As conceptualized, this would require the addition of a new item class, Instruments, which would be equipped in the ranged slot. They are briefly detailed at the end.
A support class conceptualized differently from any existing class, this class does not rely on magic or SP, but rather uses the power of music to inspire allies and demoralize foes. The primary stats of a Bard are Charisma and Dexterity. All bard skills are based on 18/20 (20) Charisma, and potency scales linearly, with 18/220 (40, maximum) being double effectiveness, and 10 being half effectiveness. The actual performance skill to initiate music effects is based on Dexterity. Once initiated, a song acts as an aura effect that surrounds the Bard until it's duration expires. Bards have basic combat abilities, and rely on an instrument wielded in their ranged slot to perform music. Bards have below average stealth, and incur a small stealth penalty while song effects are playing.
Bard's core skills are:
Intonation -- Can produce harmony or dissonance
Rhythm -- Can create a relaxing dirge or a frenetic tune
Articulation -- Can drastically alter properties of music
The use of these three skills combined determines performance skill effects and potency. A Bard's music can produce three effects, one from each school, simultaneously, and these effects apply to all within a wide radius (but does not penetrate walls). The duration of the effect (and thus how often the Bard will have to re-use the performance skill) is affected by the quality of the instrument the bard wields.
The schools are arranged as follows:
Intonation
Level 1: Melody
A basic melody that bolsters allies, granting a bonus to hit equal to (skill level*0.5)
Level 10: Harmony
A beautiful harmony lifts the spirits and slowly heals HP, SP and ST for party members.
Level 25: Counterpart
A two part melody granting a percentile bonus to physical damage equal to (skill level)%.
Level 40: Perfect Cadence
This progression of chords enhances one's ability to concentrate, granting a bonus to disarm, magic device, and spell failure rates.
Level 50: Discord
A discordant tune disrupts the spellcasting of foes, causing words to be lost beneath the sound, with (skilllevel/2)% chance of spell failure.
Rhythm
Level 1: Strumming
A simple strumming rhythm, enemies in range suffer a penalty to hit.
Level 5: Largo
This dirge incites drowsiness in enemies, granting a small chance every turn to afflict enemies with sleep. (skilllevel/20)%
Level 20: March
A tune that inspires military organization, all players in range gain a bonus to AC equal to the skill level.
Level 30: Presto
A lively dance grants a speed bonus to players in range. Speed +(skill level/8)
Level 45: Adagio
This slow tempo causes nearby enemies to suffer a speed penalty. Speed -(skill level/10)
Articuation
Level 1: Staccato
The short articulation of this song grants a bonus to focus, reducing the duration of negative status effects that are inflicted upon players. This song must be active when the status effect is inflicted. (skill level*0.5)% duration reduction.
Level 5: Fermata
This sustained note grants a stealth bonus to all within range. Eliminates stealth penalty for playing songs.
Level 15: Marcato
This heavy pulsing causes enemies to take damage. This damage is slight, but will not wake sleeping foes. (skill level/15) damage / turn. Damage is sound-element.
Level 20: Legato
The captivating nature of this sound slows the enemy retreat. (0.8%*skill level)% chance per turn that a fleeing monster fails to act.
Level 35: Trill
The shrill sound of the trill disorients and confuses enemies. (0.5*skill level)% chance, duration (skill level/8) + 5
Level 45: Sforzando
This harsh sound can inflict stun upon enemies in the area of effect. (0.5*skill level)% chance, duration (skill level/8) + 5
The Bard also has two other skills; Improvisation, which allows them to create extra effects, and Bardic Lore, which gives them some basic divination-like abilities.
Improvisation
Level 1: Perform (2 ST)
Perform a song. A successful check will play a song. A failed check will still perform the song, but will aggravate in a small radius.
Level 10: Riff (1 ST)
Using echo-location, the bard can map a small area around him. Ideally, I would like to see this implemented as an area function, similar to tidal wave, in which a sound wave is emitted from the Bard, and maps any wall it encounters at a max range equal to the skill level. Particularly useful in large, dark rooms.
Level 20: Solo
A toggle-able mode. Songs have an aura size of 1, but gain potency as if the Bard's CHA were (skill level/10) points higher.
Level 40: Da Capo (10 ST)
Brings dead back to life as if a Scroll of Life is read.
At level 30, gain sound resistance.
At level 50, gain sound immunity.
Bardic Lore
Level 10: Study Item (3 ST)
Instantly Pseudo-ID an item.
At Level 5, gain immunity to blindness
At Level 25, gain see invisible
At Level 40, gain hold life
At Level 50, a bard will pseudo-ID anything simply by touching it. Basically auto-ID, pseudo-fied.
Bardic Lore is treated as Combat, Archery, and Magic combined for the purpose of pseudo-IDing items.
Instruments have 2 core attributes: duration and range. Duration is how long a song played on it will last. Range is the aura size. They appear in the inventory as
[Prefix Ego][Instrument Name][Suffix Ego] (xdy,+z) [n]
xdy, +z is the duration of a song played on this instrument. z can go up to +15, or +40 on artifacts. n is the range of it's sound, and is based on the base instrument type, though artifacts might have higher values.
Some possible examples
Lute, 5d50 [6]
Mandolin, 5d30 [8]
Flute, 10d10 [12]
Sitar, 8d20 [9]
Ego-types
Well-tuned~; (+DEX)
Broken~; Can't be played
Silver~; -2 range, +1 duration die
~of Blaring; +5 range, high chance to have aggravate
~of Silence; -3 range, (+ Stealth)
~of Sustaining; +2 duration dice
~of Performance; (+CHA, +DEX)
I seriously doubt this will be implemented any time soon, if ever, but I am more than willing to try and flesh this out more if the developers are interested.
New Class: Bard (Concept)
Re: New Class: Bard (Concept)
hmm, idea of adding some class is not stupid, but i think single bard will be to soft to survive first 15 lvl alone, or will be explore dungeon very slow
I think duration on instrument it isn't good, better if "music spell" will have basic duration which increase with lvl of skill and insrument will give extra round
PS: Maybe if he will have more spell that do damege will be better: This spell what do write for example damage is good for first lvl in training tower, later this spell will do very small damage if we compare too monster hp
because of properties of sound, all spell will be wave if i good understand?
I think duration on instrument it isn't good, better if "music spell" will have basic duration which increase with lvl of skill and insrument will give extra round
PS: Maybe if he will have more spell that do damege will be better: This spell what do write for example damage is good for first lvl in training tower, later this spell will do very small damage if we compare too monster hp
because of properties of sound, all spell will be wave if i good understand?