Bardic Masterpieces

Bardic masterpieces are special uses of the bardic performance ability, initially introduced in Ultimate Magic. Only bards or skalds can learn a bardic masterpiece (a skald can learn “sagas”, which function nearly identically) and must meet the associated cost to learn it. Each bardic masterpiece has an effect, use, and action required. Bardic masterpieces are supernatural unless otherwise stated and an unwilling creature may attempt a Will save against the effects of a masterpiece (DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Charisma modifier).

Bardic Masterpieces and Spheres of Power: Bards, skalds, and other classes with access to bardic masterpieces can exchange a magic talent granted by their class levels for a bardic masterpiece or skald saga as though sacrificing a spell known. Determine the effective spell level of a magic talent exchanged this way by dividing the character’s caster level by 2, and round down.

A character with spherecasting may use their casting ability modifier instead of their Charisma modifier when determining the save DC and other effects of masterpieces.


New Bardic Masterpieces

Wildfriend Pastorale (Percussion, Wind) [BTH]

Your gentle song reaches out to the wilderness, enthralling the beasts that slumber in far away lands.

Prerequisites: Handle Animal or Knowledge (nature) 3 ranks; Perform (percussion) or Perform (wind) 3 ranks.

Cost: Feat or 2nd-level bard spell known.

Effect: This bardic masterpiece’s effects function as the Nature sphere Natural Ally (spirit) advanced talent, using the bard’s class level as his caster level, except the bard can only call creatures with the animal type. Any animal with an appropriate CR can be called by this effect regardless of the habitat or environment, unless the animal could not survive in the environment (such as calling a whale to a desert). An animal called by this effect aids the bard to the best of its ability and can understand the bard as though it possessed all languages the bard speaks.

If the bard possesses the versatile performance class feature and can use his Perform skill bonus in place of a Handle Animal check, increase the maximum CR of creatures the bard can call with this masterpiece by +1 + 1 for every 5 bard levels.

The bard may only have one animal called by this masterpiece at any time. If the bard uses this masterpiece while another animal is called, the previous animal leaves as though this masterpiece’s duration ended immediately.

Use: 2 rounds of bardic performance.

Action: 1 full-round action.

Note: Animals called by this ability can be convinced to stay after the bardic masterpiece’s duration ends, such as using the Beastmastery sphere Animal Empathy talent, the tame ability, or other appropriate abilities. If the called animal has not been convinced to remain when the bardic masterpiece’s duration ends, it leaves immediately or may become hostile if mistreated by the bard during the effect’s duration.

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