso to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the virtuoso is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A virtuoso cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time. A virtuoso can, however, have a bardic performance and a conducted score in effect at one time.

At 7th level, a virtuoso can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a virtuoso can start a bardic performance as a swift action.

Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both. A virtuoso cannot begin to conduct a score in the same round in which he started a bardic performance, and vice versa. This restriction does not extend to opuses, which the virtuoso can begin to conduct regardless of what other performances or scores he started that round.

If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the virtuoso for the performance to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in the description). A deaf virtuoso has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components.

If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the virtuoso for the performance to have any effect. A blind virtuoso has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.

A virtuoso’s levels in the cantor class stack with his levels in the maestro class for the purpose of this ability.

List of Bardic Performances:

  • Countersong (Su): At 1st level, a virtuoso learns to counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components.) Each round of the countersong, he makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the virtuoso (including the virtuoso himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the virtuoso’s 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 non-instantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the virtuoso’s 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 1st level, a virtuoso can use his performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the Distraction, he makes a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the virtuoso (including the virtuoso himself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack may use the virtuoso’s 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 Distraction is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous 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 the virtuoso’s Perform check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components.
  • Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, a virtuoso can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the virtuoso, and capable of paying attention to him. The virtuoso must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a virtuoso has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability. Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the virtuoso’s level + the virtuoso’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the virtuoso 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 virtuoso continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on 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): A 1st level virtuoso can use his performance to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive the virtuoso’s 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 5th level, and every six virtuoso levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. Inspire courage can use audible or visual components. The virtuoso must choose which component to use when starting his performance.
  • Inspire Competence (Su): A virtuoso of 3rd level or higher can use his performance to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the virtuoso. The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as she continues to hear the virtuoso’s performance. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the virtuoso 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. A virtuoso can’t inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence relies on audible components. Suggestion (Sp): A virtuoso of 6th level or higher can use his performance to make a suggestion (as per the spell) to a creature that 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). A virtuoso can use this ability more than once against an individual creature during an individual performance. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 virtuoso’s level + virtuoso’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability and relies on audible components.
  • Dirge of Doom (Su): A virtuoso of 8th level or higher can use his performance to foster a sense of growing dread in his enemies, causing them to become shaken. To be affected, an enemy must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the virtuoso’s performance. The effect persists for as long as the enemy is within 30 feet and the virtuoso continues the performance. The 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): A virtuoso of 9th level or higher can use his performance to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting extra fighting capability. For every three levels a virtuoso attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally while using this performance (up to a maximum of four at 18th level). To inspire greatness, all of the targets must be able to see and hear the virtuoso. 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): A virtuoso of 12th level or higher can use his performance to create an effect equivalent to the mass cure serious wounds spell, using the virtuoso’s 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 continuous rounds of performance, and the targets must be able to see and hear the virtuoso throughout the performance. Soothing performance relies on audible and visual components.
  • Frightening Tune (Sp): A virtuoso of 14th level or higher can use his performance to cause fear in his enemies. To be affected, an enemy must be able to hear the virtuoso perform and be within 30 feet. Each enemy within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the virtuoso’s level + the virtuoso’s 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 the virtuoso’s performance. Frightening tune relies on audible components.
  • Inspire Heroics (Su): A virtuoso of 15th level or higher can inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single ally within 30 feet. For every three virtuoso levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, all of the targets must be able to see and hear the virtuoso. Inspired creatures gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The 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 a virtuoso of 18th level or higher to make a suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated. Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mindaffecting, language dependent ability that relies on audible components.

This ability replaces the ability to cast spells.

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