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Sign_of_Fourteen
2006-03-22, 12:14 AM
Soul Musician

Soul Musicians are those few bards who have an in-born talent, a need, for music. Not just any music - from the depths of their passion arises Music With Rocks In, a dangerous form of tune with a life of its own.

Alignment: Any nonlawful
Hit Die: d6

Prerequisites
Perform (vocals, lute, guitar, drums, organ, pipes only) 8 ranks

Class skills
The Soul Musician's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), , Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill points per level - 6 + Int modifier

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +0 +0 +2 +2 Soul Music
2 +1 +0 +3 +3
3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Infectious Music
4 +3 +1 +4 +4
5 +3 +1 +4 +4
6 +4 +2 +5 +5 Live Fast, Die Young
7 +5 +2 +5 +5
8 +6 +2 +6 +6 Just Noise
9 +6 +3 +6 +6
10 +7 +3 +7 +7 The King


Spellcasting: Every time an even-numbered Soul Musician level is gained, the Musician gains new spells per day and spells known just as if they had gained a level in a spellcasting class they had known before becoming a Soul Musician.

Bardic Music: If the Soul Musician has levels in bard, its Soul Musician level stacks with its bard level for purposes of determining Bardic Music abilities. If the Musician did not have levels in bard, it gains a Bardic Music ability as if it was a bard with level equal to its Soul Musician level.

Soul Music: At level 1, a Soul Musician begins to use Music With Rocks In as a style. This flamboyant and energetic style of music affords the Musician a +2 circumstance bonus on Perform checks when dealing with people of Chaotic alignment, and a -2 penalty when dealing with people of Lawful alignment.

Infectious Music: At level 3, a Soul Musician's music has taken on a life of its own and spreads from person to person. Whenever the Musician makes a Perform check, listeners must make a will save with DC equal to the Perform check. If they fail, they are stricken with an irrepressible desire to imitate it as best they can. This is a mind-affecting ability with a duration of 8 hours. It is always active - the Musician cannot deactivate this ability.

Live Fast, Die Young: At level 6, the music is beginning to take over the Soul Musician, and may damage their health as the tunes inside their head demand release. When making a Perform check, the Musician may voluntarily take subdual damage in exchange for increasing the check. For every 2 points of subdual damage taken, the Musician may count their Perform check as being 1 higher than the result rolled.

Just Noise: At level 8, a Soul Musician's music has become so intense that those of a Lawful persuasion cannot bear to hear it. Any Lawful creature who hears the Musician perform must take 1 point of damage for every point the Musician's Perform check exceeds 25. The Musician may choose whether to inflict subdual or normal damage. The music will heal all Chaotic creatures within earshot for an equal amount. This power is usable once per day.

The King: At level 10, the Soul Musician is so in tune with their inner music that they practically become an avatar of the music. They are now treated as a native outsider and count as forever under the effect of a protection from law spell. They are also in such harmony with the music that they receive a +2 divine bonus on all Perform checks.


Okay, I'm no expert at making or balancing PrCs - this is my first - so comments and criticisms are welcome. Good or bad, and does it need any major changes?

Rei_Jin
2006-03-22, 12:54 AM
Not bad, but you also have to throw in another Pre-requisite:

Must somehow become the owner of a mythical instrument. This is not difficult in discworld as the shops that sell them seem to pop up like mushrooms, wherever you leave a bit of dirt in a dark corner, come back in 3 days, and there you go.

I'd also give them that they gain Bardic Music as if they were a bard of the appropriate level. You've halved their spell casting ability, so giving them back their music would make it more balanced.

Phasm
2006-03-22, 03:09 AM
Awesome! ;D I love Discworld and bardic PrCs.

It needs an Otto's irresistible dance-like ability somewhere in there, though, to represent the wild dancing that Music With Rocks In provokes. And I agree with Rei Jin that Soul Musician levels should stack with bard for bardic music purposes.

Splendor
2006-03-22, 03:30 AM
Infectious Music: At level 3, a Soul Musician's music has taken on a life of its own and spreads from person to person. Whenever the Musician makes a Perform check, listeners must make a will save with DC equal to the Perform check. If they fail, they are stricken with an irrepressible desire to imitate it as best they can. This is a mind-affecting ability with a duration of 8 hours. It is always active - the Musician cannot deactivate this ability.

A little too powerful. It allows it to be used in combat, your allies could simply plug their ears with wax and chop apart any enemy.

You could change it adding the same backdraws the bardic ability Fascinate does.

Rei_Jin
2006-03-22, 03:41 AM
All it does is give them a desire to repeat the music or what it is espousing. It has no effect on stopping people fighting, if I read it correctly.

As an example, the assasins sent to kill buddy didn't stop trying to kill him, the music took over his life and Susan dealt with the assasins.

Sign_of_Fourteen
2006-03-22, 07:54 AM
Rei Jin is right. I was thinking of the concerts in the novel that resulted in a massive explosion of rock-enthusiasts.

It doesn't stop you fighting, it just strikes you with an inexplicable urge to play Music With Rocks In for the next 8 hours. Great for spreading anarchy, but not really useful in combat... unless you have a strange fascination with WH40k-style 'Goffik Rokkas'! ;)

Oh, and of course it ought to stack for purposes of bardic music! How could I forget that?

Single Shot Zombie
2006-03-22, 08:08 AM
Well, if you really want this class to be a thorn in the side of all paladins and monks out there, you should restrict it to "any chaotic" instead of "any nonlawful". Seeing as all the Soul Musician's abilities simply irritate lawful people........

endoperez
2006-03-22, 09:38 AM
Well, if you really want this class to be a thorn in the side of all paladins and monks out there, you should restrict it to "any chaotic" instead of "any nonlawful". Seeing as all the Soul Musician's abilities simply irritate lawful people........

Except for the Infectious music, which seems to also affect Lawful people. I can imagine how a nervous Paladin pondering about this new problem, its risks, all the while he is tapping the rhythm on the table...
Oh. You are right. Even this ability simply irritates lawful peolpe. :D

Allowing Neutral characters in might lead into occassional Lawful character changing his view enough to start his new life as a musician... Ex-Paladin/Soul Musician might not be effective, but could be very Discworldian surprise for players who thought this 'ex-Paladin' was a simple Blackguard. ;)